Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter
Darth Vader's Tie-Fighter
You thought he was dead didn’t you? When you saw Darth Vader’s Tie-Fighter spinning out of control at the end of Star Wars Episode IV (the first Star Wars movie to be released in 1977) you thought he was a goner right? Well I did anyway!
For me, this has to be one of the iconic moments of movie history. I can close my eyes and see the scene perfectly. I’ve been reliving the legendary trench run scene this morning on the very brilliant Star Wars Wiki.
The Rebel objective is to fire a proton torpedo through a thermal exhaust port on the northern hemisphere of the Death Star. Gold Squadron Y-Wings and a Squadron of X-Wings have failed, having been picked off by Darth Vader in his unique variant of the Tie-Fighter (TIE Advanced X1). Luke (call sign: Red 5) is leading the third and last trench run along with Red 2 and Red 3 at a distance to his rear - the Rebel’s last chance of destroying the Death Star. Approaching his objective, Darth Vader and two Tie-Fighter wing men pursue the attackers. Red 2 and Red 3 are taken out by Vader.
Luke's torpedoes find the mark
Luke is alone now with Vader in pursuit as he nears his firing position. Vader can’t get in a shot. “The Force is strong with this one” you’ll remember him say. Luke brushes aside his targeting computer causing great concern to the nerve wrecked Rebel command observing from their command vessel. Vader gets a lock and fires, scoring a direct hit on R2-D2 and knocking him out of action. Luke is getting closer and the Death Star starts firing up its “superlaser”. Vader gets a lock and starts firing. Just as he does, a volley of fire from above knocks out one of Vader’s wing men. It’s Han Solo in the Millennium Falcon! The second Tie wing man is caught by surprise and is knocked off course, clipping Vader’s wing who then glances off the side of the trench and is sent spinnig out of control into space. Using the force, Luke fires and finds the mark with his proton torpedoes.
A movie moment that will never be surpassed!
The Lego Version of Darth Vader's Tie-Fighter
Being a child of the eighties there are two things that featured above anything else. Star Wars and Lego. I grew up in a pile of Lego bricks was happy to spend the day building, breaking and rebuilding. What I’ll never understand is how Lego didn’t pursue licensing opportunities back then and produce Star Wars toys. Surely they would have made a killing! But the good news is that Lego did eventually see the opportunity second time around and as a grown up child, I now have the opportunity to have my very own Lego version of Darth Vader’s Tie-Fighter.
As a boy, I was also a big fan of Airfix and Revell plastic model kits. I remember spending a lot of time trying to get the glue off my hands! Anyway, it’s also taken Revell 30 years to see the licensing opportunities and you can now, also get Darth Vader’s Tie-Fighter as a plastic model kit. No painting and gluing with this range though, the kits come nicely pre-painted and the pieces snap together.
Man, to be 7 again, when your worst problem was finding that red 1×1 Lego piece at the bottom of the bucket.
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