Review: Jedi Starfighter (Episode I - III)

product code: #06731

Today we'll take a quick look at Jedi Starfighter from Episodes I - III of Star wars. This kit is one of the Easy Kits produced by Revell. Scale of this model is 1:80, which closes down opportunity for using this ship in your normal X-wing games, it's simply too big.

But lets have a look at construction process. As kit indicates it's an easy and straight forward process. Starfighter is 100 mm in length, 59 mm in wingspan and has 21 parts. In fact assembly was so quick that I had to re-do it for the camera. Price ranges from £8.50 to £10 depending on local supplier or online shop. This kit is a good toy, which hold together well and requires minimal amount of glue.

So why buy this ship if it cannot be used in x-wing? 

The answer is - Scrapheap:

First of all, ENGINES. Two engines of this starfighter are perfect fit for anyone who wishes to create a YT-1300 or other ship with tube engines. If you look in YT manual, there is a version of YT with 3 tube engines and central mounted cockpit, as well as YT-1200 series with tube engines under aerodynamic bonnets. Jedi will provide at least 2 detachable and ready to be placed engines, all you have to do is kitbash a bigger central engine and its bonnet.   

jedi starfighter cockpit is just slightly

 bigger than YT's

Second: ALTERNATIVE COCKPIT. Majority of YT ships are seen with cockpit stylised into B-29 bomber nose. However there are ships with different type of central or starboard cockpit. Again, YT Manual and Star wars RPG games provides an alternative view. So if you are looking for a easier way to create this kind of cockpit just cut away the cockpit of Jedi starfighter, and combine it with YT "neck". You may need some extra bits if you decide to leave canopy clear to represent insides of the cockpit.  

Third: ARMOURED HULL. 

Jedi Starfighter size comparison
with YT-1300. 

Some versions of YT-1300 and other YT series ships were modified with fully armoured engines and cockpits. In order to create fully armoured YT, most  crafters like Rob Jedi use layered plastic card with a lot of sculpting. However if you use jedi starfighter as a base for your modification you may save yourself some time and effort. However, if you are looking for "historically accurate" representation of YT it may not be the best option. But as a source of plain plastic with a lot of "technical relief" this kit is a good. 

The Verdict:

Left: fully armored YT-1300. Right: YT-1300 with alternative central cockpit
and 3 tube engines.

Quality: 4
Its a good pre-painted ship. Details are not striking, but for an cheap, beginner's build its a good quality.
Game: 1
Ship is unusable in x-wing, unless you substitute it for something like Imperial Star Destroyer.
Scrapheap: 80%
Depending on your plans for this ship up 80% of starfighter may be recycled and used for kitbashing.
Overall: 3
It's not most essential kit for a ship builder,but if you buy it just to have it on  table it will provide you with 20 minutes of excitement.