Welcome to our review of the 2014 Star Wars Black Series 6 inch Action Figure release of the Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot. The Tie Fighter Pilot was released in the blue line packaging of the Black Series (phase 2) and was part of the 6th wave overall.
Packaging 3/5
The Tie Pilot was released in the 6th overall wave of the Black Series, the second wave to be released in the amended blue line packaging. The newer packaging gave the box an extended window that wrapped around the top flap. The lining was changed from orange to blue and continued to run on the backing card of the figure and round the back of the box. The numbering and character name are also picked out in Blue, the Tie Pilot being number #05 in the blue line.
Being a black coloured figure, the black backing card does not work for the Tie Fighter Pilot and he does get a little ost in the box. The front artwork is not too flattering, but the box makes up for it round the back where there is a shot from A New Hope with the Tie Pilot in action. Above this sits the text.
"TIE FIGHTER PILOTS BATTLE REBEL STARFIGHTERS DURING THE BATTLE OF YAVIN. TESE ELITE IMPERIAL PILOTS DEPLOY FROM THE DEATH STAR BATTLE STATION AND BLAST THE REBEL FIGHTERS WITH LASER CANNON FIRE"
"Look out!"
This text of course places the Tie PIlot firmly in A New Hope, but of course the design of the Tie Pilot did not change during the saga so the figure is just as applicable for any of the Original Trilogy movies as well as Rogue One, Solo and Rebels.
Paint & Sculpt 3/5
The helmet sculpt for the figure is spot on with some crisp detail around the helmet and face plate. While it is all cast out of blac plastic, the eyes are coloured so there is a deeper mirror look to these. The black is broken with the two Imperial silver logos either side of the crest of the helmet.
The rest of the body is also black in colouring with a matt undersuit and gloss black armoured parts around the codpiece and gloss black boots and gloves. The chest unit is a separate piece to the body and is connected to the helmet with two fixed tubes.
The chest unit has painted switches in grey silver and blue. And aside from a further Imperial Logo decal on the shoulder, the only other paint is some detailing on a control panel on the arm which is neatly painted with red and white buttons and a silver clasp on the buckle of the belt.
This belt is cast as an individual piece too and includes a holster. The holster is not something we see in the movie, although an episode of Rebels did show the pilots armed with a similar holstered weapon.
The one criticism I have of the figure overall is that he looks a little skinny. The legs should perhaps be baggier around the trousers rather than the skin tight look they've been given.
Accessories 2/5
The weapon in question is an E11 blaster rifle as previously packed with the Imperial Stormtrooper figures. It is cast in a plain black plastic with no paint applications at all. It fits into the holster with no issue.
It fits into the Pilot's right hand with a trigger finger that slots into the trigger nicely. Thanks to the arm articulation the Pilot can do one or two handed poses with the blaster, the left hand cupping the barrel if required.
While I cannot think of much else you could include with the Tie Pilot, I do wonder if there could have been an option to have the helmet removable?
Articulation 4/5
Our Pilot has 16 points of articulation starting with the ball jointed head. While the piping stops the head rotating fully, the pipes are flexible enough to allow the Pilot to look right or left and there is some motion for tilting the helmet side to side.
There is a torso joint built in under the chest unit, this has barely any movement other than allowing the torso to rotate.
Arms are ball jointed shoulders with a single rotating elbow and pivot wrists. This is plenty for a pilot figure as he can bend and extend his arms as well as assuming the hands behind back pose while he waits for orders.
The legs are jointed at the hip with a ball joint followed by a thigh split, double jointed knees and ankle rockers.
Summary
The Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot is a great addition to the Black Series, and to those who have a thing for Imperial Troops. There is little to fault with the figure, perhaps just the skinny legs which could do with being a baggier flight suit sculpt.
The paint is crisply applied, as are the Imperial decals and while the weapon and holster and not screen accurate, they are nice to include - although I'd have preferred them to be made removable so I can decide on how to display.
I score the Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot 4 out of 5.
