Topic: Rebel Fleet Trooper Pistol - variation, or error? You decide.

[flaccideagle]

So I got this pair of the new TVC 2011 Rebel Fleet Trooper a few weeks ago as part of a bigger order from our man in the Philippines.
What a great figure!  I really love this design and want to army build him, they're so cool!!

Anyway, one of the figures I got had a strange variation or error to the rebel pistol.  Obviously the figure is head swapped by me...



This is an all-new mold if I'm not mistaken.  It's so much nicer than the wimpy, floppy, melty, pencil-handle ones we've gotten for the last 3-4 years.

As you can see from the picture below, the top one (which has a 1 printed on the handle) has no sight, and the trigger guard is opened.
The 2nd one (which has a 2 printed on the handle) has the traditional full guard and sight.



Below, the standard blaster, marked with a 2 on the handle.  This seems to be what I see everyone else has, including all carded examples i've seen in person:



And here is my error one.   Note that there was no flash when I got it, and the little ball/sight at the top is nowhere near the similarly sized dot on the standard one:



The top sight area looks a little different, and the guard looks a little different than the standard one too, in shape.

The blasters do have different numbers on them...


Maybe I'm reading into this too much.  Is there another type of rebel pistol? A single error? A running error caught at the factory?
What number does your fleet trooper's pistol have? a 1 or a 2?


Any help appreciated!
Cheers!!

[The Spectre]

I would be willing to wager that this is simply a factory error where the plastic being injected into the mold didn't fill the cavity completely (air bubbles caught in mold). I remember seeing a few jango Fett figures from the AOTC Sneak Preview wave that had similiar issues. Certainly a cool piece for your collection, but not a true variation.

[Spookymufu]

take a look at the scope on the two guns, the one thats "different" does that knob on the top look as if it could be the back of the scope and just not finished or does it look completely different?

[DocOutlands]

*To me,* it appears the pistol marked "1" was not fully formed in the mold.  The knob on top appears to be the rear scope-mount and the odd shape looks to be due to air trapped in the mold.  *HOWEVER* - the raised detail on the trigger guard does appear to be different between the two, so I'm not 100% sure.

You got a RFT from Tunghori?  Maaaaaaaan...

[flaccideagle]

Yeah I managed to get two of them.   If I had gotten on the first batch I would have gotten at least 10 of them, but I had to limit it to just two at that price. Ouch!


So as I look at it more, it does look like it's the back "scope attachment" part with some flash on it.  It looks like an error to me... but the whole "#1" vs. "#2" on the handle of the pistol is what's bugging me out.  I've only seen one other loose one and it also has a #2 on the handle.

Thanks for your input guys, and anyone else who has the RFT opened, let me know what ## your blasters have on the handle!

[DocOutlands]

Opened mine and took a look at the pistol-grip.  Mine is a number 6 or 9, depending on orientation.  I think your variant is just bad molding.  Mine had some pretty poor paint-apps, too.

[flaccideagle]

Opened mine and took a look at the pistol-grip.  Mine is a number 6 or 9, depending on orientation.  I think your variant is just bad molding.  Mine had some pretty poor paint-apps, too.

Yeah I think you're right Doc.  It's definitely an error.  But everyone i've asked has a "2" "3" etc. and not a "1."  I think the #1 mold was probably defective and they switched to others?

I've asked a friend who is hardcore vintage collector, he collects only unpunched TVC carded backs of characters never produced on vintage cards, and his three or four troopers all have the number "2" on the handle of the guns from what he saw in the cards.  Note also his were bought either in cases online or from HK sellers.

[DocOutlands]

Does he need an unpunched AotC Clone-trooper?  I got ahold of one...

And yeah - if the "1" mold consistently produced a flawed cast, I know *I* would toss it!  In fact, I have this pile of crap molds shoved off in a corner in my shop...

[flaccideagle]

Does he need an unpunched AotC Clone-trooper?  I got ahold of one...

I'll ask but I doubt it- he gets BBTS cases and trades the doubles for his weekly comics at his local comic shop.