Bandai Star Wars 1/72 X- Wing Starfighter

Probably the best mass produced X-wing model ever made. When compared to the Fine Molds model that this effectively replaced, there are nothing but good things to be said. In almost every way, Bandai has delivered a product that is far superior than its predecessors.The thing I really like is the droid socket behind the cockpit. A fully assembled astromech droid slides into the socket, instead of just the dome. You remove the butt plate and slide the power generator trench back and out comes the droid. The kit also comes with two droid bodies so you can build both an R2 and R5 series droid. This is great if you choose to build one of the other members of Red Squadron. The only downside is that only decals for R2-D2 are included. Luckily, the detail on the droids is crisp and quite impressive and will lend nicely to hand painting the droids if need be. The S-foils lock together snugly making it easier to display the craft in a landed position if desired, which opens up diorama options. The decals are quite nice and respond well to decal solvents to hug the surface of the model. The only downside is that the squadron markings and colored panels are not weathered like they are on the studio models. Personally, I paint all those anyway but for some less experienced or younger modelers, it could be a little bit of a letdown.The only thing I dislike about the model is the flight stand. The Death Star base and exhaust port are both brilliant, but the flight stand is clunky and looks out of place. I used it on the first few I built but have since moved on to 3mm clear acrylic rod, which fits perfectly in the plug on the bottom of the model. It lends itself to less of a toy-like appearance and looks a little more "professional."The bottom line is that this is a wonderful model kit in every way. The price point is also very fair, especially given the detail and engineering of these kits. It also makes it easy to build a small fleet of them to model the entire Red Squadron!

There is a whole series of X-Wings in various styles, shapes and sizes. This is from original Star Wars movie and you get the plasma bombs for the Death Star scene.The model itself is good and with plenty of detail but I did break one of the cockpit parts removing from the sprue. My fault I guess as I was moving and building the kit too quickly and got careless. You can build this kit in an hour if you want our take your time and apply paint and skills. I would buy another kit the same scale showing the newer Star Wars designs just as a comparison between to the models and their detailing.One 'extra' piece to note - if you don't use the bases for this kit there are the same pieces and can be used to expand the 'Death Star Attack Set' from Bandai to make an even more impressive diorama.

I had put off buying one of these Bandai kits for a while because the whole “no glue” thing made me think they were snaptite like models for kids. Boy was I wrong. First thing, the skill level for this kit is variable. You could put this whole kit together with just a pair of nippers or cheap hobby knife and end up with a decent model. Alternatively, if you’re a more serious modeler, you can put as much time and skill into it as you desire. The detail is stunning and there is not even a hint of flashing. The parts fit together so well that glue really isn’t necessary. In fact, glue is not advised on most parts as you can disassemble and reassemble it as desired to reveal other parts. I already bought the next kit and plan on making the whole line eventually.

I purchased this to use for a commissioned vivarium build. The model is great, with lots of detailed parts and great decals. I wanted it to look weathered and damaged like on the box, so I used a simple black wash to get in all the cracks and add some extra depth and decay. It was fun to build and fairly easy!

Nice kit with a lot of detail. Comes with the regular set of decals and a second set that don't require water they are more like stickers which might be easier for the younger modeler. The kit has a lot more parts than I originally expected but it makes for a very detailed model. The only reason I gave it a 4 star rating is the instructions are only in Japanese but the pictures are clear enough that it isn't a major hindrance.

This was the first model I'd ever built...ever...And it was a BLAST. I decided to use the stickers instead of the water decals and found that to be somewhat easier, especially since I am a beginner. I'm a huge Star Wars fan, though, and I'm a huge sympathizer with the Rebellion so I felt like the only option was to start with an X-Wing similar to the one that Luke Skywalker flew around in and blew up the Death Star with. Since it was my first model kit, it took me about 4-5 hours, including the stickers and gluing of some pieces. The detail is awesome, and my dad (also a Star Wars fan) loves seeing it on one of the shelves in the house. He kinda lingered over my shoulder for a bit when I was half-way done with it and I could tell he wanted to join in a little bit.I think the most handy thing about Bandai models is that they snap together, but I also think it's necessary to use some Tamiya Extra-Thin Cement. It dries pretty quick and is easy to clean up if it gets somewhere it's not supposed to, so I'd recommend getting that. I'd also recommend just getting a simple 8 piece tool kit for starters. The kit I purchased was by the brand Gundam, and was sold by LENX, for about $10. It's up to you if you want to get a cutting mat for putting everything together, but that's just something I'll get down the road if I ever truly need it. As long as you have a bit of desk space, some simple tools, some cement glue (that works with plastic), and a tv show or music on in the background, you'll be set for a few hours of your day.Seriously, it's worth the buy.