Crosssection 3-D X-Wing Set
Review by Atom
The 1/35th scale Cross-section 3-D X-Wing Set is a joint endeavor from Kotobukiya and Fine Molds. It should be a match made in heaven, like two tastes that taste great together (like peanut butter and chocolate!) But unlike peanut and chocolate, which can generally be had for less than $1.00, this level of quality and detail comes at a price. A $250.00 price to be exact. That's right, let me type it out again for you... I T 'S $ 2 5 0 . 0 0 D O L L A R S !
Kotobukiya makes some seriously beautiful collectibles. From fixed posed statues to model kits and a little bit of everything in between, Kotobukiya continually turn out what any discerning collector would consider “museum quality” pieces.
Fine Molds has a long and tried history of making what many modelers consider to be the best Star Wars model kits in the industry. Exquisite attention to detail is something Fine Molds model kits has been known for in the industry for years.
Together they planned out this X-Wing set and then Fine Molds did the initial sculpting and prototyping. Kotobukiya took that prototype and had their artists plan the paint design and handled production, packaging and distribution.
What they ended up with is a full diorama of Yavin Base from Episode 4: A New Hope as it looked before Luke took off for the Battle of Yavin; complete with X-Wing, ground crew, and hanger accessories. The kit is a “snap-fit” type requiring no glue or tools as well as coming pre-painted in high detail.
If you don't know what an X-Wing is than you have zero street-cred as a geek and are beyond any help we here at CDX Headquarters may be able to provide to you. For those that must get completely immersed in the fictional back story of the Incom T-65 X-Wing Starfighter click here. Need to completely understand what the Battle of Yavin is and dissect the minute details of it? Click here .
So let's just say it now... If you are not a Star Wars fan, this set is not for you. If you are a Star Wars fan but couldn't care less about the X-Wing this set is not for you. However if you love the X-Wing and it's place in Sci-fi history then this may very well be the piece for you. What you get for such a high price tag is an exquisitely detailed representation of one of the most famous sci-fi vehicle in film history.
The box for this set is beautiful and HUGE! That's a 32” LCD in the background of these photos for scale. Kotobukiya puts a lot of thought into their finished pieces so it makes a lot of sense they put the same level of care and attention into the packaging as well.
The box is a long, heavy-gauge cardboard “suitcase” with a handle on top decorated with both images of the final piece and cross-section illustrations.
The X-Wing comes disassembled and broken up into 6 individual packaged “kits”.
Each kit includes a section of the X-Wing, a piece of the hanger floor and a few pieces of the ground crew/equipment.
Putting it all together is nowhere near as daunting a task as I had anticipated.
I haven't attempted to put together a “model” in well over 16 years so I was a little overwhelmed by the prospect of putting it all together. But I was assured I was overestimating the model-ness of it.
But when they say “snap-fit” they mean it. Absolutely no glue is needed at any point.
Assembly was very straightforward with the included instructions and all told it took about 20 minutes to put together and complete.
Some of the smaller accessories (such as Proton Torpedoes) come on those plastic model trees. While I had borrowed a pair of modeling clippers it turned out I did not need it.
Removing these pieces ended up being as simple as a twist, with no spurs or bits left on the part. A testament to just how well designed and manufactured this item really is.
Everything is painted flawlessly recreating a battle worn look of Red 5. This is about the most detailed piece I think I have ever owned. No detail is spared. There are parts that are painted with detail that once assembled you never see.
Finished X-Wing measures over 12 inches long and is not only a beautifully detailed replica of the Luke Skywalker's X-Wing but for something that's more akin to an elaborate model kit I am pleasantly surprised how solid and toy like it is when you pick it up.
The S-Foils (Wings) do spread open for attack mode and they include parts to swap out the landing gear but they do not include any means for displaying it in flight. There even appears to be a place to attach a stand in the underside panel. Perhaps there's a standard aftermarket stand that will fit this?
Be prepared to make some space to display this bad boy. The Yavin hanger is a square base that measures 15 inches by 15 inches. That's huge!
In addition to the fighter and base, you get a full compliment of ground crew, making it possible to recreate the Yavin base just as it appeared in the film.
Now as awesome as this finished piece is, it gets better! Being a cross-section concept, you can remove most of the external panels to reveal the inner structure of the fighter. Again Kotobukiya spares no detail here.
Whew. This is a stunning piece. Any die-hard fan of Star Wars would love to have this in their collection. It's a stunning, unique and highly detailed display. However $250.00 bucks is a lot of money and not in everyone's budget. If you just absolutely love the X-Wing and it's place in Sci-fi history it's worth giving a look, just make sure you have room to show this off. If your thinking about getting one act fast as I am sure this set is close to selling out everywhere and you will kick yourself for not giving it a try.
Comments
7 comments postedIs the R2-D2 removable? It's in four pieces in the disassembled shots and it looks like it should be able to be removed so that it can scoot around on the hangar floor.
The paint alone makes this worth the price. It would be cool to have transparent panels though to display the interiors without disassembling the model.
A local Air Museum (Wingsmuseum.org) has a full-sized X-Wing prop on display. There's less detail in the prop than in this model! The "real" X-Wing is just plywood and cardboard with random junk glued to it.
Great review.
Somehow I don't think that the space environment really requires anticorrosion chromate coating!
You really know your Military aircraft! Cheers!
Leonardo Flores
CollectionDX Staff Writer-West Coast Bureau
If X-Wings only operated in space you'd have a point. You'd definitely need it on Dagobah.
That is one beautiful piece. It's amazing to me how well the X-Wing design has stood the test of time, it's really timeless. Paint apps are stunning. Flawless.