Box Back and Side (click to enlarge)
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Box Back and Side (click to enlarge)
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Catalog Description:
STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI Now there are two great new vehicles in the MINI-RIGS collection. Now AST-5 (ARMORED SENTINEL TRANSPORT), an awesome "anti-gravity" ship, equipped with movable laser cannon and used by the forces of JABBA THE HUTT to guard their leader's castle.
Image Source: 1985 European POTF Promo Booklet |
Description:
Can someone explain to me what the heck the AST-5 was supposed to do? The above catalog descriptions calls it an "awesome anti-gravity ship," and goes on to explain how it was used by Jabba's henchmen to defend his "castle." OOOOh-kaaaay
Regardless of what it was supposed to do, the thing looked pretty incomprehensible. It was like a detached cockpit from one of Kenner's larger vehicle toys, with a plastic, um, thing attached to its back end. I could never quite figure out if this thing was supposed to represent legs or wings. Thinking about it now, I suppose they're legs of some sort. After all, it's an Armored Sentinel vehicle, and those legs would allow whoever was piloting it to stand up and survey his surroundings. Then again, the side of the toy's package refers to that thing as "wings." Okay, I'm still confused.
The AST-5 was issued in 1983 along with the ISP-6 mini-rig. Though it was available only in Return of the Jedi packaging, the 1984 issue features four mini-rigs on the back of its flap instead of six.
First Issued: 1983 (ROTJ packaging, 6 mini-rigs on back)
Re-issues: 1984 (ROTJ packaging, 4 mini-rigs on back)
