Box Sides (click to enlarge)
Box Sides (click to enlarge)
Blue Background Box & Rebate Sticker Box (click to enlarge)
| Catalog Entry | |
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Catalog Description:
STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK REBEL ARMORED SNOWSPEEDER They flew in defense of the secret Rebel base on the Ice Planet HOTH. The Rebel Armored SNOWSPEEDER'S clear cockpit opens and holds two Action Figures back-to-back. One steers while the other mans the harpoon gun for capturing the enemy. The harpoon is removable and comes attached to a two foot string to "tie up" an AT-AT legs. Press the button and the landing gear comes down. Laser lights with "battle sound" pulsate. Two "C" batteries not included. Action Figures each sold separately. Assembly required. Ages 4 and up. Source: 1982 Kenner Toy Fair Catalog |
Description:
You just had to love the Snowspeeder vehicle, if for no other reason than that the front guns both lit up and made a great noise. It also came with a rather lame "harpoon" attached to its back end and a neat pop-down landing gear function.
Loose, the toy is common, although often incomplete (that little harpoon is frequently missing). It's not too hard to find boxed, either. But Kenner did issue two distinctly different boxes for the toy: the first had a pink background, while the second had a different photo and a blue background. The blue version is substantially tougher to find. Also, in 1980, a "Special Offer" version of the toy was provided to larger retailers. It came with a free Rebel Soldier figure and a yellow sticker on its box. Hasbro re-used the molds for this toy for their mid '90s rendition of the vehicle, but they modified it enough to make it easily distinguishable from the vintage item.
First Issued: 1980, (ESB packaging, with pink background)
Re-issues: 1980 (ESB packaging, with Special Offer sticker and Rebel Soldier figure); 1982 (ESB packaging, with blue background and new photo); 1982 (ESB packaging, with blue background, new photo and rebate sticker)
