Box Front
 
Box Back and Side (click to enlarge)
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Catalog Description:
NEW! A-WING FIGHTER TOY VEHICLE
REBELS can fly the unfriendly skies in the new A-WING FIGHTER-- seen in RETURN OF THE JEDI. Kids place one STAR WARS Action Figure inside by opening the canopy which is operated by an action lever in the back. When the battle is over, the vehicle is ready for landing. Kids just activate the landing gear with another lever. And because battles should be heard as well as seen, the A-WING FIGHTER features laser sounds and side cannons that click. Action Figures each sold separately. Uses two "AA" alkaline batteries, not included. Ages 4 and up.
Image Source: 1985 European Promo Catalog
Description Source: 1985 Kenner Toy Fair Catalog
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Description:
Like the Tatooine Skiff, the A-Wing fighter was released late in the vintage Star Wars era and wasn't produced in huge numbers. It has therefore become something of a collector favorite. As the vehicle was seen briefly in the short-lived Droids animated series, Kenner opted to issue it under the banner of their Droids line. Most collectors, however, consider it part of the standard Kenner collection, as the vehicle was featured prominently in Return of the Jedi and the toy is virtually free from cartoonish design elements.
As the front of its box states, the A-Wing came with a special "Planetary Map." This was basically a folded sheet of paper, which featured a painted collage on one of its sides and a catalog on the other.
During the mid 1990s, the A-Wing and Tatooine Skiff ruled the vintage collecting roost: They were difficult to find, attractive and sold for huge prices in unused condition. Since that time, the demand for both toys has decreased considerably, in large part because Hasbro has re-issued both in slightly modified forms. The Hasbro version of the A-Wing debuted in the late '90s. It is easily distinguishable from its vintage counterpart by virtue of its complicated deco scheme.
First Issued: 1985 (Droids packaging)
Re-issues: None
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