| Photographs of Droids Side Gunner Concept Art and Model | |
| As everyone knows, the Side Gunner vehicle was eventually released as part of Kenner's Droids line. But as the image you see above proves, it was originally developed for the Power of the Force line. Something similar likely occurred in the case of the A-Wing Fighter. As the text makes obvious, the original name of the vehicle was Imperial Destroyer.
If you look closely you'll see a faint shadow below certain elements of the drawing. This may indicate that it included three-dimensional mechanical elements intended to demonstrate the product's proposed action features. I think it's possible that the pod on the lower rendering, in which a Biker Scout is depicted, extended out from the board and rotated. You can see what looks like a small metal rivet near the base of the pod. Movement in Kenner concept art is not unheard of: A piece of manipulable art was created for the never-produced Rebel Blockade Runner. On the other hand, the shadows may be the result of the artist attempting to add some verisimilitude to the piece. Hard to say for sure.
Here you see the toy at a later stage of development. This is a handmade model created from cardboard and sundry other materials. Interestingly, the two photos featured in this entry were combined by Kenner to create a spec sheet for the product. This spec sheet was one of the earliest items featured on the SWCA. |
 | |
| Description by: | Ron Salvatore |
| Photo: | Tim Eckholdt |
| From the collection of: | Tim Eckholdt |
| Country: | United States |
| Film: | Droids Cartoon |
| Licensee: | Kenner |
| Year: | 1984 |
| Category: | Prototypes / Product Concepts |
