The Jedi Starfighter is a small, wedge-shaped one-man figher used by the Jedi Order to service the Galactic Republic. Manufactured by the Kuat Systems Engineering Company, the vessel is a modified Delta-7 Aethersprite light interceptor with a maximum speed of 12,000 kph.

The ultra-light fighter is well shielded against impacts and blasts. It is equipped with two dual laser cannon that can unleash a withering frontal assault. Its sleek, blade-like form simplifies shield disruption and affords excellent visibility, especially in the forward and lateral directions.

A fighter of this size normally cannot travel far into deep space on its own, but the customized Jedi version can dock with an external hyperdrive booster ring, which affords it the performance of a class one hyperdrive for interstellar travel.

The Jedi have customized the vessel to include a truncated aeromech droid that provides navigation and repair information to the pilot. The Jedi Starfighter piloted by Obi-Wan Kenobi contains a rebuilt R-4 unit was an R-2 series dome. R-4 is the prototype for other integrated droid navigators in Jedi Delta-7 Ships.

Fine Molds has molded this kit in white plastic, undoubtedly to enhance painting. The detailing is superb with nicely engraved detail. I found no sink areas, nasty ejector pin markings or flash on any of the parts. There are four white sprues, packaged two to a bag. Two of them are identical and include stands and parts for the hyperdrive ring. The other two are for the ring structure and for the starfighter itself. There is a pilot figure included and he fits into a rather well done interior. Decals are provided for instruments, which in 1/72 scale is just fine. There is a single clear transparency.

As one would expect from Fine Molds, the instructions are in Japanese, but that shouldn't provide to be much of a problem as there are many well drawn construction steps. Color information is with Gunze references, of course, but most of that will be used on the interior of the starfighter. There are two display stands as you can display the starfighter and hyperdrive ring separately if you wish. Otherwise the starfighter cradles into the drive section.

Decals come on two large sheet and there are rather complete and complex application directions for these. Actually, you'll probably spend more time applying decals than you will building the kit. I'm sure the decals will not like most setting solutions so perhaps it would be a good idea to get some Gunze Mr Mark Softener (or what ever it is called) as it is supposed to be specially formulated for Japanese style decals.

Those who have built any of the Fine Molds Star Wars kits have all commented on how nice they are. Having been spurred on by these laudatory comments, I decided to get this one and have a go at it.

Box top

August 2007

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