From X-Wing to Viper

[Jubal]

As a kid I always thought there should have been a Colonial Viper for the 1970's Battlestar Galactica toy line. In these videos we convert a 1990's reproduction Star Wars X-Wing toy to a Colonial Viper.

You can see what the viper looks like so far in the first 15 seconds of the video. The rest is showing how I got there which was a fun discovery.

Already not a bad looking toy, and I look forward to seeing what this looks like once sanded down, puddied, painted, detailed, etc. (not to mention once the canopy is added.)



Part 1
http://youtu.be/rbjRbSe1JXA

Part 2
http://youtu.be/zbbi87WVfxM

[martok2112]

Hi, Jubal.

That's a nifty looking conversion.

Just to let you know, there were Colonial Viper toys released in the 70's. There was a Colonial Viper, a Colonial Probe ship (which kinda resembles the 6th Millennium Viper from an episode of the Classic Series), and a Scarab ground probe, which was a wheeled vehicle with a Viper nose section. (All three ships could interchange with the Viper nose section.) There was also a Cylon Raider released. The ships were probably about 6 inches long. They had spring loaded, launching plastic missiles...which I think were later fixed to the ship, since a child had died from swallowing a Boba Fett action figure launching missile piece.

[Jubal]

"Just to let you know, there were Colonial Viper toys released in the 70's. There was a Colonial Viper, a Colonial Probe ship (which kinda resembles the 6th Millennium Viper from an episode of the Classic Series), and a Scarab ground probe, which was a wheeled vehicle with a Viper nose section. (All three ships could interchange with the Viper nose section.) There was also a Cylon Raider released. The ships were probably about 6 inches long."

I know those well. It was interesting their concept of the probe and the Battlestar Galactica story.

Interestingly enough, when the Return of Starbuck episode happened and he combined a Viper front with Cylon thrusters I thought of the toy line you talked about.

"They had spring loaded, launching plastic missiles...which I think were later fixed to the ship, since a child had died from swallowing a Boba Fett action figure launching missile piece. "

Oh was it a Boba Fett action figure? Am I evil for liking Boba Fett even more for that? :P No I seriously thought it was Battlestar toys that did it.

Anyyyywaaayyy.. I know they had THAT Viper, and as a kid I had a Viper model. Great stuff.

No, I have always been baffled that they never made a ship for the 3" model line like the Star Wars (and Buck Rogers) figures had.

[martok2112]

Ahhhhh....I understand now.
And yeah, it was either Boba Fett or one of the BSG ships that had caused a child's death when the child accidentally inhaled a plastic missile from one of them. I'd heard Boba Fett, but it was so long ago, my memory could be hazy.

Personally, I'm glad I never got the 70's Viper toys. As a kid, they did look cool, but as an adult, I can see many inaccuracies with it. I'm quite happy with my much more accurate Johnny Lightning Colonial Viper and Raider.

[Jubal]

Johnny Lightning?

[martok2112]

I think that was the brand name that the Viper and Raider were released under just a few years ago. Very nice looking ships, and the basis for helping me with my 3D model building of same.