starwarsmodels.com - The Star Wars Model Kit Gallery
Click Here To Go To The Main Page
Click Here To Go To The Model Gallery
Click Here To See The Kits I Want
Click Here To See My Bio
Click Here To Go To The Links Page
Click Here For Some Modeling Techniques
Click Here For Information On My Building Service
Click Here To E-Mail Me
End Of The Line
 
Click Photo To Enlarge
Kit Name: Imperial Probot
Scale: 1/17
Material: Resin
Manufacturer: TML Industries

Model Number:

TML-012
Released:  
Number Of Parts: 7
Final Dimensions:  
Box Cover:  
Instructions: Click Here (.zip)
Country of Origin:  
Special Note: Recast Kenner toy

Click To Enlarge Click To Enlarge Click To Enlarge

 

This is a really cool little model of the Imperial Probe Droid from The Empire Strikes Back. This kit was given to me by a friend across the pond in the UK. The kit is approximately in-scale with the action figures and looks pretty neat. It's not really very accurate, but that can be explained by where TML Industries got their master pattern. Upon closer inspection, it became clear to me that the kit is actually cast from the Probot toy in the Turret & Probot Playset put out by Kenner in the 1980s as part of their Empire Strikes Back line of toys. It appears TML took the unassembled toy and re-cast the main segments and legs. The toy was originally supposed to "explode" like in the movie, but the model is solid cast with no moving parts. Despite these questionable origins, I still like the kit very much. The accuracy issues do not bother me in this case. It can represent another model of probe droid or a modified version, it's up to the imagination. It's going to take some work to clean it up as there are many air bubbles and seam lines, but it remains a very rare and unique piece. Like I said, I got this kit from my good friend Steve, and I haven't seen it anywhere else except once on eBay. Thanks, Steve!!

 
Spacer Bar
 
Other Variations:
 
None
 
Spacer Bar