al13ns bro, think you should preorder as this would be a pretty hot item. MR never released one, the nearest version was a scaled down replica coming from Code 3.
would love to get one but the price is kinda high, hope efx would produce a scaled down version in the near future as compared to this studio replica size
Bryan from eFX held a Q&A last night on Rebelscum and answered a bunch of questions about eFX's first Studio Scale model, the X-Wing.
OK, here is a little reading assignment for everyone! I have answered the questions that had been posted by everyone. I thought that this will make better use of the hour, so you can ask any further questions that you may have or ask for more clarification on the questions I did answer!
I will also have some other information to share with you!
What will the price be? (OK, let's get this question out of the way first!)
The cost is $1199. Also, we will be going back to pre-orders for our items. Due to the tough economy, especially in the retail sector, I am sure that you will understand that we have to be more conservative in our marketing and sales strategies.
There will be a $350 non-refundable deposit required to reserve your X-wing. But here is the good news, we will be offering a lay-a-way plan to pay off the balance. You will be able to spread the balance over the following 3 months. So the monthly payment, after the non-refundable deposit will be approximately $285. On the last payment, we will add the sales tax, if applicable, and the shipping and handling charge. You will be sent your X-wing in 5-7 business days after your last payment. The complete terms and conditions of the lay-a-way plan will be posted on our website, shortly.
When will it ship?
The first X-wings are scheduled to be shipped out of Asia in the second half of December. So, people should start to receive their X-wings possibly at the end of December or more likely, the beginning of January
Will it have a cover?
The base will be an oval version of our new helmet stand. This is not a full size base, so you cannot simply use a cover. You will have to purchase a complete base/cover set if you would like to display it in an MR style case.
We are working with a former MR employee who has approached us about supplying cases. They will be made by the same vendor that make our new base and also supplied MR. We will update you when we have more information and have worked out the details of how this can work.
Do the wings move?
Yes, the "S" foils (aka wings) open and close manually. These wings are machined in aluminum so they will not sag over time, like previous models.
Are there any lights or sounds?
There are lights, but no sound. The rear engines, R2-D2 and the cockpit will light.
Was there ever a definitive answer to the talk about whether we're getting a Luke to go inside (via Gentle Giant or something...)?
Yes! Gentle Giant has sculpted a Luke pilot for us, which will be included at no extra charge.
Edition size?
As with all of our 2008 products, the edition size will be 1000 pieces worldwide.
Can the pre-order day occur on a Sat? (I don't wish to call in a sick day to make a pre-order )
As many of you know, the AOTC Clone Helmet went on sale on a Saturday and it was a huge success. However, it did present a few problems both on the consumer side, as well as the resource side. When we have an on-sale date, we have a website support person on call in case anything goes wrong. Saturday makes this very difficult. So, at this point, we do not have the first on-sale date established yet. However, I can tell you that it will be in the first week of December.
Since there are no numbered plaques anyhow, could an edition size be waived so that everyone who wants one can get one (also to prevent scalpers from purely flipping them on eBay)
I do not know where this came from, but our plaques are always numbered.
Who will be the Retailer/Distributor for the UK/Europe/(Your country here)?
We have a distributor in the UK, Italy and another one for the rest of Europe. We also have distributors in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Philippines and Brazil. Please contact Amy and she can get you the information.
Is it possible to give estimated shipping costs to Domestic/Int'l locations at the time of Q&A if ordering directly from EFX?
With the unstable price of oil and the economy, we cannot predict what the shipping costs will be when the X-wings are ready to ship. FedEX updates their pricing every month!
But if they were to ship today, so these are obviously just estimated, FedEX Ground - California: $140, New York: $160, Canada $240
We will be offering USPS for the X-wing. But since it is not set up yet, I cannot give you an estimate of the postage at this time.
Any chance of producing a mini (.45 scale) version for those who don't have enough room left!
Unfortunately our license does not allow us to make any ships or vehicles in this scale. There would be a conflict with Hasbro's titanium line, since I am sure that you do not really mean .45 scale, since that would be huge! I am assuming that you mean a small version about 4" long, about the same size as the mini lightsabers.
Do we get glass in the windows?
Yes, it does have windows. As we had explained previously, the original model had windows. However, when they were filming some sequences, they reflected the light so they were subsequently removed.
Will the electronics be battery powered or cord? If cord will it connect to the base like the Falcon?
The X-Wing will be powered by AC only. It is the same adapter that is used on the Falcon and the Enterprise.
Will you guys be giving us a stand that represent the surface of the death star?
No. All of eFX's product will come on our (now) trademark style stand with the acrylic, brushed metal plate and black base.
How has the process of making this FX model affected any work you are/will be doing for the next model? Will your timelines be changed at all, and have you made a definitive choice on what will be next?
Because of the turbulent economic times we are going through, we have had to re-evaluate our business plan, marketing strategies, products, etc. In fact, it would be irresponsible if we didn't! Obviously, we are watching the market very closely and will be approaching our business on the conservative side.
What is the NEXT SS model you will be doing for next year?
There are a couple options that we are looking at. But now instead of our choice being driven by the available reference materials, etc, we have to take into consideration the price points, as well.
Will R2 be removable?
R2 will only be removable to access the LED. It is not a complete R2
I like to know the exact dimensions
The fuselage is 21", the total length is 23", the wingspan is 20-1/2" and the height is 4" with the wings closed and 5" with the wings open.
In the Chronicles, pg 113, it mentions that 5 of the X-Wing models had lighting for the torpedo tubes and tips of the laser cannons - in addition to the cockpit and engines. Will the eFX version be the same or will only the cockpit, R2D2 and engines be lit?
The tips of the laser cannons will NOT light. We know that these were on the hero model. But it was our understanding that they never worked and thus were never seen on screen. So, we did not use them on our model.
What color are the engine lights? Red/Orange or Blue/White?
The engine lights are red.
Are the R2D2, cockpit and engine lights static or dynamic (e.g., blinking
cockpit lights and pulsing engine lights)
They are static
Will eFX offer an alternative to a Luke pilot? Say the original dragster figure? Yeah, I probably the only one that cares.
Not at this time. We had considered the F1 racer, but opted for a Luke instead since we know that most of our customers would prefer Luke.
The download pics on the eFX web site look like Rob Rail's Paint master. I noticed some weathering corrections (e.g., weathering of the torpedo tubes) between Rob's and the factory prepared master. Can we get high res downloads of the Factory Paint Master and/or the approved version. This will give people a can chance to see how well the factory is able to replicate Rob's excellent work.
Those are the only "beauty" pictures that we have so far. However, we will be posting some of the development pictures from our factory in our "In Development" section of our website. Of course you will see pictures of the factory sample before you purchase.
Will the cockpit open/close and use an interior hinge as shown at SDCC?
Yes. This will not only allow access to Luke, but will also allow you access to the LED's in the cockpit in case they need to be replaced.
I understand the wings are machined metal to avoid the ICONS warping problem. Will the laser cannons be metal as well?
The "barber" poles of the laser canons are brass.
When the wings are left in either the open or close position, will there be a problem with the wings settling toward the opposite position over time and/or under different temperatures conditions (e.g., summer vs winter).
No, since the wings are aluminum, and the movement is mechanical, they should not settle under normal conditions. However, we do not suggest that you display your model in direct sunlight or in areas that may experience extreme environmental conditions.
In reference to question #8, can eFx clarify if the S-foils can be locked in attack position? Code3 had a problem with their S-foils where it will will not stay fully opened in attack position.
As stated above, the wing movement is mechanical. It has a detent in both the open and closed positions
