I've been meaning to do a post about this, Mobile Laser Canon (MLC-3) mini-rig I got not too long ago, this is the first one of these Mini-Rigs I've gotten which is still in its box.
These mini-rigs never showed up in any of the films, games, or shows. The creators of these vehicles decided to produce some products that could bridge the price gap between the small figures, and the larger ships, like the Millennium Falcon, Scout Walkers, or AT-ATs.
The inspiration for the designers was to imagine that while the camera was focused on a particular scene or battle, these mini-rigs were just off-screen to the side; still involved but not shown. It's a funny idea, and I think if anyone is interested in this, they should watch on Netflix, a tv show called "The Toys That Made Us." They did a great episode with the people of Kenner, and they speak all about Star Wars.
I like the design of the box. The bit of card that sticks out from the side which shows the other vehicles in the set is an interesting idea, and it reminds me of the card backs of the figures which show other figures or sets in the collection.
As you can see, the box has seen better days, and while moving it around, I have to be really careful with it; as it feels quite brittle.
On the back end of the box, you can see the vehicle in use, alongside a few of the figures.
Inside the box is the vehicle and this small sheet of paper, which seems to be an instruction guide. There is no assembly required for it, so it's really just instructions on operating it.
There it is, in all its glory. It's pretty small - only able to house one figure - and is also fairly hardy. Not that I would drop it, but if I did, I'm sure it would break too easily.
It has tracks like a tank and a similar shape. Also, it flaunts a dome bubble on top, because this is from the '80s and nothing says sci-fi like a dome bubble haha, it has two forward-facing canons and they click into place, being able to aim forward or slightly upward.
Beneath the vehicle, you can see the track design a little better and the wheels are hidden down there.
There is also some writing, but in this photo, I didn't realise it was upside down.
The writing says that it was produced in 1981, which is understandable, considering the figures on the front show that it was intended to fit into the battle of Hoth, which is the setting for the main conflict of Empire Strikes Back, which was released in 1980. But, the box itself showcases Return of the Jedi, which was released in 1983, I don't know why that is. Maybe there were leftover mini-rigs from the ESB collection, which were then taken back and re-boxed when the newest film was released. If anyone knows, let me know.
Here it is with the lid raised, ready for a figure to sit in the cockpit.
The stickers are still attached and in good nick, which is more important than the box being in good condition.
I remember when I was younger going around to friends' houses, it wasn't uncommon that their toys or whatever would have the stickers picked away, leaving behind strips of gluey paper, or worse than that, the stickers being there, but placed unevenly haha
I don't have a rebel Hoth soldier to test this out with, but I have the next best thing. An AT-AT Driver, who first appeared in the Empire Strikes Back.
Standing next to it, his head reaches the top of the lid and it's a good way to show the scale of the MLC-3.
As you can see, the AT-AT Driver is in pretty good nick, but, not mint. He's suffered a bit of yellowing which is pretty common for figures of their age. Especially on the body of the figures.
I spoke to someone before about the body typically yellowing before the arms or legs, and it has something to do with the certain resin used.
These figures all come with the dates printed on the back of their legs, it took me a while to get a clear image of the writing.
But, as you can see, it says LTL 1980 and on the other leg, it says, Made In Hong Kong.
I see - since the vintage collection came out when Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars - a lot of loose "Vintage" Figures have flooded the market. If you're not sure, ask for a picture of the back of the leg to find the print date. I've seen loose figures going for 30, 40, and even 50 euros, which look suspiciously clean and maintained. The price range isn't uncommon for a well-looked-after vintage figure - especially if they have accessories - but, for a loose "Vintage Collection Figure" the real price should be 5-10 euros. Always check the dates when adding to your collection, it's easy to get stung.
There he is sitting in the cockpit.
I've always found these old Kenner figures have a lot of charm to them.
There he is with the lid closed, and you can still see his head through the plastic.
Thanks for reading. I have tons more sets, figures, and ships I'd like to discuss, and to be honest, it gives me an excuse to take them out.
"No, I'm not playing with toys... I'm documenting some collectibles."
I will be collecting more of the mini-rigs, as they're something I've never gotten into buying. There's a guy in my town who sells all these vintage toys from his own personal collection. He's a really cool guy and has an amazing amount of stuff, not just Star Wars, but all sorts.
He's the person I got this off and many other things. I said it before, but if you're not buying items from a trusted collector, you have to be really careful, especially in the last couple of years because of all the new, old stuff.
Me sorprendió bastante lo que mencionas de las pegatinas, que se encuentren en tan buen estado. Concuerdo totalmente contigo, este tipo de cosas hay que comprarlos de personas confiables, claro que a veces podemos encontrar oportunidades únicas pero siempre hay gente que se aprovecha.
¡Muchas gracias por tu comentario!
Creo que es muy fácil quedarse drogado cuando se trata de comprar coleccionables. He sido engañado antes con algunas cosas, sin embargo, solo una figura suelta extraña.
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That's cool. Although I grew up with the original films I didn't have the toys. I am sure they are very collectable now, even the ones not based directly on what was in the films.
Do you have a collection like this guy?
Wow man, his collection is immense! I was skimming through the video as it's long, but I have it saved to my watchlist for later on.
I have a pretty large collection, but for me, my focus is primarily on the vintage Kenner figures and ships. I think, out of the original 77 figures, I have 63 loose and I also have 4 in their boxed, I have a bunch of ships and stuff too. I'm working on displaying them all properly at the moment.
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I'm almost not a lover of vintage Star Wars, as I find them not very attractive figures, however, when it comes to vehicles and ships, wow! it blows my mind. They make such incredible pieces to me.
The main focus for my collecting is the vintage figures - currently, I have about 56 of the original 77, so I'm getting there slowly - they're not really as detailed as figures nowadays, but in fairness, they are 45 or 46 years old in some cases. Yeah, the ships were always a favourite of mine, I have a bunch of them. I really want to get them all displayed properly.
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Uff I will be attentive to all those that you are sharing. So much history exists in vintage figures.