SWTOTW, Week 21, 2020 Imperial Troop Transporter / Imperial Cruiser

[Pomse2001]

Imperial Troop Transporter / Imperial Cruiser:

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[quins]

Loved this as a kid ! Looking forward to seeing what people have.

[TheJabbaWookie]

Don’t have one of these but it’s high on my wish list. But here’s one I opened as a child

[Snaketibe]

Don’t have one of these but it’s high on my wish list. But here’s one I opened as a child

What a great photo! I wish I had some of me with my toys as a child, but sadly I don't, so thanks for sharing yours

[quins]

Don’t have one of these but it’s high on my wish list. But here’s one I opened as a child

Great photo!

[Snaketibe]

OK full disclosure... I'm not really a fan of the Imperial Troop Transporter . Don't get me wrong, it's a great toy with loads of play value; it's got a mini record player that plays actual movie sounds quite literally at the press of a button, it can hold lots of figures, it has opening compartments, a rotating gun turret and radar scope, two 'prisoner immobilization units' (a rather grand name for a plastic hood )... it even has wheels to send it scooting across your floor... so what the hell's my problem with it? . Well, as a child I always disliked toys that weren't in the films, and this one wasn't. It's the same reason I don't have much love for the mini-rigs either, despite them being nifty little toys that filled an otherwise un-mined price-point for Kenner.

"But wait Jeremy, you overly critical ingrate," I hear you say. "What about 'The Mandalorian'? Jon Favreau, the current saviour of Star Wars, hilariously and brilliantly, incorporated a version of the Imperial Troop Transporter into his show, which finally makes the ITT canon after over 40 years, and therefore by your own definition you should no longer dislike it!"

OK, you've got me there. I LOVED its inclusion in 'The Mandalorian', and yes that does make it a canon vehicle, and yes that does make me like it more than before. At least a little. There's still an awful lot of years behind me where it wasn't canon, and that's a lot of time to simply shake off!

Anyway, personal dribblings and dislike aside, this IS a good toy, for all the reasons stated above. The same cannot however really be said for the much rarer and more expensive Sears exclusive 'Imperial Cruiser', which took the ITT, gutted the electronics from it (which let's face it, was the best thing about it), fractionally changed the mould to compensate for this, cast it in a lighter shade of grey and threw in some different stickers (although they did keep the 'prisoner immobilization units'... whoopee ), and then flogged it in their Christmas catalogue in 1981, and then continued to do so into the release of 'Return of the Jedi', even though they didn't bother updating the packaging from its ESB branding.

For those of you unfamiliar with the 'Imperial Cruiser', or at least its differences from the 'Imperial Troop Transporter', I have put two labelled photos at the bottom of this post so you can see them for yourselves.

Lastly, there is a variant to be found on the ITT, in that it can come with both a red and a grey battery cover, however I only own the red one. I'm guessing Lars may be able to assist with the grey!

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[theforceuk]

Don’t have one of these but it’s high on my wish list. But here’s one I opened as a child

Bloody hell, what a picture!!

[Pomse2001]

Don’t have one of these but it’s high on my wish list. But here’s one I opened as a child

Thanks for sharing this fantastic childhood picture, sorry to read that you do not have the vehicle anymore. I hope you get another one

[TheJabbaWookie]

Beautiful Jeremy

[spoons]

One of the most iconic Star Wars vehicles - great examples here. It’s the first vehicle I remember seeing, your used to go to a childminder after school and her son had one. My first Star Wars memory

[Pomse2001]

OK full disclosure... I'm not really a fan of the Imperial Troop Transporter . Don't get me wrong, it's a great toy with loads of play value; it's got a mini record player that plays actual movie sounds quite literally at the press of a button, it can hold lots of figures, it has opening compartments, a rotating gun turret and radar scope, two 'prisoner immobilization units' (a rather grand name for a plastic hood )... it even has wheels to send it scooting across your floor... so what the hell's my problem with it? . Well, as a child I always disliked toys that weren't in the films, and this one wasn't. It's the same reason I don't have much love for the mini-rigs either, despite them being nifty little toys that filled an otherwise un-mined price-point for Kenner.

"But wait Jeremy, you overly critical ingrate," I hear you say. "What about 'The Mandalorian'? Jon Favreau, the current saviour of Star Wars, hilariously and brilliantly, incorporated a version of the Imperial Troop Transporter into his show, which finally makes the ITT canon after over 40 years, and therefore by your own definition you should no longer dislike it!"

OK, you've got me there. I LOVED its inclusion in 'The Mandalorian', and yes that does make it a canon vehicle, and yes that does make me like it more than before. At least a little. There's still an awful lot of years behind me where it wasn't canon, and that's a lot of time to simply shake off!

Anyway, personal dribblings and dislike aside, this IS a good toy, for all the reasons stated above. The same cannot however really be said for the much rarer and more expensive Sears exclusive 'Imperial Cruiser', which took the ITT, gutted the electronics from it (which let's face it, was the best thing about it), fractionally changed the mould to compensate for this, cast it in a lighter shade of grey and threw in some different stickers (although they did keep the 'prisoner immobilization units'... whoopee ), and then flogged it in their Christmas catalogue in 1981, and then continued to do so into the release of 'Return of the Jedi', even though they didn't bother updating the packaging from its ESB branding.

For those of you unfamiliar with the 'Imperial Cruiser', or at least its differences from the 'Imperial Troop Transporter', I have put two labelled photos at the bottom of this post so you can see them for yourselves.

Lastly, there is a variant to be found on the ITT, in that it can come with both a red and a grey battery cover, however I only own the red one. I'm guessing Lars may be able to assist with the grey!

The Mandalorian to the Rescue - 01.jpg

The Mandalorian to the Rescue - 02.jpg

The Mandalorian to the Rescue - 03.jpg

The Mandalorian to the Rescue - 04.jpg

The Mandalorian to the Rescue - 05.jpg

The Mandalorian to the Rescue - 06.jpg

The Mandalorian to the Rescue - 07.jpg

Thanks mate for a fantastic post as always Well the vehicle was not in the movies but it was in the marvel comics in the good old days Thanks for sharing your awesome collection of boxes, I love that palitoy logo on that box and also that cruiser I first learned about this vehicle in 2001 I never saw one in denmark for sale when I was a kid, so I don't think it was sold in denmark and then again I have found a broken one in a danish childhood lot some years ago.

Maybe lars can help with a grey cover, I will talk with him about it

[Pomse2001]

Ok here is are my boxes and I am glad that I could help jeremy with a grey cover

first my kenner box and then my palitoy box I still miss a cruiser

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[Pomse2001]

One of the most iconic Star Wars vehicles - great examples here. It’s the first vehicle I remember seeing, your used to go to a childminder after school and her son had one. My first Star Wars memory

Andy that is a cool memory to have, thanks for sharing it

[Cazza]

Don’t have one of these but it’s high on my wish list. But here’s one I opened as a child

Brilliant pic!!!!

[Snaketibe]

Ok here is are my boxes and I am glad that I could help jeremy with a grey cover

first my kenner box and then my palitoy box I still miss a cruiser

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Fantastic stuff, Lars! Beautiful examples and a grey battery cover too

Thanks for sharing.