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Clone Pilot ( Phase I Armor)

July 18, 2015 | By Errex More

One of my favorite action figure molds in the modern Star Wars lines is that of the super articulated Clone Trooper, released by Hasbro way back in 2005 during the heyday of the Revenge of the Sith line.

These molds were used (and some would say, abused) for a number of years, until Hasbro saw fit to update the basic clone body for the Star Wars Vintage Collection, where it was used to portray both Phase I and Phase II armor.

All of these new clones feature removable helmets and the face underneath is no longer based on the Temuera Morrison likeness, but that of Bodhi Taylor, who played the younger clones in the movie.

The chief virtue of these new clones is that the body proportions reflect better the appearance these troopers had in the movies, and thanks to the armor design, it is possible to use this same body for different trooper types combining different helmets and color schemes.

One such character released as part of the 3.75-inch Star Wars Black Series line is the new Clone Pilot. This Pilot is depicted wearing the Phase I armor seen first in Attack of the Clones, but also featured in the Clone Wars TV show.

Unlike some of the prior versions of these pilots, the new figure works remarkably well with most vehicles thanks to the slim body and extensive articulation, comprised of:

• Ball jointed neck.

• Pin & disk shoulders.

• Pin & disk elbows.

• Pin & disk wrists.

• Floating torso.

• Pin & disk hips.

• Pin & disk knees.

• Pin & disk ankles.

The paintjob on this Clone Pilot is good, but not without issues. Right from the start, it is impossible to check the face paint beforehand because it is covered, all one can do is look for a decently painted helmet.

Unfortunately, I saw several figures at stores with slightly misaligned visors, but the rest of the helmet markings were reasonably straight and symmetrical. But the thing I find really distracting is that they forgot to paint the area above the ankles, despite being clearly textured to be part of the black undersuit. I briefly considered painting them myself, but seeing how the ankle pins are made from white plastic, decided against it.

As far as accessories go, this Clone Pilot comes with very few. The helmet is a new piece, sculpted a little bit sharper than previous versions and with longer hoses connecting to the chest box.

Torrent V-19 (5)b The helmet is decorated with yellow and gray markings and there is a couple of Republic crests stenciled in maroon at the sides, as well as few small details painted solid black. The only other accessory included is an unpainted blaster carbine.

Considering the number of clones (and clone pilots) already released in the modern Star Wars lines, the new Clone Pilot may not be one everybody needs in their collection, but I find it to be a pretty solid update nonetheless.