TIE Fighter Pilot [Black Three] - Mini Busts

It takes a dedicated warrior with unending loyalty to strap in behind the control yoke of a TIE fighter and pilot the fragile, speedy craft into battle. Imperial combat pilots are well trained to overcome the inherent design flaws of the TIE fighter, and turn it into a formidable and deadly vessel.

When Gentle Giant Ltd makes an incredible Mini Bust, it’s… well, incredible. This is particularly true for the TIE Fighter Pilot Mini Bust which comes in two flavors actually. Out of 4200 total pieces, 700 were reserved and painted with a few extra silver details like the “ace stripes” while the remaining 3500 pieces were simply the standard “all black” and generic version. The TIE Fighter Pilot Mini Bust is a rather excellent sculpt. He is posed is a definite “off screen” moment with his hands tied behind his back, but it somehow works incredibly well to drive home the point that this is one confident, perhaps cocky, Imperial soldier who will do whatever it takes to preserve his cause. TIE Fighter Pilots have remained a staple Star Wars character and it appears that there is an endless desire to continually see them released as collectibles in almost every format. And to this day, TIE Fighter Pilots remain as popular as ever and the collectibles based on them continue to improve with time.

While Hasbro collectors still wait for the ultimate and definitive action figure, perhaps picking up this Mini Bust will not only satiate your wait, but perhaps give you a clear indication of what these character look like at a larger scale. It is obviously easier to see some of the finer nuances at a larger scale, and Gentle Giant Ltd took this as an opportunity to replicate these details with precision and exactness. Gentle Giant Ltd.’s sculptors have added an inordinate amount of detail in this Mini Bust, but perhaps the true heroes in this product are the artists who have hand-painted all 4200 pieces. The use of flat black paint for the uniform and glossy black paint for the chest armor and chest box is brilliantly executed. If you didn’t know better you may think that this collectible wasn’t sculpted in polystone. That’s how good he looks. The helmet is sculpted perfectly in scale and the details are crisp.

The TIE Fighter Pilot with the silver “ace stripes” is called Black Three and he can be seen in multiple shots in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. This is one thing we absolutely love about Gentle Giant Ltd. While they may have not been the first company to notate a variation like this of an Imperial pilot, we love that they make it fun again to collect high end collectibles. Variants can drive some collectors mad, but we feel that it makes collecting edgy and interesting. The thrill of the fun becomes alive and well when you’re searching for something that isn’t that easy to locate. The TIE Fighter Pilot [Black Three] variant is a Mini Bust that we are so happy to see released in this line. Mini Busts in general have been hit or miss, but Gentle Giant Ltd. has always proven that they can master some of the most popular helmeted Imperials from the Original Trilogy. TIE Fighter Pilot [Black Three] is a major success and we highly encourage you to consider one for your collection, especially if you love Imperial pilots.