TIE Advanced

Description

A cut above the standard TIE

At first glance the TIE Advanced looks like any other Imperial fighter, but the details give it away. Its wings bend inwards towards the cockpit instead of standing flat, and the fuselage is slightly longer. Capturing that silhouette at micro scale calls for more variety than a standard TIE, and the numbers bear this out: 16 distinct elements among just 26 pieces. The build is brief, yet each stage adds something new rather than repeating the last.

Hunting in the trench

In A New Hope, Darth Vader takes to his TIE Advanced when the Rebels attack the Death Star. Flanked by two wingmen, he picks off X-wing pilots one by one in the trench run. Only a surprise shot from the Millennium Falcon sends him spinning away, giving Luke Skywalker the chance to fire. Vader survives, the Death Star does not, and the fighter has been tied to the Sith Lord ever since.

Palette and parts value

The main colours are light bluish grey, black, dark bluish grey and trans-clear. No bright colours appear, true to the Empire's austere style. That makes the parts easy to reuse, as greys and black blend into almost any build. When you break the model down, the trans-clear pieces are the ones to keep an eye on during sorting, since they are the only transparent elements listed and often harder to come by in quantity.

Rebuild, check, compare

On this page you can see all 16 elements, each with its colour and quantity. That makes it easy to rebuild the fighter from a mixed box or to check a second-hand copy for missing parts. Once your collection is recorded in Bricoria, What can I build? shows which other sets are already within reach. Pair it with a small X-wing and you have a pocket-sized version of the Death Star trench run for your desk or shelf.

FAQ

Is this Darth Vader's ship?

Yes, the TIE Advanced is the fighter Vader flies during the Death Star battle in A New Hope.

How many pieces does set 911722 have?

It has 26 pieces made from 16 distinct elements.

Does it come with a Vader minifigure?

No, the catalogue lists no minifigures for this set.