TIE Advanced

Description

Symmetry and repetition

Half of the 29 pieces are unique, with 15 distinct elements in total. The rest are repeats, which is no surprise for a ship whose two wings mirror each other. That keeps the build easy to follow. Children can complete it on their own in a few minutes, and adults will have it finished almost before the kettle boils. The result is a compact model that sits comfortably on a desk, a windowsill or a crowded shelf.

The ship behind the trench run

In A New Hope, Darth Vader leads the defence of the Death Star in this fighter during the Battle of Yavin. Flanked by two wingmen, he follows the Rebel pilots down the trench and picks them off one by one, until the Millennium Falcon's surprise return sends him spinning away into space. The TIE Advanced stands apart from the standard TIE fighter thanks to its bent wings and slightly longer hull, a silhouette that even a very small model captures well.

An Imperial palette with a twist

Light bluish grey, black, dark bluish grey and blue make up the main colours. The greys and black fit the stern look of Imperial craft from the original trilogy, while blue is a less expected entry in the list. Overall the model still reads as dark and severe, which suits its famous pilot and separates it clearly from the lighter Rebel ships when you display several small vessels side by side on the same shelf or in a cabinet.

Recreating Yavin

Paired with a small X-wing or other Rebel fighters, this model lets you set up a miniature version of the Battle of Yavin on a shelf. If you are checking a loose copy, the parts list on this page shows every element with its colour and quantity. What can I build? compares your collection with other sets and highlights the ones you could assemble immediately, along with those that need only a few extra pieces to complete.

FAQ

In which film does the TIE Advanced appear?

It appears in A New Hope, flown by Darth Vader during the Battle of Yavin.

Does set 912311 include Darth Vader?

No, the set contains 29 pieces and no minifigure.

What sets the TIE Advanced apart from a standard TIE fighter?

Its bent wings and slightly longer hull. The standard TIE fighter has flat hexagonal wing panels.