The Darth Vader TIE fighter was very similar in design to the TIE Fighter. It featured a die cast body with removable plastic solar wings and a removable Darth Vader pilot - the figure being far more suited to this ship than the TIE. The ship was essentially a scaled down version of the 3 and 3/4" Darth Vader's ship, with both ships comprising a TIE body with Darth Vader TIE wings. This difference was quite obvious when compared to the picture on the film scene on the cardfront.
The Darth Vader TIE Fighter was originally intended to have significantly smaller wings, but redesigned before its subsequent release. The Small Wing Darth Vader TIE is discussed in more detail in Featured Articles.
Original photo art used with permission of Kim D M Simmons / the man who shot Luke Skywalker
Like the TIE Fighter, the Darth Vader TIE Fighter was also a star of stage and screen. The body of a vintage die cast Darth Vader TIE, or perhaps a sprayed white TIE fighter, was used as the eye of SkekTek the Scientist in Jim Henson's 1982 film The Dark Crystal.
Released a short while after the other Series 1 ships the Darth Vader TIE was only released in the US and Italy on a SW21 back, in Canada on a SW20 back and in the UK on a SW12 back.
SW21
Palitoy SW12
Kenner Canada SW20
Harbert SW21 Caccia TIE Di Lord Dath Fener courtesy of Tan Tze Ing
