This Airspeeder Pilot was released during The Power Of The Force 2 "Expanded Universe" toy line in 1997. The figure was packed-in together with a small Airspeeder and is based on concept drawings for The Empire Strikes Back by Ralph McQuarrie.
The figure has the The Power Of The Force 2 typical 6 joints, with a swivel neck, 2 swivel arms, a swivel waist and 2 swivel legs. There are no ball-joints, nor are there articulated elbows, wrists, knees or ankles. Despite the limited amount of joints, the figure stands surprisingly well on its own. The Airspeeder Pilot didn't come with any weapons or accessories, and the hat and goggles around the neck are part of the figure. The blaster inside the holster on the right side of the waist is also part of the mold and can't be removed.
The paint application on the Airspeeder Pilot is quite simple, but it's cleanly applied. The figure's sculpt doesn't have many joints compared with modern Star Wars figures, but the likeness to the concept drawing is captured very well! Another plus is that the figure isn't quite as bulky and "He-Man looking" like most of the other POTF2 figures, and the height is in-line with any modern figure. All in all, this is the only time Kenner/Hasbro has released this Airspeeder Pilot, and if you are into collecting concept figures, you might want to consider adding it to your collection.
A series of publications called The Art of Star Wars unveiled how a group of artists whose talent for intricacies revealed a far-away galaxy that continues to capture the imagination of Star Wars fans everywhere. Several versions of the Incom T-47 Airspeeder, also known as the Snowspeeder, were created before deciding on the definitive model seen in The Empire Strikes Back. This vehicle was designed and built based on several production sketches by artist Ralph McQuarrie.