Shuttle Tydirium

from "Star Wars - Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" (1983)

Scale: 1/72
Initial Release: 1983
Medium: Styrene
Kit Rarity: 3

About the Design

For this lightly armed Imperial shuttlecraft, the designers at ILM took their cue from the three-winged “Skyhopper” model Luke Skywalker played with early in the original “Star Wars,” slapped a droop-nose on it, added some guns and – voila!  The Shuttle Tidirium was born.

Apparently a very popular short-range vehicle – a stolen shuttlecraft was used by Han Solo and company while another carried none other than the Emperor himself – the ship was distinguished by its huge folding wings that, while unquestionably stylish, would seem to be of little use in the hard vacuum of space. Three decades later, the giant-folding-wing motif would later be repeated for Kylo Ren's shuttle in Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

About the Kit

MPC's 1:72 scale Tyderium was a huge kit with folding wings that allowed the model to be displayed in either its landing or flying configurations. The kit also featured optional landing gear and a tinted cockpit windshield.

After MPC was purchased by AMT/Ertl, the latter company reissued this kit with new box art.

This model was built from an original issue.