Topic: Revell snap-tite AT-AT Walker model kit #1859

[Clonehead]

Tamer, this one is for you..........
  Today, I'm reviewing the newly tooled Revell snap-tite ATAT walker model kit.
This kit is predecorated and snap-toghther so no real painting or gluing is required.
This kit contains 65 pieces and after assembly, measures 14 7/8 inches long and 12 1/2 inches tall and features movable legs, head, and laser cannons.
Upon opening the box, we have 6 bags, 4 of which contain sprue runners of parts and 2 of which contain 2 bigger loose parts each.
The 8 page set of instructions are fairly simple to follow and breaks assembly down to 9 steps. A couple of minor discrepancy's in the instructions are to be noted both occurring in step 6 of the assembly. In sub step A, leg part # 24a is misslabled on the actual part sprue as part #4A. In sub step B rotational leg peg #25a is used a second time where the part # should be listed as #25B. parts #25a-d are identical anyway so it shouldn't matter.
  There were several of the bigger parts like the sides and top and bottom pieces of the walker's body that were individually bagged but not connected to any sprue runners and therefore, not labeled with the numbers that are used for them in the instructions but they are easy to identify by the instruction diagrams.

I found not one bit of flash on these parts but found a few sinkholes towards the bottom of the D-shaped foot to leg slider-hinge pieces.

[Clonehead]

Fit of the parts is fairly tight and only one part, one of the side slider posts going from a foot to a lower leg didn't fit tight enough to stay where it penetrates the leg so I glued it at the top. Only the bottom of this part needs to move as you move the leg, anyway. Assembly was fairly easy and only took 1.5 hrs.
  I was slightly disappointed in that while the side guns are movable, they are linked together through the walker's head and can't be posed individually. The chin guns are perminantilly mounted in place and have no reciprocating action what so ever. More of a bummer, there. The head swings from side to side and rotates clockwise and counter clockwise but has no up and down posabilaty.
 The 3 bump and post cam leg joints in each leg could have been better engineered for easier posability but with all of those joints and the d-slider pivot joint on the feet, this is easily the most poseble walker we have seen, thus far!
  I do believe that a decent stop-motion animation of this walker is possible.

[Clonehead]

On a whim, I decided to pose this completed model next to the Star Wars miniatures version of the atat for comparison as they are similar in size. I was astonished to find so many differences as far as scale of these two walkers.
  While the legs on the Miniatures walker are thicker than the ones on the kit, the feet are smaller and the legs are the same length. The body and the head on the miniatures walker are both wider and taller and while greatly detailed obviously scaled wrong for the legs and foot size. The model walker, to me is appropriately scaled as far as feet,legs, body, and head. I have no idea why the Miniatures walker was made with these discrepancys.

[Clonehead]

Comparison shots of the two walkers and with a titanium snowspeeder which is too small.
No scale is listed for this kit but I would have to guess in between 1 /72nd scale and HO/ 1/76th scale.
It's a killer kit, for sure, and will look great on display or in a dio. You ought to pick this one up, Tamer. Building it could satisfy that nagging need you must have to open something Star Wars, and as I said, this is the largest version of an appropriately scaled walker that is out there.

[Clonehead]

I took these shots outside of the Walker model, today. I think this thing could be made to climb a set of stairs with it's great posibility.

[Tamer]

Man, I am gonna have to pick this one up! So far the only one I have seen at my wal-mart is the tie advanced (vader's tie), but this one looks great! I love the look of this one, especially after you compared it to the miniatures version I though, before now, was scaled pretty good. I see what you mean about the body and head, not to mention the feet size. I am liking these pocket models!

[Clonehead]

My guess is that this is going to be a hobby shop only item. I've seen it on Ebay as well if you can afford the shipping price. Don't get this one confused with earlier releases of the walker which were smaller and not snap-tight.
  This baby goes for about $50 retail.

[Tamer]

Ouch! Still, a walker is a walker is a walker!

[clonetrooper360]

could u post a pic of the walker with a 3 3/4 inch figs would be nice to see if it worth it for my collecticoon or if i should jsut buy the 3 3/4 walker

[Clonehead]

could u post a pic of the walker with a 3 3/4 inch figs would be nice to see if it worth it for my collecticoon or if i should jsut buy the 3 3/4 walker

It wouldn't be large enough to go with your 3 3/4 collection, Alex, as this model is only 1 ft tall or slightly shorter than 4 figures high.

[Reconsgt]

Nice review and pics, What is the  retail price of the kit?

[Clonehead]

Nice review and pics, What is the  retail price of the kit?

TY, Sarge. This kit costs 50 beans. Not cheap. Nice kit, though. I love how many different poses you can get out of those legs.

[Reconsgt]

Yikes, That is a good chunk, but I can see further potential with it. This may be one to keep an eye open for down the line in the secondary market

[Clonehead]

yeah, I have been buying model kits for years and I can't believe how much the average cost of any type of model kit has went up. The military vehicle models that I used to buy have doubled and even tripled in some cases. you can't even get a model car kit for less than $10. That used to be a $5 item. Now that all of the big brickand morter retailers like Wal-mart and Target are phasing them out. The prices will continue to rise.

[Tamer]

It is kind of sad that one thing kids are allowed to build is now being taken away from them. Building a model car or tank, even if was just snap together was a kinda bridge between the kid and adult world. Even adults can see a sense of accomplishment a kid gets from building something constructive.  Now the models have disappeared from my stores before I could even buy an airbrush kit or paints or even a few daggone SW models. I think the secondary market is all I am gonna have left! Oh well, kinda off topic. This is an awesome model and one I will probably get.  I would even like to have two, one for an opener and one to leave packaged up. I keep hoping the snaptite kits I am seeing of the vader tie will turn into the atat.