Processed Plastic Rocket Fighter/X-wing rip-off

[Brendroid]

Yesterday I got to thinking about a toy I'd owned as a child, and had not thought about in many years. I remembered it having an X-wing configuration, yet being different enough from Star Wars' designs that it did not risk copyright infringement. I also remembered it having a hinged canopy that opened, and that it was made of the same kind of plastic you'd find on the Jeeps and helicopters sold with army men. That is to say, plastic and a mold that were somewhat hard, cheap, and simple.

So I did a Google image search, and got re-acquainted with the thing. I learned it had been made by a company called Processed Plastic, and I found a few eBay auctions. I really have no business spending money so freely right now, but I went ahead and bought a nice one off eBay. Pics from that eBay auction are attached.

I also found this excellent blog post, which explains how Processed Plastic created this X-wing imitation by adding an extra pair of wings to their existing F-16 toy:

Processed Plastic Company "Star Patrol" figures remembered!

Quite bold of the company to actually call the miniature version of the thing an "X-wing" on the packaging for their Star Patrol figures!

 

I love the toys and art that came out in the wake of Star Wars that did this amazing dance of ripping off Star Wars without ripping it off closely enough to get sued. It's like some of these things are Star Wars from an alternate universe.

Anyway, I'm curious to hear your opinions on this thing. Does anybody else here own any Processed Plastic items? Seems like it was an interesting company that made a lot of cool army men and NASA rockets and whatnot.

 

 

 

[Golddalek]

Looks like a cool modification of an F-16.....Very sure.....Perhaps Star Wars 'X-wing' influenced.

 

would be interesting to see this wind tunnel tested

or created on Kerbal Space Program....Bet it is extremely maneuverable.

 

but no idea how it could land on a run way, unless the lower wings fold up...

[Atomic Robot Bob]

14 minutes ago, Golddalek said:

but no idea how it could land on a run way, unless the lower wings fold up...

 

I'm sure they would fold up for landing...ONCE

 

I had a couple of the smaller TimMee Toys version when I was a kid; might still have 'em somewhere, in fact.