Engineering Pilot with Correct Color Prototype DT Saber - "Circles" Variant
This is a hand marked Engineering Pilot
prototype figure with features a correct
(production) color prototype DT saber.
Engineering Pilots are usually the final stage
of the figural prototype process, and you would expect to find all the same features,
colors and designs as on a production figure.
This example features a head shot in a slightly different plastic than the rest of the figure, and the figure has been marked on bottom of one of the feet. (this is slightly visable if you look at the figure's left foot)
The remarkable feature of this example is the prototype saber. Previously unknown, it
was made in house at Kenner from a low yield mold which features a pattern of circular impressions along the length of the saber body. This is the only known example
of the Darth Vader, but other specimens have been found on DT Luke Skywalker sabers.
It is my theory that the saber was made from a new mold design to help fix some of the problems Kenner was experiencing with the
standard mold. In total, 4 different types of
molds have been identified that were used to make a variety of DT sabers.
