Seen at Comic-Con here:

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nice!

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still alive

Just need Hiya Toys to bring out a plastic replica (instead of the Polystone this will likely be), at a 1/3 of the cost, and with working lights ...

Now, I do love my HGC APC, but dammmn, I'd have preferred the cheaper Hiya Toys one, if it had been out at the same time.

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Cpl Aron "septic" Williams
A10/TQ0.0.82146E1

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very nice!

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still alive

For any interested, it it seems that Hollywood Collectibles Group has opened pre-orders for their Aliens dropship:

https://www.hollywood-collectibles.com/ ... e-dropship

$1500 and two feet long. The HCG exclusive version comes with an 7" APC model as well.

Welcome to the forums, maybe take some time to introduce yourself

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Cpl Aron "septic" Williams
A10/TQ0.0.82146E1

Just some quick thoughts on this release:

While they certainly nailed the aesthetics of the Aliens dropship, the apparent lack of articulation in the weapon pods is hugely disappointing. The scale, detail, and paint work all look fantastic, but the fold in/out weapon pods are without a doubt one of the most iconic elements of the Aliens dropship and their exclusion really hinders this release in my mind. (Additionally it would make it much safer to ship this model if the weapon pods articulated. Their prototype unit had its weapon pods snap off in transit to the latest Comic-Con and this damage would have been much less likely to have occurred had the weapon pods been retracted.)

The absence of this detail is particularly disappointing considering that the $150 Aoshima model from some years ago featured folding weapon pods, removable landing gears, and a APC ramp that actually retracted rather than the clunkier dual ramp system on this model. Additionally, I really feel that at this price the forward landing lights should function as well - if the $300 Hiya Toys Aliens APC can feature functioning lights it's hard to justify the exclusion in a $1500 model. There are also a few small details that are off or missing, such as the lack of glass over the forward headlamps and the rather ugly painted "lightbulbs" for these headlamps - once again, minor details, but for $1500 I believe one shouldn't settle for less than perfection. I really appreciate the work that HCG does to bring movie props to the public, however, to me this model continues a trend of them putting very little effort into their offerings beyond making them pleasing to the eye.

Even with these shortcomings, I admit I'm tempted, however, it's really difficult to justify a purchase with so many key elements of this iconic craft missing in action. True fans of the film would include these features because they would want to provide the best model they could offer, however, I understand that HCG is a company and like most companies they're in the game to maximize their profits - which is of course, understandable. I just wish they recognized that putting a bit more effort into their offerings may cost them in the short run, but profit them in the long run with an improved reputation and increased customer loyalty. Regardless, I'm happy this item is being released, and while I personally find it disappointing, if the pictures are any indication it's certainly a striking and attractive piece.

Thanks for the very friendly welcome. It's much appreciated.

Already a thread on this here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19800&p=275478

Not sure where you're getting your info, but there is clear plastic over the headlights, as seen on their order page here:

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Man that is AWESOME! Do the arms open up? That is a must to display!
To have it in the attack mod is bad ass.

Yup! Movable arms so you can display either way!!

Thanks for pointing that out. I got my info from the images you posted in the thread you linked. In those photos the plastic casings are clearly missing. However, I assume that the photos you posted earlier must be from a proto-type model, so I'll formally retract that criticism. It's good to see they corrected this issue between the proto-type and production model. My disappointment over the lack of articulation and non-functional headlights still stand. Thank you again for pointing out my mistake.

Agreed on the articulation. If the price is premium, I'd expect it to be articulated. It would be great to pose the ship in various positions like key scenes. This image from the film for me, is iconic.



Just my two pennies...

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Lt. Melissa L. Klassen, ALG
AL Colonial Admin. - Executive Officer (XO) -- 2021-2022
RCCM | Royal Canadian Colonial Marines - Commanding Officer (CO) -- 2021-2022

Read the AL Charter Rules & Regulations: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3gd9QUyIqI_6rfk8kpxspbKU-JT4MBAjLPxfCkvGJ8

The arms open up

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" just call me bozo “

That really is a beautiful and iconic shot from the film. Yes, it seems the absence of any moving parts is a huge drawback for most Aliens fans. However, even with the lack of articulation, I'll admit I'm tempted to make a purchase. However, I know I shouldn't support lazy, overpriced efforts such as this. It's really frustrating, because including lights and articulation would have likely added very little to their costs and also allowed much more streamlined and compact packaging due to the reduced risk of damage in transit. They absolutely nailed the look, yet refused to take just a couple more steps to make it perfect...

Yes, just good luck folding them back up... This is quite clearly a static prop. If there was any articulation HCG would have certainly advertised it as such.

Total absence of moving parts is part of the reason I passed on the apc. I agree for that price we gotta at least get the moving weapon pods

Didn't the smaller Japanese release have pods that opened? It's kind of a dealbreaker for me on a high end prop like that to be missing that feature.

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"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

Many questions I think HCG needs to answer.

Is the landing gear durable to hold up the weight (diecast metal)

Could they be removable? Model comes with deployed and retracted landing gear....

Can the loading ramp hold the weight of the apc on it?

Even though there are some thin areas of the missile pods, they have to swivel.

A simple mechanism or magnets can make it happen!

Yes, the Aoshima dropship has missile pods that articulate. It also has removable landing gears and APC ramp that retracts/extends - both features missing in the HCG release. It also cost $150 as opposed to $1500, however, in fairness this was 10+ years ago, and in todays environment it would probably be $250+. The HCG model is also, of course, much larger than the Aoshima version, although the Aoshima is largely diecast metal while the HCG is listed as being made primarily of polyurethane. The HCG looks amazing, but there's no denying the lack of articulation is a huge disappointment.

I don't work for HCG so take everything I say with a grain of salt, however, I can make some educated guesses.

Many questions I think HCG needs to answer.

Is the landing gear durable to hold up the weight (diecast metal)


Looking at the HCG photos, there are many shots of dropship standing on it's own, so I suspect there's no issue with the landing gear holding it up. Additionally, the HCG website lists it as being constructed of polyurethane, which is a light material. I doubt the landing gear is made of metal - it's my guess there's no metal at all in the model.

Could they be removable? Model comes with deployed and retracted landing gear....


There are no photos of the landing gears removed, so this is almost certainly not a feature of the model. It would be awesome if they actually folded up into the frame, however, even just being able to remove them would be good enough for me.

Can the loading ramp hold the weight of the apc on it?


That's a good question. There are no shots of the APC fully on the ramp, so that's probably a question for HCG. It's my guess that the ramp is strong enough to support the weight of the APC.


Even though there are some thin areas of the missile pods, they have to swivel.

A simple mechanism or magnets can make it happen!

When you say swivel I assume you mean retract/extend? If that's the case, then yes, I believe it would have been a simple thing for HCG to add to this functionality to the model. However, unfortunately, they decided not to. As I mentioned of above, this tracks closely with HCG past efforts. They generally make great looking props/models, but put almost no effort into them beyond their outward appearance. I'm hoping that their approach changes in the near future and they come to recognize the value of adding features that movie fans demand/expect, however, I'm not holding my breath. If HCG continues to refuse to add even basic functionality to their props, hopefully another prop maker that recognizes the value of these features will come along and give them a run for their money.

Sadly I don't believe Hiya has the license anymore.

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I've merged the two HCG Dropship threads into this one.

Harry

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http://www.facebook.com/TheHHACA - @TheHHACA

My personal preference would actually be a hybrid between the Hiya and HCG versions. I love the working lights and articulation of the Hiya toys version, and of course the interior details are great, however, when it's in your hands it comes across as very light and flimsy. I'd love a version that combined the working headlights and exterior articulation of the Hiya toys version with the weight and solidity of the HCG version. For me, having something weighty and substantial would be worth foregoing the interior detailing for. Of course, the very best representation would be an all metal version with the interior details included, however, unfortunately this isn't something that is unlikely to ever come down the pipeline on a commercial scale.