196 replies to this topic

[Stormfury_Echo]

Someone over at the AA boards actually recieved a TOS Pilot version from "The Cage", with the needles on the bussard collectors, enormous bridge and enormous deflector dish. DST claims to have no knowlege, but it makes me wonder.

[TheHSBR]

to me it looks like a chase variant or a custom somebody is trying to pass off. I personally would love a cage variant (actually 2 one to make into an ISS Ent). It looks legit to me. My two suspicions are the fact that its a new poster and the nacelles look painted. I would find it very hard to believe that DST sent two prototypes to the same guy. Who knows? Maybe Rick from Newforce can help us out?

[JMW326]

It would be cool and could possibly be a prototype that got shipped accidently but the pictures looked a little rought o me. The red on the front of the nacells looked hand painted to me but you never know. Maybe DST did slip some varients in or mess up with the shipments.

[Sybeck1]

Did everyone get a tracking number from Newforce their's was on the way? I hope one of the crack heads or streetwalkers that roam my hood didn't take it off my doorstep.

[New Frontier]

Its not hand painted or anything like that - there are pictures in its box with the twisties still inplace - i find it very hard to belive that someone would have gotten this and then painted it in the time we've had since it was released. this is not a custom job this is the real deal - they were on show at Toy Faire and are obviously out - its possible that they were not ment to be out just yet and someone at DST, where the guy brought it, has slipped up and posted him the wrong version.

[knightone]

If it is legit, a case or two of mock-ups were probably made to show the staff at DST what the pilot versions would look like. Maybe to show the retailers and shop it around as well and they were accidentally shipped to the distribution warehouse in Tennesse instead of DST's offices in Maryland and got shipped out with the rest of the regular 1701s. The person who got it just got very lucky and received a couple of them. Just my theory.

[JMW326]

Its not hand painted or anything like that - there are pictures in its box with the twisties still inplace - i find it very hard to belive that someone would have gotten this and then painted it in the time we've had since it was released. this is not a custom job this is the real deal - they were on show at Toy Faire and are obviously out - its possible that they were not ment to be out just yet and someone at DST, where the guy brought it, has slipped up and posted him the wrong version.

Well I am glad that you are so sure of that. I was just stating what I thought could be the deal with it like everyone else. It would be pretty cool if it were true though, that would mean that everyone hoping for that version may have a chance to get it. We do need to remember though that just because something is shown at toyfare does not mean that it is coming out just that it is being thought about and shopped around for a retailer.

I did check the picture from toyfare with the boxed picture posted at AA and they do look the same.

[NewForceComics]

hello all..
I hope to have the answer tuesday....these were offered to us, last year, as an exclusive, but I turned down...I had heard that DST was going to offer it, but never heard anything else about it...it would make sense that if they were going to be produced, that it would have had to of happened at the same time as the reg TOS (due to production, tooling, chip procurement, etc)...
so, it is either legit, or it is an error/or a "hoax" (well done at that), or DST did produce and just forgot about telling anyone about it (including us!)
rick

[UFP-1701]

I would be interested in this variant for sure if and when it is available. I personally think this is a built kit and the guy is pulling our legs about receiving it from DST, IMOP....

[TheHSBR]

I dont know....the sticker indicating that it is "The Cage" variant doesnt have the same luster as the other bigger sticker. This would indicate to me that it was photoshopped and printed to look like it was metallic. Secondly the pictures taken in the box do not reveal the pikes. If I were to guess they are not present inside the box because they wouldnt fit within the plastic. This person claims to have recived two of these yet none of the pictures reveal two ships. Id like to see the ship next to the box. A lot of things just dont add up here. This would not have taken long to customize being that you would only be changing three pieces the deflector, the pikes, and the bridge. Some people were saying that they saw this over a week ago in stores. To me one week to do all that would not be out of the question. It could very well be legit but im still skeptical. Like I said before, I would love to get two of these to make into the ISS and keep the other. In any case, I know now that a customizing job would not be out of the question!

[thecapn]

I dont know....the sticker indicating that it is "The Cage" variant doesnt have the same luster as the other bigger sticker. This would indicate to me that it was photoshopped and printed to look like it was metallic. Secondly the pictures taken in the box do not reveal the pikes. If I were to guess they are not present inside the box because they wouldnt fit within the plastic. This person claims to have recived two of these yet none of the pictures reveal two ships. Id like to see the ship next to the box. A lot of things just dont add up here. This would not have taken long to customize being that you would only be changing three pieces the deflector, the pikes, and the bridge. Some people were saying that they saw this over a week ago in stores. To me one week to do all that would not be out of the question. It could very well be legit but im still skeptical. Like I said before, I would love to get two of these to make into the ISS and keep the other. In any case, I know now that a customizing job would not be out of the question!

Well, I'm doubtful, but if it's true he's a damn good customizer. He would also have to have added Decals as well. Also, there's the little matter of getting his hands on pikes and the deflector that look IDENTICAL to the ones we saw in the pics from Toy Fair. Easy to do? maybe. But easy to match to existing photos? Not so much.

[Mirror Mirror]

Well, I'm doubtful, but if it's true he's a damn good customizer. He would also have to have added Decals as well. Also, there's the little matter of getting his hands on pikes and the deflector that look IDENTICAL to the ones we saw in the pics from Toy Fair. Easy to do? maybe. But easy to match to existing photos? Not so much.

That sticker does appear on the prototype hon at the toy fair earlier this year.

[JMW326]

Yep, I was pretty skeptical myself untill I loooked at the toyfare pics and compared them to the ones the person took and they look exactly the same.

[TheHSBR]

ive never seen the toyafre pics. Can someone please post those? I love a good mystery!

[JMW326]

ive never seen the toyafre pics. Can someone please post those? I love a good mystery!

You can find them here. they are on the last page.

[TheHSBR]

I just looked at the pics from toyfair and I didnt see any open boxed pics. Did I miss them somewhere? I know somebody else stated that we know what the deflector/pikes look like. From the boxed photos I dont see any of that. Ive head that the Playmates Ent is larger and could be the soruce of a larger deflector dish. The pikes I dont immediately recognize. Were there any out of box pics from toyfair?

[JMW326]

No out of the box pics from toyfare. Just the one boxed pic.

[Stormfury_Echo]

I am not so skeptical. I think it's legit, but that's just me.

[Gothneo]

Wow. This thread sure got interesting fast. Sounds like someone may have gotten a real treat and scored some rare items!

I'm not sure that the variant would be enough to say me to drop more cash though. But, again, for those that want one, I hope you get the opportunity to get it!

If it was an error and only a handful show up, I'm thinking FHC may be talking to his banker about another mortgage

[Mirror Mirror]

I am not so skeptical. I think it's legit, but that's just me.

It isn't just you...