Imperial TIE Interceptor

The Imperial TIE Interceptor is my favorite of the Empire's TIE (Twin Ion Engines) craft, though it is rarely seen in the movies. I'm pretty sure, in fact, that it is only shown in The Return of the Jedi, during the Battle of Endor. If you look at the swarms of TIE Fighters attacking the Rebels in seemingly random formations and yet miraculously avoiding hitting one another (yet all of it manages to seem more real than anything in the Prequels...), you can definitely make out a few TIE Interceptors. Since the movie, the vehicle has also been featured in countless video games, books, toys, and other Star Wars merchandise.

One of the first creations I ever built was a TIE Interceptor, which I threw together out of miscolored parts (mostly white and yellow, if I recall) when I was a kid, long before the official LEGO Star Wars sets came out. When LEGO released their two TIE Fighters (Darth Vader's X-1 and the TIE Fighter) I immediately saw a way to combine them and make a TIE Interceptor. So I did, and this is the result. I also changed all of the blue to grey (which, in my opinion, it should have been grey in the first place), changed the cockpit design a little, and made the wings more pointed. This was made around 2000 or so, most likely.

But later, after building my new and improved TIE Defender in August of 2004, I decided to use the parts to make a new and improved TIE Interceptor as well! After all, I thought, it wouldn't be that hard. So after only two months of existence, I scrapped my TIE Defender in October 2004 and re-built it into a TIE Inteceptor. Here is the result:

I never did like the TIE Defender as much as the TIE Interceptor. The Interceptor is just so much more small and sleek and cool. It's my favorite TIE as far as looks are concerned. Too bad they don't get more screen time.


Here's a rear shot. No Imperial logo on the back this time... instead I just put a black round thing, which I thought was probably the closest match to whatever that booster-looking thing back there is (I always thought it was a window...).

Here is the pilot and his beautiful ship. Notice the red (actually dark red) markings on the pilot and the wings of his Interceptor. Those markings could possibly symbolize the Crimson Death Squadron as they did in my TIE Defender custom, but I think a lot of people would be happier if I said it was the 181st TIE Interceptor Squadron from Star Wars EU... meh.

The Interceptor didn't take nearly as much work to build as the Defender did... but I actually like it better, even after slaving away so hard on that blasted Defender. It took a lot of willpower to make myself tear that Defender up, but now I guess I'm glad I did. I kept the complex internal stabilization mechanism (in other words, little Technic thingy the wings were attached to) intact for future reference, however.

The reason the red markings are shaped like arrows is because that's the way they're shaped in my favorite Star Wars space fighter sim, X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter (not sure if colored markings were used in X-Wing Alliance though...).

In closing, here are some shots of the Interceptor without the red markings (CLICK TO ENLARGE):