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The Thin LineThe Thin LineThe Thin LineThe Thin Line Space Wars Play Set

Class of Bootleg Class 2 - Duplicated and Modifed
Class Notes: Some modifications to the toys, but base molds were duplicated.
Bootleg Source: Galoob Star Trek Micromachines
Bootleg Rating: StarStarStarStar (Four out of five stars)
Sightings:California
Vintage:1998

Ships as packaged

At right we have the packaged display of Space Wars Play Set. Six spaceships come blister carded to a single-sided backer.

There is a logo in the lower left corner of a big "D" that may be a manufacturer sigil. There is no other info about the producer of this toy on the card beyond that logo, a small "Item No. 3232 C6", and a "Made in China" line.

The child safety warning in the lower right indicates that this toy is designed for kids over three.

Before I get to the review of the toys in the package, let me state that I dislike the name of the set...there is nothing that could be counted as a "Play Set" here. To me, a play-set is at least the fold-out mat and volcano arrangement of the Star Zone bootlegs.

Detail of card art

As you can see in the card detail at left, each of the ships is cast in metal. What the card doesn't tell you is that each of them is fitted with a small free-rolling wheel base under the ship exterior.

Anyway, all six vehicles are taken from Galoob Toys micromachine offerings. All are "alien" ships...the Enterprise is nowhere to be seen, as are any other federation vehicles. Maybe the bootleggers thought that if they didn't include the better recognized ships, no one would notice that their toy was nothing but a cheap bootleg.
We'll take a closer look at each of the ships, taking them clockwise from the upper-left corner.

Klingon Cruiser

Klingon Cruiser

First up is a metalic blue version of the Klingon Cruiser. It has a "4" and dagger shape printed on the wings, both of which you really have to squint to see.

The mold has been changed slightly, with the front notch in the front of the ship left in to create a diamond-shape.

NG Style Romulan Warbird

Romulan Warbird (NG)

Next is the Romulan Warbird from the Next Generation series. Like the Star Zone bootleg, the lower half of the ship has been left off. The front end of the ship has also been bent up nearly 90° giving this bootleg a very odd profile.

The ship is painted in a matte white with a red and green eagle painted on the base, and two small geen "eyes" at the aft of the ship. It almost looks like the bootleggers intended the ship to be facing backwards, with the former bridge of the ship as a raised tail section. But the wheels are attached with the bridge "forward".

Classic Klingon

Classic Klingon Cruiser

This ship is based on the classic Klingon cruiser from the first incarnation of Star Trek. It is painted in metalic silver, and has some interesting paint details in yellow and black. (More on that in a moment.)

First, however, notice that the mold for this ship has undergone a modification. Instead of the rather bulbous front en of the classic ship, it has a simplifed front end from the NG Klingon cruiser (above). Once again the center section has been left in, creating a diamond shape for the bridge area.

The wing details on this ship are pretty funny by themselves. Nothing like a little pirate logo to make a Bootleg feel at home!

Avast Ye Mateys!

The text to the left of the skull says "Space T-01"


Cardassian Cruiser

Cardassian Battleship

This ship is based on Cardassian designs, but it too has undergone a couple of modifications. The bridge area, that normally looks like the NG Klingon bridge, has been replaced with the CLASSIC Klingon bridge missing from the cruiser above! Also two big cannons have been added to the wings.
The ship is painted in matte black with green and red markings on the wings. (A red circle on a green field)


Classic Romulan Warbird

Classic Romulan Warbird

Next we have the Classic Star Trek Romulan warbird. It, too, got a little tweak at the hands of the bootleggers...the warp nacelles at the ends of the wings have been updated from the classic cigar-shape to the modern "boxy" look.

It hass been painted tan with wing decorations in red and green.


Klingon Bird of Prey

Klingon Bird of Prey

Finally we have the NG Style Klingon Bird of Prey. Like the other ships, it's undergone a small modifiaction. The wings have been bent upwards, and the cannons at the ends of the wings look a lot more like missliles now.

The ship is painted in te correct olive-green, with yellow and red flame/wing decorations on the wings.


Overall, this is a pretty keen bootleg. Trek boots are hard to find, and these are reasonably well done, with enough changes to the toys (tweaks to the molds and addition of wheels) to make them stand out from the original Galoob offerings.

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