CLASSIFICATION: KITBASH
BASE FIGURE: STAR WARS: EPISODE I R2-D2
MATERIALS USED: ELECTRICAL WIRING, ACRYLIC PAINTS
FIRST APPEARANCE: STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE

"Enemy fighters straight ahead!"

Preamble: R2-A6 was one of the five droids assigned to the Naboo Royal Starship owned by Queen Amidala.  Unlike most of the other astromech droids on board, R2-A6 managed to survive passage through the Trade Federation blockade when Amidala escaped her homeworld.  R2-A6 later went on to serve as the onboard astromech droid who assisted Ric Olié during the Battle of Naboo.

Well, shortly after I saw The Phantom Menace in theaters, I decided to get some extra R2-D2 toys and repaint them into the astromech droids of the royal starship.  Some of them have since had Hasbro toys released in their likeness, but when I originally did these repaints, none of them had official toys at this scale.

Construction: R2-A6 was the easiest of the droids to modify, since all I really had to do was paint over all of R2-D2's blue parts with green.  I used a fine paintbrush, one from which I'd removed almost all the bristles, and covered up the blue details on the toy's legs and body.  For the head panels, I used a sewing pin that I dipped in paint and then spread the glob of paint around until the blue panels were completely covered.  It's highly exacting work, but it works well enough if you don't have a fine enough paintbrush.

After being on display for four years, the project began to suffer from sun damage was turning yellow, so I painted over the white parts to restore his original color.  While I was at it, I also added the correct cables to the front of his feet, and glued a third holoprojector to the top of his head.

Comments: Hasbro released a 12" scale Action Collection version or R2-A6 during the heyday of Episode I merchandise (ostensibly so they could do something with the mold besides releasing yet another R2-D2), but there's never been an official R2-A6 toy at this smaller scale.  (Considering how the production of Episode I toys has all but ground to a halt, I'd be tempted to say there'll never be one, either.)