Sparrowhawk Variant.

[Hopper]

Just when you thought it was over...

I was checking the SAS Pilot variants here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14233
when a thought occurred to me... Sparrowhawk!

I only have a single Sparrowhawk, but a quick check on ebay proved that there is indeed a matching hand variant for Sparrowhawk - crappy photo (via ebay) attached

[spiderpumpkin]

Very cool find. Thanks for sharing.

[Hopper]

Snagged one!
Hard work identifying it on ebay, but here it is.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Sparrowhawk Types 1 and 2
The only difference is, like the other 'pilot' figures, in the left hand of the figure. It seems to be a mould difference and likely points to two places of manufacture.

There are subtle differences in the paint - colour and application - but it is not clear of these are part of the variant (pale pink skin with round hand for example), or if it more a case of different batches having different colours anyway, and this being a coincidence.

On the first photo, Type 1 is on the right, Type 2 on the left.

[Hopper]

Seems to have double posted!
As I'm not sure how to delete a post, I'll use this one to say, I'm starting to believe there were only two places of manufacture for Palitoy, hence the almost universal 'rule of two' for variants, no matter how subtle they be. Any thoughts, anyone?

[wolforrest]

Two places or simply two different machine lines. I'm pretty sure a relatively small factory in Coalville would not have been too bothered about slight subtle differences in the moulds, I mean look at the series one packaging they never even bothered updating the prototype figures on the card to the actual sold merchandise until series two.