The Power Of The Force T-16 Skyhopper

5/13/2026

Hasbro released the Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper for 3 3/4" Star Wars action figures in 1997 as a wide retail release with a suggested retail price of $19.99. Originally, the T-16 was only seen parked in the Lars Homestead garage in A New Hope, and we had to wait until the special edition of Return Of The Jedi to get a look at the vehicle in air during the final celebration sequence. This 1997 release remains the only full-sized T-16 Skyhopper vehicle Hasbro has ever made available for the 3 3/4-inch line.

Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper

Packaging

The T-16 Skyhopper came packaged in the green Power of the Force box design, with a colorful illustration of the vehicle featured prominently on the front. Inside the box, the vehicle parts were packed separately in plastic bags. The release also included an instruction sheet and a sticker sheet. Since no action figure was included, collectors needed to supply their own compatible 3 3/4-inch figure for the cockpit, which was not an issue since we were all hungry for new Star Wars figures at the time and we all had quite a few in our collections already.

Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper

Assembly

Some assembly was required once the vehicle was removed from the box. The main build is quick and straightforward, with the vehicle coming together in only a few minutes. Applying the stickers takes longer, and the instructions recommend applying them first. Getting everything lined up cleanly can easily take around 15 minutes.

The vehicle is built around two main sections. The smaller cockpit-style craft attaches to the larger rear body of the ship, creating the full T-16 Skyhopper design.

Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper

Vehicle Features

The T-16 Skyhopper includes a missile launcher that can be attached to the back of the vehicle for storage or mounted underneath the ship. Pressing the button on the launcher fires the missile, giving the T-16 a simple but fun play feature which lets you shoot womp rats!

The vehicle also features four wings. Two smaller movable wings are attached to the cockpit section, while two larger wings are part of the main body. When both sections are connected, the smaller and larger wings snap together to create the complete T-16 Skyhopper.

Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper

The vehicle stands securely on its own, which makes it easy to display on a shelf. Unfortunately, no display stand was included, so there is no way to display the T-16 Skyhopper in flight. For a vehicle with this kind of tall, vertical design and long wings, a dedicated flight stand would have been a very welcome addition, though that would have been unusual at the time since the vehicle was made for kids to play with (and less with collectors in mind).

Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper

Cockpit And Figure Fit

The cockpit fits Power of the Force 2 figures nicely, which is worth pointing out because those figures were generally bulkier than modern Vintage Collection figures. Newer 3 3/4-inch figures also work well inside the cockpit, so even decades later, the T-16 Skyhopper still feels useful in a modern display. That compatibility helps the vehicle age better than expected. It does not feel locked to 1997 figures only, and it can still be photographed or displayed convincingly with newer Star Wars action figures.

Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper

Sculpting And Display Value

For a 1997 release, the T-16 Skyhopper has a surprising amount of detail. The light weathering on the hull helps break up the plastic, while the sculpting on the wings and rear section still looks good today. The panel lines, mechanical shapes and overall silhouette give the vehicle a convincing Star Wars look. Since Hasbro has never returned to the T-16 Skyhopper as a full-sized 3 3/4-inch vehicle, this Power of the Force release remains the only option for collectors who want one in their collection. It represents a memorable piece of Luke Skywalker’s Tatooine backstory and still pairs nicely with both older and newer figures.

Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper

Final Thoughts

The Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper is a fantastic vehicle release from the 1997 line. It has a good sculpt, solid figure compatibility, a fun two-section design and just enough play features to keep it interesting without overcomplicating the toy.

The aftermarket value is still reasonable compared to many other Star Wars vehicles, which makes it an easy recommendation for collectors who enjoy the original Star Wars movie or want something a little different for their 3 3/4-inch display. Thanks for reading everyone, and happy collecting!

Power of the Force T-16 Skyhopper

From the packaging:

Luke Skywalker spent a lot of time flying his T-16 skyhopper, a pleasure and utility airspeeder, during his youth on Tatooine. The skyhopper’s cockpit is modeled directly after that of the fearsome T-65 X-wing starfighters (they are both manufactured by Incom), which helped Luke during his abrupt transition towards becoming a Rebel pilot capable of handling the high-powered X-wings. Luke’s T-16 was a high-end model fitted with a belly-mounted laser cannon and stereoscopic laser sighting device that allowed Skywalker to bullseye womp rats while speeding through Tatooine’s Beggar’s Canyon at a cool 900 km per hour.

This one-person craft utilizes a standard anti-grav generator for lift and a single ion engine for propulsion. The anti-grav generator has an altitude ceiling in excess of 275 kilometers - high for most airspeeders - and a top speed of 1200 km per hour. As a result of its tri-foil, folding wing arrangement and advanced steering system, the T-16 can make incredibly sharp, high-speed turns and can climb vertically at will.

The cockpit of the T-16 separates entirely from the main body of the craft for easy maintenance of otherwise hard-to-reach instruments. One day while working on the ship, Luke ingeniously decided to fit the detaching cockpit with small repulsors, thrusters and steering vanes to create a fully flyable and highly maneuverable open-air escape craft. Furthermore, he developed a release mechanism which allows the cockpit to be ejected from the main body of the T-16 while still in flight. During this mode, the T-16’s bulk can land automatically or sustain its flight by an auto-pilot feature, creating a truly effective escape vehicle.