Review: 75041 Vulture Droid

Set ID: 75041 Vulture Droid 

Number of Pieces: 205

Year of Release: 2014

Minifigs: 3

Purchased Price: About SGD 50

During the latest LEGO shopping trip, I picked up the latest Vulture Droid set from the shelf ...

Son, "Dad, how many of these vulture droids do you have now in your collection?"

Me, "I don't know. 5? Maybe 6?"

Son, "Do you NEED another one?"

My son was right. I don't NEED another Vulture Droid in my collection. But I WANT one that can finally sit a Battle Droid pilot and looks at least close to its movie counterpart. So here I am. But to answer my son's question, I really need to look back at my archive to be exact, summarised as follow:

7111 - Droid Fighter (1999) Brown and inaccurate

7256 - Jedi Starfighter & Vulture Droid (2005) Blue and blocky-looking

7283 - Ultimate Space Battle (2005) One of the few handful of Star Wars sets that still elude my grasp

7660 - Naboo Starfighter and Vulture Droid (2007) Back to brown again??

7751 - Ashoka's Starfighter and Droids (2009) Clone War set so no thanks

So the answer is: three. I really am not sure where I get the "5-6" from but statistics never lie (or at least according to the statistician) Is this a 4th worth collecting? Hell, yes!

The Sleek Vulture

For a start, the colour of this Vulture Droid is much closer to its movie siblings as compared to the previous brown ones. The overall design is also sleeker and more streamlined, better utilising the curved bricks to accentuate its beautiful silouette.


It is a pity I could not access the other Vulture Droids in my collection, otherwise I would really like to make a comparison of their sizes. However, I am certain that this latest edition will be the biggest amongst them. The extra space was put into good use to create a cosy cockpit for the pilot battle droid. Access to the cockpit is easy, by simply lifting the hinged canopy of the cockpit. There is no way to secure the piloting droid to his seat, so you do get the constant clanging sound of the pilot being tossed in the cockpit whenever you shake or move the Vulture Droid.

The wing design impressed me most, using a good blend of Technic parts to construct the hinges that allow multiple degree of freedom of movements. In flight mode, the 2 flaps of each wing can be tucked closer to each other to achieve better aerodynamics. The wing can be turned horizontally, significantly flatten the profile of the Vulture Droid. In walk mode, the wings can be easily turned vertical with the flaps separated further apart to achieve better stability.

One new feature that was introduced by LEGO for the 2014 series is the spring loaded missile. Looking back at the records, this is not the first time spring loaded missiles are used. Some years back in the TIE Bomber set, a spring loaded "battering ram" was built in the design before. But this new weapon is much sleeker and has a longer range. Having said that, it means it is more dangerous. To fire the spring loaded missile, all you need is a slight flick of the exposed rear of the red missile, and off it will go. By virtue that the rear is exposed, there were numerous occasions when I accidentally set off the missile when I was trying to pose it for photo taking.

The Vulture Droid feels really solid when completed. It is also very stable in the walk mode, when you deploy the wings as the walking legs. This is also my preferred display mode as it has more vertical presence.

Building Experience

2 bags of bricks, a small instruction booklet and a massive sticker leaflet greeted me when I opened the box. Construction took slightly less than 30 minutes without any major drama. I did admit to having some reservation of how the wings are attached to the body at first, using only a pair of cross-headed sleeves at the tip of a cross-sections pin. After putting the wings through some rigorous tugging and spinning, I concluded that my reservation was unfounded.

Before I rant about the stickers, let me give them some credit for making the Vulture Droid looks realistic. Almost all the stickers are applied on curve surfaces on the wings and cabin. Under the intense humidity here, the stickers will have a higher tendency of curling up if they are used on curved surfaces. Let's see how long these will last this time.

There were significantly more use of curved bricks in this set, given its sleek profile. A few new brick types also caught my eyes, including the spring loaded 4X1, where the missile is housed, and the Z-shape brick in black and grey. The latter is especially useful during construction as it lends sturdiness to the completed model.

Minifigs

The buzz droid is best known for being a nuisance in dissecting the hulls of starships it latched on. To perform that task, it requires a menacing rotating saw. In this new version of the buzz droid, the saw has been downsized and missing the cutting edge. Its legs have also been re-designed, replacing the older version which stands on a pair of standard droid legs. Personally I still prefer the older design, simply because it has a better saw.

The Neimoidian Warrior (it took me a few times to get the spelling right ...) is a completely new minifig. The colors and torso designs are spot on. Both sides of the torso are painted to represent the thick armor that the warrior dons. Much details have also been included in his facial design, to bring out the excessively-wrinkled complexion of a Neimodian Warrior. Overall a well designed minifig except for its accessory. Why on earth is he carrying a musket from the Civil War era?!?

The third minifig is a standard Pilot Battle Droid, with a blue torso and accessorized by a short pistol. The pistol has to leave his arms though, if you want to fit the pilot into the cockpit of the Vulture Droid. I think I have had enough of the standard-colored Battle Droids, so this blue deviation is definitely a welcomed inclusion in my collection.




Conclusion

+ A Vulture Droid that sits a pilot. Cool!
+ Versatile wing design. More curves, less angles
+ Very solid build
+ Colour better represented

- Plenty of stickers, and having to apply on curve surface
- Spring loaded missiles easily "misfire"
- The musket for the Neimoidian Warrior minifig. Seriously?

Review: 75040 General Grievous' Wheel Bike

Set ID: 75040 General Grievous' Wheel Bike

Number of Pieces: 261

Year of Release: 2014

Minifigs: 2

Purchased Price: About SGD 55

Surrounded by droids and more Grievous' henchmen, Obi Wan summoned the Force to release a 3-ton block  from the ceiling, exterminating a platoon of Royal Guards. With pride at stake, General Grievous challenged Obi Wan to a one-on-one, (not really a fair competition still, considering 4 hands vs. 2, although Obi Wan did neutralise the deficit during the battle) and when the time warrant, cue for a runaway vehicle in the form of the Wheel Bike. Hot on the heels of General Grievous, Obi Wan cued for his ride in the form of, erm, a giant lizard. Hence commence the epic chase scene in Episode 3 ...

LEGO released the 7255 General Grievous Chase in 2005 to recreate the above scene. This set, however, is a sequel to that, when Obi Wan has abandoned his lizard and chose to share the ride on the Wheel Bike with Grievous. There will be many references to compare the 2 versions of the Wheel Bike in this review. But with 8 years and many new building parts and techniques between the 2 versions, I would have expected the new Wheel Bike to impress. It does, but not without some minor complaints.

At 261 pieces, the revised version has put the extra pieces into good use, upping the level of details in the design. For the record, 20 brick count goes to each leg of the wheel bike and the rotating track used up another 60. There is even a nice little touch of detail to include a control panel on the bike's handlebar, used by Grievous to fire up the Wheel Bike. The cockpit is customised to fit General Grievous, by attaching his feet to the stud panel of the handle bar. The armory includes a twin cannon and a flick missile located on the right of the cockpit.

Making constant reference to the movie scene, I cannot help but to notice that the twin disc version of the 7255 is more movie-like as compared to this latest revision, which is made by a single disc wrapped in a chain of track. The rugged looking rotating track is also quite a departure from the cleaner-edged version seen in the movie. Perhaps General Grievous has requested for more traction in this upgrade. If he did, he should have also asked for a canopy. At least that would have made it more challenging for Obi Wan to pounce on him.

Grievous in control

The Wheel Bike can traverse in two options: (1) On four legs or (2) Cycling mode. Well, that's twice the fun then. My main complaint lies in the design of the Wheel Bike on fours. Although the ball socket design of the legs do enhance its posability, it is difficult to achieve a really stable pose. Swinging all the legs backwards allow the Wheel Bike to strike a more balanced stance, and a slight nudge of the track will allow the Wheel Bike to move forward, albeit in short spurts of distances.

Box Art

This, being the first 2014 set that I am building, I spent a fair bit of time scrutinising the box art. Personally I like the blue theme better than the previous green theme. And instead of Yoda, Darth Vader now graces the cover of the box, with a hand reaching out menacingly. Can't help but to notice that the cartoony nature of the box graphic is a thing of the past and in its place are the more human-like graphics. I have no preference for either one but compliment to the box designers for keeping them fresh and interesting.

Building Experience

Three packets of bricks and an instruction booklet fills the box. Being more unique in design, General Grievous comes in his own individual packing. It took me slightly more than 30 minutes to complete the building process. I did think I could do it faster but there were a lot of small parts that need to be fixed and it was not easy for a grown man with big fingers to do that. Plenty of repeated steps, considering that there are 4 similar legs and the rotating track is made up 12 similar parts. No stickers! Hurray!

Minifigs

Both minifigs included in this set are said to be "new". The "newness" is more apparent in General Grievous as compared to Obi Wan, with significant improvements made on the colour and design. Looking back at the bland General Grievous minifig in the 7255 set, it is actually not too difficult to surpass it. The white and grey combination strikes closer resemblance to the movie version and I especially like the details on the face of General Grievous. Check out those eyes! The cape is an obvious absence in this version but I am not complaining as the cape always gets into the way when the minifig is placed in a cockpit. With four light sabers, the General should have nothing to grief (pun intended) about. He should also be happy that the light sabers come with pretty impressive shiny silver grip instead of the usual matte ones.

The changes to Obi Wan are more subtle, with details added to the torso (especially the utility belt design) and the leg piece. As expected, Obi Wan comes with 2 facial expressions, one of angst and the other rather neutral.

Conclusion

8 years have been a long time and I am generally happy with the improvements made to this revision of the Wheel Bike, both in terms of the vehicle and minifigs. At SGD 55, I will not consider it as overpriced. For collectors with entry level budget, this can be a set worth buying.

+ More detailed design
+ Easy transformation between the 2 modes of travel
+ Improved General Grievous minifig

- Legs not stable when deployed
- Disc design of Wheel Bike not as realistic as the previous version 7255

Review: 10198 Tantive IV

Set ID: 10198 Tantive IV

Number of Pieces: 1408

Year of Release: 2009

Minifigs: 5

Purchased Price: About SGD 280

It took me too many months to finally settle down back in Singapore and started on a new job. With all the logistic nightmare finally over, I can find a breather to sieve through my LEGO Star Wars collection and pick a few sets that I thought would be worth opening. All in all, I brought back 6 cartons of LEGO from Hong Kong, made up of 80% Star Wars series, and the rest, LOTR and Super Heroes sets. All were accounted for and now they reside in the comfort of a brand new storeroom that I have rented (yes, that's in addition to the other storeroom that I have already been renting for the last 2 years)

Over the last 6 months, there had been too many distractions, but lucky enough, the summer Star Wars sets did not really impress me and therefore I did not feel the compelling need to focus too much on them. Unfortunately (or fortunately), along came the LOTR sets, some nice Architecture releases and Ewok Village, totally bursting my budget beyond what I hoped for. Few days ago, I saw the Jan Star Wars release and once again, I breathed a sigh of relief as I was once again, unimpressed. History does have a way of repeating itself and so I believe my loyalty might waiver a little in the direction of the new Super Heroes sets and perhaps, a few of the LEGO movie series. 

Having said all the above, my blog review is still dedicated to my massive and growing Star Wars collection. To kickstart my new series of reviews, I stood for some time in front of my storeroom and randomly decided to open this set - The Tantive IV. 

What's confusing is the naming of this oddly shaped ship as it is sometime referred to as the Blockade Runner. In fact, LEGO did release a "Blockade Runner" in the form of the UCS 10019 back in 2001. That was a minifig-less version more inclined towards the definition of what UCS sets are all about. This set is a slightly kiddish or rather, playable, version, with lesser brick count, details but with five minifig occupants. For a even smaller variant, try finding it beside the majestic 10030 Imperial Star Destroyer, who completely dwarfed the Blockade Runner in comparison. 

The Look and Features

From aerodynamics view point, this vehicle doesn't make any sense at all. With 11 engine boosters in its rear and a hammer head cockpit in the front, I can almost imagine the entire ship spinning out of control when all the rear blasters are fully engaged! Come to think of it, it does remind me of a hammerhead shark, without its fins, and dragging a huge a**. In the movie, this ship was at the receiving end of some relentless dogfight and that probably explains its heavily armed exterior and a few escape pods (yes, plural) thrown in. 

Don't even try to pick up the Tantive and swoosh around in the room. Don't. For two reasons: (1) Chances of some parts falling off is VERY high. And (2) it is quite heavy. So what is this set good for? Any points of playability? Or display? For the former, there are indeed quite a number of features and movable parts to play with but for the latter, the ship does't really stand steadily by itself, courtesy of the lack of a proper undercarriage / display stand.

Undesigned undercarriage

Box Art

This set was released in 2009, during the year of the 10th anniversary of LEGO Star Wars. A unique Darth Vader minifig logo and the wordings of "Anniversary Edition" just made the box look more exclusive than the other sets releases before 2009. The front design is kind of cluttered with too much information displayed. The rear is not much better, but at least each of the picture says something playable of the Tantive. 

Cockpit

Inside the hammerhead cockpit sits two comfortably. A few control panels lined the interior of the cockpit but the joystick seem to locate a little too far for the reach of the pilots. Accessibility to the cockpit is easy, by hinging the canopy at its rear. A pair of transparent windscreen provided some visual voids for the pilots to figure out where they are heading. The downside of these windscreens are that they are not expansive enough for the pilots to look too far on the right and left.

Mid-Section

Most of the playable features can be found in the mid section of the ship. From the top, you can see a whole bunch of blasters and cannons mounted on rotating platforms. This gives the Tantive some flexibility in taking aims at the imperial enemies flying in from every angle. The weakness of this ship is therefore at its bottom where only a pair of cannons can be found. The top of the mid section can be removed easily to reveal the interior of the fueslage. It is so easy to remove that you might not want to attempt a barrel roll with this ship should you feel like doing so. 

The huge "director's table" in the cabin looks really familiar at first sight. It was in fact the same one found in 2012's Palpatine's Arrest. There is something in the design that never fail to impress me, fully making use of the SNOT building approach instead of the traditional stud up one. There are hardly any additional room to accommodate more occupants here, which explains why they might need to relocate to the escape pods instead.

The two escape pods are located just before the engines, plugging into the body of the ship perpendicularly. Removing is an easy affair but putting them back is a much more complicated maneuver. I guess escape pods are not meant to be put back right? That makes sense then. Each pod is large enough to take one occupant, although 2 is not impossible. In desperation, anything counts.

Engine Compartment

11 engine blasters. What more do I need to say? What machine in this world will need such an overbuilt horsepower? This is probably the most sturdy part of the entire ship, and it also explains why the centre of gravity of this Tantive is certainly inclined towards the rear. There are some really intricate details on the engine bodies, which kind of break the monotony of repeated designs. 

Mother of all engines!

Building Experience

The set comes with two building booklets and quite a number of packets of bricks, unnumbered. It has been some time since I built 1400 bricks without numbered packs. But there is some form if masochistic joy and a weird sense of achievement when you build a set without numbered packs. It is a more challenging and rewarding experience. Many would beg to differ, but if you have time on your hand, do it.

Construction starts with the center spine that runs the entire length of the ship. Instead of the typical build-in-parts-and-fix-together approach, I like the technique used in this set where the entire ship is built concurrently across different sections. Even the complicated engine compartment is not built in one complete move, offering the builder some reprieve from the otherwise boring repetitive process. To be fair, building the 11 engine blasters were not entirely boring as there were details on each of these engines which sets them apart from one another. So to allay the fear of those repulsive of repeated steps, this is NOT a 11 X engine blaster step. 

Minifigs

The 5 minifigs included in this set are nothing to shout about. I may sound harsh but in recent years, LEGO has been trying to put some form of exclusivity on the minifigs in each of the new sets launched. As collectors, perhaps we have been spoilt to the extent when the minifigs are not exclusive, we are disappointed. It is also easy to forget that this set was launched in 2009, some 4-5 years ago, when exclusive minifigs are not THAT big yet. So in retrospect, LEGO can be forgiven for these somewhat uninteresting minifgs.

Princess Leia is in her easily recognizable white outfit. Printing of some fabric creases is only seen in the front of the torso piece, and the back is blank. As for the head piece, there is no double face printing as commonly seen nowadays. Leia's nonchalant expression is somewhat incongruent to the danger that she was going through in the movie, and I cannot help but to laugh at the pea-eyes of hers as compared to the current designs with lush lashes and heavy makeup. Cute though. 

The C3PO buddy pairing is not uncommon in LEGO Star Wars set already. And they even have their exclusive appearances in the Pod Escape set in recent years. There can only be little variations in terms of the design of these 2 minifigs as they, IMO, are already as close to what they should be.

I personally like the helmet piece of the Rebel Scout Trooper and Captain Antilles (whom I have little recollection of how he looks like in the Star Wars movie). It resembles that of a really cool bicycle helmet albeit a little oversized in proportion to the minifig. Both minifigs have a fair bit of details printed on the front of the torso while the backs are left unprinted. Both minifigs' head piece are printed with chin strap that look well integrated with the helmets. But once you remove the helmet, the chin strap does look like a stretch of well trimmed face hair across the face! Captain Antilles' demise in the movie is clearly captured on the 2nd printed side of the face, with a squiggly mouth. That was funny!

An observation made of these minifigs was that none of them actually carries a weapon of any kind! This is pretty unusual considering that there are plenty of space in the Tantive for them to stash away those weapons. Did I leave out a pack or was it a deliberate act of cost saving?

Conclusion

Although this is a classic ship in the Star Wars series, I am glad that it has not been over exposed (think X-Wing) in the LEGO collection. This preserves the value and collectability of the set by a fair bit. A must have for collector.

+ Size of the Tantive. Very impressive display on the shelf

+ Detailed designs, especially impressed with the engine compartment

+ Plenty of playable features in the Tantive

+ Love the SNOT design of the main control panel at the main deck of the ship

+ Although seem repetitive at first, the building experience of the engine compartment did vary to break the monotony.

- Instability of the Tantive when on display. Tend to wobble a little due to lack of a proper undercarriage

- Loose parts tend to fall off easily when playing with the ship

P.S. The Jan 2014 Star Wars sets have again been quite unimpressive. My next couple of reviews will probably revert to the older sets. Not complaining though.