Review: 40768 Star Trek: Type-15 Shuttlepod
Posted by CapnRex101,
Gifts-with-purchase are a conundrum. While we all want promotional sets to be appealing, their limited availability can be disappointing. 40768 Star Trek: Type-15 Shuttlepod serves as a prime example because the ship looks superb, but will only be available with the U.S.S Enterprise.
In addition, an exclusive Ensign Ro minifigure is included to join the other characters found in 10356 Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. Honestly, this seems like a great set all round, which makes its status as a gift-with-purchase all the more frustrating!
Summary
40768 Star Trek: Type-15 Shuttlepod, 261 pieces.
It is a shame this set will not be available for everyone to buy because it is excellent
- Near-faultless accuracy
- Ample space inside
- Console Easter eggs
- Great exclusive minifigure
- Lots of stickers
- Limited availability
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigure
Ensign Ro Laren joined the Enterprise in season five, regularly coming into conflict with other crew members, although serving as a capable officer. I wonder whether Ro was chosen purely because the hair element produced for Qi'ra works so well for this character, featuring a gap on one side for her Bajoran earring.
Ro sports the same command attire as Picard and Riker in 10356 Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, featuring a Starfleet combadge and decoration on the shoulders, but no collar or rank pips. As mentioned in my review of the Enterprise, their absence does not really bother me because the torso is more versatile without any rank insignia.
The double-sided head is the only piece unique to Ensign Ro, capturing the Bajoran ridges on her nose and the character's personality, as both expressions seem quite severe! The metallic silver earring is lovely too, as another of the ensign's distinguishing features.
Reference
Source - tng.trekcore.com
The Completed Model
Various shuttlecraft are kept aboard the Enterprise-D, including the small Type-15 Shuttlepod. Unlike its mothership, this boxy spacecraft seems ideally suited to a LEGO model and it looks splendid. The shape and proportions are very faithful to the vehicle onscreen and all the major details are present, though represented by stickers in many cases.
Thirteen stickers are applied to the model, which is quite a lot for its size. However, I would not expect several printed elements to be produced for a set like this, so the need for stickers does not bother me. Also, the shape of the forward hull and windscreen is excellent, especially where the 1x4 panel connected to the windscreen meets the row of 1x1 double slopes.
The Onizuka shuttle is named after astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who perished in the Challenger disaster. This specific ship only appears a couple of times over the course of the series and its design here reflects The Mind's Eye, a season four episode. The ship was erroneously labelled as shuttlepod 05 in its earlier appearance, whereas this is unnumbered like in season four.
It is a shame the red stripes on either side of the shuttlepod are interrupted, but I see no way to avoid this. The markings are otherwise very accurate, including bright light yellow stripes on the impulse engines. Furthermore, the side windows look good and the doors open upwards exactly like they do in the show.
The control console inside is one of my favourite parts of the model, recreating the Okudagram displays seen in The Next Generation. The screen features a Romulan Warbird beside stardate 44885.5, again reflecting scenes in The Mind's Eye, though the display differs onscreen. I would love to see a LEGO D'deridex-class, so hopefully this is a hint to the future!
You can seat two minifigures inside, although placing them is a bit tricky without access from above. Nonetheless, I appreciate the space for two, with black 1x3 tiles forming backrests for these minifigures.
A couple more stickers form the blue-tinted louvres on the back of the shuttle, with a trans-red light in the middle. The shape continues to impress, with minimal gaps between angled panels. There is even room for the ship's cargo area behind this panel, but no accessories are included for storage.
Overall
40768 Star Trek: Type-15 Shuttlepod is a wonderful set and I wish it was available for anybody to purchase. However, this is a great gift-with-purchase too, especially with the tiny shuttlepods around the shuttlebay in 10356 Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, so this model directly relates to the larger set.
The number of stickers might be off-putting to some, but there was no realistic alternative and I am particularly pleased with the stickered console inside, while Ensign Ro is a nice addition as well. Ultimately, the only real problem with the set is its limited availability, which is pretty much the highest praise I can give!
44 likes
27 comments on this article
Man, even I would like this. It looks wholesome! I guess I'll just try to replicate the build with my own parts.
I do sincerely hope this set and the 1701-D leads to an actual Star Trek retail theme with sets featuring smaller ships like this, playsets, and a wide array of characters. It'd be a shame to lock it all away in expensive and limited Icons sets and GWP.
Wow this is good. Bodes well for more quality Trek models in this theme.
Good decision using Geordi as the second minifig for the demonstration photo, since "The Mind's Eye" was a Geordi episode. Seeing him next to Ro also calls to mind "The Next Phase," one of her spotlight episodes.
As for GWP status, I'm not too bothered. It's disappointing not to be able to buy it on its own, but I figure that would only have ever happened in the context of a full Star Trek theme... in which the type 15's presence would likely delay or even prevent the inclusion of the more prominent type 6 shuttle.
Lego overlords constantly playing annoying fomo games with their own customer base has gotten so toxic and exhausting. I'm not playing the game. That said, cool little set.
TNG Romulan Warbirds and TNG Klingon Birds of Prey would be my jam. Much better than the Federation ships.
Love the set, but it's boxy shape reminds me that LEGO Star Wars hasn't done more to tap into the theme park stuff and give us the bus-like Starspeeder 3000 (or 1000) for that franchise's own civilian shuttle. You'd think everyone is flying in fighter jets and smugglers freighter in that world...
@Rimefang said:
"I do sincerely hope this set and the 1701-D leads to an actual Star Trek retail theme with sets featuring smaller ships like this, playsets, and a wide array of characters. It'd be a shame to lock it all away in expensive and limited Icons sets and GWP."
I'm hoping for other ships like the Enterprise. Perhaps like Lego SW we'll get Lego Star Trek MIDI scale ships
These specific-to-a-model GWPs feel like the content left out of games just so it could make more money as DLC :/
@nushae said:
"These specific-to-a-model GWPs feel like the content left out of games just so it could make more money as DLC :/"
Yeah they actively put me off from buying a set. It's sad.
Needs this part….
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=6039
@CapnRex101 said:
"Ensign Ro Laren joined the Enterprise in season five, regularly coming into conflict with other crew members, although serving as a capable officer. I wonder whether Ro was chosen purely because the hair element produced for Qi'ra works so well for this character, featuring a gap on one side for her Bajoran earring."
Qi’ra? This is funny, because Ensign Ro Laren was supposed to be on Deep Space 9, but the actress turned down the offer. So they replaced her with Major _Kira_ Nerys.
@nushae said:
"These specific-to-a-model GWPs feel like the content left out of games just so it could make more money as DLC :/"
I can understand this point of view in some cases, but this was clearly never intended to be part of 10356 Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D.
They could have added a few more parts to expand the minifig display stand for 10356.
A great GWP bonus for anyone getting 10356. No big deal for anyone who isn't. Lego know the value of a GWP to themselves. It's not a choice of a set being GWP or normal retail. It's more likely to be a choice of being a GWP or not existing at all.
It's a lovely little set, but once again Lego has proven that customers are the least thing they care about.
So no thank you, I will wait for instructions to be available on the internet.
@nushae said:
"These specific-to-a-model GWPs feel like the content left out of games just so it could make more money as DLC :/"
They remind me more of pre-order bonuses (are those still a thing?), both in terms of their content and their presumable intention.
Alien ships would be more interesting than just more shuttles and Enterprises, but I imagine they'd have to go with either smaller ships or a smaller scale to get them down to a viable price point.
I've never watched Star Trek, I don't plan to ever do, and I've never even heard or seen that shuttle before, but even I could have been interested in buying it if it was sold as a small set of its own... it's a shame it's locked behind the GWP threshold.
Be prepared. Last year Endurance GWP sold out in 6 hours in US. And the website crashed from 12-12:30.
I really, really like this. I like Star Trek but I'm more of a James T. Kirk fan (TOS and Kelvin line). I am torn, I can even sense a bit of FOMO creeping in. In Canada, the set is $490 plus taxes - well, I have a few weeks to sleep on this and make up my mind. There are still quite a few large sets (some retiring soon) on my list before this - decisions, decisions...
Since GWPs are made to induce early buying at full price, Lego did exceptionally well with this one.
While thinking about ideas for future sets:
Star Trek Advent Calendar
Small ships, a starbase, Data with a violin, Picard in vacation attire, a 3x3 Borg cube…
I do quite like this set, even though I know nothing about Star Trek. The shaping looks nice, and I think it’s a nice compact little build.
this would have been the perfect opportunity tp bring back piece number 6039 from the '90s space themes…
@Ephseb said:
"this would have been the perfect opportunity tp bring back piece number 6039 from the '90s space themes…"
You're not wrong about that part being useful here, but - space-themes? It appeared in one space-set, the other fifteen sets it popped up in were all just Earth-based. Mostly, I'll grant you, the wet parts of Earth, but still.
@Crux said:
" @Ephseb said:
"this would have been the perfect opportunity tp bring back piece number 6039 from the '90s space themes…"
You're not wrong about that part being useful here, but - space-themes? It appeared in one space-set, the other fifteen sets it popped up in were all just Earth-based. Mostly, I'll grant you, the wet parts of Earth, but still."
I'm surprised 6039 or a modernized version of it isn’t used for Star Wars as an R4 astromech dome too. Really useful part design that would be great to bring back.
@bomeara said:
"While thinking about ideas for future sets:
Star Trek Advent Calendar
Small ships, a starbase, Data with a violin, Picard in vacation attire, a 3x3 Borg cube…"
I've never bought a Lego advent calendar for myself, but I would definitely get a Lego Star Trek advent calendar
@Crux said:
" @Ephseb said:
"this would have been the perfect opportunity tp bring back piece number 6039 from the '90s space themes…"
You're not wrong about that part being useful here, but - space-themes? It appeared in one space-set, the other fifteen sets it popped up in were all just Earth-based. Mostly, I'll grant you, the wet parts of Earth, but still."
So even more not-space than above ground Earth.