Review: 76295 The Avengers Helicarrier
Posted by CapnRex101,
A selection of midi-scale Star Wars vehicles have been released recently and 76295 The Avengers Helicarrier matches their style. This recreation of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s memorable vessel looks impressive overall, but the price of £69.99, $79.99 or €79.99 seems very expensive.
Moreover, the set contains an absurd number of stickers for its size, used mainly for runway markings. Such attention to detail is commendable in some respects, but placing 28 stickers on a model like this seems decidedly excessive.
Summary
76295 The Avengers Helicarrier, 509 pieces.
£69.99 / $79.99 / €79.99 | 13.8p/15.7c/15.7c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
This rendition of the Helicarrier could be great, but for its stickers and the price
- Appealing display model, at a manageable size
- High degree of accuracy
- Far too many stickers
- Some fragile features
- Extremely overpriced
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
The Completed Model
It is hard to believe that almost a decade has passed since 76042 The SHIELD Helicarrier was released, but I am pleased to see the aircraft in LEGO form again, even at a much smaller size. The model measures 32cm in length and recreates the angular silhouette of the onscreen carrier accurately, with some tiny vehicles adding nice splashes of colour on the runways.
The display stand is broadly similar to those in the Starship Collection, albeit with a narrower base. Also, the printed plaque is a 4x4 tile here, instead of the 4x4 plate with four studs used normally. Either element suffices, but this one obviously has more space for a longer name, if needed. Otherwise, the construction of the stand feels familiar from those Star Wars sets.
The Helicarrier is mounted on the stand via eight studs. This does not feel as secure as I would like, relative to the Starship Collection sets, but the base is definitely stable enough for display. Also, this simple connection method does not affect the overall shape of the Helicarrier, which looks very sleek. I particularly like the light bluish grey 8x6x2 windscreen attached underneath, forming the vessel's rounded underside.
By contrast, the upper hull features plenty of sharp angles, using a couple of newer slopes and wedge slopes for the prow, which looks excellent. The armour around the rotors is effective too, although these structures are remarkably thin and feel fragile until construction is finished, once they are reinforced with the tiles laid beside the runway.
The antennas fixed at the front are permanently fragile though, unfortunately. Moreover, they should really extend further beyond the runway, but the mechanical texture afforded by these dark bluish grey ski poles is welcome.
In addition, the forward runway is brilliantly detailed, although the number of stickers necessary for wholly realistic patterns is silly. I appreciate accuracy as much as anybody, but printed tiles would presumably have been a viable alternative had the markings been marginally simplified, avoiding the need for twelve unique stickers in this area alone.
Even in its current form, the runway markings end before reaching the hangar entrance, which looks odd. The vehicles on board look splendid though, including a fighter jet represented by a 1x1 quarter circle tile and a couple of service trucks parked along the sides, formed using roller skate elements.
Several more are found on the rear runway, notably including a light bluish grey and sand blue Quinjet. Again, the runway markings look marvellous and I love the hazard stripes, but another twelve stickers are applied here. Fortunately, the bridge superstructure, known as the island on traditional aircraft carriers, is completely brick-built and features a variety of small sensors.
The view from behind the Helicarrier is appealing too. The engines in particular look superb, shrouded in even more angular armour and containing trans-orange 1x1 round plates for an engine glow. Extensive detail continues underneath, where trans-light blue tiles comprise the row of windows shown in The Avengers, when Thor and the Hulk are fighting on board.
Even the supports for the rotors look reasonable, blending into the surrounding grey armour. These turbines are much more complex onscreen, but a simpler design makes sense at this scale. Despite their appearance, they are not designed to rotate, which is not a problem on a display model, in my opinion.
Overall
I am glad to see the midi-scale format expanding beyond Star Wars and 76295 The Avengers Helicarrier is a good model to begin with. The proportions and shape of the Helicarrier appear faithful to the source material and the level of detail is remarkable, although fairly reliant on the numerous stickers included.
Sadly, those stickers are a major issue. I understand the desire for accuracy, but applying so many stickers on the runways is frustrating. Simplifying the markings and using three of four repeated printed parts was definitely the way to go. The price is another problem, as £69.99, $79.99 or €79.99 feels wildly expensive, which is a feeling only compounded by the stickers.
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38 comments on this article
No excuse for those runway tiles to not be printed at this price.
I love when LEGO tries new things. They're a brand built on creativity and ingenuity.
It'd be interesting to see them try pricing sets accordingly, because this is a $40 -$50 set.
The midi-scale Star Wars stuff is too expensive for the amount of plastic you get. Then this and its actually ridiculous amount of stickers came along and showed them what an over-priced mini model actually is.
I'm not usually one to say this (I collect Speed Champions, which often have a higher sticker-to-piece ratio), but I wonder what it would look like with no stickers applied. Obviously it would still be recognizable, but I wonder how the loss of the detail provided by the stickers would hurt it.
This has nothing on 76042!
Would you like some Lego to go with your sticker set?
The Speed Champions of Star Wars sets.
It looks way better than the old model, but I prefer Midi-Scale for Star Destroyer-type models in most cases so you could call that a bias.
But I don't understand how the price comes to pass, you would think there were more big or special pieces.
"The model measures 32m in length and recreates the angular silhouette of the onscreen carrier accurately, with some tiny vehicles adding nice splashes of colour on the runways."
Should this not met cm instead of M (as that would be a really interesting model ;) )
„32m in length“ with 509 pieces? Wow!
Glad that I own 76042!
this is 80$?..
@CosmicSpeed said:
"The Speed Champions of Star Wars sets."
This is Disney's Marvel not Disney's Star Wars.
I imagine they could get away with just two printed tiles for the runway, a 2x4 with the symbol, and then a 2x4 with the white/yellow central line and dotted outer lines that gets repeated. Then grille tiles along the sides. The build itself looks really good and still looks like LEGO, it is a shame they have to over-detail with stickers.
Lining up the stickers…ughhh.
If they had one or two more Quinjets and 2 mini figs (Nick Fury and Iron Man exclusives) then the price would be justified.
@legoDad42 said:
"Lining up the stickers…ughhh."
But then again, if these had been prints, the alignment would still be all over the place....it's basically a design impossible for Lego to do right.
I'm not the biggest Marvel fan, but apart from the stickers I do quite like this set. I might even be tempted to buy it....at a 50% discount or so.
I can safely say that whenever I might get tempted to by this I won't because of the stickers. For some reason I'm still buying Speed Champion sets despite the stickers, but the use of them on this set makes no sense whatsoever, both design and price wise.
@CosmicSpeed said:
"The Speed Champions of Star Wars sets."
Is this a Rebels design? Never seen it before.
@Bricky_Dee_Williams said:
"I love when LEGO tries new things. They're a brand built on creativity and ingenuity.
It'd be interesting to see them try pricing sets accordingly, because this is a $40 -$50 set."
Could it be that it is expensive because it is a Marvel set? Not a big buyer of this theme but to me, it seems that Marvel carries an even bigger tax than Star Wars. Ex: 76281, 76232, 76216, 76214, 76291...
I would love if Lego used this scale to make real-life military vehicles, like aircraft and ships.
$59.99 would be fine and it should have prints. It's true that I sometimes buy old MiSB sets with a worse price-per-brick calculation, but a new set shouldn't cost that much, especially since it doesn't have minifigures or very large pieces.
@HOBBES said:
" @Bricky_Dee_Williams said:
"I love when LEGO tries new things. They're a brand built on creativity and ingenuity.
It'd be interesting to see them try pricing sets accordingly, because this is a $40 -$50 set."
Could it be that it is expensive because it is a Marvel set? Not a big buyer of this theme but to me, it seems that Marvel carries an even bigger tax than Star Wars. Ex: 76281, 76232, 76216, 76214, 76291..."
there seems to be at least one ridiculously overpriced Marvel set per wave now.
@WizardOfOss said:
" @legoDad42 said:
"Lining up the stickers…ughhh."
But then again, if these had been prints, the alignment would still be all over the place....it's basically a design impossible for Lego to do right.
I'm not the biggest Marvel fan, but apart from the stickers I do quite like this set. I might even be tempted to buy it....at a 50% discount or so."
True. You're right, if prints, we'll have the lines off too.
Yep, gonna' wait too for the Amazon 20% on up sale on this. 30% off, I'd pull the trigger on it.
@TheOtherMike said:
"I'm not usually one to say this (I collect Speed Champions, which often have a higher sticker-to-piece ratio), but I wonder what it would look like with no stickers applied. Obviously it would still be recognizable, but I wonder how the loss of the detail provided by the stickers would hurt it."
I built mine yesterday and didn’t apply the stickers. It doesn’t look too bad without them. I figured the completed thing is not that massively detailed anyway so left them off. They are always there to put on later if I do change my mind.
@Reventon said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"I'm not usually one to say this (I collect Speed Champions, which often have a higher sticker-to-piece ratio), but I wonder what it would look like with no stickers applied. Obviously it would still be recognizable, but I wonder how the loss of the detail provided by the stickers would hurt it."
I built mine yesterday and didn’t apply the stickers. It doesn’t look too bad without them. I figured the completed thing is not that massively detailed anyway so left them off. They are always there to put on later if I do change my mind."
So long as you remember where you kept the sticker sheet, of course.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Reventon said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"I'm not usually one to say this (I collect Speed Champions, which often have a higher sticker-to-piece ratio), but I wonder what it would look like with no stickers applied. Obviously it would still be recognizable, but I wonder how the loss of the detail provided by the stickers would hurt it."
I built mine yesterday and didn’t apply the stickers. It doesn’t look too bad without them. I figured the completed thing is not that massively detailed anyway so left them off. They are always there to put on later if I do change my mind."
So long as you remember where you kept the sticker sheet, of course."
First page of every instruction book
That is an expensive desktop nope.
@Reventon said:
"First page of every instruction book "
That's where I keep my sticker sheets, too
@Ridgeheart said:
"So hey, listen. I get that we need new sets on the shelves, and I appreciate that they're location-based. I mean, the Helicarrier is of a size that it counts as not just a vehicle, but a location unto itself. But you know - instead of constantly reinventing this flying boat, or Tony Stark's workshop, or the Hulkbuster, or Venom's latest exciting way of disappointing us, how about we do something new? It can be location-based, I like locations! How about the Bar with No Name, where all the rank and file villains hang out between heists and busts? How about a slice of the Savage Land, we can add dinosaurs! How about the Danger Room? The Starjammer? Atillan? The Blue Area of the Moon? How about Galactus' Ship, or if you don't want to go quite THAT large, how about just Galactus?
You need to work a bit harder to keep this relationship fresh, I can't be the only one to try new things. It's give and take, you know? I really want to make this work, but you need to put in some effort as well."
For a second there, I thought you were referencing the Villain Pub. I got really excited until I remembered that the licensing would be impossible. Maybe I'll do that for a moc at some point.
@bamaker said:
" @Reventon said:
"First page of every instruction book "
That's where I keep my sticker sheets, too"
I usually use all of the stickers, but when I disassemble sailing ship sets, I put the sails in the center of instruction book.
Dear God, I have a new midi scale Millennium Falcon, it was expensive, sure, but at least every damn detail there is a print!
@Ridgeheart said:
"So hey, listen. I get that we need new sets on the shelves, and I appreciate that they're location-based. I mean, the Helicarrier is of a size that it counts as not just a vehicle, but a location unto itself. But you know - instead of constantly reinventing this flying boat, or Tony Stark's workshop, or the Hulkbuster, or Venom's latest exciting way of disappointing us, how about we do something new? It can be location-based, I like locations! How about the Bar with No Name, where all the rank and file villains hang out between heists and busts? How about a slice of the Savage Land, we can add dinosaurs! How about the Danger Room? The Starjammer? Atillan? The Blue Area of the Moon? How about Galactus' Ship, or if you don't want to go quite THAT large, how about just Galactus?
You need to work a bit harder to keep this relationship fresh, I can't be the only one to try new things. It's give and take, you know? I really want to make this work, but you need to put in some effort as well."
The same for Star Wars and Harry Potter. Is Lego trying to turn us away, or am I just getting really freaking bored?
I like it but I will be giving this one a miss.
I built Tantive IV after getting it from Brick Borrow to see if it was worth the price.
Alas, these midi scale ships are massively overpriced so I will stick to the helmets for display purposes. I still have a small hope they may return.
It's legitimately impressive how poor quality this is compared to the midi-scale Star Wars sets. Those feature primarily brickbuilt details, are full of easter eggs during the build, and look scarily accurate to the in-universe craft - the Millennium Falcon rivals the UCS version in visual appearance (in my opinion it looks better), and doesn't include a single sticker. They're great sets, and they justify their prices through their very high quality.
This set is fragile, missing important details, seemingly very simply constructed, includes almost 30 stickers, and is at minimum $30 overpriced to boot. This honestly rivals the decapitated Shadow the Hedgehog bust for being the worst 18+ set ever released, it's that bad.
@The_Sly_Fox said:
"I still have a small hope they may return."
This hope you are looking for? Is it... A New Hope? ;-)
The set looks neat. I think they nailed the shaping for sure. The scale is useful in terms of displayability. I don't love the sticker quantity, but they do add a lot to the end result. BUT the price...for shame LEGO. I understand there are IP fees and whatnot, but jeesh. I will have to consider it when I find a good sale, which may be never.
@DJ_Hamford said:
"This set is fragile, missing important details, seemingly very simply constructed, includes almost 30 stickers, and is at minimum $30 overpriced to boot. This honestly rivals the decapitated Shadow the Hedgehog bust for being the worst 18+ set ever released, it's that bad."
I do not agree with your comment overall, but it has made me wonder about the worst 18+ set to date. I am leaning towards 76210 Hulkbuster. Here they all are for perusal, if anyone else is curious: https://brickset.com/sets/tag-18-Plus
Nah, not the worst 18+ set by a long shot.....I'd say that "honour" goes to the 42125 Technic flex-Ferrari, or if I would limit it to System, 21337 Table Football. Two massively overpriced sets without any redeeming qualities.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @DJ_Hamford said:
"This set is fragile, missing important details, seemingly very simply constructed, includes almost 30 stickers, and is at minimum $30 overpriced to boot. This honestly rivals the decapitated Shadow the Hedgehog bust for being the worst 18+ set ever released, it's that bad."
I do not agree with your comment overall, but it has made me wonder about the worst 18+ set to date. I am leaning towards 76210 Hulkbuster. Here they all are for perusal, if anyone else is curious: https://brickset.com/sets/tag-18-Plus "
@WizardOfOss said:
"Nah, not the worst 18+ set by a long shot.....I'd say that "honour" goes to the 42125 Technic flex-Ferrari, or if I would limit it to System, 21337 Table Football. Two massively overpriced sets without any redeeming qualities."
My vote is for 21339 BTS Dynamite. I'm sure the minifigures are reasonably accurate to their real-world counterparts, but the rest of the set (other than the standalone DONUT sign pole, which does look nice) feels like an early, unfinished concept model of a mid-2010s Friends store facade without any of the fancier decorative pieces or personality. Even taking into account the fact that the buildings in the music video are intentionally simplistic, the set is just painfully bland.