Review: 10335 The Endurance
Posted by FlagsNZ,
Tomorrow marks the one-hundred-and-ninth anniversary of the sinking of s.y. Endurance in the Weddell Sea. This was the ship that Sir Ernest Shackleton used for the Weddell Sea component of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914.
The story of Endurance after she became stuck fast in sea ice, the unrelenting pressure and crushing on her hull prior to her sinking and her eventual loss is an amazing story in itself.
After her loss, Shackleton led his crew of twenty-seven men on an unparalleled journey of survival in one of the most inhospitable environments that you could possibly imagine.
Read on as I describe this remarkable story of Endurance.
Summary
10335 The Endurance, 3,011 pieces.
£229.99 / $269.99 / €269.99 | 7.6p/9.0c/9.0c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
This is an amazingly well-designed model of a ship involved in the world's greatest journey of survival
- Great display model
- Celebrates a remarkable feat of survival
- Accurately designed
- Flying the wrong coloured flag
- Lack of minifigures
- I would have liked to see more interior design
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Background
Three years ago, LEGO announced the release of an Icons-themed set 10294 Titanic.
This year's Icons set, 10335 The Endurance, is another famous British ship that sank after being damaged by overwhelming pressure from ice - three and a half years after RMS Titanic sank!
This is also the third LEGO set released in the second half of 2024 that has a strong New Zealand connection.
The world's greatest journey of survival
What is remarkable about the story of Shackleton and the crew of Endurance is this:
- All the crew aboard Endurance survived, and
- Nearly all the men kept personal diaries and these also survived, and
- Expedition photographer, Frank Hurley, recorded so much of this adventure on photographic plates and motion pictures and that a significant proportion of his film also survived the ordeal.
The story of Endurance and her crew is the most remarkable story of survival. It sits atop these other two equally remarkable survival accounts:
- The open boat voyage undertaken by Lieutenant Bligh after the mutiny in HMAV Bounty, and
- The successful recovery of the Apollo 13 spacecraft following its explosion in space.
For the duration, the number of people involved and the unrelenting Antarctic extremes they overcame - and that all the participants survived - this journey of survival still captivates the imaginations of people to this day!
Researching for this review
I have sourced information for this review primarily from three books:
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Endurance - The true story of Shackleton's incredible voyage to the Antarctic by Alfred Lansing,
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South - The Endurance expedition written by Sir Ernest Shackleton, and
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Chasing Shackleton - Re-Creating the World's Greatest Journey of Survival by Tim Jarvis
I have also sourced information from several websites and have included hyperlinks to those sources in this review.
For the younger reader, Shackleton's Journey by William Grill is an award-winning Illustrated children's book which comes highly recommended.
The Box
The image on the front of the box shows 10335 The Endurance sitting on its display stand.
The main image on the rear of the box is looking down on the deck of Endurance. There are five smaller images which show several of the key features of this model.
There is a profile plan which indicates the size of this model. The model measures 80 cm (31.5 in.) long and 47 cm (18.5 in.) tall. The model has therefore been built at an approximate scale of 1:55.
Instructions
The instructions come in one book, 420 pages long.
There are 680 building steps.
The first few pages of the instructions contain some of the background information about Ernest Shackleton's fateful voyage.
Hans Burkhard Schlömer, LEGO model designer, is quoted as saying:
After all, the Endurance was one of the strongest wooden ships ever built and deserves a proper tribute.
Parts
There are 3011 parts divided into twenty-eight numbered bags.
Bags 1 to 14 are loose in the main box. Bags 15 to 28 come in their own supplementary box within the main box.
There is an envelope with the suit of sails and a Red Ensign safely protected inside.
Two perforated plastic bags contain the mast and flexible parts.
Minifigures
The story of the Endurance is really the epic story of the people involved.
There are no minifigures in this set, but Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Hurley are included as minifigures with 40729 Shackleton's Lifeboat, the GWP that will be available for a limited time with the purchase of this set.
A possible reason that minifigures have not been included is that 10335 The Endurance is not built at minifigure scale. That being said, other non-minifigure scale models sometimes come with minifigures. 71043 Hogwarts Castle is an example, as it comes with four minifigures, even though the castle is built at a microscale.
I believe that the inclusion of at least four Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition members would have told a more effective story about Endurance's story. There could also have been a cat included!
Sir Ernest Shackleton CVO OBE FRGS FRSGS
The story of Endurance is inextricably linked to the story of Ernest Shackleton. His Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition was his third expedition to Antarctica.
On completion of his attempt to reach the South Pole, the Nimrod Expedition, Shackleton was received by King Edward VII on 10 July 1909, and raised to a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. He obtained a knighthood in the same year, becoming Sir Ernest Shackleton.
You can hear a recording of Ernest Shackleton using an Edison phonograph, in which he briefly described the Nimrod expedition.
The image below shows Sir Ernest Shackleton in dress uniform as Lieutenant, Royal Naval Reserve. Shackleton is wearing his polar medal and bar from his first two voyages to the Antarctic (Discovery Expedition, 1901–1903 and Nimrod Expedition, 1907–1909).
Sir Ernest Shackleton wearing The Polar Medal
Royal Naval Reserve
The United Kingdom (and other Commonwealth countries) have two branches of naval reserve: Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). The RNR list is open to officers in the Merchant Navy and retired officers of the Royal Navy. The RNVR list is open to people who are not from the Merchant Navy.
As can be seen in the above image, each stripe of gold braid for RNR officers consisted of two quarter-inch gold lace intertwined to look like rope.
In contrast, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) officers had gold lace bands 3/8 inch wide in waved rows. It was from these two formats of rank insignia that RNR and RNVR were nicknamed "the wavy navy."
Apart from Shackleton, there were two other RNR officers aboard Endurance:
- John Robert Francis Wild, Lieutenant, RNR
- Frank Arthur Worsley, Lieutenant Commander, RNR
The Build
The model can be split into three separate components for easy storage.
- Bags 1-5 assembles the bow section of the hull.
- Bag 6 assembles the final display stand.
- Bags 7 to 12 assemble the amidships section of the hull.
- Bags 13 to 16 assemble the stern section of the hull.
- Bag 17 assembles the triple expansion engine (which can be displayed separately).
- Bags 18 to 20 continue the stern section of the hull.
- Bags 21 to 23 assemble the upper deck.
- Bags 24 and 25 assemble the four lifeboats.
- Bags 26 to 28 complete the masts, rigging and sails.
Bags 1-5
The bow section of the hull is assembled. To assist in the construction, a frame is assembled to support the model as you build.
There are no minifigures or animals included in this set, but I had in my mind a tabby tom cat as I assembled this model. He assisted me with taking these images.
I have spotted numerous new curved slope parts in this build. As the part's database is not live (at the time of writing this review) I am unable to check whether these are new moulds or new colours of existing parts.
Edit: New Elementary has a very comprehensive parts review for the new elements and colours appearing in 10335 The Endurance
The Keel of Endurance
The Endurance's keel was made up of four pieces of solid oak that added up to a total thickness of seven feet one inch (2.16 m).
The sides of the ship were made up of oak and Norwegian mountain fir that ranged in thickness from between 18 inches (46 cm) to more than 2 ½ feet (76 cm). Outside this planking, to keep her from being chafed by the ice, there was sheathing from stem to stern of greenheart, a wood so heavy it weighs more than solid iron and so tough that it cannot be worked with conventional tools (Lansing, 2000, p.19).
By Bag 5, the bow section and fore deck are completed, including the main capstan.
Ther are several side scuttles on the deck house. These are printed tiles.
You can see the final display stand which is assembled with the parts in Bag 6.
Bags 7 to 12
The middle section of the hull is beginning to take shape.
There is a note in the instructions that refers to the black curved panels. "The black panels that make up most of the lower part of the ship's hull are considered 'wall' elements in LEGO design terms. Made in black, their size and shape were just perfect for the ship's hull."
Like 10294 Titanic, this model can be easily divided into three sections and uses Coupling Plate 2x2 in reddish brown and Technic axles to hold the sections together.
Bags 13 to 16
Bags 13 to 16 assemble the stern section of the hull.
There is a dedicated printed tile which shows the routes taken by Endurance in the Weddell Sea. It also shows the route taken by Shackleton once the Endurance had sunk.
It also shows the Ross Sea component of this adventure at the bottom of the map.
Note: the compass printed on the tile is a bit out of place as all the straight lines of this map projection are pointing to the South Pole!
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
The map below shows the various components of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
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The red line represents the route of the Endurance.
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The yellow line represents the drift of the Endurance in pack ice.
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The green line represents sea ice drift after the Endurance sinks.
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The blue line represents the voyage of the James Caird.
Meanwhile, there was also a Ross Sea Party to this expedition:
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The orange line represents the voyage of the Aurora to Antarctica.
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The pink brown represents the retreat of the Aurora.
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The brown line represents the supply depot route.
The planned trans-Antarctic route which never took place is represented by the teal-coloured line.
Interestingly, this printed tile appears in the scientist's cabin, which was located port aft. It would be more fitting to have been included in Ernest Shackleton's cabin.
Also relating to the above comment, no mention is made of the occupant of this cabin, who was in fact Ernest Shackleton!
Bag 17
Bag 17 assembles the brick-built triple expansion engine (which can be displayed separately).
Here is the engine tucked away in the hull.
Bags 18 to 20
Assembling the hull continues, and the stern section takes shape.
The three hull sections are now connected together.
Note: I missed placing a white curved hose around the stern. It should attach to the white clips on the side of the hull.
Bags 21 to 23
The top deck is made into removable sections. Included in this deck area are the kennels for the dogs.
When you turn the ship's wheel, the gear will move the rudder.
The deck sections are in place. The lower sections of the three masts can be seen. The four pairs of radial davits can be seen.
The Ritz
The Ritz had been a cargo area just below the main deck and aft of the crew's quarters in the forecastle. Then the stores and men traded places. The supplies were moved to the wardroom area in the deckhouse, and the men took over the hold. The below image shows Midwinter's Day, 22 June 1915, when The 'Ritz', was decked out with bunting and flags for the occasion (Lansing, 2000, pp.43-44).
Midwinter's Day, 22 June, is the Winter Solstice (in the Southern Hemisphere) when the sun has reached the Tropic of Cancer.
Bags 24 and 25
Bag 24 assembles the aft pair of lifeboats
Bag 25 assembles the forward pair of lifeboats.
The image below shows the two sizes of lifeboat.
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On the top are the larger lifeboats (from Bag 25) that are stowed on the forward pair of davits.
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On the bottom are the smaller lifeboats (from Bag 24) that are stowed on the aft (rear) pair of davits.
Endurance's lifeboats
Endurance had four lifeboats that were secured to the ship using radial davits.
The three lifeboats that were salvaged from Endurance and used for the journey over the ice did not receive their names until 28 November 1915, a week after the Endurance had sunk.
Lansing (2000, p. 87) notes:
Preparations were being completed for the 'journey to the west.' The boats were as ready as McNeish could make them. Nothing remained except to name them, and Shackleton did so.
Accordingly, the whaler was christened James Caird; the No. 1 cutter became the Dudley Docker, and the second cutter, the Stancomb Willis.
George Marston, the artist, got busy with what remained of his paints and lettered the proper name on each boat.
The two cutters were stowed on the forward two davits; the James Caird was located on the starboard aft davit; and a fourth, smaller, motor lifeboat was located on the port aft davit.
Lansing describes in detail the three named lifeboats:
The Dudley Docker and the Stancomb Wills were cutters - heavy-square sterned boats of solid oak. Their Norwegian builders called them 'bottlenose killer,' boats or dreperbats because they were originally designed for hunting bottle-nosed whales.
They were 21 feet 9 inches long (6.6 m) long, with a 6-foot-2-inch beam (1.9 m) and they had three seats or thwarts, plus a small decking in the bow and in the stern.
The James Caird was a double-ended whale boat, 22 feet 6 inches (6.9 m) long and 6 feet 3 inches wide (1.9 m). She had been built in England to Worsley's specifications of Baltic pine planking over a framework of American elm and English oak. Though she was somewhat larger than the other two, she was a lighter, springier boat because of the materials from which she was built (Lansing, 2000, p. 145).
Planks and frames from the motor lifeboat were used to raise the sides of the James Caird and the Dudley Docker. The timber used to raise the sides of the Dudley Docker was repurposed at Elephant Island to fashion the decking over the James Caird (Lansing, 2000, p.190).
Shackleton (1919, p. xviii) mentions his principal financial backers for this expedition:
I must particularly refer to the munificent donation of £24,000 from the late Sir James Caird, and to one of £10,000 from the British Government. I must also thank Mr. Dudley Docker, who enabled me to complete the purchase of the Endurance, and Miss Elizabeth Dawson Lambton, who since 1901 has always been a firm friend to Antarctic exploration, and who again, on this occasion, assisted largely.
The Royal Geographical Society made a grant of £1000; and last, but by no means least, I take this opportunity of tendering my grateful thanks to Dame Janet Stancomb Wills, whose generosity enabled me to equip the Endurance efficiently, especially as regards boats (which boats were the means of our ultimate safety), and who not only, at the inception of the Expedition, gave financial help, but also continued it through the dark days when we were overdue, and funds were required to meet the need of the dependents of the Expedition.
To compare these amounts to today's values:
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£24,000 in 1914 is equal to £3.5M, $4.5M, €4.2M in 2024
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£10,000 in 1914 is equal to £1.4M, $1,9M, €1.7M in 2024
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£1,000 in 1914 is equal to £0.14M, $0.19M, €0.17M in 2024
10335 The Endurance lifeboats
The two lifeboats that later became the Dudley Docker and the Stancomb Willis were stowed on the forward pair of davits.
I want to focus on the size of the LEGO lifeboats on the aft (rear) davits. The lifeboat on the port aft (left rear) davit was the smallest motor lifeboat, and the LEGO lifeboat is appropriately sized.
The lifeboat on the starboard aft (right rear) davit was the largest boat and was also a double-ended whaler. She became the famous James Caird.
This LEGO lifeboat should be increased in length. At the barest minimum, it should be one stud longer to at least match the boats from the forward davits.
Bags 26 to 28
The foremast is assembled from the parts in Bag 26.
The remainder of the masts and yard arms are assembled from the parts in Bag 27.
The ratlines are assembled from the parts in Bag 28 and the sails are attached.
To complete the build, a display plaque is added to the display stand.
I would like to explain Gross Registered Tons. In Endurance, the tonnage was 350 GRT.
This is the volume of the hull and NOT a weight. Tons are derived from tuns - large wine barrels - so GRT really means how many wine barrels will fit in the ship. This is used to levy port fees and taxes and dates back to ancient Mediterranean traders.
The weight of a ship is called displacement.
The completed model
Endurance
The original ship's name was going to be Polaris. She was being built for Lars Christensen and M. le Baron de Gerlache. However, when de Gerlache got into financial difficulty, Christensen pleaded with Shackleton to purchase the ship (Lansing, 2000, p. 14).
Once Shackleton purchased the Polaris, he rechristened the ship Endurance after the Shackleton family motto:
Fortitudine vincimus ("By endurance we conquer")
The Polaris star emblem was retained on the stern of the ship.
This two-minute video shows the underwater robots finding Shackleton's Endurance shipwreck at a depth of 3,008 metres (9,869 ft; 1,645 fathoms) in the Weddell Sea in March 2022.
Polaris
Polaris (The pole star) is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Minor (Small or Lesser Bear). While Polaris is only a second magnitude star, it is easy to locate in the night sky as there are no other brighter stars in its vicinity.
Polaris has been used for centuries as a principal navigation star: Its angular altitude above the horizon is equal to your latitude and the star always points north. Polaris even has a special set of tables in the Nautical Almanac so that navigators can quickly, and easily, calculate their latitude or calibrate their compass (provided they are in the Northern Hemisphere).
There is no comparable star in the Southern Hemisphere: the closest thing is the constellation Crux, the Southern Cross, which appeared on the fly of the New Zealand flag in 1902 (and copied on the Australian flag in 1903).
Ursa Minor's companion constellation is Ursa Major (Great Bear).
The main stars in Ursa Major are sometimes called the Big Dipper or the Plough. This is one of the oldest known constellations. This constellation also appears on the state flag of Alaska. You can use Ursa Major to locate several nearby stars and constellations.
Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are circumpolar: they constantly rotate about the North Celestial Pole.
The name - Arctic
The Arctic gets its name from the Greek word artikos, which means near the bear, and the fact that the two brightest stars of Ursa Major (Dubhe and Merak) point towards the North Star, Polaris.
Antarctic/Antarctica simply means the opposite to the arctic.
On a side note, the name Arthur is a fusion of artikos and ursa. I.e. Bear bear.
Arctic and Antarctic circles
The Earth's spin axis is tilted to the plane of its orbit about the sun by about 23° 26'. Technically, this is called Obliquity and is why Earth has seasons.
There is a zone, called the Arctic Circle, that is 23.5° away (south of) the North Pole (or 90° north of the Tropic of Capricorn).
Correspondingly, there is a zone around the South Pole called the Antarctic Circle that is 23.5° away from (north of) the South Pole (or 90° south of the Tropic of Cancer).
Depending on the season, the Arctic and Antarctic circles define areas where there is perpetual daylight or perpetual darkness.
Standard Compass
On the model can be found Endurance's standard compass. Next to the compass is the engine telegraph.
This half-minute video shows Ernest Shackleton sitting at this binnacle taking a compass observation of the sun.
The compass played an unsuspecting role during the journey of James Caird.
Lansing (2000, p. 81) writes:
[Hurley] was not only an excellent photographer but a skilled tinsmith as well, and he was now at work fashioning a primitive boat pump from a tubelike portion of the ship's compass binnacle.
Shackleton (1919, p. 185) expands on this when explaining bailing water out of James Caird:
This pump, which Hurley had made out of a Flinders bar case of our standard compass, was quite effective though the capacity was not large.
Crow's nest
The Crow's Nest sits on top of the main mast. This part, in white, appears to be new.
Endurance encountered ice on the morning of December 31, 1914. According to Lansing (2000, p.18) Worsley wrote:
Since noon, the character of the pack has improved. Though the leads are short, the floes are rotten and easily broken through if a good place is selected with care and judgement. In many cases we find large sheets of young ice through which the ship cuts for a mile or two miles at a stretch.
I have been conning and working the ship from the crow’s-nest and find it much the best place, as from there one can see ahead and work out the course beforehand, and can also guard the rudder and propeller, the most vulnerable parts of a ship in the ice.
Engine room skylight
Just aft of the funnel, and between the dog kennels sits the engine room skylight.
Shackleton (1919, p.83) writes on the fateful day—Wednesday, October 27, 1915:
I looked down the engine-room skylight as I stood on the quivering deck, and saw the engines dropping sideways as the stays and bed-plates gave way. I cannot describe the impression of relentless destruction that was forced upon me as I looked down and around. The floes, with the force of millions of tons of moving ice behind them, were simply annihilating the ship.
The end of Endurance
Shackleton wrote:
Hurley, meanwhile, had rigged his motion-picture camera and was getting pictures of the Endurance in her death throes. While he was engaged thus, the ice, driving against the standing rigging and the fore-, main-, and mizzenmasts, snapped the shrouds. The foretop and topgallant mast came down with a run and hung in wreckage on the foremast, with the foreyard vertical. The mainmast followed immediately, snapping off about ten feet above the main deck. The crow's nest fell within ten feet of where Hurley stood turning the handle of his camera, but he did not stop the machine, and so secured a unique, though sad, picture (Shackleton, 1919, p. 87).
On October 29, 1915, Shackleton added:
The Ship is still afloat, with the spurs of the pack driven through her and holding her up. The forecastle head is under water, the decks are burst up by the pressure, The wreckage lies around in dismal confusion, but over all the blue ensign flies still (Shackleton, 1919, p. 89).
On November 21, during a salvage party sent to the Endurance, the crew noticed that the ice floes had been driven into the ship. Shackleton came out to watch the men unharness the dogs at 4:50pm and out of the corner of his eye he noticed the ship move.
She's going boys! He shouted (Lansing, 2000, p 83).
Lansing (2000, pp 83-84) describes the scene in more detail:
A moment later all hands were out of their tents and scrambled to get a vantage point. The crew watched in silence. Away across the pack, the stern of Endurance rose twenty feet into the air and then hung there for a moment with her motionless propeller and her smashed rudder held aloft. Then slowly, silently she disappeared beneath the ice, leaving only a small gap of black, open water to mark where she had been. Within sixty seconds, even that was gone as the ice closed up again. It had all happened in sixty seconds.
Their position was recorded as 68° 38½' South, 52° 28' West.
The true position was later revealed to be 68°44′21″ S, 52°19′47″ W, which is 4.9 nautical miles (5.6 mi; 9.1 km) South, 2.4 nautical miles (2.8 mi; 4.4 km) East (5.4 nautical miles (6.2 mi; 10.0 km) total distance) of the position given in the log.
Ocean Camp
Shackleton describes setting up a lookout tower and mast at Ocean Camp:
Wild to the ship returned with, amongst other things, the wheel-house practically complete. This, with the addition of some sails and tarpaulins stretched on spars, made a very comfortable storehouse and galley. Pieces of planking from the deck were lashed across some spars stuck upright into the snow, and this, with the ship’s binnacle, formed an excellent look-out from which to look for seals and penguins. On this platform, too, a mast was erected from which flew the King’s flag and the Royal Clyde Yacht Club burgee (Shackleton, 2019, p,97).
I have reached out to the Hon. Archivist at the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club to establish Shackleton's connection with Royal Clyde Yacht Club (RCYC). The archivist has confirmed that:
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Within the RCYC archives there is a section of committee meeting minutes that show the committee electing the members of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition as Honorary Members of the RCYC for the duration of the expedition, and
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The photograph (below) does show the RCYC burgee being flown at Ocean Camp.
(The Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club was formed in 1978 by the merger of the Royal Northern Yacht Club (RNYC) and Royal Clyde Yacht Club (RCYC).
Here is a close up of the two flags. It is possible to just see the rampant lion on the burgee which has been copied from the shield of the Scottish Coat of Arms.
On the day that Britain had declared war on Germany, 4 August 1914, King George V presented Shackleton with a Union Jack to carry on the expedition (Lansing, 2000, p.18).
Royal Clyde Yacht Club burgee
This flag had been flown from the Endurance's main mast, indicating that Endurance was sailing as a representative of that yacht club.
The RCYC burgee gets another mention in the narrative:
An oar was made into a flagstaff and placed on the highest accessible point [of Elephant Island]. From it incongruously enough, the Royal [Clyde] Yacht Club burgee stood out before the Elephant Island gales as a signal to the anticipated relief ship (Lansing, 2000, p. 201).
The Red Ensign
Registered ships have a nationality and are entitled to fly their national flag.
Since 1801, every British ship has been entitled to fly the red ensign (without any defacement or modification). This flag is sometimes known as the Red Duster.
Defacement or modification means adding a badge or coat of arms on the fly, such as the Southern Cross on the New Zealand Ensign.
The LEGO press release clearly states that the 3,011-piece set replica model [of Endurance] captures the majestic presence of the famous ship in all its glory, with 3 towering masts, 10 full sails, a flying red ensign flag [emphasis added] and intricate rigging.
The Blue Ensign
The problem is, Endurance flew the Blue Ensign!
The evidence for this statement is as follows:
Shackleton's own account:
On 30 October, 1915, Shackleton wrote:
The forecastle head is under water, the decks are burst up by the pressure, the wreckage lies around in dismal confusion, but over all the blue ensign [emphasis added] flies still (Shackleton, 1919, p. 89).
Lansing comments when he mentions groups of men that were returning to the Endurance to salvage stores:
On one trip, a group of men ran the Blue Ensign [emphasis added] up to the forward yardarm, the only rigging still standing. When the Endurance went, she would at least go with her colours flying (Lansing, 2000, p. 64).
Lansing (2000, p. 79) mentions the Blue Ensign again:
About 9.pm [on 13 November] they heard the sound of a splintering crack, and looking over they saw her foremast come crashing down, carrying the Blue Ensign [emphasis added] with it.
Photographic evidence:
Although Frank Hurley's film was taken in black and white format, it is possible to see the difference in hue of the red in the Saint George's Cross from the blue field of the rest of the ensign.
The image below is a frame taken from the video (shown above).
Compare the image below and the hues with the New Zealand Flag in the image in The Ritz section above. The New Zealand Flag has been defined in legislation as being the blue ensign of the Royal Naval Reserve, having on the fly, thereof the Southern Cross.
In both the image (below) and the Ritz image (in the Ritz section above) it is possible to see the different hues of the blue of the flag and red of the George's Cross, even though they are both black and white images.
Ship model of Endurance
One of the participants of the expedition, Walter How, an Able Seaman aboard the Endurance, made a model of the ship after he returned to civilisation. The model (below) is clearly flying a blue ensign.
Details of this model can be seen at the Scott Polar Research Institute website.
Why did the Endurance fly the Blue Ensign?
It is clear to me that Endurance was flying the Blue Ensign. I spotted this mistake in 10335 The Endurance when the first images of the set were revealed a couple of weeks ago.
There are two possible reasons why Endurance flew the Blue Ensign:
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Members of RCYC could apply to the club for permission to fly the Blue Ensign on their vessels.
Or
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Since 1864, British merchant ships have been permitted to fly the plain Blue Ensign providing that the ship's master was an officer of the RNR and the crew contained a specified number of reservists.
I believe the first reason is the most likely reason why Endurance flew the Blue Ensign. It is possibly the primary reason why members of the expedition were made honorary members of RCYC and the ship would have shared that affiliation.
The second reason is less likely as, in my opinion, according to the regulations for the use of the naval reserve flag, the ship, if a sailing vessel, must not be of less burden than 800 register tons, and if a steamer, she must not be of less burden than 1000 tons gross register tonnage.
Endurance was only 350 Gross Registered Tons and therefore would not have met the criteria to wear a naval reserve flag. It is also possible that Endurance was not formally a registered ship as she does not have a Port of Registry appearing on her stern.
Why is the Blue Ensign important?
There is no benefit or advantage granted to a vessel which flies the Blue Ensign other than distinction or prestige. Reading about Shackleton and understanding his personality, it is obvious to me that he would have relished this prestige. Also, being an RNR officer, I am certain that he would have insisted that Endurance sailed flying the Blue Ensign.
Given that Endurance was flying a Blue Ensign, for historical accuracy, it is important that this mistake is rectified. The men in Endurance watched her "go with her colours flying."
When the LEGO designers offer a replacement flag - and I believe they must consider this option - there is also an opportunity to add a Royal Clyde Yacht Club burgee as well: These two flags are part of Endurance's identity, and it also honours the twenty-eight men who served in her on her fateful voyage. The ship and men deserve this proper tribute.
These nuances of the shipping world are sometimes complex and sometimes not so obvious.
I recall that I noticed a compliance mistake in the load line stickers when reviewing 42064 Ocean Explorer. Perhaps LEGO need to engage a nautical consultant in the early design stages of their prestigious, iconic ship models!
Aftermath
It is quite remarkable that Shackleton and the other twenty-seven men survived this expedition. If we look at what else has been happening in history, I am sure that many of these men would have died had they served in the early days of World War I.
Tim McCarthy and Alfred Cheetham were killed in action during the later stages of the war and several others were wounded.
Shackleton suffered a fatal heart attack on 5 January 1922 whilst aboard his ship Quest. He was in South Georgia on his fourth expedition to Antarctica.
He was buried on 5 March 1922 in Grytviken Cemetery, South Georgia. Uncannily, the wreck of the Endurance was discovered one-hundred years later on 5 March 2022.
Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition
It is telling that the next attempt at a trans-Antarctic crossing did not take place until the southern summer of 1957-58.
New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary was the first member of that expedition to reach the South Pole on 3 January 1958. His team used modified Ferguson TE20 tractors.
This was just the third group—preceded by Roald Amundsen in 1911 and Robert Falcon Scott in 1912—to reach the South Pole overland.
Conclusion
I have really enjoyed reviewing this set. The survival journey and the story of Endurance was well known to me. I have been re-reading the references mentioned below in preparation for this review.
Yes, the flag needs to be corrected. It is important to make this model as historically accurate as possible.
The lifeboats and their sizes can be MOCed and this error is less of an issue.
There are interiors to two cabins. One of these cabins was occupied by Shackleton, but there is no mention of this in the instructions. I was expecting to see more of the interior of the ship fitted out.
Other than that, this is a beautiful model of a beautiful ship that was involved in the world's greatest journey of survival.
Have a look at this amazing one-minute video of Endurance lying at the bottom of the sea in amazing detail.
Stand by for part 2 of my review as I take a detailed look at James Caird - 40729 Shackleton's Lifeboat. I'll post that in about a week's time.
References
Lansing, A., 2000. Endurance - The true story of Shackleton's incredible voyage to the Antarctic. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Shackleton, E., 1919. South - The Endurance expedition. London: William Heinemann
Javis, T., Chasing Shackleton - Re-Creating the World's Greatest Journey of Survival. London: William Morrow & Company
Acknowledgements
The Hon. Archivist at the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club for answering my queries regarding Shackleton, Endurance, and the connection with the Royal Clyde Yacht Club.
Paradise Ice Skating for supplying a trailer load of slushy ice used in the cover image.
The LEGO Group - for enabling a Kiwi, Master Mariner, former Royal [New Zealand] Naval Reserve officer with an interest in maritime history, maritime exploration, celestial navigation and vexillology to review this famous ship.
315 likes
94 comments on this article
What a fantastic review and article, which only you could write. I've learned a lot. Thanks David!
Amazing shot.
Incredible review. A learning experience. Thank you!
This is perhaps the best review ever published on Brickset! It goes so far beyond the model, informing greatly on the expedition!
And the shot of Lego model on ice is fantastic :-)
Exquisite review! Entirely appropriate considering the subject matter. Thank you for your expert insights.
I look forward to building and prominently displaying Endurance.
Wonderful review, thanks!
Outstanding. One of the best reviews or articles ever on this site.
Wow, what a review! I'm impressed with the level of detail you put into it! Well done!
Great review! I always expect to learn a lot whenever I see @FlagsNZ reviewing anything nautical themed :)
Great review! I can't wait to pick this set up.
@Huw said:
"What a fantastic review and article, which only you could write. I've learned a lot. Thanks David!"
Now I want to print out this review and add it to the Instruction Manual :)
This is an outstanding review, I haven't read it properly yet, but what I have and the level of research is incredible.
I cannot wait to get this set. I wonder if the lack of mini figures could be solved by the pick a brick shop, but I honestly don't mind.
What a review
Very thorough review. It was a great read. Impressive, most impressive.
Now THAT's how you do a review. Thank-you for taking time to research and write this brilliant piece David.
The set's not that bad either! :-)
Thank you for the absolutely amazing review!
I'm not really into Lego ships (this would be my first one), but I was planning on getting it just for the history behind it. I've done some research on Shackleton for school before, and it is such an incredibly story. You did a great job of putting all of that information together to share the story with this community.
Definitely sharing your review for the amazing history you've shared.
Thank you.
I hope there will be a review that is an actual review and not a history lesson.
Amazingly detailed review. Thanks a lot!
I was hoping Brickset could to do a poll in the near future about these new boxes which I find an atrocity: they use more cardboard, which I don’t understand from an ecological point of view, they can hardly be flattened without making extra creases and they take up more space when flattened. All in all a terrrible decision by Lego.
This review is so much more detailed than it needed to be, huge respect for the time this must have taken. A fascinating read!
Very detailed review. But I think I disagree about the lack of minifigures being a negative. The scale isnt right. Even though the rough 1:55 is somewhat close to the 1:40 or so the LEGO minifigures are often taken to be. They would still look comically large on the ship or in a lifeboat. And if they did include minifigures to display on the ship, they might have been tempted to adapt parts of the design to make minifigures fit better in that area, making it less historically accurate. Or they could have just added a display stand for minifigs meaning more parts. So for me, it is the right decision to leave them out.
With this much lore I almost thought I was reading a Bionicle review
Thanks for the clarification about the Blue- vs Red Ensign.
Great review. I'm really excited about this set as I love Lego ships in general. My other big hobby is boardgaming. Last year a solo game based on the expedition titled Endurance was released by Hollandspiele. There's not an actual win condition and the historic result of all members surviving is notably unlikely.
Very detailed article (much appreciated!) so apologies if I missed it. Do the tan support pieces under the ship end up being integrated into the model? Or are they just extras? If so, that's kind of a shame.
What a great article/review. Love the set and I’m tempted by it although I’m not sure I have the space or anywhere to put it. For anyone interested in the Great Age of Polar Exploration it’s a fascinating subject what these men went through. I’d highly recommend reading Sir Douglas Mawson’s - Home of the Blizzard as another fascinating story of one man’s determination to survive.
That’s some excellent work, thank you for the detail.
@FlagsNZ said:
"The three lifeboats that were salvaged from Endurance and used for the journey over the ice did not receive their names until 28 November 2015, a week after the Endurance had sunk."
I think I would have remembered the Endurance sinking 9 years ago. Guess my memory is failing. :D
What a fantastic review. Thank you
I am very excited to get this set, it looks incredible.
And this review is amazing, made better by it being a New Zealander author ;)
There will be plenty of other reviews that will just talk about the set without the history. Go read those and appreciate them for what they are, then come back and appreciate this excellent, painstaking review for what it is.
Always enjoy a naval review from FlagsNZ!
Nice review and I love the historical background info!
Crikey, what a fantastic review! Thank you!
This is a release day buy for me, and I plan to come back to this review when building the Endurance for all the history, insight and details.
Wonderfully presented!
By far one of the most impressive review I’ve EVER read, honestly for ANY historical tribute and reproduction in model form. So well done; thank you for your time, research and devotion to accurate information here.
Great review. A wonderful read.
The set looks nice. I, too, would've liked minifigures. The GWP really makes this more complete. After all, this is certainly more a story of human endurance than nautical.
Can't believe Lego screwed up again. (Yes, I can!!)
I must comment on the lack of finish to the review. Surely, a drop from a high shelf is required along with an image of the ensuing wreckage? That would really be testament to historical accuracy. Especially if the floor were made of greenheart.
"I've never seen a wreck as beautiful and inspiring as this one."
Edit: except perhaps this one:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tuxM-avNfLo&t=101s&pp=2AFlkAIB
I do not know if I will ever purchase this set, and many comments have already mentioned it, but this review is unparalleled in scope and quality as far as I know from 10+ years of consuming reviews as an AFOL. Thank you!
What an incredible read. Thank you for putting this together!
Never mind historical accuracy; the Red Ensign is far superior, needing only to be defaced (the technical term, I believe?) to form either the pre-'60s Canadian red ensign, or the current provincial flags of Manitoba or Ontario!
@brickwich said:
"Very detailed article (much appreciated!) so apologies if I missed it. Do the tan support pieces under the ship end up being integrated into the model? Or are they just extras? If so, that's kind of a shame."
Good point. I forgot to mention the eventual role of this temporary stand. No, the parts are not used in the main model.
Wow. Most impressive review and story
Thank you for sharing your passion and knowledge. I end up even more interested in the story than in the set itself.
Having just seen The Terror on Netflix, I'm glad to hear about a similar shipwreck where almost everybody survived (except for Mrs Chippy). Fantastic review, thanks!
@Tometheus said:
" @FlagsNZ said:
"The three lifeboats that were salvaged from Endurance and used for the journey over the ice did not receive their names until 28 November 2015, a week after the Endurance had sunk."
I think I would have remembered the Endurance sinking 9 years ago. Guess my memory is failing. :D"
Oops! Thanks for spotting. Corrected now.
A brilliant review! Thank you.
I was rather taken with Able Seaman Walter How's model of the Endurance. I have a number of LEGO's versions of well known art (eg 31208 Hokusai - The Great Wave, 31213 Mona Lisa, etc) hanging on my walls and thought that a 'flat' version of How's framed model would also look good hanging on a wall. Is there potential for similar 'flat' offerings that LEGO could make?
The Mrs Chippy inclusion makes me happy! Great lesson and review!
Fantastic review about an incredible story and the underwater images are astounding.
This was always to be a day one purchase (which is rare for me), and your review helped seal the deal.
However, I do disagree about the minifigures as I think this set is superb and stands completely on it's own, without comically out of scale minifigures
I never comment but this review is the greatest on bricklink. Thank you for share with us
This is one of the best reviews on Brickset.
Thank you for your serious research. and complete presentation
I tend to prefer reviews that feature more than just models. It gives us more from LEGO than just "toys".
This was originally a day 1 purchase for me. When it was rumored to not be minifig scale I changed to a wait for the reveal & reviews before deciding. I'm happy to confirm this will be a day 1 purchase for me. Lovely review.
Oh, how I wish I had the space to build and display this and 10294. I love the fact that you didn't just review the set as a model, but went into detail about the expedition and the ship itself. And I agree that it's a shame they got the flag wrong. They got the flags right on 10294 (including the correct number of stars on the American flag), you'd think they could do the same here!
Fantastic review with historical and maritime perspectives thrown in for free, thank you!
I've been fascinated by the Endurance and her mission since finding a copy of 'South with Endurance' by Frank Hurley in a book shop long ago. Well worth a read for the amazing large format prints of Hurley's 120 surviving photographic plates.
I'm very much looking forward to building this set! Wish I still had my Airfix model of Discovery to display alongside Endurance, her sister in exploration.
@TheOtherMike said:
"Oh, how I wish I had the space to build and display this and 10294 . I love the fact that you didn't just review the set as a model, but went into detail about the expedition and the ship itself. And I agree that it's a shame they got the flag wrong. They got the flags right on 10294 (including the correct number of stars on the American flag), you'd think they could do the same here!"
I agree and I also note, like you, the correct 'Stars and Stripes' that was in use in April 1912.
This link will take you to my review of 10294 RMS Titanic.
https://brickset.com/article/65143
That is the most in-depth Lego article I've ever read. Read about Shackleton before, but hearing and seeing him really brought this piece of history alive.
Great model. Great review - many thanks FlagsNZ
I was trying my best not to buy this one. But after reading this brilliant review, I may have changed my mind.
Hi, brilliant review and very informative! A day one purchase for me!
@FlagsNZ, Regarding the flag, I enjoy and appreciate your description of the flag, but I'm not sure the colour of the ensign is so clear-cut. Obviously in the pictures in the article it shows a blue ensign, and documentary evidence says a blue ensogn was flying when she sank, but I have a book of photographs from the expedition ("South With Emdurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917 The Photographs of Frank Hurley" (2001)), and on page 82 there's a colour photograph of a red ensign and a diary quote from crewman Reginald James from 25th January 1915 saying that the photographer Hurley "got a fine colour picture of Cheetham... With the red ensign and the Australian Flag".
A short bit of Google research doesn't shine any more light on the matter, but I hope this adds some authenticity to Lego's model! Whatever the answer, you did a brilliant job with this review and the research that went into it.
@Chef said:
"Hi, brilliant review and very informative! A day one purchase for me!
@FlagsNZ , Regarding the flag, I enjoy and appreciate your description of the flag, but I'm not sure the colour of the ensign is so clear-cut. Obviously in the pictures in the article it shows a blue ensign, and documentary evidence says a blue ensign was flying when she sank, but I have a book of photographs from the expedition ("South With Endurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917 The Photographs of Frank Hurley" (2001)), and on page 82 there's a colour photograph of a red ensign and a diary quote from crewman Reginald James from 25th January 1915 saying that the photographer Hurley "got a fine colour picture of Cheetham... With the red ensign and the Australian Flag".
A short bit of Google research doesn't shine any more light on the matter, but I hope this adds some authenticity to Lego's model! Whatever the answer, you did a brilliant job with this review and the research that went into it."
Is this is the image you refer to?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Cheetham
It is linked to Alfred Cheetham's profile:
Yes, the image shows Alfred Cheetham bending on two red ensigns to the halyard. It doesn't show the flag being flown as a ship's national emblem though. I still believe my claim is correct: Endurance flew a Blue ensign throughout her fateful voyage
Thank you so much for not only an in-depth and quality review, but for the brilliant history lesson. A fantastic morning read. Cheers mate
Just the usual false flag operation from LEGO. ;)
P.S. Awesome review and well researched historic facts!
Probably asked, in comments or review.
How could they get the flag wrong?
Why was it not fixed?
@missedoutagain said:
"Probably asked, in comments or review.
How could they get the flag wrong?
Why was it not fixed?"
LEGO didn't ask Sheldon Cooper about the proper flag before going to market with this set. That's how they got it wrong.
;-P
@FlagsNZ said:
" @Chef said:
"Hi, brilliant review and very informative! A day one purchase for me!
@FlagsNZ , Regarding the flag, I enjoy and appreciate your description of the flag, but I'm not sure the colour of the ensign is so clear-cut. Obviously in the pictures in the article it shows a blue ensign, and documentary evidence says a blue ensign was flying when she sank, but I have a book of photographs from the expedition ("South With Endurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917 The Photographs of Frank Hurley" (2001)), and on page 82 there's a colour photograph of a red ensign and a diary quote from crewman Reginald James from 25th January 1915 saying that the photographer Hurley "got a fine colour picture of Cheetham... With the red ensign and the Australian Flag".
A short bit of Google research doesn't shine any more light on the matter, but I hope this adds some authenticity to Lego's model! Whatever the answer, you did a brilliant job with this review and the research that went into it."
Is this is the image you refer to?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Cheetham
It is linked to Alfred Cheetham's profile:
Yes, the image shows Alfred Cheetham bending on two red ensigns to the halyard. It doesn't show the flag being flown as a ship's national emblem though. I still believe my claim is correct: Endurance flew a Blue ensign throughout her fateful voyage"
I agree with you, especially with your insights into Shackleton's personality and the membership of the yacht squadron giving him the ability to fly the blue ensign (not to mention the models by crewmen who would have pursued total accuracy) I just thought it was odd that there's a picture of a red one being hoisted (?) as well.
I wonder why the red one was bent onto the halliard that day?
I'm delighted to have had the chamce to talk about flags with someone - most people don't seem to care! As I said before, a magnificent review and I love the work and research you put into your reviews. Thank you.
Outstanding set, outstanding review! Day one purchase for me!
When this set was leaked I read the book and watched the documentary but this review has soo much more information. Amazing job and I look forward to the build.
This isn’t a review. It’s a history lesson. Chapeau sir! Hands down the best most detailed review I’ve ever seen on Brickset. Actually, on any Lego set! I love the set. When I heard it was coming, I instantly wanted it for my collection. Will be my only day one purchase this year (as I want the minifigures which come with the GWP). I really wish Lego would include minifigures with these types of adult themed sets. They do it with UCS Star Wars sets, so why not ones like this?
An absolutely brilliant review.
I knew as soon as it was announced that I'd buy this model, I love the story, I love the ship, and obviously Lego.
This review - sorry, this lecture! - means it's got to be a day 1 purchase for me. Thanks for putting so much effort in to it. Wonderful stuff.
This review should be printed and published as a GWP to go with the set.
Excellent review of an excellent set. Not too bothered about the linked GWP so not sure if i'll make any particular effort to get it on release day.
A wonderfully detailed review that I have bookmarked to come back to and read again, in order to make sure I've thoroughly digested all the information you've researched! This is a set I thought I didn't want when I saw the release, but your review has almost changed my mind!
What a review!, Thank you
LEGO doesn't care about flag accuracy. It's pretty obvious.
The RMS Titanic set also still comes with a Pilot Jack on the bow of the ship even though the Titanic NEVER used the Pilot Jack and the only time a flag pole was put at the bow of the ship was when the entire ship was decked with decorative flags for a press event (of which there's ONE photo).
As for the Blue Ensign on the "Endurance", it's something LEGO could very VERY easily fix, since they ALREADY produce a Blue Ensign flag which is the flag that flew on the stern of the Titanic too.
I hope, even if they don't fix this on the actual set, they offer buyers the chance to contact customer support and request a Blue Ensign flag even if it's from another set.
What an epic review, David! Bravo!
Holy cow, what a great review. The thoroughness of both the assessment of the build and the review of the history are phenomenal. Thank you.
Thanks for the great review!
A nice reminder that not everything needs to be (presented in) a video.
@Harmonious_Building said:
"With this much lore I almost thought I was reading a Bionicle review"
you're not wrong but also how dare you
Splendid review. Plainly I can't add anything, other than that the chap who taught me to sail's own teacher was taught to sail by the Endurance's carpenter.
@johleth said:
"I hope there will be a review that is an actual review and not a history lesson."
Slightly relieved I'm not the only miserable old sod who thought this.
@ShinyBidoof said:
" @johleth said:
"I hope there will be a review that is an actual review and not a history lesson."
Slightly relieved I'm not the only miserable old sod who thought this."
There's always https://youtu.be/w6Ma7kMX-Z8?si=vo7wg4mCwZEyngdv for that!
Thanks for the cat, it's funny, but also great to compare size of the ship (parts) to the cat
@FlagsNZ said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"Oh, how I wish I had the space to build and display this and 10294 . I love the fact that you didn't just review the set as a model, but went into detail about the expedition and the ship itself. And I agree that it's a shame they got the flag wrong. They got the flags right on 10294 (including the correct number of stars on the American flag), you'd think they could do the same here!"
I agree and I also note, like you, the correct 'Stars and Stripes' that was in use in April 1912.
This link will take you to my review of 10294 RMS Titanic.
https://brickset.com/article/65143 "
Yes, I've read (and enjoyed) all the articles on 10294, both yours and @Huw's. But then, I've been a Titan a Titanic buff since I was a teenager.
I'm blown away, I've never seen so much positivity in a comments section before, both for the excellent review but also for a Lego set, such a pleasant surprise.
Repetitive, I know, but I'm compelled to add my WOW!! comment.
@FlagsNZ: What a great read, thank you for all of your efforts - impressive! Most impressive.
Apologies in advance to the rest of the Brickset review team as all future reviews will undoubtedly be held to this new amazing standard.
As for the 6 folks requesting a simple set review, I am reminded of a great Far Side strip about the meeting of the “Didn’t Like Dances With Wolves” club. :o)
What? This is a terrible review! It’s missing the most interesting part. The Weddel Sea and Shackleton were staring each other down, waiting to see which of them would flinch first, and the Weddel Sea crushed his ship, saying, “Ha, I got you now, Shackleton!” But Shackleton, undeterred, said, “Guess again, for I’m going to do a brave and foolish thing, and get everyone back home safe, Weddel Sea.” And when he pulled it off, the Win/Loss tally was recorded as Shackleton - W, Weddel Sea - L, which is how the first Weddel Seal was born. I think. Yeah, that sounds right.
@mediAFOL said:
"Splendid review. Plainly I can't add anything, other than that the chap who taught me to sail's own teacher was taught to sail by the Endurance's carpenter."
Wow. What an interesting connection. I am going to discuss Harry "Chippy" McNish, the carpenter in Endurance in my review of 40729 Shackleton's Lifeboat. And his cat!
@yellowcastle said:
"Apologies in advance to the rest of the Brickset review team as all future reviews will undoubtedly be held to this new amazing standard."
If anybody wants detailed vehicle breakdowns in future Star Wars reviews, I will be happy to oblige! In fact, I can get started on 75401 Ahsoka's Jedi Interceptor now:
Kuat Systems Engineering developed the Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, designed primarily for Jedi Knights on independent missions to outlying systems. Although conflict was sometimes a factor in these missions, the interceptor prioritised speed and agility with a view to evasion and de-escalation, only equipped with twin laser cannons as standard, as well as advanced communication equipment. It could thus be outclassed by equivalent fighters or light gunships in pure firepower, so relied heavily on Jedi Knight's exceptional reflexes and flight skills during combat.
This was normally sufficient for periods of relative peace, but proved woefully inadequate once the Clone Wars began, as Jedi Knights were swarmed with enemy fighters and could no longer rely on reflexes alone. Kuat Systems Engineering therefore commenced development of a new fighter in 22 BBY, better suited to the demands of a large-scale war, which would eventually become the Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor.
However, military development takes time, which was at a premium as Separatist forces launched devastating invasions of Republic worlds. A short-term solution was thus introduced, in the form of the Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptor. This starfighter was more heavily armed than its predecessor, with four laser cannons, so moved the onboard Astromech droid to accommodate extra laser cannon charging coils within the wings. In addition, moving the Astromech droid to a central position in front of the pilot allowed space for a complete droid, capable of detaching from the fighter, rather than being built-in, as on the standard Delta-7.
While this starfighter performed admirably during the early years of the war, its rapid introduction resulted in shortcomings. There were major advantages to accommodating a full Astromech droid on board, but its position in front of the pilot somewhat restricted visibility and the laser cannons were liable to quick overheating, as the engines were not originally intended to provide power for anything more than light weaponry. These were important considerations in the design of the Delta-7B's successor, launched in 19 BBY.
I will keep the rest for the review, but people are going to love appendix C, discussing the influence of Togrutan culture on the dark red and white markings adorning Ahsoka's starfighter!
In all seriousness, this is a brilliant review @FlagsNZ and I am very glad we had an expert on hand to give the Endurance the thorough coverage it deserves.
@magpie9 said:
"I'm blown away, I've never seen so much positivity in a comments section before, both for the excellent review but also for a Lego set, such a pleasant surprise. "
Engineers are working on the fault.
Normal service will be resumed shortly.
@sjr60 said:
" @magpie9 said:
"I'm blown away, I've never seen so much positivity in a comments section before, both for the excellent review but also for a Lego set, such a pleasant surprise. "
Engineers are working on the fault.
Normal service will be resumed shortly."
ROFL
@Huw @CapnRex101 @MeganL and everyone else. Thanks for all of your wonderful comments. I really enjoyed reviewing this set and I have read and appreciate all of your supportive comments over the last two days.
@flagsNZ, thank you for a wonderful review.
I don't have many Day 1 purchases in my life, but this is one.
This review is epic! Although no minifig scaled and a bit modern compared to the Age of Sails ships, this ship/set is a nice addition to a sea loving AFOL.
@pgremeau said:
"Having just seen The Terror on Netflix, I'm glad to hear about a similar shipwreck where almost everybody survived (except for Mrs Chippy). Fantastic review, thanks!"
Unfortunately, all the dogs died too. The crew even ate a few of them out of necessity.
Brilliant review, thanks!