Review: 42044 Display Team Jet
Posted by CapnRex101,
LEGO Technic is an underappreciated theme in my opinion. The range often seems to be overlooked when new waves of models are released, perhaps due in part to the absence of minifigures as well as the relatively high prices of Technic sets in North America. Europe fares much better in this regard.
However, gems like 42044 Display Team Jet are a welcome reminder that the Technic line should never be ignored. This is a delightful little set and I am glad to have purchased it. In fact, it is one of the most unexpected delights of the entire winter range for me!
The Completed Model
The size of this model took me by surprise as soon as I finished assembling it. It measures 28cm from nose to tail and has a wingspan of 21cm which is is very impressive given that the set costs just £7.99 in the UK! It is fairly light as much of the volume is occupied by nothing but air but it is a very sturdy model and this is condusive to enthusiastic swooshing, an integral aspect of any flying vehicle!
Better still, the tricycle landing gear can be raised and lowered together using a gear located on the starboard side of the fuselage. A connecting rod links the aft landing gear with the wheel beneath the cockpit, allowing all three to raise and lower in perfect unison which is very satisfying.
The landing gear folds away perfectly and even the underwing set is quite well hidden from view due to the curve of the large panel elements which form the wings. The forward landing gear folds up into the cockpit which looks a little awkward from some angles but this cannot be avoided and I think it could be seen as a control yoke.
Although there are only 113 pieces in this set, the bodywork looks absolutely brilliant. Some aspects of the design are reminiscent of a Hawk T1, particularly the nose cone which is shaped using a pair of small panels. These are decorated with striped stickers and the colour scheme continues across the aircraft using a combination of black, white and yellow pieces as well as some matching stickers. The quality of the stickers is exceptional, as usual for Technic sets.
Beneath the panelling on the nose cone is a black axle connector. I think this might be intended to represent a pitot tube, a refuelling nozzle or some kind of sensor suite. The cockpit is fairly large in relation to the rest of the jet, a prominent feature of the Hawk T1. Inside are two blue liftarms which give the impression of a seat as well as two Technic pins, the ends of which are visible and resemble cockpit instruments. This detail might be unintentional but I really appreciate it.
The vertical and horizontal stabilisers maintain the excellent standard set by the forward section of the model. These are constructed at an angle and an example of clever Technic geometry is employed to create a realistic tailplane profile which matches that of the main wings. The decorative stickers match those on the wings too which looks splendid, as do the smaller panels placed on either side of the fuselage!
Overall
I love this set. The level of detail is considerable and the landing gear function works perfectly despite the simplicity of the mechanics. The set is priced at £7.99 or $12.99, so it is particularly appealing if you are in the UK but is well worth purchasing no matter where you are located in my opinion.
42044 Display Team Jet is a peerless small Technic set. I am impressed by both the play and display value of this set and for that reason I definitely recommend it whether you are a seasoned fan of the theme or not.
JANGBRiCKS' Video Review
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18 comments on this article
I've sort of dismissed small Technic sets recently, probably because I've been collecting them since 1995 and I've 'seen it all before', and in this case have countless other small aircraft.
However this does indeed look like a neat set, particularly for $7.99. There's lots of white panels in it, by the looks of things, and a relatively new tail piece (http://brickset.com/sets/containing-part-6056830) that I'm not familiar with.
Maybe I'll pick one up...
@Huw, the tail piece originated in the Bionicle theme. If I'm not mistaken it was 2008, so that's 7,5 years ago. It works wonderfully for sets like these!
Ah yes, you're right, thanks. Just relatively new in white.
Looks like a nice little set!
Looks very good. Not a big technic guy but I might have to pick it up since I am a airplane fan. Wish it was a little cheaper than $13 though maybe closer to $10
I definitely would overlook this set. Thanks for a review.
Great to see Technic reviewed here. I thought it was under appreciated here on Brickset as well. Although I wouldn't say I am a huge fan of Technic I do appreciate the builds and models. I have mostly only bought a few of the moderate sized/priced sets in the short while I have been buying Lego. I would love to see a review of 42050 Drag Racer.
Nice review. I thought this looked like a nice set first time I saw it. Glad it is.
Yay Technic!
Thanks for the review.
Yay, finally a Technic review! More please.
I really like this plane, but the price tag is a bit much and the complete lack of other moving parts, besides the landing gear, bothers me.
And in a couple of years we will see another article about the stickers peeling. :-/ Nice little set, though.
I do think you are not correct, yuffie. Imagination is the only limitation here. The smaller the kid, the more play functions he will find while playing with sets like these.
@Mikkitar, these stickers are heavy and of much higher quality than those of the past. I don't see them pealing anytime soon, if ever.
I, too, was pleasantly surprised by this set. It is so good, in fact, that I even considered going the opposite route than Huw mentioned above. That is, abandoning large Technic sets and only getting small ones from now on. I've since come to my senses, but have gotten a lot of enjoyment from this little airplane!
Whilst I am a moderate fan of Technic this set is not really doing it for me.
Great review of a set I initially overlooked. I'll be rectifying that mistake shortly!
I am a Technic fanboy, so anyone who gives some love to the Technic theme gets a big thumbs up from me. I like the panels in this set. But personally I like to go for the more complex sets like the Arocs 42043.
This looks great! And I do enjoy Technic sets. Would a minifig fit in the pilot's cabin? Might make an aerial addition to my little Town.
Thanks for the review; I'll add a bit about the parts in the set. Having made a few models related to aircraft and their engines, I really like this set for the parts, as well as the model it makes. The main wings are the most aerodynamic pieces available in consumer sets; I have used them successfully to make fans of various capabilities, one with the power of a desk fan and another in a Chinook-style model generating lift equal to 75% of the weight of the model. The only aerodynamic rival piece is the educational fan blades that cost a lot more. This set with 1 pair for £7.99 compares favourably to the LEGO Movie Pirate Ship with 10 pairs +1 for £170.
There are 3 pairs of little white panels. These find a use as the leading edge of static vanes, such as those found behind the fan of a jet engine. They can be used to extend the 3x11 wing panels from other sets. So parts-wise I will probably buy more of this one than I did of the blue helicopter. I wish more of the beams were white rather than yellow as it would suit MOCs better.
It has two 5M yellow axles. The red and yellow axles are a trend amongst the sets this year. They may be useful but I hope this will not stop the majority being black and grey. Part of MOC building is to make the ordinary parts appear to disappear, which is more difficult in bright colours. I hope there will be some white axles in other sets sometime because they are great for making street furniture or railway signal masts and would also go well on white Technic MOCs.
I look forward to seeing more Technic set reviews. I have previously reviewed a few Technic sets on the Shop at Home site.