Star Wars Advent Calendar - Day 16
Posted by CapnRex101,
Some impressive vehicles have appeared in the LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar recently and I am hoping that another interesting model may emerge on day sixteen!
Let's open the door and see...
Podracers have never appeared in an Advent Calendar before which is not entirely surprising, given their unusual configuration. This rendition of Anakin Skywalker's podracer is immediately recognisable, due primarily to its distinctive splashes of blue and yellow. These appear accurate when compared with the onscreen vehicle and the shaping looks reasonable too, especially near the back where the cockpit is situated.
Unfortunately, the engines feel rather insecure so are easily dislodged and they are positioned relatively close to the cockpit, although that compromise was inevitable at this scale. While they are fragile, the textured detail across each engine appears surprisingly effective and I appreciate the tan 1x3 plate which supports the model, matching the sands of Tatooine.
Overall - 3.0 - This model is certainly recognisable and features some lovely colours, although I think podracers might necessitate a larger scale for true success.
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I consider this the "at least you tried" build for this year.
It's recognizable, but barely so. I'll credit that building anything smaller than a system-scale Anakin podracer is difficult, but this just isn't doing it for me.
Yeah, I kind of feel this'll be one of the weaker builds.
Or a Y-wing built by my kindergartner son using random advent parts. The worst mircobuild for sure and arguably the worst so far, even worse than Luke and the droid.
As much as I consider this the weakest build so far, it's still not a weapons rack!
@CCC said:
"> Unfortunately, the engines feel rather insecure so are easily dislodged
Doesn't that mean that they are movie accurate?
"
Exactly! And it makes it even better if you want to throw it against the wall to represent it crashing.
Was pretty underwhelmed when I opened today’s door and saw this
It's practically perfect
For what it is
4485 did it way better even if front wasnot screen acurate
“I appreciate the tan 1x3 plate which supports the model, matching the sands of Tatooine.”
That doesn’t look like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. Not like this. This is shiny and smooth.
Immediately recognizable?
My thoughts: damn! What an ugly y-wing!
@CCC said:
"> Unfortunately, the engines feel rather insecure so are easily dislodged
Doesn't that mean that they are movie accurate?
"
Fair point lol.
I did not recognize it. And even after reading this review, I don't see it. This is a big let down.
I thought it is an Y-wing.
2nd of 3 builds that is not on the cover.
I mean, the main problem with representing a podracer at this scale is that, in canon, the cockpit and engines are attached by *two wires* and an energy binder. Since those wires are essentially already the thinnest you can get in Lego on the minifigure-sized model, there's no way to depict them at this miniscule size, so you have to get really creative to figure out a way to attach the engines to the pod.
I think this might have benefited more by having the dark grey piece be transparent, to at least give the illusion of being nothing between the pod and engines; and then added some kind of narrow trans-pinkish or trans-orangish piece to join the engines together and represent the energy binders. It still wouldn't be perfect, but I think it might make it a little more effective.
The weakest model so far in this edition IMO. So a good useful parts provider in terms of use and color. In haste to see what will come tomorrow !
I really have to be honest, I opened this thinking it was the Blue-Class Y-Wing (notably from the CW Season 7 Finale). Not sure if it’s the design or if it was too early in the morning for me to be awake ??
Ew. This one.... feels like they had spare parts to get rid of.
When I opened it and saw the parts my first thought was ooh a Naboo Fighter!
I actually like this one, especially since I used it to build a micro version of Cobb Vanth's Speeder Bike instead.
First time this calendar that I didn't know what I built. I figured, it must be some sequel vehicle that had left no lasting impression.
Had to come here to find out what it was. In my defense, it has been a long time since I last saw The Panthom Menace.
Even I as a fan of the original trilogy recognized this immidiately!
@CCC:
That’s not how it works. If you get a weapons rack, you don’t get _bonus_ weapons. They confiscate all the weapons from the minifigs and use them in an attempt to make the weapons rack seem less like filler. With the exception of the fireplace with Luke’s and Vader’s lightsabers hanging on either side (2016?), it never works.
I thought it was the U-Wing
I like it, but it is by far the calendars weakest build.
@PurpleDave:
One of the years, they gave minifigs, and gave them weapons, as well as put in a weapons rack. That said, not all of the minifigs had weapons that year, and the same is true this year. So far, day 4 minifig did not include a weapon, and not all minifigs are revealed yet. Perhaps day 4 weapon is hiding with a weapon rack yet... We will have to wait n see
@ggfile:
If you're talking about Luke, I'm pretty sure he's meant to clonk MaRey Sue on the back of the head with those macrobinoculars and take back his lightsaber.
Anyways, not to get spoilery, but it's already been discussed on a previous day that the designer of this advent calendar _hates_ weapons racks. He made the snowman with the white AT-ST driver helmet and a stud shooter to avoid making a weapons rack. So, if there is in fact a weapons rack in this DWAC, he would probably consider that to be a personal failure.
What's so bad about weapons racks? Who doesn't want a few more blasters to replace stud shooters in battle packs?
@HandPositions:
YOU GET THE WEAPONS ANYWAYS! Seriously, all a weapons rack is is a pile of parts with some clips, and then they take the weapons away from some of the minifigs and bundle them with the weapons rack instead. You don't get _more_ guns. They just get shifted to a different day, where they take the place of something that might have actually been interesting in its own right.
Which would you rather have, three troopers with blasters and a mini AT-AT, or three empty-handed troopers and the best-armed storage crate this side of Bespin?
I'm no Star Wars fan, so don't know how accurate of a representation the model is, but when I first saw the model, with its light (bluish) grey, blue and yellow colour scheme, my first impression was classic space and not Star Wars.