Star Wars Advent Calendar - Day 7
Posted by CapnRex101,
Much like the Harry Potter Advent Calendar, the models and minifigures revealed during the last several days could suggest that 75340 Star Wars Advent Calendar follows chronological order.
Something from the early Imperial era would be ideal on day seven...
Luke Skywalker's X-34 Landspeeder has appeared in Advent Calendars twice before, seemingly every four years! The original design was excellent, although the 2018 version introduced minor improvements and the new model is better still, more faithfully recreating the proportions of this vehicle onscreen by extending the nose.
Additionally, the engine assembly is much stronger, the windscreen is narrower and there are even two 1x1 round plates in the cockpit, representing Luke and C-3PO in their search for R2-D2. I did like the dark red band present on previous iterations of the landspeeder, but using tan elements around the bottom is definitely more accurate.
Overall - Past landspeeder models in Advent Calendars have been superb, but this is the best design yet!
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That is the cutest lil landspeeder ever.
Brilliant microscale rendition. Love it.
This one is really nice. Immediately identifiable.
I believe this is the third Advent Calendar landspeeder, the others being in 2014 and 2018. Shame that there's finally a half-moon plate, but I guess it's not in tan yet. Maybe in 2026.
(Note to Brickset: I'd still love to see an article on the evolution of SW AC builds from 2011 to present, since we've seen so many tweaks and reinventions of the same model.)
Cool design. Better than the past 2 which had holes in the nose from stormtrooper damage. But, I would like a different color.
Love the little studs for Luke and Threepio. It’s an adorable touch on an already excellent microscale model.
Reference picture? No one knows what “Luke’s Landspeeder” looks like
Jk makes sense why it wasn’t included
I did think "Ah, another landspeeder..." when I first opened the door, but the tiny Luke and 3PO won me over. A nice detail, and the tiled top is sweet too.
That's a strange looking weapons rack?!
I gotta say, the inversion of the cones between the starboard and dorsal engines is uncomfortably awkward.
@ResIpsaLoquitur:
Wouldn’t work, anyways. The bottom plate doesn’t have studs in the front, so there would be nothing to attach said half-moon plate to. The quarter-round tiles would attach to nothing except the half-moon plate, so the whole nose assembly would merely be perched on the chassis until someone hits the accelerator. Then some poor Jawa takes it right in the face (but, hey, that’s what he gets for trying to steal the hubcaps off the Lukemobile).
@StyleCounselor:
“Ever since they got shot through the engine block, the X-34’s just aren’t in demand.”
@YanVanLan:
Technically, I guess you are supposed to be able to fit a tiny rifle behind the 1x1 round studs.
@PurpleDave said:
"I gotta say, the inversion of the cones between the starboard and dorsal engines is uncomfortably awkward.
@ResIpsaLoquitur:
Wouldn’t work, anyways. The bottom plate doesn’t have studs in the front, so there would be nothing to attach said half-moon plate to. The quarter-round tiles would attach to nothing except the half-moon plate, so the whole nose assembly would merely be perched on the chassis until someone hits the accelerator. Then some poor Jawa takes it right in the face (but, hey, that’s what he gets for trying to steal the hubcaps off the Lukemobile).
@StyleCounselor:
“Ever since they got shot through the engine block, the X-34’s just aren’t in demand.”
@YanVanLan:
Technically, I guess you are supposed to be able to fit a tiny rifle behind the 1x1 round studs."
I don't understand why a tan 1x2 half moon tile couldn't go on top of the 2x2 grey round plate. A 1x2 half moon is equivalent to the two 1x1 quarter round tiles already being used. The grey round underneath isn't ideal, but I can live with it if the top layer is more uniform.
@PurpleDave said:
" @YanVanLan :
Technically, I guess you are supposed to be able to fit a tiny rifle behind the 1x1 round studs."
I also can't help but see a gaderffii in there somewhere,
but enough nonsense; I'm not going to milk it...
It's a fine looking model;
bit surprised they didn't introduce a new mold for the windscreen, though!
@StyleCounselor said:
"Cool design. Better than the past 2 which had holes in the nose from stormtrooper damage. But, I would like a different color. "
Last year's advent calender 75307 came with a blue variant of the landspeeder.
"Look at this. Ever since the XP-38 came out, they just aren't in demand."
Second Advent Calendar in a row where I've opened the wrong door on day seven. I opened door seventeen on 76196 because I misread it, and I opened day eight on this one because I forgot what day it was.Anyway, I love how they did the uncowled engine, and the 3P0 and Luke are a cute touch.
@ResIpsaLoquitur:
Look at how the 2x2 round tile is attached to the main body. It has a 2-stud attachment on top and bottom, but there’s nothing to connect to from below at the very front because it’s sitting over a centered hole. Above, it has two 1/4 round tiles that have no other means of connecting. Bisect that 2x2 round plate, and the hood ornament and front grille simply slide off with a gentle turn. To really fix the midline, they need to come out with a 2x2 D-shaped plate or tile (either could work).
Hear me out.
It's a... another landspeede -don't boo yet!
But... it's actually pretty good!
@PurpleDave said:
" @ResIpsaLoquitur:
Look at how the 2x2 round tile is attached to the main body. It has a 2-stud attachment on top and bottom, but there’s nothing to connect to from below at the very front because it’s sitting over a centered hole. Above, it has two 1/4 round tiles that have no other means of connecting. Bisect that 2x2 round plate, and the hood ornament and front grille simply slide off with a gentle turn. To really fix the midline, they need to come out with a 2x2 D-shaped plate or tile (either could work)."
OK. So, the new Yellow Yoshi polybag literally has a 1x2 half-moon tile for the bottom of Yoshi's stomach, which is equivalent to two 1x1 quarter-round tiles. I pulled off the two 1x1 tan tiles on the front of the landspeeder, replaced it with Yoshi's belly, and but for the color, it looks fine and somewhat better than having two separate quarter-rounds. It's also NOT SLIDING OFF THE LANDSPEEDER. The 2x2 midpiece round grey plate is still locked between the top and bottom layers of the vehicle.
I have NO idea what you're talking about. The front of my landspeeder DOES NOT FLY OFF. You're just wrong here. I am NOT talking about bisecting the 2x2 grey plate. I am talking about the hood. You're wrong.
@ResIpsaLoquitur:
*rassinfrassin*
My eyes have been seeing "tile", but telling my brain "plate" instead.
@PurpleDave said:
" @ResIpsaLoquitur:
*rassinfrassin*
My eyes have been seeing "tile", but telling my brain "plate" instead."
OK. Sorry, I've been having a day here, and I couldn't figure out why we were arguing over this. I should go have a drink and meditate on yelling at people over Lego.
@ResIpsaLoquitur said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @ResIpsaLoquitur :
*rassinfrassin*
My eyes have been seeing "tile", but telling my brain "plate" instead."
OK. Sorry, I've been having a day here, and I couldn't figure out why we were arguing over this. I should go have a drink and meditate on yelling at people over Lego."
Hmm... so, one might infer without the need for further evidence the wrongfulness of your behavior?
In fairness, no one really needs an excuse to bark af PedanticPurple. He's undoubtedly a valued member of the community. But, he likes to poke and prod.
@StyleCounselor:
Hush. Quietly. With extreme mouthclosingness.
@ResIpsaLoquitur:
I've been having a few myself. Besides a major upgrade at work (because December is the quietest time of year to roll out major changes), I'm trying to get things ready to live-build something Sunday afternoon by our layout at The Henry Ford Museum, and we'll be setting up our Detroit Symphony Orchestra layout for the first time in three years (where it will be open to attendees of seven concerts that week). LUG Day on Saturday, Christmas shopping, sleep deprivation, some quality time with a bout of food poisoning... Yeah, it's been something else.
But I swear, if you pretend that there's a new part that's half of a 2x2 round plate, and you reread everything I wrote with that in mind, it will all make perfect sense. Promise.
@PurpleDave said:
" @ResIpsaLoquitur:
Look at how the 2x2 round tile is attached to the main body. It has a 2-stud attachment on top and bottom, but there’s nothing to connect to from below at the very front because it’s sitting over a centered hole. Above, it has two 1/4 round tiles that have no other means of connecting. Bisect that 2x2 round plate, and the hood ornament and front grille simply slide off with a gentle turn. To really fix the midline, they need to come out with a 2x2 D-shaped plate or tile (either could work)."
You two are talking about two different things. But as I see, you figured it out eventually. :)
Omg lol. In all fairness to purplerage, res did say plate initially, even though I did understand what they meant. But still chill and have fun with those toys. Landspereder. Huh.
@mavndad:
That so? Huh. Interesting.
@mavndad:
And, wait, what exactly did I ever do to you? I get where @StyleCounselor is coming from, because I call him out on just a _lot_ of stuff, but I don’t remember even seeing your name before.