Review: 8099 Midi-scale Imperial Star Destroyer

[starstreak]

This review will be on the 8099 Midi-scale Imperial Star Destroyer

So evil that even the command tower looks like a skull head.

The infamous Imperial Star Destroyer™- now in midi-scale! Appearing for the very first time in the opening scene of the first Star Wars™ movie, A New Hope,the Imperial Star Destroyer™ is the Empire’s most powerful warship and one of the most instantly recognizable in the entire series. This iconic ship now comes in midi-scale.

• No minifigures included
• Display the model using the convenient stand!
• Imperial Star Destroyer measures more than 10” (25cm) long and stands more than 5” (12cm)

Set Name: 8099 Midi-scale Imperial Star Destroyer

Theme: Star Wars

Released: 2010

Pieces: 423

Price: $39.99/$31.16 EUR/25.96 GBP

Here are some quicklinks Lego.com, Brickset, Bricklink

Wanna see some pictures? Let's start with the normal box arts and manuals!

Box Art Front

Special Edition. I have no idea why except that only select stores will carry this. It does look very nice. I like the 2010 box colors. They stand out more.

Box Art Rear

Besides filler, I don't know why LEGO choosed to display the parts list on the back. Pretty much there are no special parts, so anybody with a million LEGO pieces could make it now. That's like the pot calling the kettle black... Lol. Lets see how many of you caught on to that joke.

Manual Front

Cheat. They used the same as the box cover.

Parts Bags

Parts List

Random Page

Wow, actual dimensions. I wish they gave a mini UCS plaque to go with this. Oh that black thing on the bottom is the built-in stand.

Extra Pieces

Build Process

I still have no idea why LEGO likes to put weird colored parts in builds that shouldn't have BLUE or RED in them. Oh BTW, this was a very important step. The piece folded in half, and now you have studs facing up and also facing down.

Here is a good shot of the first quarter being put on. You can see how there are some greebles (Small parts used to give detail.) Like the little claws at the nose of the ship.

Here are the unstable dishes you'll here me mentioning in my closing.

Now why did LEGO use those antennas?

Technic to the rescue! LEGO used the antennas to fit into the Technic part to hold the rear thrusters on the back of the Destroyer!

Only one more quarter to put on. The white colored "claws" are used to hold each of the quarters together.

How simple is that? The command tower just clicks right on the top of the blue brick. Wha? Is that a head I see?

The final quarter done. See finished photo below for completed shot.

Finished Photos

Top front- While the photo does make it look like an arrow head, slender and long, it's wider than the picture makes it out to be.

Top rear- I'm amazed how LEGO find parts that actually look like parts that belong. Like the small balls to copy the radar domes (whatever they are) on the movie Star Destroyer.

Rear angle- Here is a good shot showing the engines. Amazing how they added the engines to something that is all about SNOT.

Side profile- Look how the LEGO undersides lends to side fold to almost make it look like greebles. Even the side canons. Nice move using Wall-E eye's parts. Inside joke. Move along.

Underside- The black rectangle is actually inside the ship. I wish I had a mini-Blockhead runner to fit in there. The Black horizontal tube is actually upside down "T" stand. Not really meant to be taken off.

Top view- Very symmetrical in shape. At least in this view you can see how wide it really is.

Comments: This is a very good design and it holds itself well together. Know what SNOT is? No, it's not what comes out of your nose. Well, yes. But not in this case. SNOT stands for Studs Not On Top. Which is how I tend to build MOCs. But LEGO in the hands of masters, SNOT can make a very plain looking design, something very realistic and not so much like LEGO. This set has studs on the top, underneath, and even in the rear! Although the design was simple (The Star Destroyer), I could imagine the headache the creator at LEGO had in trying to dream up how to make the unit hold together when it really shouldn't be able to.

My rating

Playability: 4/5 This is playable. Very swooshable. The only part that falls off a lot is the thrusters.

Design: 5/5 I don't think they could've made this much better without making the unit cost more than people are willing to pay. Oh the thrusters I mentioned above.. If you look at what piece they used (only choice) it's not a solid part that likes to stay on other parts due to its dish shape.

Build experience: 3/5 It's made for ages 9-14. My son can build this. He's 8. I think they made it into the higher age group because it's more of a "model" than something that plays well with other LEGO sets. I mean, there's the Midi-Millennium Falcon. But it's not to scale for this midi-sized Star Destroyer.

Overall: 4/5 I think this would make a great set if you love collecting Star Wars. It's not expensive, and if you're a AFOL (Adult Fan Of Lego) it doesn't look like a kids toy. I would be proud to display it on my work desk. Too bad work outlawed having personal items on desks...

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

All photos are click able for larger, bigger-than-life picture sizes! BUT. Flickr is now making sure the links for pictures can't be just copied and pasted. It needs to link back to flickr. So now, if you click on a photo, it'll take you to my flickr site of that photo. All you have to do, is right-click on the photo and choose "Original" and you'll see the full size picture. Here is a direct link to my: 8099 Midi-scale Imperial Star Destroyer

[banditloon]

Excellent review.

I bought 8099 today and just spent the last hour watching Ferris Bueller and making it.

Just thought I would add this picture of the two ISD together.

Edited September 4, 2010 by banditloon

[prateek]

Nice review. I like the MF better, but this is cool too. How do the thrusters hold up with play? Do they break easily?

[banditloon]

Nice review. I like the MF better, but this is cool too. How do the thrusters hold up with play? Do they break easily?

So far I think I've picked the thrusters up about ten times off the floor. But then again, the thrusters on the mamouth ISD don't hold together that well either.

[Brickdoctor]

So far I think I've picked the thrusters up about ten times off the floor. But then again, the thrusters on the mamouth ISD don't hold together that well either.

But no one's going to swoosh the mammoth ISD.

[starstreak]

Yup. as per my review, they do like to pop off. Consider it blown off by the rebellion. :)

[brickfoot]

Outstanding review. I still do not think I will get the set but if I do it will be because of this great review.

[Rufus]

Lovely, crisp images as ever, starstreak!

The build of this little set is intriguing and ingenious - I love the way they used the technic beams pivoting around a single friction pin to form the basic frame, then attached the docking bay directly to it. The aerial pieces used to attach the rear thruster section is a little bizarre, but effective.

I can cope with the random colours hidden inside the model, but I'm not sure why they used the big white wing pieces on the upper quarters when dark bley would have made much more sense.

[starstreak]

Thanks! Oh that's one I think I know. The white pieces give the "white" outline for the landing bay on the underside.

Lovely, crisp images as ever, starstreak!

The build of this little set is intriguing and ingenious - I love the way they used the technic beams pivoting around a single friction pin to form the basic frame, then attached the docking bay directly to it. The aerial pieces used to attach the rear thruster section is a little bizarre, but effective.

I can cope with the random colours hidden inside the model, but I'm not sure why they used the big white wing pieces on the upper quarters when dark bley would have made much more sense.

[Brickus]

Excellent review Starstreak, I look forward to receiving my own set as it looks like a good display piece.

[Just Imagine]

Sorry for going off topic... Am I the only one who likes random colors inside Lego vehicles? If you look at cars, planes and other machines in real life and look at the inner workings they contain all kinds of colors. As long as the colors don't show on the outside of the set I don't mind them all that much. Anyway, great review, Starstreak.

[Brickdoctor]

Sorry for going off topic... Am I the only one who likes random colors inside Lego vehicles? If you look at cars, planes and other machines in real life and look at the inner workings they contain all kinds of colors. As long as the colors don't show on the outside of the set I don't mind them all that much. Anyway, great review, Starstreak.

It's not so much the outside appearance of the set as it is the usefulness of the parts afterwards. Personally, I don't really like any of the newer official sets, so I'm going to take them apart after building them. That blue 2x3 represents what could have been part of a Star Wars MOC were it grey, but as it is it's going to get thrown into the Basid Colors bin for use as a internal support or something to be edited out in a photo-editing program.

[Ceroknight]

Thanks for the review! I might actually get this..I missed both UCS MF and ISD so...I wonder what they will make next..a midi-scale Death star? or a Slave I?

[Zzz]

Thanks for the review! I might actually get this..I missed both UCS MF and ISD so...I wonder what they will make next..a midi-scale Death star? or a Slave I?

I assume something PT. And actually, I am really really tempted to try out on the midi-scale, but there is something about the Falcon design I dislike, and the Star Destroyer is a bit ... bland. I am sorry but if this was a Venator it would be on my desk the day it came out! So what to do? Difficult, but I guess I go for the Falcon.. or both!

Thanks for the review! Very nice one!

[drdavewatford]

Thanks - excellent review !

I really like this set. Somehow LEGO managed to make an excellent likeness despite the small size and low piece count. I'd go so far as to say that it's a better likeness than 6211 which I'm not a huge fan of. Although 10030 is still the daddy !!

Cheers,

Dr. D.

[Aethersprite]

Great review, great set. But the price put me off.

[starstreak]

Thanks for all the comments!

Zzz- I would get the falcon. I had more fun with that. But then again, I am a fan of Han Solo.

[Mr McGow]

Great review Starstreak. I like this model - indeed I like the whole midi concept in general (do the Nebulon-B next TLG!). One to get when it goes on special for sure. Re. the brightly coloured internal pieces - I read somewhere - sorry can't remember where exactly - that it is helps younger builders to follow the instructions (and also us oldies that have difficulty distinguishing between black and dark bluey gray!). Thanks again Starstreak

[Lorentzen]

You rule at reviewing. I really enjoyed looking through this review. Thanks :)

[indyman09]

Good review! Looks like anyone with a lot of plates can make this set

[XimenaPaulina]

Nice review starstreak, thanks for sharing. Though I will go against the tide and say I don't like this set. The midi-scale vehicles aren't just my cup of tea, and this one looks rather fat at the rear part and the visible gaps in the middle just doesn't cut it for me.

EDIT: If there was a poll in this review, i would rate this set as Below Average.

Edited September 5, 2010 by KielDaMan

[Minxter]

Great review!

I don´t know if I will buy it. It looks good but the price is a little high.

Minxter

[kostasm13]

Great review!

I'm not a big fan of Star Wars, but those midi-scale models are great!

I'm thinking of buying Imperial Star Destroyer and Millenium Falcon just to display them.

They must look awesome together!

[CommanderFox]

Nice review on this set Starstreak!

This set is quite nice, TLC have done well with it. It is nice and streamlined, with alittle snot in there. Overally an okay set.

Thanks again for the review!

CF

[def]

Lovely review, what we expect from you Starstreak!

I'm interested in the set. I have the Midi-scale Falcon, and that was an interesting, dense set. This set seems a little simpler in detail than that set, but you still make it look attractive.

I've never owned a Star Destroyer before...