Review: 75041 Volture Droid

[Cyberbricker]

Hello Eurobrickers, today I will be reviewing set 75041. I only just managed to get the last one in the shop, the people that work there didn't even get the time to put them all on the shelves, as most people just took them out of the trolley without waiting. So since it seems to be so popular, I wanted to do a little review for you all.

Set Name: Volture Droid

Set #: 75041

Theme: Star Wars

Pieces: 205

Mini-figures: 3 (Pilot Battle Droid, Neimoidian Warrior and the Buzz Droid) I don't consider the last one a mini-figure myself though.

Year of Release: Winter 2013-2014

Price: 24.99 (It was on a 10% discount)

I will add some pictures with comments and give my final thoughts at the end of the review.

Enjoy!

First of all the box, we all know how that looks of course.

One instruction manual, two bags and one sheet of stickers.

Instructions manual.

Part out of the set. There are some nice pieces here, specially the dark blue.

Showing of the mini-figures. The Neimoidian Warrior looks very good, nice detail on front and back of torso, also very nice leg printing. The armor shows some wearing 2. I forgot to take a picture of the Buzz Droid, but you can see it in other shots.

I thought I would give a good viewing of the new springshooter. They are better than the old springshooter, but I still don't like them. I prefer not to have any springloaded things sticking out my model and flying all over the places. But as I sais for those that do like them, they are an improvement.

Some pictures of the finished model.

Cockpit? I Don't know what that is doing there...

Here you can see the thickness of the body, for those wondering with the adding of a cockpit.

Extra pieces

Final Thoughts and score:

Functions: 7.5/10

Two springloaded missiles, hidden below the main body. Turning legs, and moveable head.

The turning points of the legs are solid, the springloaded missiles are worked well inside the body. What I don't like is the head, its comes down way to far, due to the cockpit.

Parts: 8/10

Some good parts in here. As I said, some nice dark blue parts, the neimoidian helmet is nice too, new brown color. You also get a nice black part (first one for me) that kind of looks like the new blasters. (You can see it on the "part out" picture, it is to the right of the Dark Bleu 1x4 bars)

Price: 8/10

24.99 for 205 parts is okay I think, since it's Star Wars and I don't think its that mush overpriced.

Accuracy: 6.5/10

The design is good, but personally I think the main body is too big, this is of course due 2 the adding of a cockpit that doesn't need to be there in the first place. Also the moving of the head is not very good, as it can only move to the front, but can't look left or right.

Overall: 7.5/10

It's a great set and would be a nice addition to your CIS Army, specially the Neimoidian warrior. The design of the fighter is very sturdy and the new springshooters are an improvement, if your into that. The Buzz Droid is still a strange looking, way too big thing imo. Also, I don't like the applying of stickers...

But I think it is a great set both for playing and displaying, although I think I am going to modify the head a little.

I hope you guys enjoyed my first review.

[Legoman123]

Thanks for the review, I really wasn't sure if I should get it but you have made up my mind.

[BrickG]

My crappy review:

First off it's a prequel ship. 1/10

Then it's got just ONE real minifigure. The one you "build" shouldn't count and it sucks. The Federation Droid is just another one of many, does anyone actually like these things? The new one is the only one worth anything and it's just a prequel alien guard d00d that sucks. 1/10

More springloaded crap has no appeal to most AFOLs. 1/10

My incredibly bias review: 1/10. I'd take it for free for parts.

[Clone OPatra]

At first I was going to say that this is way too oversized, but looking at more reference pictures, I suppose it's not really too big compared to the figures. Maybe just a little bit. Still, the (admittedly) crappy original was just 7 dollars in the US.

I don't find this set very appealing, though. It looks pretty plain, and actually far too bulky for the source material. I guess that's what they had to do to make it sturdy, but it's a bit much. The cockpit is dumb, and they didn't even make it so that the head can swivel. You'd think that if they were going to dedicate a set solely to the Vulture Droid, they'd at least make the head swivel this time. Alas.

The only selling point here is the Neimoidian, who looks flippin awesome. How does his head compare to the EpIII Nute Gunray (if you have him)?

[The Executive]

The stickers for my vulture droid from 2005 are starting to flake off .So seeing this set also has stickers instead of prints is very disappointing. I feel like Lego doesn't understand that those crappy paper stickers don't last very long and that's what makes us AFOLs very angry when we try to display our models.

Edited December 15, 2013 by The Executive

[Obi-wan Kenobi]

Thank´s for the review,not a great vehicle at all.

[Corydoras]

It could have been great, but the addition of a cockpit ruined the whole design. Too big, too bulky, head doesn't swivel, overloaded with stickers... I'll pass.

[Spyderlord]

I really like this set, and given my known opinion on this wave, that's saying something

My only objection really is accuracy - I think the winglets are too spaced apart compared to the actual thing, but that's perhaps only in rocket-firing position. I hope that spacing can be reduced, I don't like seeing that many technic pieces laterally.

The Neimodian is my third favorite figure of the wave, after DS gunner and the Airborne trooper.

[Merc4hire95]

Pretty cool set, this will definitely be a must buy from me. The figs look great, I need more droids and Neimoidian guard is superb. Stickers have never been a problem for me, or the AFOLs that I know, so no problem there. In terms or accuracy there is no need for cockpit, but this is useful for children to store the battle droid and its a bit big but granted its a major improvement. I would rate this a 8.5/10, the set is solid, at bit overpriced by 5 U.S dollars but overall worth buying.

[Orange Leader]

Can you tell what the light blue colours exactly are? My guess is Dark Azure. The springload missles seems to be nice elements in their own right.

[TeufelHund]

_{The Vulture Droid may be too big, but at least they made the Buzz Droid too big too as well to compensate - and don't forget they threw in a cool minfig that must be on the top of every kid's wishlist. Finally, the addition of a cockpit to something that is supposed to be able to pilot itself is a masterstroke.}

_{Just shot to the top of my buy list!}

[Freddy Bricker]

Great review Cyber Bricker, along with the Battle on Saleucami, this is the only set I'll definitely be picking up. And those spring loaded shooters! I can finally knock my figures down with one push (well I could of always done that with the technic missile, but those are huge and would look wierd on a set like this). Overall, my favorite set of the January wave, oh nevermind, just remembered about the Coruscant police gunship, make that my favorite, and my 3rd must have!

[wesker]

Thanks for the review. I really like this new Vulture Droid. Sure its a little bulkier than the really thing, but its an acceptable trade off for a stable build - especially with how fragile previous versions were. I might pick up a second to convert into a TPM Trade Federation version.

[Sir_Basil_Ashton]

Nice review. A very good improvement over its predecessor. This is a definite buy for me.

[Sir Brickalot]

Thanks for the great review, but this has made my mind up. No Vulture Droid for me...

[Cyberbricker]

At first I was going to say that this is way too oversized, but looking at more reference pictures, I suppose it's not really too big compared to the figures. Maybe just a little bit. Still, the (admittedly) crappy original was just 7 dollars in the US.

I don't find this set very appealing, though. It looks pretty plain, and actually far too bulky for the source material. I guess that's what they had to do to make it sturdy, but it's a bit much. The cockpit is dumb, and they didn't even make it so that the head can swivel. You'd think that if they were going to dedicate a set solely to the Vulture Droid, they'd at least make the head swivel this time. Alas.

The only selling point here is the Neimoidian, who looks flippin awesome. How does his head compare to the EpIII Nute Gunray (if you have him)?

I took a picture for you, so you can see it for yourself. Personally I think they match up pretty good.

Can you tell what the light blue colours exactly are? My guess is Dark Azure. The springload missles seems to be nice elements in their own right.

They are more "Sand Blue", like the pieces from Dooku's speeder in Set 7103.

[Darth Dino]

Hi

what does the almost green, dead water logged corpse of a former spanish musketeer had to do with that set? ;)

Thank you for reviewing that set so early!

I like the colors but a way too much stickers.... :(

Dino

[Cyberbricker]

Hi

what does the almost green, dead water logged corpse of a former spanish musketeer had to do with that set? ;)

Thank you for reviewing that set so early!

I like the colors but a way too much stickers.... :(

Dino

They turn up somewhere in EpIII on Mustafar. So, they are not directly connected with the Volture Droid, but both are CIS. For this set however its just 2 boost the sale, but its still a nice looking minifigure, if you don't really like the ship, I recommend you get it some time later on Bricklink.

[lightningtiger]

Meh, what a mess.......though a great review and thanks for doing that 'Cyberbricker'......the mess is the set.

A DSS again.....what else is new.

Why is that soldier carrying a musket ? (must be the same logic to do with Chewie's bowcaster right ? )

And this is meant to be a great vehicle ?

Pass on this one......I doubt my son will want this one next year.

[gazumpty]

Nice review...seems that TLG has missed the mark with this one. Which is a shame as the the Vulture Droids where only one of a few things that I liked from the prequels.

[Faefrost]

I'll give the designer a little credit. It looks to be an almost, but not quite, interesting take on what is arguably one of the least interesting SW movie ship. But no matter how many made up new play features you throw at it, you can't get past the simple fact that it is a PT droid fighter.

[Nom Carver]

Could you take a comparison pic of this vulture droid beside its older brother? that would make me very happy.

By the way, thanks for your review!

[Ceroknight]

Thank you for the review!

I must say this isn't the best set LEGO produced..

[TheOrcKing]

Thanks for the review, Cyberbricker. Well, aside from those sand blue parts, the only reason I am getting this still is the Warrior minifigure. I guess it's funny for me how far off into the future Star Wars is supposed to be yet here we have a guy with an ol' world musket and conquistador helmet. Maybe he just watched Army of Darkness one too many times.

[Cyberbricker]

Could you take a comparison pic of this vulture droid beside its older brother? that would make me very happy.

By the way, thanks for your review!

Unfortunally I only have the EPI Droid Fighter, they are almost the same I think so I will post a picture of that. I like the old one better then the new one actually...

The new one is really too big, the legs are an improvement, but the body is not!

Edited December 17, 2013 by Cyberbricker