Rufus

That is indeed a beautiful use of curves. I take it the largest curves on the sides are the Slave I windscreen? It's a pity it doesn't come in solid colours.

Thanks everyone for replying! There are some interesting points made before my 'hiatus' which I will respond to eventually. Thanks! I don't like leaving things unfinished, but sometimes other responsibilities get in the way, and a project like this requires momentum to keep it going. There's lots still to do! I hope that's true, though I have a nasty feeling it won't entirely prevent the chewing: I do seem to remember I had a horrible habit of putting already separated bricks into my mouth where they likely got an extra munching! You're welcome! Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I do believe there's a real magic about these early sets: no (other) factions, just happy-go-lucky space explorers; though I usually managed to work in battles and 'spies' into the play! Unfortuately, I won't be at Brickworld this year to see it. Make sure you post some pictures here on EB! I'd be interested to see your 'early' version of the set with its differing parts: feel free to post in this thread if you want to! I did clean up most of the bricks where possible, but some were broken or damaged beyond repair so I knew I'd have to get some fresh parts in better condition. Mine had been left 'on display' in an attic for years, where it had a acquired a patina of grime, then stuffed in a box (built) for even longer - and still in an attic. I'm impressed the extremes of temperature haven't caused any bricks to crack! I hope yours has indeed faired a little better. The colour scheme is something special, I agree. While it may not fit with many people's ideas of Space Age ships, it fitted in really well with the the major influence of the time - Star Wars - with its 'used' look. The LEGO ships are suitably functional, while retaining a certain style. In my opinion! Next installment - 924/487 - coming soon!

CSRP is back! Weeeeeell, it's only been six months. I took these pictures ages ago, but I wasn't quite happy with them, then I got kinda sidetracked with other projects; real life got in the way; a giant lizard went on a rampage through the city, I ran out of excuses, yada yada. But I got there in the end. Profound apologies to anyone who was following this thread. So here's the restored classic 928/497 Galaxy Explorer! First, an overview: Seen in this view, it's a fairly basic set: a ship, a landing platform, a modest base station and four dudes: two red, two white. But oh, that ship.... the Galaxy Explorer is 35 years old, but still manages to look awesome, and even fresh: she'd be just at home in modern Sci-Fi today as she was in her 'Space Race' heyday. This is such an iconic set: it was responsible for the love of LEGO of many of today's AFOLs, and without a doubt holds a place high in the top LEGO sets ever. But you know all that. We're here to see how my restoration attempt has held up. Let's look at the base first: The simple little base station has shaped up nicely, helped greatly by condition of the oddly anachronistic TV aerial. I ended up having to replace all four of the blue 4x6 plates in the set, fortunately with 80s parts; two are used in the station. The Classic Space logo brick on this side is a little faded, though you wouldn't tell from this picture ... ... until you compare to the one on the other side: There's a degree of colour variability which doesn't show too well in the pictures; the blue tail pieces used as stanchions have a slight brownish tint. They also don't retain their shape too well, as a result of which the station sits a little higher than it should; this is why there appears to be a slight gap under the lower 4x6 plate. I had some real trouble with the trans-yellow parts, which were quite badly scratched. I managed to acquire some (marginally) better ones: on the right in the picture below, which unfortunately doesn't show the difference too well. It does however highlight the faded colour of some of the blue pieces, particularly the right-hand computer slope under the window here. I've also replaced the left-hand computer for the same reason. Now to the centrepiece: I'm pretty pleased with how this has turned out. One of the amazing features of this set was its opening rear doors; to this day I have a love of displaying spaceships in 'landed' mode, with activity around them, which can be traced back directly to this set. It's partly why I love to have landing gear on LEGO spacehips and aeroplanes. It was important for me to ensure that the upper surfaces and sides of the ship look as good as possible; I hunted around a long time to get reasonable quality Classic Space logo bricks; equally important are the two 1x8 blue plates either side of the trans-yellow canopy: they are very noticeable if chewed. You might notice that the upper trans-yellow slope is quite scratched; that's an original piece. It's really hard to find these parts in good condition: expect to pay quite a lot, and even then it's no guarantee. I ended up replacing the other two: These two were the only decent ones of an order of about 10 that were advertised as top quality. Perhaps most important was the front Classic Space badge: Again, it's tough to get these in good condition; this one has a lovely logo but there are a couple of nicks on the brick itself. Don't trust Ebay - they will rarely arrive as advertised - use Bricklink. Those windows do look great. The other printed bricks - the 1x4 grille brick, and the 1x2 'down arrow'; even the 'LL928' - are easier to acquire, but my originals suffice. If you look closely at the open nearside door, you can see more evidence of colour variation in the blues: the inverted slopes are a little faded, while the 2x2-2x2 bracket has a darker brownish tinge; I can live with this. I've replaced the grey 2x2 cones and 2x2 round bricks on the side engines, which look fantastic. While we're at the back, let's have a look inside: It's fairly roomy in there! You can see some scratches on the blue bricks on the inside of the door; I deliberately placed the better side facing out. Here's how it looks with the vehicle inside: What an awesome play feature. Some Comparison Pictures I've taken some pictures from angles similar to the 'before' pics to allow for direct comparison. You can click the smaller pictures to bring up the full-size version; larger versions of the restored set are included. Mostly, this shot shows how much better the badge looks with its gold texture intact. Hopefully you can also see how nicely the wedge plates have cleaned up, and there's no colour mismatch of the grey now I've replaced a few parts. Check out the clean blaseplate too - though it's a little yellower than the crater plate, unfortunately. The side engines are mostly replacement parts, but they look fantastic: The 'LL928' brick's printing isn't perfect; I kept both originals as somehow replacing them felt inappropriate. I broke my own rules somewhat by replacing all the transparent red and green parts with new pieces, but they look soooo much better even than good condition 80s parts. You can see how scratched the uppermost trans-yellow slope is; there isn't much I can do about that, sadly. The port engine also looks pretty nice: The trans-yellow 4x10 plate which forms the canopy - and is a vital part of the ship's look - has cleaned up beautifully. That's the original part. I've replaced the 'emergency' blue door, and swapped out many chewed and ill-fitting pieces: You can't see it very well in the 'before' picture, but some of the blue hinge-bricks were badly chewed, and one completely broken. I managed to salvage two and replaced the others. They're quite hard to come by. There's still some visible grey variation on the underside: Notice that the 'correct' two 6x12 plates are in place, rather than the 6x24 I had been using. (If you're interested, the 6x24 plate came from this set, which also contains an antenna piece, though in milky-white rather than grey.) The one part I really struggled with was the 2x4-2x4 hinge plate. I couldn't get an 80's replacement in good quality. This one is an earlier version with a black pivot rather than red, and is a slightly different shade of grey. Whilst rebuilding the set, I noticed a little oddity about the 2x2x2 supports: they have numbers on them. I just had to find a number 4 to complete the set. The little space buggy has been tidied up: I managed to get most of the rust off the axles; I had to pull one of the wheels of each part. The grey slope at the rear hasn't cleaned up quite as well as I'd have liked. Finally, lets see the spacedudes: These guys were the best of the bunch I could find in my original collection. It's nigh-on impossible to get hold of red and white spacemen in pristine condition, unless you use the reissues; yellow, blue and even black are much easier to come by. Conclusion Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the result of this restoration. I've had to use far more replacement parts for 928 that I needed for 375, which is mainly because 928 was played with far more vigorously; its rarer printed and transparent parts also made tracking them down much more tricky. I have a feeling I may keep tweaking this one if I come across better sources of parts; in particular, that third trans-yellow slope is still too scratched for my liking. Still, I have I think succeed in transforming one of the finest LEGO sets of all time from an incomplete, chewed and dirty wreck back into the masterpiece it truly is. Thanks for reading! I have more Classic Space sets in various stages of restoration, so will be back with more. Eventually.

That's a toughie! The plane and car are of course cheaper. A lot depends on what you're after. I'd dismiss the plane unless you're a huge plane fan; it has a good build technique and is very swooshable, but that is its limit. The car is very nice looking, and good fun to play with; it also looks great on the shelf, and has some useful parts. The Cottage is a lovely little set which is very versatile; it has lots of useful house parts and will fit into a Town layout which the others won't. The car is probably the best standalone set; the cottage is probably a better addition to your collection (depending on what you build). I also agree with this: Hope that helps!

For several years now, CREATOR has carried the flag for LEGO housing; CITY dwellers are presumably meant to sleep in their caravans or fire engines unless they are lucky enough to have a Modular Building for a domicile, or only sleep in buildings that have snow on them. I suspect this is a deliberate move by The LEGO Group; the CREATOR 3-in-1 mantra provides versatility in design, and might perhaps provoke multiple purchases to enable a bit of variety in one's Town layout, or at least an affordable source of house parts. The last bona fide CITY residence was 8403 City House in 2010; this year's CREATOR range will boast no less than three minifigure-scaled dwellings, if you include the rather offbeat 31010 Treehouse; let's take a look at the first to be released, the modestly-named Small Cottage. Review: 31009 Small Cottage Set Information Name: Small Cottage Number: 31009 Theme: CREATOR Release: 2013 Parts: 271 Figures: 1 Price: GB £19.99 | US $24.99 | EUR 24.99 - 27.99 | AU $39.99 | CA $29.99 | DKK 299.95 Links ... Shop@Home ... Brickset ... Bricklink ... Peeron (not yet listed) The Box Click for a larger full-frontal image The CREATOR logo shamelessly obscures part of the model on this square box; the set itself is captured from its best angle. The usual blue CREATOR background is enhanced by faint bushes and trees, framing the cottage and setting the 'countryside' scene indicated by the official set description; it wouldn't otherwise be obvious. Two insets in the CREATOR yellow don't even try to frame the two alternative models. The box 'feels' like good value; it is larger than similarly-priced sets from many other themes, and weightier, though the latter may be due to the instruction manuals. More bushes flank the alternatives, which are showcased with their features on the box rear: Click for a larger image The box artist has done well to show all three distinctly without overlap; the space has been used very well. You'll notice that Thumbs are required to open this box. I used a knife; but, to be fair, this still required thumbs. Despite the inclusion of a minifigure, it's a three-part lantern that decides the scale on the box top: The troublesome gradient behind the inventory persists: why do they put the light-coloured parts in the light corner, and the dark ones in the dark corner? Of the other sides, the left-hand is the most interesting: The two lesser models feature here, with a multi-lingual explanation of '3 in 1' if it weren't already clear. Unusually, the 'Small Parts' warning features on the right-hand side rather than the bottom. Out of the box fall four polybags, three instruction manuals ... and a 16x16 full-thickness plate in Bright Green. It's shown here because I forgot to include it in the Parts section. The Instructions Three smart manuals each have shiny, quality covers; no indication is given as to build difficulty or order, either on the covers or inside. The only information inside the front cover is the new 'sort your bricks!' cartoon. I've assumed that the model order is the primary build, the Small Cottage on the cover; then the Windmill; then the other house, which is called a 'Skater's House' in the official blurb which also uses this order. There's no other indication that this is the 'correct' order; in fact the box art might suggest the smaller models should be reversed; but for clarity and consistency I will refer to the models and their respective manuals as 1, 2, and 3 in this order. The other two manuals are similar: Click the thumbs for larger images More monochrome bushes feature on the covers; different in each case reflecting the change in perspective. The steps are clear and simple. Piece call-outs ask for an average of three to four parts per step: I only encountered one point where the placement of a brick wasn't clear, which will be indicated later; it was of no consequence in any case. Advertisements for other CREATOR sets feature prominently; book one promotes the excellent 7346 Seaside House and 31004 Eagle on their own pages, akong with a composite of several sets on the back cover; I was a little surprised at the choice of 31008 Thunder Wings for the full-page treatment at the back of book three, considering it has what I would consider a rather different market than the houses might attract. Manual one also contains the inventory; see page 1 and page 2. The Parts Hope you weren't expecting Technic. Actually, there are two Technic plates, but otherwise the inclusion is mostly basic bricks and plates. There is great selection of dark blue roof slopes: not quite as good as 5891 Apple Tree House (which, incredibly, is still available, in the UK at least) but still most welcome. Door and window parts are always useful. The bright green 6x6 plate hasn't been seen since early noughties Belville. The smaller part collection is dominated by basic red bricks. We used most of ours building a Toadstool, so I'm not complaining. I got very excited by the inverted bracket when I reviewed the new UCS X-Wing, not knowing I had one in this set which I've owned, unopened, for at least two months. Otherwise, the tiles will always be useful, and I appreciate the inclusion of earth blue cheese slopes. The Minifigure CREATOR houses have included figures since Log Cabin in 2011; they are rarely anything to write home about, and this one is no exception: I'd sooner have had a classic smiley, but I expect TLG have done their market research and presumably kids want more expression. Rather surprisingly, the face isn't that common: appearing only in a couple of basic brick sets, a seasonal CREATOR, and the Winter Village Cottage, along with a few promotional minifigure collections. The entire figure, replete with skateboard, is found the Watford UK store opening set. I'm going to call him Chet. He has an American Preppy look. Not sure if Chet is an appropriate name for a skateboarding, sausage-sucking, drink-spilling preppy, but Chet it is. Model 1 - Small Cottage The primary build is quite a beauty! A surprising amount of detail has been crammed into this cute little cottage. The colour scheme is pretty, with stripes of white and light bluish-grey adding texture and the appearance of height to the red walls; the dark blue roof is smart and features an attractive gable. The yellow door provides a further splash of colour, and is set off nicely by the dark blue cheesy awning. A SNOT-mounted lantern, tiled step and flowerpot - the last typically formed from colourful 1x1 rounds in CREATOR style - add a welcoming aura to the entrance. Note the dark tan plate with rail forming a neat sill under the gable window. I'd like to have seen the roof apex 'finished' with double-slopes - like on the venerable Apple Tree House - but the studded top does help to round it off in a more 'cottagey' style, I suppose. Another window sill sits under the double-height window on the right-hand side; this wall is otherwise featureless ... ... except for the plate-hinges which suggest an opening section for access to the inside. Click the picture for a straight view. The opposite face is far more interesting. Big full-length French windows are the main source of light into the modest internal space, and one slides open - in one of the rare instances of the 1x8 plates with wide rail being used for their intended purpose. We'll see the barbecue in more detail later, but this is a good moment to point out the chimney. Dark bluish-grey and tan are used to add texture to the stone, and slopes gradually angle the flue; the stack sits just off the centre of the roof, but the slopes imply that the chimney is continuous. It's rather pretty; sure, it doesn't use headlight bricks and tiles to add depth like we see on the Winter Village sets, but for a little CREATOR set, I think it's been done quite tastefully. The back of the chimney is squared off nicely, and forms the boundary to the opening rear wall: The dark grey plate with vertical pole forms a little handle, which allows the whole - and otherwise plain - wall to open. You can also see that there's another gable window - replete with sill - on this side. The wall swings back, allowing Chet to sit in his swivelly chair ... ... and preventing adult hands from having to squeeze through the narrow space afforded by the sliding window. In the opening corner is a little table - rather optimistically called 'drawers' in the promotional text - with a lamp of unusual design. It's basic, but at least there's furniture! Though I hope the chair is comfortable, as Chet doesn't appear to have a bed. If the opening wall isn't enough, the whole roof comes off easily: This is great for play access to the interior, even if there isn't that much to do in there. I'd quite like to have seen a bunk bed, or something. Sadly, there is too little space in the roof structure to add any features up there; this is partly because larger bricks have been used than is strictly necessary, in order to allow for the alternative builds. Maybe Chet sleeps in the garden; certainly the little pond obviates the need for a bathroom. The pond is incredibly simple, but still rather effective; the slopes and green plates are somewhat successful in providing an illusion that the pond surface is lower than that of the lawn. I do like the fence. Barbecues seem to be an essential feature of CREATOR houses: Seaside House, Hillside House, Log Cabin, Beach House, and Lighthouse Island have all featured outdoor cookery in various guises. The tradition continues: Chet enjoys his sausage with a cup of something. I'd have appreciated a little clip to attach sausage or 'fork'; you can clip the fork to the plate with bar under the grille, but then there's nowhere to put the sausage. I guess Chet can just hold it while he goes 'boarding. Cottage Verdict: This is a remarkably pretty little cottage, designed to look very smart despite a limited part selection. The opening door, window, and wall section; swivel chair, barbecue and skateboard provide minor play features, but it is in the creation of a beautiful house and garden scene from very simple parts and techniques that this model excels. Model 2 - Diminutive Windmill Hats off to the designer's imagination for including a windmill among the alternatives, even if the execution is a little too simplistic. To be fair, this isn't its best angle; the mismatched colours of the opening side look a little jarring here. I do like the design of the chimney flue, though. Not so on the opposite side with the door; the double white stripe continues above the door here. I'm not so keen on the use of red 1x1 round plates in the central stripe, but at least they are used symmetrically; I'd rather see normal 1x1 plates even is it would result in square flowers in the other builds! The big windows aren't used in this build; instead, four small windows let in some light. A 1x2 brick with frictionless pin - not used in the other builds - allows the windmill to spin ... ... which it manages to do for less than the eight second exposure of this shot. It might have helped a little if I'd built it correctly - the white tiles and red plates should have rotational symmetry. Of course, an effecive windmill would have sails that capture the wind; these barely extend beyond the face of the mill. I do like the minor landscaping detail which, coupled with regularly spaced tiles, makes an attractive path up to the door ... ... beyond which we see a hint of some inside detail. From the front, note again the dark bluish-grey brick which looks a little out of place, and the rather-too-short sails: The back is more interesting than you might imagine: here, the dark tan rail-plates make a little ladder - spaced a brick apart using a technique which might be instructive to less experienced builders - even if it doesn't really lead anywhere. Again a red round plate looks a little incongruous, but not nearly so as the trans-orange one at the bottom of the ladder. Again, the back opens, revealing the inside detail and a eyebrow-raising blue floor: If you don't like the floor, there's a bright green plate you can use instead; maybe blue is better. The white cones are, I presume, bags of flour, although you'd be forgiven for thinking they are milk bottles. It isn't clear from the instructions how exactly to place the SNOT 2x2 round brick onto the wall; I've chosen to use its centre anti-stud as it is a better connection, even though it's now off-centre to the other 2x2 round brick. Like the primary build, the windmill's roof is detachable: The roof section is a very uncomplicated stack of bricks. I'd have thought the black plate with bar at the top of the opening wall section would have been better facing out, at the top of the ladder. Windmill Verdict: A novel idea, though a little disappointing in the flesh. This is by far the weakest of the builds, though its spinning sails might appeal to younger builders. Model 3 - Modest House The final build is another cottage, but this one is long and thin, and there's a good reason for this: it folds! TLG calls this a 'skater's house' - that well-known phenomenon. We'll see why it's call that in due course (and not just because of the skateboard. ) With the house folded out like this, the chimney forms an attractive buttress adding to the 'cottagey' feel. In this and the first view, you can see that the large windows form the end walls; they are topped by the 1x4 arches, which I guess form an architectural feature, but it isn't entirely successful. I'm not sure why the arches were included in the set; apart from introducing a little variety to the red bricks, they don't really add anything to the designs at any point. From the front, you can see how again the wall-mounted lantern welcomes you, and this time there is a little garden tap, though it's a little close to the ground. I'm not sure why the doorknob is a dark blue cheese slope; there are plenty of black 1x1 rounds to do the job a little better, but maybe this is due to show that other parts can be used for this in your MOCs in the unlikely event you've run out of rounds plates. Now for the money shot: Closing the house brings the two large windows together; they look great, but this emphasises the oddity of the arches. I wonder if the blue 'pond' plate might have been better placed in front of the further window. The plain wall formed by closing the model again suffers from an incongruous round plate in its construction. The light bley bottom layer is nicely continuous; the chimney bley intrudes a little far into the wall, but I can live with this: it looks suitably rustic. Chet retains his swivel chair to warm his feet by the lounge fire, but he still doesn't have a bed. This time he does have somewhere to keep his fork (if that's what it is there), but it's all for nothing, because he doesn't have anything to cook. Not a sausage. And that's because his sausage has been employed elsewhere: Nice part usage!! the sausage forms the stem of an angled desk lamp. Super! Shame it's a red light. What do you get up to in the evenings, Skater Boi? Anyhoo, in daylight, he likes to practice his skateboarding tricks, and the house has a means to help him: The plate with rail is a ledge for him to do that thing that I've seen skateboarders do on MTV. Apparently, according to TLG, this is called 'grinding'. Who knew? Skater's House Verdict: There's something refreshing about this little house, which achieves far more than just the folding mechanism would imply. It's cute, it's quaint; it's ... somehow familiar, reminding me quite strongly of some old classics: Here we have the Skater House next to veteran sets 6370 Weekend Home, from 1985, and 376 Town House, from as early as 1978. They're really not too different. Stick a moulded tree and some flowers onto 31009, and you've got a Classic Town set in all but name. Conclusion You know, I really like this cute little set. It's simple, unpretentious; it looks great, with a pretty colour scheme, and there's a bundle of useful house parts for creating your own little town buildings, from homes for your myriad CITY workers to trackside structures for Train fans (I can see an opportunity for a signal box, though you might not want a blue roof). There may not be much in the way of technicality in the build, and play functions are little lacking; the skateboard probably appeals to the kids in this respect, but I'd rather have had a bicycle. As a standalone, it might not compete so well with the slightly cheaper 'action' CREATOR sets; however, it fills a niche that's been lacking now for years: an affordable home that will fit into any Town layout. Design & Build 8 A pretty though simple set, it lacks a little in the build compared to other CREATOR sets, but it's great to look at. Not so much the windmill, perhaps. I'm impressed with the effect of the simple landscaping to create garden features and gradients, and the smart use of colours in the two house builds. Parts 9 Dark blue roof pieces, including corner slopes; large and small windows; and a variety of basic bricks and plates in useful colours make this a great parts pack. I'd consider buying mutliples of this to make a big house. Figures 6 Chet isn't the most exciting dude to be included in a LEGO set. He has a rare-ish face, but I doubt you'd be buying this set for the figure alone! Playability 7 There are a number of good play features; I suspect this set might appeal more to girls than boys, unless they are all entranced by Friends; the somewhat anathematic skateboard might have been included to swing this appeal the other way. Couple the set with some CITY and the playability multiples. Value 10 Part for penny, the CREATOR range is always good value; at £20 for 271 useful pieces, this is a bargain. Couple it with two attractive houses, and ooooh so much potential, and it's a no-brainer. Overall 80% My Score 9/10 Classic Town lives on, in a modern CREATOR-fied form. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the review. Please take the time to comment! Rufus My flickr Set Other CREATOR House Reviews 4954 Town House by Siegfried 4956 House by alex54 4996 Beach House by def 6754 Family Home by Matn 5891 Apple Tree House by def 5766 Log Cabin by The Brickster 5770 Lighthouse Islandby Pandora 5771 Hillside House by Rufus 7346 Seaside House by Pandora I you like my reviews, and would like to learn how it's done, please consider joining the Reviewers Academy:

I took one, but never processed it because I was worried the review would be too long.

Thanks for the explanation! I stand corrected. I've edited the review to reflect this.

Whoa, she's huge! Very nicely done! How long did the she take to build? Here is fine!

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I can't respond to everyone, unfortunately. It's all your fault, Cammo! I came across that one whilst researching this review. It's nice. Agreed. Some SNOT cheeses on the front might do the trick. Thanks Dave! I agree, R2 continues to be too small. a 4w dome might be too big - they need a 3x3. Thanks for frontpaging, Fangy! Thank you for pointing that out! Finding parts you are unfamiliar with on BL is tricky. I think things will spiral out of control! This one is already longer than I was comfortable with, but I wanted to be thorough. Yeah, the charm of the minifigure is hard to beat. UCS is what pulled me from my dark age, though. This isn't desperately important, but I probably haven't made my point clearly enough, so here's what I mean: I've modded the fuselage so that the right-hand side as you look at it is straight in frame 0. You can easily attach the hinge as you move it outwards by a stud at a time until you get to frame 3 - three studs out - when you have to force it; in frame 4 it won't attach to the plate. Therefore, as the side is rotated, the parts are under increasing strain. I swapped the two long technic beams, and now it twists the other way! I've no idea why - none of my other UCS stands have done this. Yup. The instructions really help. Whether the extra is deliberate or just a consequence of the way the sets are packaged, I can't answer. I bet you change your mind when you've built it.

Conclusion Thirteen years have passed since its inception, and the Ultimate Collector Series has lost its name but certainly none of its panache, and finally it has come full circle. 7191 is a hard act to follow: she stands up well even in the face of newer techniques, parts, and colours; however, she had a number of flaws. Her successor has addressed these magnificently: the wings open smoothly, with a more accurate mechanism, and won't fall off in a light breeze; the shape is vastly improved, using some wonderful SNOT work that will delight the builder, and the Cargo Door and its surrounding area look fantastic; the livery is smartened, and the 'Red Five' stripes finally look realistic; and then there are those gorgeous engines. Gone are the STickers Across Multiple Pieces; placing them still isn't without some difficulty, but at least you can dismantle the set now. Of course there has to be a downside, but I'm delighted to say that 10240's flaw's aren't numerous. A slight gap in the body around the wing mechanism might bother some; I can live with it. The stand - although far less wobbly than its predecessor - seems to have a tendency to twist, at least in my case. R2-D2 continues to insist on being too small. And I really am not keen on the new nose. But these, even taken all together, are minor flaws. 10240 is an excellent rendition of the classic X-Wing; a delight to build, to display, and to own. Design 9 Beautifully sculpted, with a smart and accurate livery, 10240 is a thing of beauty. The various flaws of the earlier X-Wing have been dealt with effortlessly, and the new wing mechanism works extremely well. Only the blunt nose loses a point here for me. Build 10 Technic-haters might disagree with this score, but like in 10225 R2-D2, the Technic here is well-hidden and necessary. Its use is intriguing, which makes up for the sore thumbs. Mostly the build is delightful, with some fantastic SNOT-work producing the body contours, and many little surprises that will even please owners of the former; even the necessary repetition is handled in such a way as to prevent boredom. I loved every minute of this build. Parts 9 A huge number of useful SNOT parts, jumper plates, and hinges sit alongside an array of plates, tiles, and bricks that will find a place in most collections. Technic parts may or may not be useful depending on your penchant; some rare or unique parts make this an excellent selection. Display & Function 10 She looks great on the shelf, and is fun to fiddle with as you pass. Mostly, she'll be a great dinner-party centrepiece that even your non-LEGO friends will admire. Value 10 At £109, 7191 seems like excellent value now. £109 in 2000 equates to £159 nowadays; add in 250 extra parts and this set looks very reasonable indeed. Overall 96% My Score 10/10 A superb set. I think this is the highest score I've ever given. If you missed 7191, you really shouldn't miss out on this one. In fact, you really should get this one anyway. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the review. Please let me know what you think of the set! Rufus Resources My flickr Set 10240 X-Wing Starfighter on Shop@Home T-65 X-Wing Starfighter on Wookieepedia LEGO Star Wars Site My other UCS Reviews: Acknowledgments A big thank you once again to The LEGO Group and Kim Thomsen for providing this set for early review! Brickthing for Hero Factory help Hinckley for advice Pandora for seeing me through toasting injuries and tantrums Picture acknowledgements: The Complex by Nuukeer on Dark Side of the Force X-Wing Schamtics; Targeting computer; Endor Battle.... Wookieepedia X-Wing rear (render) on Sandtroopers.com X-Wing model originally on EFX Collectables Studio X-Wing model on Star Wars Technical Commentaries Cockpit canopy movie still from IGN Red Five model from FichtenFoo Dagobah movie still from Do ort not do. There is no try. (Tumblr) X-Wing at Yavin base on Jedi Defender X-Wing model on Modeler Magic Introduction | Parts | Build | Complete Set | Wings Open | 10240 vs 7191 | Conclusion If you like my reviews, and would like to learn how it's done, please consider joining the Reviewers Academy:

10240 vs 7191 Yes, there's a good reason I rebuilt and re-reviewed the old classic 7191. To be fair to both, I've compared them without stickers. Please bear in mind that 7191 is thirteen years old and rather yellowed. 7191 sits slightly higher on her stand, making this shot possible. Ostensibly, their shape is the same. 10240's forward fuselage is longer, and more nicely tapered; partly, this due to a better use of colours, but you may notice that the cockpit (and R2-D2) is more accurately placed further forward of the engine intakes. You might argue that 7191's choice of bright red is more realistic, but I certainly think the dark red is smarter. The 'Red Five' stripes are far better in the newer version, spaced more accurately with jumper plates. The clicky hinges do a better job of laser flashback suppressors than the earlier double-inverted slopes. As I pointed out in my 7191 review, her wings sit tilting slightly upwards; 10240's tend to droop with gravity: The newer X-Wing's fuselage is wonderfully rounded, and the 'T's of the engines are a vast improvement. Without stickers, the plain white of the front edges of 7191's wings looks rather spartan; simple though they are, I dig the minor greebling parts 10240 uses here. 7191 edges it slightly in the rear-end greebles; 10240's may be more accurate, but you can't beat arcane tubing and whatnot: However, 10240's engines knock her elder sister's socks off. Much as I love the barrels and flowerpots, 7191's spindly offerings look entirely too puny compared to the newer ship's chunky wonders - and the new ones won't get knocked off by passing fleas! Likewise, the new tidier rear is a significant improvement over 7191's retro backside: I still like the tank treads fronting 7191's laser cannons, and I miss the tan here, but I do think 10240's look better, especially with the white areas. Blocky though it may be, I do find I prefer 7191's nose. It has the 'chisel' look I'd expect; 10240's stubby affair is, I think, her weakest point. Your Mileage May Vary. Mostly, though, this shot proves one thing: the two can be displayed together. Don't use ownership of 7191 as an excuse to miss out on this new beauty. End of Part Six Introduction | Parts | Build | Complete Set | Wings Open | 10240 vs 7191 | Conclusion

Wings Open Of course, it is with its wings opened in their iconic 'X' that the X-Wing is best known and recognised. We'll have a good look around the model in 'attack' mode, and spend a little time examining the mechanism. You might notice that, here, I've placed the model on the stand sideways, giving the ship an interesting bank angle; however, the lower left laser is in contact with the floor in this position, and the whole feels a little precarious. With the stand in this position, you can balance the ship more vertically, as seen on the box back. I certainly wouldn't recommend leaving it in the above 'banking' pose; whether or not this was the cause, I later noticed a horrible effect on my stand: The display stand looks a little wonky in all my pictures, if you go back and look. I'll have to put the ship on the other way, and see if I can twist it back! Anyhoo, we're here to talk about the wings. 'Attack mode' X-Wing's predatory stance is brought to life with a few twists of the rear knob. This also rotates the 'T's of the engine intakes, and the 'flashback suppressors' on the tips of the laser pylons; both true to the real ship, although the effects look a little exaggerated in this pose. This may be because I have over-extended the wings a little; it is possible to open them less far. The beauty of the Technic 'X' central to the wing mechanism is that diagonally-opposite wings are a single item, so you don't have to worry about the wings not opening accurately; however, as you can see in this picture, the weight of the wings causes the upper two to sit more horizontal than the lower pair in this position. I don't think there's much that can be done about that. At least it wouldn't be a problem in space! Once again, here's the schematic for reference. Note that I've taken this shot from slightly above; in a true front-on view the nose would sit higher. Talking of the nose ... I've refrained from mentioning it so far, but I think this is the weakest part of the set. I like the use of the curved wedges, which seem ideal for replicating the smooth contours of the nose, and the 'slot' in the centre (which represents a sensor array), but the tip of the nose is too blunt. It should come to an edge, like a chisel. I'm not a huge fan of the dark bluish-grey wedges, either. For such a prominent feature, it's a shame that this hasn't received a little more design attention. With the wings open, there's a gaping hole in the side of the rear body: This is unavoidable, and - frankly - I'm not even sure what this area should look like. Even the schematic is inaccurate in this respect: it's side view suggests the wings are together at their inboard edges, which can't be right. Most images of the real X-Wing hide this area in shadow; this model suggests there is something of a gap, but even this looks a little impractical. I'm quite happy with LEGO's solution. It even bears some resemblance to this full-size replica! The gap isn't especially obtrusive (can a hole be obtrusive? ), and affords us a glimpse of the mechanism in action: Here we see the aforementioned paddles at their vertical position. Note also the white liftarms; they are only really visible from this perspective, and you could argue they reflect the 'patched-up' nature of the ship. You may remember I mentioned in the build section a slight gearing up, and a reversal of the rotation of the worm gear axle. It takes exactly four whole turns of the knob to move the wings from horizontal to maximum opening; without the up-gear that would be over six turns, and considerable effort. However, opening the wings via paddles has another effect: it doesn't matter which way you turn the knob. Keep turning the knob, and the wings close again! This gave me a little idea. You may remember some Technic holes in the rear panel. I thought they looked ideal for attaching an XL motor: Please excuse my sucky video. I'm not sure why you'd want to motorise your X-Wing in this way, but it allowed me to demonstrate the mechanism in action without too many Interfering Hands. I've used a rechargeable battery as it has a speed control; full speed is a little fast! I've also tried to show how little resistance there is to moving the wings manually; in the 'closed' position they will flap if you twist the model violently, but are remarkably stable otherwise, and the 'X' construction means you can invert the model without the wings falling off. Finally, at the end of the video I've 'wobbled' one of the engines - there's a little play here, caused by their attachment via only two frictionless pins. Of course, we absolutely must have a Death Star Trench pose: With the wings open, the gap above the engines disappears altogether. The cutaway in the wing underside - where the Technic structure is attached - is sculpted, and looks very much like a design feature. Finally, this is - in my opinion - the X-Wing's best angle by far: Beautiful. I have nothing else to say here. Have some thumbnails of other views: End of Part Five Introduction | Parts | Build | Complete Set | Wings Open | 10240 vs 7191 | Conclusion

The Complete Set And here she is! Look, I even applied the stickers. More on them later; here are some first impressions. The lines and livery are smart. Notwithstanding that the X-Wing is supposed to have a 'patched-up' appearance - which explains the broken red stripe - the choice of colours blends together well, and the body is contoured smoothly, giving her a neat, almost sculpted look. The use of dark red, and the 'cleaner' bluish-greys, helps greatly here. The ship's low front profile is imposing. I love the 'T' shape produced by the ice pick pieces, and the detailing on the wedges of the wings is incredibly effective for something so simple (and saves four nasty STAMPs). One thing that is apparent is the slight 'droop' of the wings in their closed position. This is caused simply by their weight bending the long plates and liftarms of the wing structure. They could be strengthened, but that would add to the weight and might make the problem worse (or at least add to the price). Note also that the stand appears a little crooked: I'll explain a bit later on. X-Wings look great from the rear, and this one excels. Look at those gorgeous exhausts! The rear body is beautifully shaped, thanks to the SNOT 2x4 and 2x4 slopes. This is a good opportunity to point out the design of the laser pylons. Note that diagonally opposite poles are striped, or plain. The stripe ought to be a spiral, as you can see here, but it's still a nod to accuracy. The engines are each only attached via two frictionless pins, but they are remarkably sturdy; you can stand the model on them: Click each frame for a larger picture Note how well the colours are placed in both of these views. Bluish-grey is used only in flashes, and tastefully; the majority is smooth white. With the stickers applied, the large light bluish-grey slopes of the wings are greatly softened, whilst producing a shade which is perhaps closer to the X-Wing's real colour than LEGO white. The red stripes stand out beautifully. If you compare to the schematics, you can see that the overall dimensions are mimicked closely. The engines could perhaps be a little fatter (at least at their front ends), and the fuselage is perhaps a little too narrow. Ideally, the cockpit should taper, but there are other issues with the cockpit canopy and I think the designers have chosen a reasonable compromise. This is my favourite angle. Look at the 'Red Five' stripes. I struggled to find a good image from the movies, but if you look at this render, you can see how the stripes have been placed narrowly together in the LEGO version. They aren't perfect - limited by the lengths of the 1x2 tiles - but it's a nice touch. Even the transverse stripe has been 'slanted' to reasonable effect. Note also the white colouring on the laser cannons, which seems to be appropriate to the real thing. Also, here we can see the gap produced by the wing opening mechanism. The choice of mechanism necessitates this; it's a little more obvious than I would like, but doesn't detract especially from the aesthetics in most views. Viewed from the side, we can admire the 'interrupted' red stripe along the fuselage. I think that this is meant to represent areas where the body has been patched, and is certainly accurate to the real Red Five, at least in so much as various models would suggest. The tan parts reflect areas which look a faded yellow on the real thing, again to good effect; sources seem to vary on their placement, though. Note how the wings tilt forward somewhat. This is caused by the weight of the laser pylons. Interestingly, if you look at the angle of the engine on this studio model of Red Three, this might actually be authentic (although it might also be a consequence of the model's construction in that case, too). The picture above also reveals the 'native' display angle produced by the stand. You can reverse the stand ... ... producing what I think of as the 'Dagobah' position. This could be useful if you want to display the model on a high shelf. The stand upright does move, but it doesn't lock into position at any other angle ... ... unless you modify it. Here I have made the ship sit just off horizontal by wedging a Technic axle through the upright. See here for a picture. The stand in its usual position does allow for a great view of the underside: Note again the smart colours, and the contouring of plates along the bottom; the recesses with the grooved-bricks are a reasonable facsimile of the proton torpedo tubes along the body of the real X-Wing. Features Zooming in on the underside, we can see how inverted slopes, inverted wedges and SNOT-mounted wedges smooth the transition between the forward and rear fuselage. Between these is a panel which opens via clicky-hinges: It's the Cargo Door! And a great representation too! It opens further than this, but there isn't a huge space behind; enough perhaps for the advertised 110kg, or Jek Porkins. Here's what it should look like: Picture from www.starwars5.com Note also the proton tubes, and the hexagonal shape of the fuselage; the latter has yet to be replicated in an official LEGO X-Wing. The cockpit deserves some attention. The canopy opens fully, without removing R2-D2, though in fairness the real one doesn't, and actually pivots at the top surface. The stickered wedge isn't a patch on 7191's wonderful printed part, but it's undoubtedly better than a plain piece. Instead we get a curvy pilot's chair ... ... and a targeting computer. Its sticker is spot on. It also swivels, and if you reverse the 6L stop-pole, it can be made to slide out of the way, though in vertical poistion it interferes with the canopy. Beyond we find the control column, and two generic printed LEGO computers do a good job. You can also just make out the 'rudder' pedals - such a great touch, and it's a shame they aren't easier to see. I remember in the promotional video that the designer pointed out the inclusion of the 'T' of the engine intakes. In what is a definite Nice Part Usage, they are recreated using minifigure ice axes, which are secured into 2L axle connectors, and sit tightly at the correct angle. These curvy parts aren't perfect, but I'm delighted by their inclusion. Also visible are the SNOT parts on the front aspect of the wing wedges, which are surprisingly effective at recreating the detail here without resorting to stickers. I am not at all surprised that a minifigure R2-D2 has been used. He's too small. I think a 3x3 (printed) dome would be the ideal size, but such a part doesn't exist, to my knowledge; I'd gladly sacrifice R2's body for a more realistic size. R2 looks like he's playing some vinyl on what looks suspiciously like a turntable behind him. The greebles here are smart, but I'm a little saddened by the lack of mysterious tubes and levers. Judging by this model, the straight lines might be appropriate, but the studio model has the tubes I'm looking for. More greebles adorn the rear panel. It's tricky to find good picture of this area, but judging by this one, the radar dish/wing-opening knob is an authentic feature. Are you admiring those engines? If not, doo eet naow! Those Hero Factory discs do a great job of adding texture to the sides, and the clippy-hinges very effectively mimic the longitudinal stripes on the nozzles. But should the lights be pink? Most sources show the lights as red, but I think the designer went here: It's Wookieepedia: it must be right! Or maybe here. Any excuse to put Fabuland flowers into a Star Wars model is all right with me. Stickers STickers Across Multiple Pieces were a major flaw of 7191, and why I didn't apply them. How does 10240 shape up in that regard? There are no STAMPs, but large stickers still require some care to apply successfully. The four large decals for the wing surfaces are each unique, and you have to be careful to get the orientation correct, in addition to ensuring they are level. The effect pleasingly reproduces the texture on the wing wedges, and covers up the expanse of bluish-grey that the bare part would leave. Note the 'blemish' on the nearside of this example, which is meant to represent wear-and-tear. Each sticker has different blemishes, in addition to a difference in the placement of the nearside rectangle. Even The LEGO Co. admit that the cockpit canopy sticker isn't easy: there's a whole instruction page devoted to it! Despite the detailed directions, mine still looks like there's a heavy rainstorm. I'll admit the sticker does enhance the look. Note how the canopy piece marries exactly with the 1x3 slope behind - just like in 7191 - but the clicky hinges and the stickered tile in front ensure it sits flush when closed. Two small decals adorn the sides of the fuselage: The instructions tell you to place the 'ZZ' sticker on this side, and the 'red spade' on the other, but the cover image has both of these stickers on the other side. I've chosen to place the 'spades' symmetrically on both sides, and the 'ZZ' on this side with its mirror image on the other. The parts can be reversed if that's wrong. Here's the red spade. Finally, there's the all-important 'UCS' sticker: I wish I had taken inspiration from the cockpit canopy decal instructions here: mine decided to attach itself irrevocably on first contact, slightly skew, and the black spot in the top left corner is actually an air bubble that no amount of thumbing will get rid of. The decals are also quite easy to scratch. I applaud the use of the 6x16 tile to eliminate the need for STAMPs here, and I appreciate the need for decals, but I really wish these large adult-orientated sets would employ waterslide transfers rather than stickers. End of Part Four Introduction | Parts | Build | Complete Set | Wings Open | 10240 vs 7191 | Conclusion

The Build We start with the front half of the main body. Plates and bricks are built onto a 4x4 plate with 2x2 hole: I recognise a hole for a UCS stand when I see one. That plate seems ideal for this. Note the two male clicky-hinges, which will be important later. The 1x2 white plate with rail will support something in due course. Some minor Technic comes into play, and we add the spring suspension pieces, currently doing nothing very much. The yellow Technic liftarms are used as bracing. Yellow and tan look awful together , but they won't be visible from the outside. The red connectors on the axles with the knob-gears aren't attached to anything at the rear end, yet. Note the SNOT plates and bricks on the sides; we'll get very used to clever SNOTting on this model. X-Wing fans will be familiar with the gearbox - the usual mechanism in SYSTEM and UCS X-Wings (except the latest SYSTEM version 9493, I was surprised to find). Interestingly, it is placed into the build upside down - it rests on the red connector and rail-plate in the first picture. I was worried that the use of knob-gears would result in jerky movement, but that doesn't seem to be a problem. 2x4 and 2x3 slopes, attached to the SNOT parts we have placed, define the shape of the sides. The gap between them will be filled later. Now we get to see how those quadruple axle connectors are utilised: they make a pair of paddles (for want of a better word). These paddles slot into the red connectors mentioned earlier: Turning the central connector drives the worm gear, which rotates the paddles in opposite directions, and we begin to get an idea of how the wing mechanism will work. Note the single Technic brick at the near end of the picture: this will attach the rear section shortly. Moving onto Bag 2, we encounter some serious Technic. Love it or hate it, you can't deny it is useful. Personally, I find pushing innumerable liftarms onto multiple pins to be rather tiresome, but as it isn't immediately obvious what you're building, that is compensated for by the intrigue : Two S-shaped constructions in opposite orientations result. They come together to produce what can only be described as an 'X' shape. The 'X' is slotted into the build, with the paddles between the layers. Note the black 2L liftarms on the lower surfaces, and the black stop-bush pins in pairs on the front edges. Neither of these are doing anything ... yet. A two-stud wide block is lined with sandwiches of SNOT bricks and plates, and braced with Technic. Not visible on the front is a single pin ... ... which connects to the Technic brick on the rear of the main body. Long plates strengthen this connection, and the suspension springs are married to the 2L liftarms on the lower edges of the 'X'. We finally find out what they are for! They hold the 'X' in 'closed' position. You might have guessed this already. Here's what we have so far. I wonder what the two dark bluish-grey jumper plates on the upper surface will be for? I should point out at this stage a slight oddity. The 'X' has - by necessity - an asymmetrical construction, but this results in a colour difference between the sides, with white liftarms on the nearside upper surface. Undoubtedly white was chosen here to prevent confusion between the different lengths of liftarm; whether this will be particularly noticeable on the finished model remains to be seen. Bag 3 builds the rear end, and a number of small panels. The former is an attractive greebled structure, with more interesting SNOT work lining the sides and rear; the expected 4x4 round brick-radar dish assembly - which will open the wings - is placed onto a short axle with a 20-tooth bevel gear at the other end. This will mesh with the 12-tooth gear visible on this picture, resulting in two effects: a reversal of rotation, and a slight gearing up. We'll see examine the outcome of these effects later in the review. A number of small panels will fill some of the gaps in the model so far: Note the recess produced by the use of the car roof piece ... ... this is necessary to accommodate the knob gear, which protrudes beyond the sides of the model: It's a clever use of this piece to solve a problem without detracting from the aesthetics. There's quite a gap around the Technic 'X'; hopefully this won't be too apparent on the finished ship. Opening Bag 4, we move onto the forward fuselage. Owners of 7191 will find this section hauntingly familiar, but there are some notable differences. So far, the build has been nicely paced; this bit crawls along, with some steps only adding a single part. Like in 7191, 1x4 bricks with groove form the proton torpedo tubes; if you've read my recent 7191 review, you may remember I pointed out the use of 1x2 slopes to mimic 'rudder' pedals in the cockpit: well, this one has proper pedals! The 1x2 clippy-hinges and grille tiles look great ... even if they don't do anything. Note the 'gap' under the long light bluish-grey plate: this is formed by the use of two 1x6 tiles; I don't know why they didn't just use another 2x6 brick here. A familiar technique produces the sides of the fuselage. Even the 1x5 round-end Technic plate is borrowed from 7191! I don't know why different-coloured hinge-bricks have been used on the right-hand ends. Inverted slopes and SNOT-mounted wedges decorate the underside; there's a meaningful gap between them. The latter detail is the main difference to 7191 here. Compare this picture to the same stage from 7191. 10240's sides are far less fussy. Incidentally, the connection between the slanting sides and the main body isn't an exact number of studs. With a 28-stud long hypotenuse, and a 2-stud long short side, the long side of the triangle this produces is 0.6 mm too short - this is (presumably) withing the tolerances of LEGO bricks, as it seems to work fine. See here for a visual explanation. Edit: The connection is correct: see here for the explanation. Thanks to Anio and Eric Leppen for correcting me on this! Bag 5 is another 'bitty' build. Curved wedge slopes - not available in 2000 - are better at reproducing the smooth outline of the X-Wing's nose, but I'm not so sure about the flat front. Like 7191, it is attached with a 2x2 plate with hole - see here - but there isn't the interposed tile, so the nose of 10240 has a little more play when attached. The upper surface of the fuselage is an attractively-contoured bilayer of plates: There should be a sticker on the transverse 1x4 grey tile. The rear-end greebles are finally built, as a separate panel: The cockpit chair, with control stick, targeting computer, R2-D2 ( ), and cargo door (!) are added. The last's female clicky-hinges will connect to the males we encountered at the very beginning. The final construction in the centre is meant to be built in situ, but I've made it separately. At this stage, cockpit canopy is added, and the fuselage will be complete - but I've chosen to avoid spoilers. We're at the half-way point in the build. I was a little surprised to be building the display stand at this point, but this is the first point at which the model can be mounted onto it without it over-balancing, and I guess it will make it a little easier to add the wings. It's a beautiful, curvy thing. The central column rests slightly off the vertical; it can swivel by a few degrees to be more-or-less perpendicular, but doesn't lock into position here. In common with the more recent 'UCS' sets, a single large tile allows you to place the information sticker without sacrificing lots of 1x8 tiles. Bags 7 and 8 build pairs of identical wings. The 'right-hand' ones come first: Jumper plates are used to approximate the slant of the transverse red stripe, and to space the shorter 'Red Five' stripes more closely together. It appears that the sole attachment to the main body will be via the liftarms; I wonder if the wings will twist slightly when the lasers are added? The wing underside will be visible when the wings are opened; the liftarm attachment is framed quite nicely here: The large light bluish-grey slope looks a little incongruous; it will be covered by a sticker. Some SNOT on the front of the wedge section mimics detail here for which a STAMP sticker was used in 7191. The left-hand wings ... ... are mirror-images of the right-hand wings, identical except for one tiny difference. Can you see what it is? Bag 9 takes us into the third instuction manual, and we start with four odd things: These will form the rear attachments for the wings: they slide into the axle holes of the liftarms, but these are round holes, not axle holes, to they aren't gripped. They will later be secured via the central hole of the 3-wide connector. Next come the engines. These can be a little tricky (made worse because at this point I chopped a chunk out of my thumb whilst slicing bread ). Note how the pickaxe - which forms the 'T' of the engine intake - is attached via a 2-wide axle connector. I was surprised to see a 2x2 round plate inside a 4x4 round plate with central hole: the usual 4x4 round plate below doesn't have an axle slot; this provides extra grip for the dark tan axle. You have to be careful to orient the round parts correctly when placing the side tile via the blue stud-pins, or the 'T' will end up upside down. If you hadn't figured already, the (possibly) new Technic Hero Factory disc creates the side detail of the engine exhausts. The first two discs are pinned together; this is probably to ensure they are orientated the same way rather than adding strength. Clippy hinges wrap around the trans-pink parts to make attractive nozzles. The exhaust slides onto the protruding axle of the engine eccentrically: This allows the 3-wide exhaust to attach, off-centre, to the 4-wide engine. Simple, but nice. There's a studded gap between them, though, and we'll have to see if the exhausts will tend to sag over time. The tan frictionless pins are the only means of attachment of the engines onto the wings. Last and least - in terms of part quantity, Bag 10 provides the wing laser cannons. Using droid bodies and 2x2-2x2 angle brackets to attach to the wings, their basic construction is the same as 7191, though the ribbed tubes on two of the cannons are replaced by stripes, and the 'flashback suppressors' comprise clicky-hinges rather than a single dual-inverted slop piece; white parts are used for the cannon body too. The 'new' design of the 16-toothed gear needs special mention here: It interlocks with the studs! The old one does too, but not tightly like this. You almost don't need the axle. If you have faithfully followed the instructions, you will have a complete model now - all sections are added to the main build as they are completed, and some pieces are placed directly onto the model. I've tried to keep all the subsections separate: It is interesting to note that - although this is very much a modular build - it doesn't completely result in separate modules. This is in contrast to 7191 which, in all its 'pour all the pieces onto the carpet' goodness - does produce discrete parts which you can fit together at the end. Build Verdict: Some complex but intriguing Technic taxes your thumbs; there is a huge amount of delightful SNOT work at play, and it's great fun seeing the body take shape. The forward fuselage suffers a little for being similar to 7191, but there are some unexpected features to keep it fresh. The necessary repetition of the wings and engines is minimised by allowing you to batch-build. The build is interesting: in places challenging; at other times a little slow, but the whole is thoroughly enjoyable. End of Part Three Introduction | Parts | Build | Complete Set | Wings Open | 10240 vs 7191 | Conclusion

The Parts If you were expecting a simple rehash of 7191, prepare to be surprised. Eleven numbered polybags fall out of the box, representing ten modules. To spare my sanity, I have kept the parts in their respective modules, and will demonstrate the parts accordingly. This will necessitate a degree of repetition, I'm afraid, but I will do my best to be succinct. If you want to skip ahead, click here. The first three modules build the rear body section with the wing opening mechanism. Bag One contains the worm gear and gearbox - this time in trans-clear, as found in the majority of SYSTEM X-Wings - along with a degree of Technic and the obligatory Brick Separator. I am surprised to see the two suspension springs, and look forward to seeing how they are employed; a number of SNOT parts hint at how the sides of the model will be realised. I have no idea what the Technic, Axle Connector 2 x 3 Quadruple is for; it is new this year, and found elsewhere only in a couple of action figures. Technic liftarms and pins dominate the selection in Bag Two ... ... but there are also a number of SNOT parts, and different to those of bag one. The Brick, Modified 1 x 2 with Studs on 1 Side, which I first encountered in 60016 Tanker Truck, is new this year, and found in Tan only in a couple of Friends sets. The variety of SNOT parts expands further in Bag Three: The highlight of this rather colourless spread is the Bracket 1 x 2 - 2 x 2 Inverted. It's a new part to me, but I see that it has been around since last year and has already appeared in quite a few sets. If you look back over the first three modules, you'll see that white 2x4 and 2x3 slope bricks have become a recurring theme. We'll see how these are employed when we come to build it. The presence of hinge bricks hint that Bag Four might produce the sloping sides of the forward fuselage: I'm pleased to see the grille tiles in what I think is Flat Silver, and that there are printed controls, after all. Note the odd colours among the hinge bricks. Tan 1x1 round bricks and the rounded ends of the 1x5 Technic plates look familiar to me somehow. The presence of 1x4 plates in light bluish-grey and dark tan can cause a little confusion in the build; it's relatively unusual to find the same parts in similar colours in LEGO sets nowadays. The lovely cockpit piece rattles around in Bag Five, where I'm sure it gets repeatedly scratched. You'll note that it is a different mold to 7191's - it has clicky-hinge attachments rather than the simple studs of the former; I'm surprised to find it has studs on the upmost surface. I was also rather taken aback to find 3x3 plates in this bag: thinking I'd found a new part, I hurried to Bricklink to discover that they appear in the Hobbit set Attack of the Wargs - which has been sitting in front of me since Christmas waiting to be built. A part I couldn't find is the two pole-clips in the centre-front of the picture: please let me know if these have been found elsewhere. There are no prizes for guessing what Bag Six is for: The large 8x16 tile was actually loose in the box, but I've included it here because I have an inkling that this is where it belongs. This appears to be a new variety of UCS stand, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it comes together. Next come the parts for the wings. Bags Seven and Eight are effectively mirror-images of each other ... ... but not quite ... ... see if you can spot the difference. I've arranged them differently to make it more interesting. It's odd that the large 6x8 slopes are here in light bluish grey, rather than the expected white of 7191. There are some nice dark red tiles, more flat silver grilles, and useful quantities of jumper plates. Looking closely at the last, you can see something interesting: I've grown accustomed to a degree of colour variation in white parts; some are greyish, some creamy. This is rarely noticeable in finished sets, but here, the greyish ones are a different mold - they have a bottom lip. We're getting there - thank you for sticking with me! Have some engines: I think there's another new part here in Bag Nine: the twenty-four Technic disc-like thingies in the top right. Again, do let me know if you're familiar with these; I trawled Bricklink thoroughly and couldn't find them, but I'm no Technic expert. I even looked in Bionicle! But not, unfortunately, in Hero Factory. Thanks, Brickthing! Still, they are new in light bluish-grey, and indeed in any solid colour. Also notable here are the four 4x4 round plates with centre hole, first seen in the Bag End set; remarkable for their number are the thirty-two 1x2 clippy plates. I'm delighted to see the four trans-pink Fabuland flowers here! Bag Ten will build the lasers. Owners of 7191 will not be surprised by the four non-printed droid bodies, or indeed the four Classic Space 2x2-2x2 brackets in light bluish grey. Apparently the 16-toothed gear was reinforced four years ago, but I hadn't noticed till now. Have a look at the axle connectors at front left of centre: I had thought that the ribbed design - in tan, here - had been replaced by the newer dark bluish grey variety; however, the former do serve a specific role in Technic gearboxes (I seem to remember from 8448), so I guess these are still around. Parts Verdict: There's a huge selection of versatile and useful parts here: tiles, plates, jumpers, SNOT bricks will all find a home in my collection; the Technic isn't so appealing to me, but there isn't so much as to be off-putting. A spread of rare parts add greatly to the appeal. End of Part Two Introduction | Parts | Build | Complete Set | Wings Open | 10240 vs 7191 | Conclusion

Apologies to Nuukeer whose artwork I have mutilated for the background. Thirteen years ago, The LEGO Group amazed everyone by releasing a Star Wars set that was clearly aimed solely at adults. 7191 X-Wing Fighter was a large-scale, accurate representation of the iconic X-Wing, and introduced to the unsuspecting world the concept of Ultimate Collector Series models - large, complicated builds, with interesting techniques and (often) parts, all with oodles of AFOL appeal. The original 7191 - with its sister 7181 Tie Interceptor - might have been seen as an experiment; years have passed, and the UCS title has (officially) disappeared, but it appears the experiment was a success and the concept lives on. Since then, we've seen most of the more famous SW vehicles released in UCS format, but it has been a long time since an X-Wing has been available at this scale without resorting to extortionate aftermarket prices. If you missed the first one, you need fret no longer: there's a new, updated version. I'm therefore proud to present a Eurobricks early review of 10240 Red Five X-Wing Starfighter. Obviously we are keen to see how the new set shapes up, but I'll also concentrate on how she compares to her thirteen-year-old ancestor: to see if owners of the original 7191 might be tempted to shell out for the new version. In honour of this occasion, I've made a new, detailed review of the older one: read 7191 UCS X-Wing Fighter here. 7191 was a great set, but it had a few flaws. The principal ones are these: the wing attachments were weak, and there were a large numbers of STickers Across Multiple Pieces (STAMPs). Let's see how the new one deal with these issues, and also if newly-available parts have improved the overall shape. A huge thank you once again to The LEGO Group for providing this set for early review! Review: 10240 Red Five X-Wing Starfighter Set Information Name: Red Five X-Wing Starfighter Number: 10240 Theme: Star Wars Original Trilogy / Exlusives / Hard to Find Release: 3 May 2013 Parts: 1558 (Press release) 1559 (Shop@Home) Figures: 1 Price: GB £169.99 | US $199.99 | EUR 199.99 (Ger) | AU $279.99 | CA $249.99 | DKK 1699.00 Links ... LEGO Press Release ... Shop@Home ... Brickset ... Bricklink ... Peeron The Box Click the picture for a larger full-frontal image The 2013 Star Wars box art has a smart, attractive green tinge to the banner, matching action-Yoda's lightsaber. Recent years have seen a uniform banner for all Star WarsTM merchandise - LEGO or otherwise; it doesn't necessarily match the model in question. Action-Yoda appears only in the prequel episodes II and III; the X-Wing is very much an Original Trilogy set. Moreover, Luke's Red Five X-Wing doesn't go anywhere near the Death Star II pictured in the background; as I recall, we don't see her after Bespin in The Empire Strikes back. Questionable canon aside, I like the picture: the ship stands out nicely against the dramatic backdrop. The size of the banner (or perhaps of the box) has, however, necessitated the loss of the lower starboard laser to box oblivion. A small inset - also picked out tastefully in green - gives us an idea of the final size of the model. Around the back, we are treated to the X-Wing in display mode, replete with stand and diminutinve R2-D2, on what might possibly be a Bespin landing platform. Click the picture for a larger image Insets show the ship in her most famous role - dodging laser fire in the Death Star trench - and remind us how Luke's Red Five was responsible for the DS's destruction via physics-defying torpedoes. Further insets demonstrate the opening cockpit and wings, and small images show the ship in 'flight mode', with wings closed. The overall effect is neat but a little fussy: I'm not keen on the step between the main image border and the 'torpedo' inset, which exists only to accommodate the set number. Both sides are identical, with the exception of the 'LEGO Club' logo on the right-hand side; I wonder how necessary this is on an adult-orientated set, but I guess AFOLs have a reasonable chance of having KFOL kids! You may be pleased to see that the box opens via flaps, with no box-destruction required, and allowing easy storage for a highly collectable set. Scale is provided on the box top by the image of '1:1' R2-D2, but as he is rather lost in the model itself, the X-Wing's size information is repeated here: The bottom teaches us to say 'Small Parts' in innumerable languages, which I suppose might be useful. I was a little surprised by how big the box isn't: Measuring W 578 mm x H 371 mm x D 82 mm, it's roughly the same width as 7191, but some six centimetres shorter and only a centimetre deeper; she feels much smaller, if that makes any sense. The weight is similar: 2255 grammes compared to 7191's 2204, and there are 250 more pieces. Presumably this represents TLG's move to more environmentally-friendly packaging; we'll have to see if the larger part count translates to an 'improved' model. The Instructions You'll be pleased to see that the instructions and stickers are wrapped separately, and cardboard-backed. Three booklets are contained therein: All have the same cover image; book 3's cover is noticeably lower quality. Advertisements for the LEGO Club and the LEGO Star Wars site adorn the rear of two of them; I'll give you one guess what's on the back of the third. The dimensions of the booklet allow for a slightly larger picture of the X-Wing than the box front affords: We therefore haven't lost quite so much of the lower starboard laser. Inside, we are treated to a whole two pages showing the modular construction; the first is shown here: Here we get a little sneak preview of how the wing-opening mechanism will be achieved. I was surprised to see that the stand is built in module 6, rather than at the end as in most UCS sets. The rather bland grey-brown background persists throughout all the instruction steps: Part call-outs and sub-builds are demonstrated clearly; a quick glance suggest there won't be any issues with colour-differentiation; but when I came to build, I did encouter a little difficulty distinguishing between dark tan and light bluish-grey in artificial light. I quickly spotted the error. Insets depicting the set's principal features are repeated from the box back at the end of manual three: Click the picture for a larger image Owners of 7191 will recognise the design of the rear-end knob which opens the wings. Immediately before this is found the set's inventory, spread over three pages; see them here: Page 1, Page 2, and Page 3. The inside rear cover of manual one advertises the extensive Summer 2013 Star Wars range: I was a little disappointed to find out that we've seen all these already. I'm no Clone Wars fan, but I love that Mando Speeder. DSS There are two separate sticker sheets; the smaller sports the complex decals for the cockpit: I was fortunate to receive two of these, so I have a backup for when I screw it up. On the larger sheet are found the display plaque decal, and some detail for the wings, complete with 'battle scars', in addition to a few smaller features. Click the picture for a larger image with correct orientation It is far less complicated than the rather daunting sheet from 7191, though I'm a little disappointed to see that - it seems - the control panel and targeting computer will be stickered. End of Part One Introduction | Parts | Build | Complete Set | Wings Open | 10240 vs 7191 | Conclusion

Conclusion This was it, the (joint) first in a long line of super-size LEGO Star Wars models. It set the standard, not just for SW UCS sets, but also for the range of Exclusives which followed, being CITY modular buildings, large-scale Architecture like Taj Mahal or Tower Bridge, or vehicles like the Volkswagens Beetle and Camper or the Sopwith Camels. I like to think of it as an experiment - would these adult-orientated, high part count, high(er) price sets sell; was there a market for them? The answer, it seems - judging by the regularity with which successors still appear - was a resounding 'Yes'. At the time, 7191 was mind-blowing. Here was a pretty accurate, functional, attractive set which would certainly appeal to the AFOLs who had, as children, hankered after LEGO Star Wars. It certainly was a major influence in my return to the LEGO fold. Thirteen years later, and with a new version about to hit the shelves, how does she shape up? I think she still looks pretty good. My fears about the weakness of the wing connections appears largely unfounded; although you still have to take some care not to knock an exhaust, or worse still a wing, off accidentally. She has some other faults: the too-small R2-D2; some inaccuracies in colour and shape, but there's still a fantastic attention to detail. I would have recommended tracking this set down for any reasonable price; we'll have to see how 10240 compares to see if 7191 still deserves such a recommendation. Scores Design 9 Incredible attention to detail for such an early Star Wars set. She's a very good representation of the real X-Wing: instantly recognisable, with abundant details which made - and still make - the set a great centrepiece. The wing mechanism is a reasonable solution, but it is a little weak (as are the exhaust attachments), and in 'closed' mode the wings are a little floppy. Build 7 Mostly interesting, the set's construction runs into a little repetition when it comes to building the wings. There are some great techniques used; in particular, hiding the Technic mechanism so well, and the tapering of the fuselage to the offset nose. Hooray for pieces from 1966! It has lost another point for the stickers: not because of stickers per se, but because of the STAMPs which will be destroyed if you dismantle the set. Parts 9 A plentiful selection of rare parts, even for the time; made even more interesting as many are no longer widely available. Still, if you're trying to buy this set nowadays, you're most likely a collector and won't be in a rush to part it out. Displayability & Function 10 Frankly, this is a display model, and it's an excellent one. The addition of function makes it interactive, and adds to the potential as a talking point, or for fiddling with when passing. It's also swooshable, though a little heavy; and you have to be careful with the wings closed. Value 10 At the time £110 was incredibly good value for the 1300 parts, most of which are large, and for the incredible, innovative, inspiring set they produce. It has long been a sought-after set for collectors, but now the second-hand price is starting to drop. Overall 90% My score 10/10 I've scored it for its time, which may soon be over, but it's still in my opinion one of the greatest Star Wars LEGO sets. Maybe it'll be outclassed by 10240; only time will tell. If you're a die-hard collector, and must have this set despite the imminent release of 10240, it's a good time to get your hands on 7191. I hope you enjoyed the review! Please let me know what you think of the set (and the review). Rufus References My Original 7191 X-Wing Fighter Review T-65 X-Wing Starfighter on Wookieepedia LEGO Star Wars site - There used to a be an Ultimate Collector Series site, but it is no more. My other UCS Reviews: Introduction - Parts - Build - Complete Model - Wings Open - Conclusion If you like my reviews, and would like to learn how it's done, please consider joining the Reviewers Academy:

Lock S-Foils in Attack Positions! Now those wings are opened, the X-Wing Fighter finally gets to live up to its name! Here for the first time we get to see those fence-piece vents on the underside of the wings, with dark grey plates giving an appearance of further detail. She looks much more aggressive and predatory like this. Arguably, this is a better way to display the model. For all these years, I've been concerned about the strain that leaving the wings open will put on the Technic mechanism and the blue connectors, but she has spent a good few years in this position and seems to be fine. You have to be a little careful, though: the attachment of the wings via a one brick-wide length of axle is a little weak; accidentally knocking a wing can pull if off entirely, and then the whole model won't balance, and will likely come crashing to the floor. I love this shot from the rear: possibly the best view of the set. One thing I haven't yet mentioned is the dark grey tile forming a stripe on the top and bottom of each of the engines: this isn't an authentic feature; it's probably there to cover the Technic holes in the 4x4 round bricks, but you can always remove it if you don't like it. I don't think it's necessary for strength. Looking closer at the rear, we finally get to see how the last of the flag pieces are employed: They hold the wings open in the 'X' position. Without them, on inverting the model gravity will cause the lower wings to flop up to the upper ones - and most likely promptly fall off. It's a bit of a quick fix, perhaps, but it works. At least you can invert the fighter with the wings open: despite her 1.4 kg weight, she's rather swooshable, and you can happily perform aerobatics (astrobatics?) especially if you also have the 7181 Tie Interceptor - dogfight, anyone? This is also a good opportunity to admire the 1x1 round plates which line the trailing edge of the wings behind the engines. I'm not sure what they're for - or if they are authentic - but they add a nice bit of detail without using yet another sticker. Let's compare open and closed from the front. I considered superimposing these shots in a 'Leonardo Da Vinci-esque' pose, but it just looked a little confusing. One criticism I've seen leveled at other X-Wing facsimiles - LEGO or otherwise - is that the wings don't open correctly. They should act as though port-upper and starboard-lower wings (and vice versa) are a single unit, like a pair of scissors. Clearly that isn't how these work, but the net result would be that the opposite pairs of wings will sit parallel when opened: and these nearly achieve this. Take another look at the schematics to see what I mean. A Video! I got requests for a video when I first reviewed this set. Please bear in mind that I have no functioning video editing software, so this is raw footage, but at least it is HD. There are two points to make here. Firstly, the wing opening is reasonably smooth, but occurs during the middle of the travel of the turning knob, with some asymmetry. Continuing to turn the knob after the wings are at their limit helps to lock them in place, but you still need the flaps if you're intending to invert it. Secondly, note the way it wobbles. That's a side-effect of the stand design, and makes it feel a little precarious. Actually the stand is pretty sturdy, but you have to wait for it to stop oscillating - which can take a minute or more - if you want to take any pictures! The 'Real' X-Wing I couldn't find a picture of the studio model of Luke's Red Five, so here's a model replica, with Wedge's Red Three representing ILM's original. Note the tan colour of the upper laser ends; on Wedges, note how the diagonally-opposite laser poles are ribbed (admittedly, in a kind of spiral) or plain. Obvious differences to LEGO's version include the hexagonal fuselage - difficult to replicate in LEGO bricks whilst maintain the taper; the engine exhausts are fatter, and have a more metallic sheen (and look a lot more rugged); there are also colour differences: the engine cowlings should probably be white rather than grey, and there doesn't seem to be a transverse red stripe, let alone the longitudinal grey one; there's less tan on the wing; but LEGO's tan plate should have a sticker. The rear body upper greebling looks longer on the Red Five replica, but about right on Red Three; R2-D2 is, of course, bigger than LEGO would have us believe. The bulbous nose might have been better recreated with curved wedges - not yet 'invented' in 2000. End of Part Five Introduction - Parts - Build - Complete Model - Wings Open - Conclusion

The Complete Model All the sections are together, and this monster is complete. She's pretty big. If the minifigure-scaled droid isn't reference enough, she is 50.5 cm long from the tip of the nose to the exhausts, 46 cm wide, and 24.5 cm tall with the stand. Incidentally, the measurements on the box back are a load of rubbish. From front-on, she has a low profile, with the iconic four engines looking pretty imposing. Note the upslope of the wings here. The model has been freshly built; they tend to settle into a more horizontal position over time. The front of the wings look a little plain - there's acres of white there, which are meant to be covered with stickers. Moving around to an oblique view, we can see the proton torpedo tubes formed from cutaways in the sloping sides, and the broken red stripe which is reasonably accurate to Luke's Red Five. I'm not sure about the green tiles - I don't remember them from any shot of the real ship. Ideally, the fuselage should be hexagonal in cross-section; the protruding red 1x8 tiles recreate this to some extent. I have yet to see a LEGO version that mimics this successfully; ironically, LEGO's original 7140 did the best in this respect, but the nose didn't taper. Only the flag pieces just in front of the engines achieve this to any extent here. I love the long laser cannons. They are much better than the short efforts of all of the SYSTEM X-Wings. However, there is a slight problem: their weight causes the wings to pivot downward slightly, so they aren't quite parallel to the body: Note again how the lasers are all unique: ribbed tubes occur on diagonally opposite pairs; both upper lasers have tan tread-hub detail compared to the grey lower ones. This is accurate to the real X-Wing, to an extent, as we shall see. If anything, the lasers are a tiny little bit too long: if you compare to the schematic; but the difference is minimal. Click each picture for a larger image The plan view is pretty accurate to the schematic. R2 should be say a little further forward: ahead of the front of the engines, rather that level as he is in the model. There's a lot of lovely detail at the rear. The radar dish - cracks apparent - controls the wing opening mechanism; it sits a little proud of the rear fascia - moreso than the real thing, which is recessed - but that is necessary for its function. The engine exhausts look good with the barrel pieces providing detail, and I love the flowerpot pieces as nozzles; however, they should probably be a little more detailed, and certainly wider. One of the flaws of the set is that the exhausts are attached to the engine body only via the studs of the black 2x2 plates; the connection is a little weak, and it's quite easy to knock the exhausts off. With the wings closed, you can choose to display the ship without its pedestal: it balances quite nicely on the rear section, and looks rather attractive in this view. No landing gear is included, sadly; it should be quite easy to add a nose skid, but applying rear skids accurately would involve a major redesign of the lower engines. You can't do that with the wings open; however. This is a good opportunity to note another problem: with the wings closed, they sit horizontal only through gravity; invert the model, and they flop upwards. You may remember that I mentioned the stand has two natural positions, which correspond to the centre and right-hand images below: The weight of the model also allows you to position the ship roughly horizontally, with the stand as far forward as it will go, allowing some impressive versatility in display options. Features Now let's take a closer look at some of the X-Wing's details. The cockpit is nicely designed. Tiles and grilles give the seat the appearance of padding, though its angle looks a little uncomfortable. The printed wedge really adds to the appearance here. From the rear, you can see the otherwise almost-hidden targeting computer. This should really be on an retractable unit, to be accurate to the movie, though. The black fingered hinge-bar - designed, I believe, for a train pantograph - makes a good representation of the control column; look closely beyond that and you'll see one of a pair of dark grey 1x2 slopes - referenced in the build section - which represent rudder pedals (though I'm not sure where the rudder is!). You have to remove R2 to open the canopy this far. Behind R2 sit some simple but pretty greebles picked out in dark grey - as I pointed out in the UCS Snowspeeder review, old dark grey is a great colour to represent engine grease. I'm not so keen on the visible blue here, but you could swap that out if it bothers you. Now onto another gripe: R2-D2 himself. The decision to use a minifigure-scaled R2 here is quesionable, to say the least - he looks far to small, and sits too high for realism. I'd rather have seen a printed 4x4 dome employed - and sacrifice R2's body - like in Obi-Wan's Starfighter, though the part in question wasn't invented until 2009. A 3x3 dome - should such a part exist - might be the ideal size. You can also see here how the sloping rear edges of the cockpit sit flush with the 1x3 grey slopes: almost as if it were designed that way. Of course, ideally the cockpit cover should have tapered sides, and sit lower at is widest point, but I think this is a reasonable representation. Down beneath the ship, we can see the open cargo door: When closed, it is held in place by the 2x2 inverted dome with a satisfying 'click'. The door is a little longer than the real thing, but I'm happy about its inclusion. You can't fit much in there; there is an opening into a cavity behind; ask your postman for advice on getting anything in there. End of Part Four Introduction - Parts - Build - Complete Model - Wings Open - Conclusion

Thanks, Grogall! I'll update the first post when I get the chance.

The Build I've chosen to do a very thorough review of this set, and document the build process in some detail. This may therefore take some time. Part One - The Nose We start with the long and rather phallic nose and forward fuselage section. Starting with the rear end, the floor of the fuselage is built first and tapers gently towards the front. The colourful parts will be well hidden in the final model. Note the hole in the floor, which will be partly covered but persists to some extent - I still don't know why there's a hole there - and the flag pieces at the sides; we'll see what they do shortly. Some detail is added to what will become the cockpit. In the first frame, two 1x1 cones are added SNOT using the old technique of stud-pins in 1x1 technic bricks, before these were invented. In front of these, some 1x4 bricks with groove form the X-Wing's proton torpedo tubes. An attractive pilot's chair is made using the finger hinges; a control stick is added, centred with jumper plates. Note the two dark grey 1x2 slopes just in front of these. The other sub-build is the computer console; it is added later but put here for convenience. The following technique will be familiar to anyone who has ever build an X-Wing, with the exception of the first one (7140). This was the first time it was used, in Star Wars, at least: Notwithstanding that I've built the closer one wrongly , this slanting wall technique can also be found in both Sopwith Camels 3451 and 10226, and the Red Baron 10024. Note the 1x5 Technic plate, the rounded ends of which prevent the corners snagging on the fuselage body when the two are attached ... ... like this: Two more mysterious flags grace the sides at the rear. Now the bulbous nose is built. It is five studs wide, and attached to the body at a half-stud offset via a technic pin, with an interposed tile to prevent it twisting: The two are secured via a 2x2 plate with hole. It's a clever use of a part which has been in existence since as early as 1966, and shows incredible foresight for a piece originally designed as a train coupling. The top of the fuselage is a simple tapering construction of plates. It is attached to the body at front and rear, and also to the tapering sides via a single stud: This connection deserves a note. The taper of the sides is so gentle that the single stud can connect to the top section comfortably within the tolerances of the plate design, but I'm sure LEGO Digital Designer would consider this an illegal connection. Not that I've tried. And the section is complete! Now we can see the flags in their final position, creating a vague hexagonal shape to the fuselage here. Part Two - Body and Mechanics The real meat of this build comes now, and we get to find out how the ship's wings get to achieve their 'X'. Surprisingly little Technic is employed. 10L axles are threaded through white Technic beams mounted perpendicularly to the body, in two layers, one for each wing. The blue cross-axle connectors mentioned earlier will form the attachments for the wings. Two 16-tooth gears on each layer will eventually intermesh, but are initially placed apart. A slight oddity of the instructions is apparent here: in the right-hand frame, the bare ends of the top axles will have to be threaded through two 1x4 Technic bricks, requiring you either to push the axles toward the rear, or partially deconstruct the model. These parts are added now, and I've reversed the nascent build to show how blue 1x3 plates are used to add vertical bracing. Now pay attention, 007. The 16T gears are now intermeshed, and as pointed out in the instructions page I showed earlier, you have to ensure the blue connectors are angled correctly: a slightly counter-intuitive angle, as it turns out. What the instructions don't tell you is that to mount the black gearbox with its transverse axle, you have to push the longitudinal 10L axles back half a stud. Some minor greebling is found on the rear end, which is built separately and threaded over the central axle. A clever use of 2x3x1 wall panels fills the gaps along the sides without interfering with the gears. The modern version of these parts has strengthened sides, and wouldn't work here. Two red arches will support the roof; the rear arch isn't necessary as it isn't arching over anything much, but hey. Look at the blue connectors again. In the first frame, they are in the 'closed' position; in the right-hand frame, in the 'open' position. In each case, their travel is limited by the tan plates, which prevent you over-extending the wings either way. Simple, but clever. Their slightly odd angle is necessary to allow for the weight of the wings, which will pull them into the desired position. I'm a little uncomfortable with this; one might assume that, over time, the weight of the wings will cause undue strain, but 13 years have passed and mine seem to be fine. The largest plate in the set forms the roof. The blue jumpers will be where R2-D2 is placed. Roof bricks will smooth the sides, and some nice detail in dark grey is added. Finally, the canopy is added: Note how little Technic is visible from the outside. The two visible gears will be hidden by the wings. Part Three - Body Underside From here on in, there's still a lot to build, but the pace picks up somewhat. The body underside is formed of a simple sandwich of colourful plates, rounded with inverted slopes. See here for the intermediate steps. The monorail cockpit cover is inverted, and forms the fighter's cargo hold; just behind this is a 2x2 hole which will accommodate the stand. Of note are the two black ribbed tubes at the rear, which have to be forced into a curve; the two 1x1 technic bricks they are attached to don't like this much. Part Four - Wings Two pairs of identical wings come next. The instructions direct you to build each wing separately and completely; this involves considerable repetition, and I find it saves time to build them in batches: Note how the old-style fence pieces are mounted SNOT to create the appearance of vents on the underside. Here's a matching pair, with the long slopes added. A small glimpse of vent remains visible from the top surface. Red tiles denote that this X-Wing is Luke's Red Five. Part Five - 'My Laser' As I have said, the instructions ask you to build each wing separately, and you might therefore miss that the four wing-mounted lasers are each unique. They are formed of rear sections with either a tan or grey tread hub, and front sections with either ribbed or smooth sections. Part Six - Engines Again, two pairs of mirror-image engines are required. Technic pins on the left side of the one shown here will connect to the wing; the dark grey axles with stud on the right - the stud end secured between two 2-holed Technic bricks - are the means by which the wings join to the blue connectors on the body. I like the simple way the large cylinders form the engine intakes, though it should be noted there is no vertical 'T' as can be found on the real X-Wing. A few minor sub-builds finish each wing: The engine exhausts consist of round bricks and barrels threaded over an axle, so that there are anti-studs at each end. The flowerpot piece connects surprisingly tightly to the bottom of a 2x2 round brick. Part Seven - Take a Stand And finally, the stand: It's identical to that of 7191's UCS contemporary, the 7181 Tie Interceptor. Technic liftarms at the back allow the stand to sit comfortably in two positions, pictured here; it can also move forward a little, as we shall see. If you have followed the instructions loyally, you'll have connected all the bits as you go along, but I've saved all the separate modules for maximum anticipation: And on that note... End of Part Three Introduction - Parts - Build - Complete Model - Wings Open - Conclusion

The Parts First off, a disclaimer: this is a thirteen year-old set, and has been on display for some years, been dismantled and rebuilt several times, and some of the parts - particularly the white ones - are a little grubby. I've divided the parts arbitrarily by size, and by how I decided to store them last time. First off, the larger parts: The set's principal colours of white, red, and tan, are interspersed with old grey and dark grey, and some blue filler which for the most part won't be visible on the finished model. I've highlighted some of the more interesting parts here: The large trans-clear cockpit canopy is, of course, unique to this set. My understanding is that the upcoming 2013 edition uses a different mold, but we'll see. The now rather off-white Slope 6x8 us no longer especially rare, but was exciting for me at the time; the 1980's Monorail canopy is unique here in grey, and does not occur elsewhere in a solid colour; the black gearbox will be familiar to anyone who has ever built any X-wing, but is more commonly found in trans-clear. Most interesting for me are the flowerpot - unique here in dark grey, and appearing elsewhere only in garish colours in Scala and Belville sets; the tread hub can only be found in this set in grey or tan; and the now defunct Technic cylinder makes its final appearance in this set. The tan 4x4 radar is noteworthy only because it has, unfortunately, cracked. White slopes and grey pieces dominate the medium-sized brick selection: It's nice to see the eight grey fences pieces in the top right. Some Technic starts to appear, but there's surprisingly little for a working model. Highlights of this selection include ... ... the two printed parts of the set (excluding R2-D2), the relatively common targeting computer slope, and the unique and beautiful 4x4 printed wedge slope. I've no idea how the timing gear is meant to be used, but it's purely for detail in this set; the black ribbed tube 4L gets rather kinked when the set is built for a time, but I stored it over a Technic axle. The dark grey spoked wheel isn't escpecially rare, but I wish we saw more wheels like this. The barrel will be familiar to most, but is unique here in grey; likewise the droid body here is the earlier version without the axle holder, and occurs in grey only on this set. A huge number of tiles and corner plates dominate the medium plate array: There's also a quantity of 1x4 SNOT brackets, in an otherwise unremarkable bunch. Note the six white 2x2 flag pieces at the front-right; these will serve two very different but equally interesting uses. Finally, the fiddly bits: Tiles and grille-tiles are the stand-out parts here. Honorable mentions go to the 'old-style' pin connectors (top left), and the now-defunct but popular finger hinges just below them; but I should point out what is possible the single most important part of the set: the eight blue perpedicular axle connectors - otherwise a common and yawn-worthy piece - play shall we say a pivotal role in 7191. End of Part Two Introduction - Parts - Build - Complete Model - Wings Open - Conclusion

That's right folks, it's the old one, not the new one. But didn't you review that one already, Rufus? Ummm... no. Are you sure? Not even here? Oh... that one. It wasn't very good. The Incom T-65 Starfighter - better known as the X-Wing Fighter - is perhaps the second most iconic of all the Star Wars ships, with only the Millennium Falcon besting it. It is, of course, the ride of Luke Skywalker himself, and appears prominently in all three of the Original Trilogy movies. As the headline act of LEGO's nascent Ultimate Collector Series, it seems the ideal choice; four SYSTEM versions have appeared, and it seems rather incredible that it has taken thirteen years for TLG to release an updated UCS version. But before the new one hits the shelves, let's take (another) look at the 2000 original. Yes, I've reviewed this set before: in fact it was my second review here on Eurobricks, before I joined the Reviewers Academy, and by today's standards the review could be a whole lot better. Plus, the pictures got degraded by my attempt at batch-resizing, and I failed to keep the originals. So, it's about time I brushed the dust off this old classic, and gave it the RA treatment it deserves! And with a new UCS X-Wing on the way, could there be a better time? Review: 7191 Ultimate Collector Series X-Wing Fighter Set Information Name: X-Wing Fighter Number: 7191 Theme: Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series (Original Trilogy) Release: 2000 Parts: 1300 (Source: Brickset, Bricklink) Figures: 1 Weight: 1400 grammes (model) - 516 grammes (box) 288 grammes (instructions) Price: GB £109.00 | US $150 Second Hand: Used from £222 | New from £590 Source: legostarwars.wikia.com Links ... Brickset ... Bricklink ... Peeron ... LEGO Star Wars Wiki Note: This is a big review. I've split it into several sections, in case you want to skip forward or have to come back to it. Box, Instructions, Figure (this post) Parts Build Complete Model Wings Open Conclusion The Box Click the picture for a larger full-frontal image Measuring H 428 x W 590 x D 68 mm, this is a big box. It's also quite stunning in its simplicity: the X-Wing is pictured here at slightly large than life-size, and captured at a dramatic angle, whilst tastefully rendered in black and white. The image is also slightly embossed, and has a glow which makes it leap out at the eye. Behind the picture is a 1:1 scale line drawing of the ship in plan view, perhaps to silence any Trades Descriptions complaints! In these days before standardisation of the logos on Star Wars merchandise, the SW logo competes a little too well with LEGO's own emblem, but given the LEGO-Star Wars relationship was yet in its infancy, this may have been quite deliberate. Somewhat unusually for UCS and Exclusive sets nowadays, this set was available elsewhere: I bought this off the shelf at Toys R Us for what seems like a pittance. Another glorious image graces the back of the box, this time in full colour but not embossed: Click the picture for a larger image Here we get to admire the set for the amazing display piece it still represents, replete with brick-built stand - an innovation at the time. Small insets highlight the model's various features: the wing-opening mechanism, the opening cockpit canopy, and, of course, the Astromech Droid. We'll talk about him later. Some factoids about the real - fictional - fighter accompany scale and size information in the bottom right-hand corner; you can click through to larger sizes if you want to read these. My box is rather battered, and a little squashed, and you can see it has been sealed and re-sealed several times, but on the whole I think it has done well for a thirteen year-old set that has moved house several times. The box has a lifting lid, with a diagonal cut-away at the sides; some other views of the model cross the flaps: Here are right and left sides respectively. TRU's bar code sticker rather spoils the view of the right side, but note how the front image wraps around to the side here. A small X-Wing flies straight out of the box top at you ... ... whilst on the bottom, Yoda's ghost reminds you that this set is for adults (or at least people over the age of 14). Thirteen years and I had never noticed little Yoda before. A dead link no longer takes you to the Ultimate Collector website; a bajillion languages warn the world of Small Parts. No cardboard-ripping is required to open this box: just lift the lid! Inside, we see that the sides of the box are reinforced, and the parts fit quite nicely. I'm afraid I cannot recall the number or assortment of polybags in the new set, but this was before the days of numbered modules. There is quite a lot of excess space here, though: I was able to store all the parts in a much smaller box. The Instructions The single booklet weighs a meaty 288 grammes, and its cover replicates the box front almost exactly ... ... as does its rear the box back ... ... although the LEGO and Star Wars logos are conspicuously absent - the latter replaced by web addresses and copyright information. This was, perhaps, a little ahead of its time - I certainly didn't even get dial-up until 2001. What did I do with my time back then? Opening the booklet, we find that the construction is indeed rather modular, with page references for the various subsections in case you couldn't build it all in one sitting. Given the size of the set, that is quite likely. Click the picture for a larger image Remember, we're adults now, so there's no need to sort the pieces carefully on a flat table prior to construction. The first time I built this was on a crumpled duvet on the bed, rummaging through all the bags for the individual parts. This is quite true - you never forget your first UCS. The instruction steps are clear, with part call-outs, and sub-builds demonstrated well. Important technical issues are given special prominence, such as this crucial step in the wing mechanism: Builds stand out against the dark blue background, but colour differentiation can be an issue - as was often the case - between grey, dark grey, and black. I recall accidentally using a dark grey 2x4 plate instead of black the first time I build this, a mistake I didn't discover until building the stand at the very end. A lot of effort went into making this instruction booklet. Some considerable research resulted in this information page, towards the rear: Click the picture for a larger image Some suspension of disbelief may be required to accept that a 4x6 red tile-plate represents 'reserve power cells', but you have to admire the intent. Certainly less effort goes into today's Exclusive sets, perhaps because the range has proved successful; only the Architecture booklets go further. Remember the days of alternative models? Here's a suggestion for 7191: Good luck building that from the picture. I'm not convinced it's worth the effort, personally, although I applaud its inclusion. Be prepared for a trip down Memory Lane, as we move toward the rear of the booklet: Click the picture for a larger image Remember these dudes? I still have the Destroyer Droid: one of the hardest builds I've ever encountered! The Battle Droid was a work of genius. SYSTEM-Star Wars was in its infancy back then, and it shows: Click the picture for a larger image Still, I have some fond memories, particularly for the 7130 Snowspeeder. I think it was 7130 and this set which pulled poor Rufus back out of his dark ages. Decal Sticker Sheet Two sticker sheets accompany the set. The larger is printed on transparent plastic: Whew, this is busy. Apart from the cockpit canopy stickers, there are decals for the engines, the body sides, the wing tips, and the wing front edges. Many are STAMPs: protesting against their destruction when you take the set apart, I chose not to apply them in the first place, and they've stood the test of time well. The UCS display plaque sticker - also a STAMP - is printed on glossy white paper. These wonderful decals have become a tradition, and exist with similar designs in today's Star Wars Exclusives, even after the demise of the Ultimate Collector Series title itself, and I note that UCS-scale MOCers often make their own. In this case, mine is a little scratched, but mercifully still intact and flat! The Minfigure Yes, it's R2-D2. He's the one in the middle, in case you were wondering. This is merely a small selection of the R2-D2s I have. We'll comment on the wisdom of inluding a minifigure-scaled R2-D2 in this UCS set later. There is one point it its favour: this early R2 - although otherwise identical to all later R2s before the 'bley head' introduced in 2008 - has no axle hole in the body, allowing you to add a 'third leg' without resorting to cutting pieces. End of Part One Introduction - Parts - Build - Complete Model - Wings Open - Conclusion

lisqr, your kitchen is beautiful! Some amazing techniques here. The tiles, the cupboards, the wine rack, the floor... Shrink me down to size and I'll move straight in.

Here in Special is perfect! Thank you so much for reviewing this! You've done a nice job. I've never seen this set in any detail before. It's a simple design, but produces quite a realistic ferry. I love these rare promotional sets. I'll have to create a space in the Index now.