REVIEW: 8087 Tie Defender

[Delta 38]

This set looks quite interesting. I may be picking this up, but I'm not quite sure yet with the price.

Personally, I like the addition of another Stormtrooper in the set, even though it seems a bit pointless. I have a small, expanding army of Clones/Stormtroopers, so it's convenient for me.

[Section8]

My friend bought this set and I built it for him. It's a pretty good looking set, but there are some major flaws. The cockpit spins loosely, which is both annoying and not accurate to the ship (unlike the B-Wing). Also, while I welcome the switch to more movie-accurate grey on the TIE wings, the underside of the wings are more visible than the tops at most angles and those are rather messy-looking. The tops and bottoms couldn't look 100% alike, but they could have been more alike. I recognize that making them alike may have compromised stability of the wings and made them weaker though. I guess this is something that can be modded. As for the figs, the new TIE Pilot helment is very nicely done, and another stormtrooper is always useful. I'd give the set a 3/5 and I will pick it up if I can get a deal on it; 50 USD is a bit much for the piece count and figs.

[Knightsword]

Its a great addition to the Lego TIE family, though I did replace inner most 1x2 tecnic brick with one that had an axle hole to stop the needless spinning, again something Lego could have done on their own.

[Mofo Jones]

I'll have to get some Imperial insignia round tiles for this set. I know it's a simple difference, but despite the detail and engineering of this set, it looks unfinished to me without the set. I'm also considering changing the flick fires to something like the guns on the 6206 TIE Interceptor.

[Alldarker]

Its a great addition to the Lego TIE family, though I did replace inner most 1x2 tecnic brick with one that had an axle hole to stop the needless spinning, again something Lego could have done on their own.

I think what you see as a bug, Lego saw as a feature... Actually, I think you are right: I bought the set today and I don't like the spinning cockpit much either. Replacing the innermost 1x2 technic brick (one hole) with a 1x2 technic brick with axle hole is a great idea.

I also don't understand why Lego put the red 1x4 brick with side studs in the cockpit: it only seems to get in the way of the pilot. Still, on the whole it's a nice set, and the new TIE pilot is excellent.

[Big Cam]

You know the more I see this set, the more it grows on me. I think your review has something to do with that.

I just wish it wasn't so expensive.

[starstreak]

I'm with you on that. It should be cheaper. But ah well. LEGO=Crack for good kids. lol. or AFOLs.

You know the more I see this set, the more it grows on me. I think your review has something to do with that.

I just wish it wasn't so expensive.

[LegoDad42]

Great photos! BUT....man, this is too much of a rip off from Lego. Vader's fighter is just about the same amount of parts and I picked it up for only $30us retail at Target. And this is $20bucks more in one year's time from that ship??? C'mon...clearly to take advantage of Star War collector compleatists. It has a great look but doesn't justify anywhere near the price. $40 is TOPS on this(if that). There are no unique parts or extraordinaire mini figs. Just look at that cockpit...jeeeeez. Not even a decorated tile piece with the abstract electronic pattern on it to put in there. At least Vader's ship had that. I'm assuming by adding the Stormtrooper they feel they put something extra into it.

To have justified this ship they should had some kind of flight deck crew for this. Create a couple of new mini-figs for the flight deck crew and some kind of simple platform/ladder for the pilot to climb into the cockpit. Even leaving the mini-figs out, they could've added this extra ladder device...using existing pieces to create a step up for the pilot...then you could say ok...we got like another mini-fig or 2 and about 30-40 more pieces and you can justify the $50bucks.

I'm gonna' wait till I see this go down somehow. I hope people don't pick this up so they can cut the price later on this year.

[starstreak]

Don't worry, it'll come down later. I see penty of boxes on the shelves. It'll sell to guys like me who just can't wait. Doh. I'm sure it'll go down in price. Btw, even Vader's ship was unreal price when it first came out. I.. yes. $37.99. Click on the price.

Great photos! BUT....man, this is too much of a rip off from Lego. Vader's fighter is just about the same amount of parts and I picked it up for only $30us retail at Target. And this is $20bucks more in one year's time from that ship??? C'mon...clearly to take advantage of Star War collector compleatists. It has a great look but doesn't justify anywhere near the price. $40 is TOPS on this(if that). There are no unique parts or extraordinaire mini figs. Just look at that cockpit...jeeeeez. Not even a decorated tile piece with the abstract electronic pattern on it to put in there. At least Vader's ship had that. I'm assuming by adding the Stormtrooper they feel they put something extra into it.

To have justified this ship they should had some kind of flight deck crew for this. Create a couple of new mini-figs for the flight deck crew and some kind of simple platform/ladder for the pilot to climb into the cockpit. Even leaving the mini-figs out, they could've added this extra ladder device...using existing pieces to create a step up for the pilot...then you could say ok...we got like another mini-fig or 2 and about 30-40 more pieces and you can justify the $50bucks.

I'm gonna' wait till I see this go down somehow. I hope people don't pick this up so they can cut the price later on this year.

[Princess Muttonchops]

Great review Starstreak, excellent photos. Can't say I'm too crazy about this set. It seems overly simplistic, and apart from the new pilot mini-fig doesn't really offer any special pieces. I think the droid tri-fighter looks more interesting. This is definitely one of those, "only-if-it-goes-massively-on-sale" sets for me.

[LegoDad42]

Don't worry, it'll come down later. I see penty of boxes on the shelves. It'll sell to guys like me who just can't wait. Doh. I'm sure it'll go down in price. Btw, even Vader's ship was unreal price when it first came out. I.. yes. $37.99. Click on the price.

I hope your right. Man is that price for real? What store had it for that high? I hope it'll follow the same trend and come down in price. I picked up Vader's ship for $28.99 at Target in New York early last year.

[starstreak]

Yes. TRU in Hawaii. It eventually came down a few bucks more.

I hope your right. Man is that price for real? What store had it for that high? I hope it'll follow the same trend and come down in price. I picked up Vader's ship for $28.99 at Target in New York early last year.

[Future74]

Can anyone that has this set do me a favour? Can you check the underside of the largest black piece that form the wings and see if they are matt black or 'shiny' black? Three out of the six of these pieces are MATT black on the underside and this is surely not correct?

Yes, Mine has 3 of those matt black panels, I would assume they are produced in a different factory Possibly the UK. This is because it says it is made in Denmark, Hungary, United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic, and so far I have not seen any other sets that have pieces made in the UK, also this set doesn't have many special pieces.

Got and build mine and yes I've got those 3 matt black (on the inside) panels aswell.

I contacted Costumer Service via Lego.com/replacement parts/received a broken part and explained it in the memo.

They've send me 3 replacement parts which are 'shiny' as they are supposed to.

Thanks TLC!

[Brickus]

Has anyone noticed that the helmet is the same mould as the new AT-AT driver.

[MaxGoof]

I bought this set today and am having a horrible time with it--the wings seem to be too heavy to support and are pulling out the supports from the lone 1 by 2 technic piece being used to hold them in! As a result, the wings keep falling off! I feel like I must be doing something wrong, but I've built and rebuilt the supports for the wings and the technic piece just can't sustain the weight of these wings. Is anyone else having problems like this, or am I nuts?

[Destroydacre]

I bought this set today and am having a horrible time with it--the wings seem to be too heavy to support and are pulling out the supports from the lone 1 by 2 technic piece being used to hold them in! As a result, the wings keep falling off! I feel like I must be doing something wrong, but I've built and rebuilt the supports for the wings and the technic piece just can't sustain the weight of these wings. Is anyone else having problems like this, or am I nuts?

There shouldn't be any problems. The only thing that I can think of is that perhaps you didn't push the technic pins in all the way for the wing supports?

[MaxGoof]

There shouldn't be any problems. The only thing that I can think of is that perhaps you didn't push the technic pins in all the way for the wing supports?

I'm such a fool!!

I stuck the technic pins into the wings and then pushed half of each pin into the support with the other half remaining in the wing!! So instead of the wings being on top of the support, they were off to the side and just kept falling off! HA! I guess this is what I get for building a model of a ship that I had no idea what it was supposed to look like...