REVIEW: Heavy Duty Helicopter 4439

[Brickviller]

Hey fellow Eurobrickers!

Today I review one of the new Lego Forest police set. The heavy lift helicopter for the brave policemen (and women) that help to protect and keep Lego City safe. Well this time not really IN a city, but more in the nearby forrest. A welcome change if you ask me, but maybe a little to close to the regular police theme of last year. Without further ado lets start shall we?

Name: Heavy duty helicopter

Number: 4439

Theme: CITY (Forest police)

Year: 2011/2012

Pieces: 393

Minifigs: 3

Shop description

Track down the robbers with the Heavy-Duty Helicopter!

The Heavy-Duty Helicopter flies over the forest treetops in search of the pesky robbers. Help the pilots with the forest policeman on his ATV! It won’t be long before they track down those pesky robbers. Includes 2 pilots and a forest policeman minifigure.

• Includes 3 minifigures: 2 pilots and a forest policeman

• Vehicles include Heavy-Duty Helicopter and police ATV

• Features large interior, opening cockpit, opening rear door, moving rotors and articulated wheels

• Accessories include 2 life jackets and a cup

• Load the ATV into the heavy lift helicopter!

• Seat 3 minifigures in the cockpit!

• Measures over 17” (45cm) long, 7” (19cm) high and 5” (15cm) wide

• Police ATV measures over 2” (6cm) long

The box

We start with the box, as always a piece of art in itself. The background with the city, mountains and large pine trees. Everything seems so forest-like. Even so, the box is what made me buy this. Nah not really, but it did help with my decission.

The side of the box shows the figures included in this set. All with a new torso, so exciting to recieve new figs to add to our cities. Lets move on..

The back of the box, more or less the same as all city sets. Showing various functions and angles of the set. Some of them seem a little obvious to me, but the’re pure eye-candy. Also showed are some of the other new forest police sets.

Content

The box is opened and we can see the contents. We get a total of 4 numbered bags to build this monster, together with 2 large instruction booklets. Also a larger plate was in the box and ofcourse the loved/hated sticker sheet.

As always we start with the first bag. This will be used to construct the 6 wheeled quad-like vehicle and the first part of the helicopter. I almost forgot about the figs! More on those in the next pics,

One of the first things I noticed were the new life vests. They’re kinda more realistic/modern than their older counterparts. Not to mention they’re lighter and thus probaly cheaper for Lego to make. It looks better with the new figs if you ask me.

The three figs we get in this set. Two pilots and a ranger. All of them are very detailed, especially the pilots that also have printed legs as well. The ranger is one of my favorites since it fits the entire forest theme so incredibly well (it should be since the new print was made fort his sub-theme).

The back of the figs are also printed. Which is ofcourse also very welcome. I first tought the pilots did not have any printing on their backs, because it was kinda hard to see with the torso itself being dark-blue.

And the minifigs are finishing the quad-ish vehicle. It is very similar to all Lego quads in build, but it has instead six wheels. Which is also a welcome change. It has also some extra small containers to carry stuff around, but more about those later on.

And here it is, driven by the forest ranger with his walkie-talkie in his hand. Didn’t they learn him that driving while using a telephone is dangerous? At least the new ambulance has something to do now….

The back of the six-wheel quad (isn’t there a real vehicle like this IRL?), No backlights or anything, which I found kinda lazy. But you can’t have everything right?

And inside is a flashlight (to signal the ambulance …) And handcluffs to arrest bears or crooks hiding in the forest.

And we’ve reached the end of the first bag. The quad is finished and we have the general shape of the basis for the helicopter.

The second bag contains much more blue, which is the main color of the vehicle. Also a nice variety of bricks.

And at the end of the second bag it looks already a lot like the one on the box. The general shape is almost done. Safety seems to be a main priority, since the policemen do wear lifevest but are not worried about a coffeemuc on their dashboard(?). I predict a large raise in new fire and hospital sets in the future….

Random page. I wonder what that thing in the middle is with the wheel. Is it supposed to look like an engine or something? Anyway on to bag three, and a new instruction book. About those, I found out why the’re both thick. Some steps use like a max of 4 parts per step. Meaning more pages..

Bag 3 contains the larger pieces for the roof and for finishing most of the hull of the craft. No comment on the large pieces…

After a fast build the third bag is done. Now we have most of the vehicle completed.

The last bag will be used to make the rotors and finish the aircraft, and thus this set. We get 8 blades, which seems to me like a very high number. But that’s because Lego hasn’t released such a helicopter in a very long time.

And the set in all it’s glory. The Chinook/twin rotor helicopter looks very accurate, while still being playable enough. It’s probaly one of the largest system-based helicopters in Lego history, dwarfing all that came before.

Playability is quite high on this set. The hatches can be opened on both sides easily to acces the cockpit. Both pilots can sit in it confortable while flying (and probaly crashing because SOMEONE spilled the coffee on the electronics, yes I can’t let this go..)

The other hatch is located at the back, where the quad can enter the vehicle. I haven’t tried to get another vehicle in it, but it should be very possible as long as it isn’t too wide for it.

The interior is kinda bland, but I didn’t expect anything else since a vehicle needs to go in it. There is no hatch or wall that seperates the cockpit from the rest of the aircraft so you can see enterly trough it like here.

Another and last hatch is on one side that can be openend to reveal the compartmend, here the quad is in it...

And here it’s empty to store supplies or extra police figs

All hatches/doors open

Front view,

Side view

Back view, a little bland IMO

Other side, also a little bland. I would prefer to have some stripes of yellow like the other side to break the blue a little.

Underside, no comment here

What I found was that the pilots sit a little too high, something we see this days a lot with City trucks.

This is one of the main parts I disliked on the box and vehicle. There is a gap on such an not-logic place. However I found out is was done by desing, since the doors could not be openend i fit was filled with plates/bricks.

Spare pieces

And the diorama of the new police sets in the back of the instruction books. No other advertising of new City sets.

A new advert. Of the Lego City game for the (awfull) WII-U.

And the piece sheet

Conclusion

This set retails around 40-50 Euros in the Netherlands. Which seems a very good price for a vehicle of this size. The playability is also very high, but it would be cool if there also was somekind of winch to lift stuff up. The minifigs are very good, since all of them are new. The only thing I found lacking was the build time, since each bag was finished very fast, even with taking pics and several breaks. Also some areas eem a little to bland IMO.

So yeah, a great set and IMO the best set of the new forest police line. Lego has not released a chinook in a very long time and this one stands out on it’s own. I own both police helicopters (this one and the one from last year) and this one is better by a long shot. If you want to buy a nice helicopter I advice to buy this one.

A solid

8,5 out of 10

Thanks for watching

Edited December 5, 2011 by Rick
Indexed

[lightningtiger]

Thanks for the review 'Brickviller', they fixed those life jackets at last !

Okay, I'm impressed...it's a solid build....sadly only that odd 6 wheeled thing can go on board....taking the 4x4 hard top from the forest police station would have been AWESOME.

I wonder if you had the coast guard copter and did a side-by-side to see which one is bigger 'Brickviller'....but in any case, a thank you again for reviewing this.

Brick On Review On !

[surrideo]

I may be tired but its looking a little boxy from here. My kids love copters though and may want it even though they dont norally like a lot of town.

Is that the Computer expert from the ADU moonlighting with the Forest Police as well that I can see?. Great reveiew, hopefully you'll get many more views and replies.

[L@go]

Thanks for a nice review - I didn't think this was a set I'd want, and I still don't :)

Thanks for the review 'Brickviller', they fixed those life jackets at last !

Uh, no, they didn't. Have a look at this picture:

It's just not so obvious when the torso is in a dark colour.

That image does show something else, though: If they'd fixed the life jackets so the head would slide all the way down on the neck, they would have been useless combined with a lot of headgear - like those helmets. There wouldn't be enough room to put them on. So I guess we have to choose, head all the way down or room for headgear...

Edited December 4, 2011 by L@go

[ETAV8R]

Great review on a set I already want, now I want it more. What is the deal with the pieces in the middle? Is it a must for structural integrity? If it weren't there longer vehicles or more than one might fit inside. I'm guessing this thing is as wide as the AC mobile defense hq. I'm sure other vehicles could fit inside.

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

I REALLLY want this set. I really can't explain why-- it doesn't seem overly functional with regards to the layout, but too cool!

[Rocketbilly]

Nice review!

This set looks decent, though I'm getting fed up with white and blue being used for almost every City set. I know it makes sense, but it's just so common now what with the glut of police sets. Ah well. I would rather the forest police sets use a white and green colour scheme, but this will do. I might buy this and modify it to be a space ship.

[ETAV8R]

Green for the forest theme would have been great!

I don't see the ADU scientist moonlighting in the pics.

Not sure if anyone here has seen this helo MOC but it is pretty damn cool. Especially for ideas for the interior and possible gearing for 4439.

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=63061&st=0&gopid=1135059entry1135059

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Great review 'Brickviller'! I'm very excited that we finally get a tandem rotor heli! Though I wish it wasn't a police craft, it's still awesome, and the 6x6 is something sweet in itself. I can't wait to get one

[Joebot]

If they had released this set in green and white to match the Cargo sets from a few years back, it would have been amazing. As a Police helicopter though, I've got no interest.

Thanks for the nice review!

[Spike the train builder]

This review actually made me want to run out and buy one If you've ever tried to arrest a bear, you know they can put up a big fight.

[Brickviller]

I don't see the ADU scientist moonlighting in the pics.

It would be great to have this helicopter being used by the ADU, since the colors are more or less the same, except the white

[jeffjcc]

Great review. Thanks!

I just love the new rangers.

I wonder how many of the new bears can fit inside this thing!?

[KisKatona]

Nice review! The helo reminds me of a Chinook, and the vests, if painted, could be great stand ins for Kevlar!

Katona

[Henchmen4Hire]

That's one hardcore park ranger is he's arresting bears

[Huntleyfx]

A really like the overall shape, although I agree, the insert vehicle needs a little work.

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

I just built this monster last night, and let me tell you... it is HUGE, much bigger in my hands than what I thought it was going to be based on online pics alone. Very easy build, very sound structurally, and just a really great set... love the fact that TLG is trying new things this year, and this set is a reward! Very pleased with the purchase!

[danimarroquin]

I got mine a couple os weeks ago and let me tell you that this is the best helicopter that Lego has ever produce , simply AMAZING

[Siegfried]

Wow. Very nice... and much bigger than I expected. I hopeful must buy for me!

[50missioncap]

I love the printed legs with the map. Is that new?

[Cian]

Got this today, think the back rotor/engine turret is a bit loose compared to the rest of the set being very solid...