Hovercraft Pic Review (7944)

[xwingyoda]

Guys and gals,

In the other thread I wrote that I totally dislike that hovercraft and that it was definitly not a must buy ! However, to please our dear Mayor (yes Hobbes, tks for making me work tonight loool :-P ), here is a little review for EB !!

For starters, find the front and back of the instruction manual and the DSS !! (Dreaded Sticker Sheet). I did not put the stickers on because I will not keep that set as is !! I will tear it apart to build something way better looool. The only sticker I used was the computer screen that is not interesting at all(hence the lack of pic) !!

I will pursue this review with the 3 Mfs : too bad only the chief has the silver helmet !! Wow I did not know that Spielberg had a fantasy of becoming a fireman lool. Also, here are some general pics of that hovercraft. BTW, I did some pretty cool angles to compensate for the crappiness of the actual set loool So be warned that the pics look better than the real set !!

This set has some really nice and cool points (pfewww !) such as the front dual water gun and the great looking cockpit (that I will keep intact for my future MOC). The trap door reveals all the equipment (that is the remaining one).

I know that the good points are not that much compared to the following crap points loool. I already discussed them in the other thread but here they are again (just for the fun of it hehe). Let the crappiness begin !!

Crap point n

[Hobbes]

However, to please our dear Mayor (yes Hobbes, tks for making me work tonight loool :-P ), here is a little review for EB !!

:-D

Well, I would have waited, but thank you for the review ;-)

The model really is nothing spectacular. I don't like the superstructure at all. Too bland for a big model like that. A smaller model or more superstructure would have been better. I also agree about your "crap points", I can imagine how those wheels underneath "work" cos I built something like that once and I didn't like at all how that thing moved (whatever it was that I built, I can't remember cos I was 8)...

Yeah, looks like I'll save my money and spend it on the boat (since I have the police boat already).

Thanks again *y*

[alex54]

Finally, I found some times to build my new sets (afol has alwas some times for this kind of work :-D ) so I build it.

I agree with you in general, but not with the crap point n

[xwingyoda]

Have you noticed that the BBB (big black base) is not the same in real than in the instruction book...

Yeay, and both are equally crappy :-D

*yoda*

[alex54]

I will pursue this review with the 3 Mfs : too bad only the chief has the silver helmet !! Wow I did not know that Spielberg had a fantasy of becoming a fireman lool.

You'r wrong, it's not Spielberg. Spielberg has a gray hair. But you're right, Spielberg is a fireman, he is the chief in the new firestation.

[xwingyoda]

You'r wrong, tt's not Spielberg. Spielberg has a gray hair. But you're right, Spielberg is a fireman, he is the chief in the new firestation.

I know, but I thought it would make a fun joke :-P I even nearly suggested that Spielberg directed the movie "Backdraft" but thought that was less funny :-D

*yoda*

[Asuka]

Well, it

[Hobbes]

Well, it

[Minifig Lecturer]

Great review, especially the crap bits :-D :-D :-D

Wow that hull piece really does suck. So too does that fire truck though.

[simonwillems]

Crap point n

[Hobbes]

Those front engines are meant to be real engines, a hovercraft needs to create lift (an air cushion) to hover and those engines blow down lots of air allowing the hovercraft to raise off the ground a few inches.

The motors on the back then propell the whole machine in the desired direction.

But do those "cooler-thingies" on top of the engines turn, too? I think that's what yoda meant cos they turn in the model...

[prateek]

I will pursue this review with the 3 Mfs : too bad only the chief has the silver helmet !! Wow I did not know that Spielberg had a fantasy of becoming a fireman lool. Also, here are some general pics of that hovercraft. BTW, I did some pretty cool angles to compensate for the crappiness of the actual set loool So be warned that the pics look better than the real set !!

The fire chief is high! super uber looool :-D

o btw the big turning excuses for engines at the front are actually rotating fans made for cooling of the crew *y*

[oo7]

I have to disagree with almost everything said in this review.

This hovercraft is spot-on accurate. The turning air intakes, not retarded at all, but perfectly realistic. The size is not oversized but actually ever so slightly undersized.

Here's some reference;

http://www.boatnerd.com/news/newpictures03b/waban-aki-m-pich

[Asuka]

If you're looking for the bridge see if you can find 7046 Fire Command Craft, that's a nice set and has a few more useful parts. It might be on sale somewhere...

Thank you. Now that

[Minifig Lecturer]

I also tend to like the multiple wheels turning .......

You must be the first person I know who likes shopping trolleys :-D

[oo7]

Considering I've never actually come into contact with a 'shopping trolley' I cannot say either which way I feel about them whatsoever. However, shopping carts, they have great manoeuvrability for those narrow isles and they sure beat handle-ed baskets! ;-)

[JINZONINGEN73]

Like 007 said, it's pretty much correct in functional design... but aesthetically, the colored mishmosh on top of it looks fruity.

I'm guessing that the final design is probably not what the set looked like initially by the designers.

I dunno'... my gut tells me that cost-cutting parts substitution has taken place. Not sure why... it just looks watered down somehow.

Yeah, the big giant base is kind of annoying, but it's a little bit more useful than your ordinary, 1-piece Lego ship hull.

This one can be used as the base to some weird kind of building or something.

Not a great set. Probably not worth the price. But not totally terrible, especially if you're a kid.

[EXO-CHAMP]

Maybe there will be a few cheap hull pieces on Bricklink soon.

I was thinking of a Hovertank MOC for Exo-force. That piece would serve my needs perfectly.

[xenologer]

*looks at fire command craft*

*looks at hovercraft*

yeah, good point, about the only thing the hovercraft has over the command craft is those two technic tube things on the side waterguns; I really want some of those so I can make some mnifig scale construction vehicles.

Now If someone can tell me what under30$ set has those that Isn't a hovercraft, then sure I'd definetly skip it and find that fire command craft instead...

[simonwillems]

Now If someone can tell me what under30$ set has those that Isn't a hovercraft, then sure I'd definetly skip it and find that fire command craft instead...

Try the new garbage truck and the cementmixer, only problem is: they're not out yet ;-)

[Zarkan]

Wow that hull piece really does suck. So too does that fire truck though.

What? *wacko* How is the Fire Pickup crappy? That beauty is one of the closest to clasic sets in the Fire line! Seriously, I can't see anything wrong with it. :-/

I have to disagree with almost everything said in this review.

This hovercraft is spot-on accurate. The turning air intakes, not retarded at all, but perfectly realistic. The size is not oversized but actually ever so slightly undersized.

The nozzles, although realistic looking, are not appropriate as there are no real Fire Department hovercrafts out there because the equal and opposite reaction created by the action of the water would counteract the movement of the hovercraft itself. They obviously designed this after the above Canadian coast guard hovercraft but since they didn't want to make a new coast-guard sub-theme they just took advantage of the red color and labeled it 'Fire Department' instead, which is after all, fairly similar.

I also tend to like the multiple wheels turning as the lack of fixed, mechanical movement make it really seem like it's hovering, gliding across air. And uh....just out of curiosity, what is that backdrop of which you're taking pictures with? A cabinet pushed up against a door? I guess it's the same location as the pick-up review photos which look surprisingly similar to the quality of my own, of late.

Although I think this set has a realistic design, that doesn't mean I think this is a good set. I really don't like the huge hover 'bumper' piece and the set has really no interesting pieces for me. It's not horrible, it's just satisfactory and, not of my taste. Anyways, thank you for your review, Yoda. I wonder why Lego can never finaly decide what color to make the windows of the town sets........

I agree completely, oo7. When I saw pictures of the real hovercraft, I realized how accurate the lego version is, and it made it look much better! Aside from the one-piece hull and the side nozzles (which I see an easy fix for), there really seems nothing to complain about. And, Yoda, no offense, but the Hovercraft looks smaller than it should be, if you are thinking accurate size! :-/

Thanks for the review, anyway, even though I disagree with most that was said. ;-)

[xwingyoda]

No offense taken whatsoever guys, but here are some clarifications ;-) And I love discussions ;-)

The turning air intakes, not retarded at all, but perfectly realistic. The size is not oversized but actually ever so slightly undersized.

On those pics maybe but its a Canadian Hovercraft which could explain it :-D Ok bad joke loool

On all the pics I looked, none had "turning" air intakes hehe I seriously wonder why ;-)

And, Yoda, no offense, but the Hovercraft looks smaller than it should be, if you are thinking accurate size! :-/

Once again, none taken at all ;-)

Regarding the size, I think it may be accurate, but still too big compared to the fire Command Ship. TLC was never good to do the right scales !!

Off course the Hover is smaller than big Commercial ones such as such as this:

and bigger than micro ones such as

Afterall, its all a question of taste and I totallly stand by all my comments on this Hovercrap ;-)

*yoda*

[oo7]

On those pics maybe but its a Canadian Hovercraft which could explain it :-D Ok bad joke loool

On all the pics I looked, none had "turning" air intakes hehe I seriously wonder why ;-)

X-D Bad joke indeed.

Anyway, I guess you didn't look quite as hard as I had hoped, as the turning things (I don't exactly know what they do 8-| ) are in two different directions in these two pictures of the same vessel. ;-)

http://www.boatnerd.com/news/newpictures03b/waban-aki-m-pich

[xwingyoda]

Just to be a smartass again :-D , you base your dealings with one model of hovercraft !!And if you want to interprete those pics on another level, you have 2 positions for those holes: one when the hover is still, and one when he is moving !! I still doubt that they turn when he moves ;-)

Also, out of all the Hover I looked at, a vast majority did not have those huge "air holes", and a lot who did were not turning ones :-D

Is there a real life Hover designer among us for clarification :-P That would be just what we need :-D

*yoda*

[oo7]

I don't care if this hovercraft had wooden wagon wheels and helicopter blades! Lego obviously based their set off the Canadian coast guard hovercraft, so it's accurately realistic! X-D

I also doubt there are two different positions for the 'things' as they seem to have slightly differnet angels in the first picture. I think as Simon said, the 'things' are to collect air to push downwards under the craft for the air cushon, and the ruberness :-P in the first picture is deflated (Because the hovercraft is parked on the beach).

But yes, where are you EB hovercraft expert?? We need you!