Legos, anyone?

[sh9000]

I'll buy the X-Mansion and welcome a new X-Jet if one gets released.  

As for a Batman TAS Batmobile and Batwing, I'd definitely buy doubles if they were minifigure scale.

[M'Kyuun]

7 hours ago, David Hingtgen said:

I have a small plastic colander I originally bought for like single servings of pasta, but it's pretty much dedicated to washing Lego now.  The holes are just small enough that no piece will get out (though I do worry about lightsaber blades aligning perfectly and managing to slip through) and being plastic means it won't scratch like my big metal one might.  

Colanders are THE way to wash Lego.  

I bought a small steel mesh colander specifically for washing LEGO- the mesh is fine enough that no parts will sneak through. It works well; my only concern is parts hopping the rim when I'm rinsing them, but I try to be careful. But I agree- the colander method is the most efficient way I've found to wash parts, at least in small batches.

[M'Kyuun]

7 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

I'll buy the X-Mansion and welcome a new X-Jet if one gets released.  

As for a Batman TAS Batmobile and Batwing, I'd definitely buy doubles if they were minifigure scale.

Likewise. I may skip the mansion (probably won't though), but everything else- yes!

[Bolt]

Awesome! Over 6,000 pieces..

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoYI9n0sZju/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[no3Ljm]

From Facebook. Queadluun-Rau (Milia Type) lego render by Lysander's Stud Studio.  

[Bolt]

13 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

From Facebook. Queadluun-Rau (Milia Type) lego render by Lysander's Stud Studio.  

It's super cool !

Also on Insta..

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpUyxTeJxAV/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[M'Kyuun]

15 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

From Facebook. Queadluun-Rau (Milia Type) lego render by Lysander's Stud Studio.  

That's well done. 

[Dobber]

FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!!

Chris

[M'Kyuun]

LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian 75361 Spider Tank, due out in Aug '23.  As a mecha fan, a Star Wars fan, and a fan of Masamune Shirow's various arthropod-inspired mecha designs, this thing hits all my sweet spots at once. I've long lamented the omission of an official LM-432 Crab Droid set. Said droid was first seen in The Revenge of the Sith and made appearances in several Clone Wars episodes, and has yet to receive a set. This Spider Tank will likely have to suffice, but suffice it does. One could easily craft a custom Major Motoko Kusanagi fig and it would not look the least out of place with this model. Preorders are already available in the LEGO Shop, and I've got mine. Also of note in this set is the new Dark Saber blade for the Mandalorian, which seems to be the main draw for a number of bloggers, calling this set the "$50 Dark Saber set". While it's cool that LEGO made a new blade element for that purpose, I honestly couldn't have cared less if there were minifigs included: I'm all about that sweet mecha. Alas, while I'm on the topic of minifigs, there's a new improved Bo Katan fig included as well. The new hairpiece captures Katee Sackhoff's appearance better than the previous minifig, IMHO.

In other LEGO news, LEGO has recently revealed a number of upcoming Indiana Jones sets covering scenes from the original three films. Among the original leaked pics of sets, A Temple of Doom set has since been held back from release with no indication whether or not it'll be released in the future.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

I was quite disappointed to find out that all the Star Wars exhibits were removed from Legoland in CA over two years ago.  It was gonna be a highlight for me during my trip with the kiddies.  As a consolation prize they had this beauty on display:

[sh9000]

https://www.starwars.com/news/lego-ultimate-collector-series-x-wing-reveal

[Chronocidal]

FREAKING FINALLY.  Cannot believe it took them this long to make the engines bigger than a 4-stud diameter.  That actually looks almost comparable to the custom version I had started to build up in CAD.

Of course.. they had to keep using that stupid single-piece canopy, and while they enlarged the engines, they also overdid it without making the rest of the ship bigger, so now they just look gargantuan.  

Still.. that's gotten a lot better overall.  Just need the guns in 3-stud diameter to get them in scale, and bulk up the entire thing a bit.. It's got potential.  I might have to grab one.

This one would be quite a bit bigger.. but I'd absolutely grab at least one

Edited April 6, 2023 by Chronocidal

[M'Kyuun]

They still don't have the angle of the nose and canopy matching, the tip of the nose still looks off (although better than 10240 Red 5's), and, yeah, the fuselage looks undersized for the size of the engine intakes (why do you need intakes in space? Are they sucking in radiation and converting it to energy?). Moreover, minifig scaled R2 is a bit underscaled as well. I think I'll pass on this one, as I have 10240 and the original, which IMHO, despite its simpler techniques and limited palette, managed to capture the tip of the nose more appealingly than 10240 or this model. The X-Wing was never my favorite ship; the Imperial Shuttle wins that prize, along with the Snowspeeder, the N-1 Naboo Fighter, and the Republic Nu-class Shuttle, which is long overdue an updated set.

[sketchley]

35 minutes ago, M'Kyuun said:

(why do you need intakes in space? Are they sucking in radiation and converting it to energy?)

There's probably an in-universe explanation, but design decision wise, Mr Lucas (or Lucasfilm) had a rule something along the lines of: if you can't understand what it is within 0.5 seconds, then the design will be rejected.

I'm not sure if that only applied to the prequels, but it does explain the design "logic" of an intake in space.

Edited April 6, 2023 by sketchley

[Chronocidal]

So, this is probably mostly my own headcanon, but I never saw the problem with having intakes in space, for two reasons:
1- The engines might be able to use an air-breathing mode in atmosphere for better fuel efficiency.
2- There's really no detriment to having them, and I think there's at least one comic that demonstrates some kind of emergency reverser mechanism using them.

I'm pretty sure 1 is actually part of the canon tech used in the VF-1's reaction engines, to allow them almost unlimited operation in atmosphere.

[Dobber]

While I am pleased overall with the new UCS X-wing. It still has some issues. As was mentioned already the engine intakes look a lot better than the previous undersized UCS versions. They are a little too big now but not horribly so and I do prefer it this way to the undersized ones from before. They actually remind me of the original box art to the old MPC X-wing model. 😎

 

My main complaint is that the nose is a little too wide/bulky. As was mentioned already as well. The whole thing may just need to be upscale slightly and it would be great. 
 

Chris

Edited April 6, 2023 by Dobber

[Dobber]

On a different note, I record my Brick Veteran VF-84 F4U Corsair yesterday. Wow they really go all out for their presentation. The box it comes in is really nice. Can’t wait to build it!

It comes in a nice sleeved box  with an image of the model on the cover

With the sleeve off the box is heavy duty with a magnetic flap. Ghost images of Brick Veteran and other WWII nose art are also on the main box. 

The parts themselves come in numbered bags like Lego and the instruction manual is like a notebook and shrink wrapped. All in all VERY professional looking. 

Chris

Edited April 6, 2023 by Dobber

[snakerbot]

Everyone here is talking about the engines and the nose of the new X-Wing, but my first thought when I saw it was excitement that Lego had finally done the hexagonal cross section of the fuselage. And then wondering what it would take to mod my copy of 10240 with that.

[Chronocidal]

33 minutes ago, snakerbot said:

Everyone here is talking about the engines and the nose of the new X-Wing, but my first thought when I saw it was excitement that Lego had finally done the hexagonal cross section of the fuselage. And then wondering what it would take to mod my copy of 10240 with that.

This is a good point, that's a huge step in the right direction, compared with all of the previous versions that just used slopes or angled vertical bricks.  I do wish they'd done a little more to slope the upper surface though, it's still really flat.  I am hoping someone will come up with a better option for the chunky sides on the nosecone though.

I still think the custom canopy is driving everything they do though, and they really need to ditch it.  It's far too shallow, and tapers the wrong way, and I think the size it is would actually be driving toward a five stud diameter on the engines, if it were to be in scale.

[Scyla]

@Dobber, is the set comprised out of Lego pieces or are they made by a different manufacturer?

[Dobber]

1 hour ago, Scyla said:

@Dobber, is the set comprised out of Lego pieces or are they made by a different manufacturer?

I haven’t looked yet. Just opened the package quickly to have a look. I’ll let you know later.

Chris

[Chronocidal]

Can't say for the entire set, but the studs visible in the photo do have the logo, so I'm guessing they're probably the real deal.

[Tking22]

I don't have a UCS X-Wing so that's an instant purchase for me, looks fantastic!

[Dobber]

20 minutes ago, Tking22 said:

I don't have a UCS X-Wing so that's an instant purchase for me, looks fantastic!

Same for me

[Scyla]

Finally a new Minifig Tie Interceptor and it is…

 

…good 

Couldn’t be happier. So happy in fact that I will buy it even if it contains a bunch of bricks I have no use for

Edited April 7, 2023 by Scyla

[technoblue]

The TIE Interceptor is so worth it. I still have my 2006 blue Interceptor. LoL!

I do agree about the Fang, though. I wish LEGO had added in the rotatable wings as seen in Rebels. What we get is sturdy but rather plain for that part of the build. I’ll have to check out the MOCs for this fighter and see if I can modify the LEGO stock design.

[M'Kyuun]

4 hours ago, technoblue said:

The TIE Interceptor is so worth it. I still have my 2006 blue Interceptor. LoL!

I do agree about the Fang, though. I wish LEGO had added in the rotatable wings as seen in Rebels. What we get is sturdy but rather plain for that part of the build. I’ll have to check out the MOCs for this fighter and see if I can modify the LEGO stock design.

The lack of rotating wings is a notable omission of a rather salient feature of the Fang which would have made it by far, IMHO, the more exciting model in this set. TIEs have never really been that exciting to me- they're ok, but the Mandalorian ships with their variable wing and hull sections are visually and mechanically much more interesting, and certainly added a notable bit of dynamism when shown in action in Rebels.

Eventually, I'll likely get around to buying this set and I may just add the rotating features to improve its playability. I wish LEGO would revisit the V-19 Torrent and the Nu-class Republic Shuttle, both of which are beautiful designs long overdue updated sets.

I have to disagree with Mand's opinion, as I often do, that the TIE Interceptor is a better set to get the new Mandalorian fig; my far, far greater preference is for the upcoming Spider Tank which looks amazing. 😍 Then again, I adore mecha, so anything mecha related in Star Wars generally excites. I'm still waiting for the Crab Droid from the Prequals to finally be realized in LEGO form. The Spider Tank, however, assuages some of that longing, and its Masamune-san-like design doesn't hurt either. 😊

[technoblue]

17 hours ago, M'Kyuun said:

l have to disagree with Mand's opinion, as I often do, that the TIE Interceptor is a better set to get the new Mandalorian fig; my far, far greater preference is for the upcoming Spider Tank which looks amazing. 😍 Then again, I adore mecha, so anything mecha related in Star Wars generally excites. I'm still waiting for the Crab Droid from the Prequals to finally be realized in LEGO form. The Spider Tank, however, assuages some of that longing, and its Masamune-san-like design doesn't hurt either. 😊

The dark saber and the events around it have become a multi-layered MacGuffin in the show, but LEGO is turning that MacGuffin into some fun sets for sure. 

I’ll probably end up buying both. 😅

Edited April 9, 2023 by technoblue

[M'Kyuun]

3 hours ago, technoblue said:

The dark saber and the events around it have become a multi-layered MacGuffin in the show, but LEGO is turning that MacGuffin into some fun sets for sure. 

I’ll probably end up buying both. 😅

As will I, no doubt, but more for the vehicles than the figs. I like minifigs, some more than others, but in the majority of cases, it's the model(s) that intrigues.

[no3Ljm]

 

Edited April 13, 2023 by no3Ljm

[sketchley]

That Lego YF-19 is... wow.

There is a lot of creative solutions in it.  I'm especially intrigued by how the folding wing mechanism was reproduced with a rod and clips, as well as the sliding mechanism in the back using "antenna" (or flagpole?) elements.

[M'Kyuun]

On 4/13/2023 at 7:46 PM, sketchley said:

That Lego YF-19 is... wow.

There is a lot of creative solutions in it.  I'm especially intrigued by how the folding wing mechanism was reproduced with a rod and clips, as well as the sliding mechanism in the back using "antenna" (or flagpole?) elements.

Agree, some neat stuff going on.  All-around brilliant effort by the builder; it has the look, the transformation, and the poseability in a concise package.  Making transforming stuff is tough, and only complicated when also trying to squeeze in all the articulation. Kudos aplenty.

[M'Kyuun]

I've always wanted a Long Haul that had a functional dumper bed; it seems like an easy-enough thing to accomplish, especially since his bed hinges can do double-duty as his knees. Alas, to my knowledge and great disappointment, no such Long Haul, official or non, nor any transforming dump truck fig for that matter, has the requisite functionality for which it exists. So, I made my own. 

I call it the Variable Dump Truck 3000, or VDT3000. It has articulated steering and suspension, independent opening cockpits to seat two minifigs, and most importantly, can raise its bed to about 90 degrees for optimal dumping. Its mecha mode is fully articulated and ready to meet the challenges of any construction project! I don't know about you guys, but I'd love to see something like this on a construction site someday. Probably not in my lifetime, but hopefully this will inspire some young engineers out there.

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by M'Kyuun

[F-ZeroOne]

Wow, thats a great creation! I really like the double cab, it almost looks like something from "Patlabor" or "Xabungle"!

[Scyla]

Jang's thoughts on the Tie Interceptor: