AT-AT (#4483, Modified)

The cockpit on the original AT-AT has always bugged me a bit. The sides never really stayed closed and there was only room for one minifig (as seen below).

So, I downloaded the building instructions for the motorized walking AT-AT (#10178) and modified the cockpit a little. Here's what the finished product looks like...

The one drawback of the new design is that it makes the "head" look disproportionally large for the rest of the body. But, I did tweak the head to allow it to move up and down (which makes it much easier to shoot down advancing snowspeeders).

I took out the white speederbike from the rear so I could fit six snowtroopers instead of four. It seemed like such a waste to have a large transport for only four people.

Here's a close-up of the "head". The front section is pretty much by-the-book, but I felt the "neck" was a little too exposed, so I added some plates on the back. I like how nicely the panels stay closed on this version, a lot tighter than the original. The strange thing is that the old head was pretty much the same size as this one, but it didn't look as big.

Here's a close-up of the interior. Plenty of room for the driver and commander. It has a nice hinge mechanism for opening the lid for access to the minifigs.



Unless I decide to swap out all the standard grey pieces for the newer blue-grey, I think this one is pretty much done as far was the modifications go.

Slave I (#8097)

I should not be allowed to go into Toys R Us unsupervised. The one in North Calgary has a clearance table where they have returns and opened packages at discount prices. It is conveniently located near the hotel where I usually stay, which makes it even more tempting to visit. Well, I gave into temptation on Monday night and they had the new Slave I on the table. The box had been resealed with packing tape and it was on for a huge discount because pieces were missing. I can deal with that, I know where I can find replacement pieces if I don't already have some. It turns out that someone had kindly removed the minifigures and returned the set... Oh well, I know where to get those too...

If you were wondering whether it is worth going from #6209 to the new version, let's compare side-by-side.

Here's a profile view with 8097 on the left and 6209 on the right. They are pretty much the same dimensions, the biggest difference between them is the subtle change in color scheme (dark red instead of red-brown, dark green instead of light green).

Front view... 8907 has a few stickers on the canopy and a few other pieces. Cool, yes. Essential, probably not. 8907 uses rounded bricks along the top instead of the angled bricks. The "wheel-wells" on the sides are also curved, which does look better.

I like the rear guns a bit better on this version. There's also a pull-out container where you can store the new mini-pistols which usually come with the clone troopers.

I also prefer the cargo hold on 8097. It is more movie-accurate than it was on 6209, and the "Han in carbonite" brick always seems to get itself wedged in 6209 which made it difficult to open the hatch and pull it out again.

These missiles work a lot better than the 6209 missiles did, and they even point in the right direction too. It is supposed to have a flick-fire system in the center, but I took it out. If you liked the missile launcher on the Republic Attack Shuttle, you'll like this one.

So, aside from the new figures (photo courtesy of Lego.com)...

... I'm not sure there's anything in this new release worth the normal hefty pricetag ($110 CDN). If you don't already have 6209, then yes by all means, I would whole-heartedly recommend this set. However, if you do have 6209, spend about $10-$15 on Bricklink to get the parts needed to upgrade if you want any of the new features. I'll probably troll Bricklink and eBay to see if I can pick up the figures at a reasonable price. The new Boba Fett looks very good (the blaster is a bit cheesy though), I've always liked Bossk, and the new Han in carbonite is just cool.

Imperial Shuttle (#7166)

Modifying the Imperial Shuttle has been on my to-do list ever since the Republic Attack Shuttle (#8019) came out. I was never really happy with the notched hinges for the wings, the little notches get worn off and the wings eventually don't stay up anymore. So when the Emporer's Shuttle (#8096) was released, I figured it was time to start working.

Here they are, the modified version on the left and the original on the right. I made the body a bit wider on the bottom. The cockpits are pretty much the same. My modified version is serving as the Tydirium from Return of the Jedi and I'll keep using the original for the Imperials. If you look close, you can see Luke piloting on the left.

I swapped out the notched hinges for the "Technic" style axles, wheel hubs, and lift-arms (inspired by #8019 and #8096). I made the wings a bit wider and put more reinforcement on the back so they're more solid. I took out a lot of the grey pieces and replaced them with white.

A view from the back, gave it some rounded edges on the sides. As soon as I can find a way to incorporate the retractable landing gear from #8096, I can get rid of the black stands underneath. I'm also thinking about having a removeable top like the other two shuttles, which would give me more room inside for minifigs.

Inside the shuttle... The same pull-out tray for the minifigs, I'll have room for Han and Leia as soon as I get extras (the ones I have now are both in the Millennium Falcon). I'll need to find a way to fit C-3P0 in here somehow too...

Closer view of the front. The little guns on the front of the original were a little annoying because they kept falling off.

So there it is, until I modify it again somehow. I think my next project will be a red version of the Clone Wars Y-Wing fighter...

General Grievous' Starfighter (#8095)

I wasn't sure about the new release of General Grievous' starfighter. Sure, the minifigure has been revamped and looks much better now, but would it be worth buying the new version when I had the old one already (#7656)? I was still on the fence... until Dawn picked it up for me while she was in Great Falls.

The original was cool at the time, but when you sit them side-by-side you wonder what you ever saw in the first version. This one has much-improved (and more accurate) styling and design.

The canopy slides out with a rather simple, yet ingenious, latch mechanism to keep it closed. The instructions say you have to take off Grievous' "extra" arms to get him in the cockpit, but if you do it right he'll fit with all four arms intact, which makes them easier to find later. A nice touch on this model is that a regular minifig will also fit in the cockpit, so Obiwan can "borrow" it just like he did in Episode III.

While normally not a fan of the flick-fire missiles, these ones tuck away rather nicely and don't get in the way.

The rear landing gear folds up as it did in the movie, instead of under the ship like it does on the 7656 model.

Also included with this kit is a chair for Grievous and his maintenance droid A4-D. It makes more sense if you've seen the Clone Wars episode...

And Nahdar Vebb, the Star Wars equivalent to the red shirt in Star Trek. Hmm, a new Jedi introduced mid-season, don't remember him from any of the movies... the future doesn't look good for you.

And here's the original Grievous compared to the new minifig version. Good move on Lego's part for revamping him.

I read several of the reviews on the Lego site for this model and so many people are complaining that this version doesn't have a place on the ship to store the lightsabers. I'm not sure why they're complianing, that drove me nuts on the original. Not having them clipped to the underside is a plus in my book.

So, even if you have the original version, I think you'll be impressed with the updates and improvements on this model.

Emperor Palpatine's Shuttle (#8096)

I picked up the Emperor's Theta-class shuttle off Bricklink (got a pretty good deal because there weren't any minifigs included). You may remember this one from the end of Episode III. Star Wars Battlefront II players have probably used this shuttle in space battles.


As far as accuracy goes, this one did fairly well. The cockpit is a bit large in proportion to the rest of the shuttle, but it's not the end of the world.


The canopy opens for access to the pilot. The updated pilot has a white face and the helmet is more open. I just swapped out the solid black head for a solid white head.


Here's what's supposed to go in, Darth Vader's little recovery room. The two levers on the end push in to move Vader's helmet into position. It almost looks like they're holding hands in this picture, maybe Palpatine wasn't always so mean after all...


I decided to give the Emperor a desk and a chair. After all, what's the point of being the supreme ruler of the Galactic Empire if you don't have a desk in your own personal shuttle? I have to admit, the new grey Emperor is a bit more menacing than the older yellow version...


I also put in a couple of clone guards as escorts, along with quick and easy weapon mounts. Behind them are the two lightsaber holders. I suppose I could take out one of them since Vader isn't riding along.


The rear cannon. If you're playing Battlefront II, it's worth waiting around in the hangar for someone to man the cannon. This one swivels up and down, as well as side to side.


The retractable landing gear was a nice touch too.

I'm going to experiment with the Episode VI Lambda-class shuttle to see if I can incorperate some of these improved design features (like the smoother wings, maybe even the landing gear). I'm also going to work on replacing the white pieces with grey ones.

This is a really good set and a great addition to your Imperial fleet. With or without the figures, I'd recommend this one.

Plo Koon's Jedi Starfighter (#8093)

I don't know what it is about these Jedi starfighters, but they're sure fun to play with. The latest addition to the fleet is Plo Koon's fighter (from the Clone Wars, and briefly from Revenge of the Sith).


I like the color scheme, and I also like the fact there aren't any flick-fire missiles with this one.


View from the rear. Everything you hoped it would be, and more. There's supposed to be a clip for his lightsaber below the cockpit on this side, but I thought it looked a little goofy, so I took it out.


Also conspicuously absent is the ejection system. There's supposed to be a post underneath that when flicked will pop Plo Koon out of the cockpit. It didn't seem to be working in Episode III, so I didn't even bother putting it in.

Plo Koon and his R7-D4 astromech droid.

This one is a great compliment to the other Jedi starfighters. I don't imagine they'll be making too many more of these variants. Unless they start making purple pieces, Mace Windu's fighter is out. I'm not sure if Kit Fisto or Ayla Secura even have fighters...

TIE Defender (#8087)

Imagine how excited I was when this set came in the mail from Bricklink on the same day I received my Toys R Us gift cards (cashed in some hotel rewards points), which turned into the ARC-170.

Don't remember seeing this one in any of the movies? Don't worry, This is one of those "expanded universe" items (meaning still officially Lucas-sanctioned, but never had screen time). The TIE Defender first appeared in the 1994 PC game TIE Fighter.


Here's the front-view. If you like the flick-fire missiles (and I don't), these ones are a little harder to access. They still look good as guns, so I haven't swapped them out.


A view from the rear (insert oooh's and aaah's here).


A closer view of the cockpit module. The hinge is much better on this one than it has been on previous TIE models, which had a tendency to come off when opened. The one drawback with the swiveling cockpit is that it flips upside down when you open it.


They revised the helmet for the pilot (shown on the right) so it's not just a black version of the regular stormtrooper helmet (on the left).

This was a fairly straight-forward build, nothing complex really. This one is a must-have for your Imperial fleet. Faster and more maneuverable than the X-Wing, and better weaponry than the A-Wing.

ARC-170 (#8088)

The ARC-170 fighter... this one first came out in 2005 (as set #7259). I thought the original was good, but it had a few shortcomings, which the new version has resolved.


Here's the front view. The S-foil wings are a lot more stable on this model than they were on the original, each wing is secured with two connectors instead of just one. I love the larger engines on this one as well. The nose is a lot smoother-looking than 7259 (the two halves didn't even really meet in the front). The stickers on the cockpits were a little tricky to get on straight. Make sure they are on right the first time because there's no pealing them off again for a second try...


Rear-view with the double cannons (7259 only had one in the back). They still flop around back and forth, but there doesn't seem to be a good way to add the right amount of resistance.


Look at that, all three cockpits swing open. It's much easier to get the figures out than it was with the original. Kit Fisto is included, but there's no place for his lightsaber in the ship. They also didn't include any weapons for the clones. The green astromech droid was a nice touch, it's good to see them getting away from the generic red R5-D4 figure. I'd love to see a "build your own" astromech droid kit where we could mix and match all the pieces, but I'm not holding my breath.


A closer shot of the wings, a much better open/close mechanism than the red balls on the first one...


You had to know I was going to take out the flick-fire missiles...

I really like this revised version, so much that I am debating on whether or not to dismantle the first one for parts. They are the same size, but this one feels sturdier. The only drawback in my opinion, and in the grand scheme isn't really a big deal, is the lack of weapons. It would not have killed anyone over there to include a couple of blasters for the clones. That is easily forgotten when you're in a dogfight with vulture droids or the magnaguard fighter...

Clone Wars Y-Wing (#8037)

Hi, my name is Gary and I've been a Star Wars Lego addict for ten years now. This isn't really news to most of you, but there are probably a couple out there who may not know already. My latest acquisition? Anakin's Y-Wing fighter from Clone Wars. I should take a moment to thank Bricklink for being such a great enabler... I love that I can buy the sets from the US, pay to have them shipped to Canada, and after exchange and duty it's still cheaper than buying them off the shelf here.


I don't know what it is about the Y-Wing, but I really like it. It has a very good "swoosh factor" for playing...


But wait, that's not Anakin. How can this be Anakin's Y-Wing and not have Anakin?? I was getting tired of having so many Anakin's and Ahsoka's (Jedi starfighters for each of them, as well as the AT-TE, and it looks like they're both included in the upcoming August release of the Clone Wars Turbo Tank set...), so I decided to mix it up a bit by using a clone pilot and trooper instead. I had to modify the cockpit to make room for the pilot (his helmet is bigger than Anakin's hair, so the canopy wouldn't close without making a few changes first).


I like the Clone Wars R2-D2 much better than the old version.


Even comes with a nice little storage compartment in the rear for weapons.


It's supposed to have a spring loaded missile on the bottom (pull back on R2 to launch), but since I don't like the missiles I took it out. I'm just happy they didn't try to put in the little "bombs" like they did for the original trilogy Y-Wing.

Rear view. Not much to see from this angle.
There have been a couple of Clone Wars episodes which showed red Y-Wings, so if I get ambitious I may look into making a red variant.

Tantive IV (Rebel Blockade Runner) - 10198

All hail Bricklink! Even after shipping, US exchange, customs, and GST, I was still able to buy this from the US and have it sent to me for cheaper than I could get it off the shelf in Canada.

Anyhow, thanks to this year's tax refund (Dawn got a pedistal washer and drier), I was able to order the Tantive IV set. Let's walk through some of the features, shall we?

The view from the front. One nice thing about this set was the absence of stickers. I was worried the cockpit pieces would require stickers, but they came preprinted.


Profile shot. This really is a big one and has a good supporting frame on the inside. The engines got a little tedious by the 5th one, but otherwise a fun build.


Rear view. All eleven engines...


The cockpit has a very smooth opening hinge and is balanced so it doesn't slide closed on itself. Room for two at the controls. I really don't think it would've killed anyone at Lego to include another blue Rebel minifig. And what's with not having any minifig weapons with this set??


The lid comes off to reveal Leia's command center. She gets the nice big desk while Captain Antilles gets stuck at the little monitoring station. Seems fair... For not actually being attached to anything, the lid is quite secure, guess they figure no one will be doing barrel rolls with this set.


The concealed cargo sled is a little goofy, so I kept it in long enough for the photo. This could give Leia enough space to hand off the Death Star plans to R2...


Escape pods on both sides. Port side has the droids, starboard side is empty for the time being. I might have to look into the Rebel Soldiers battle pack to get more staff for this set. I already had to trade my son a clone trooper for one of his Rebel soldiers just so I could have two people in the cockpit.


One of the fun(ny) features is Captain Antilles... normally mild-mannered, easy-going. But when Darth Vader comes in...


...our Captain becomes a little more distressed.

This set is as awesome as it looks in photos. Now I'll have to see if I can talk the kids into having an air battle with me  :)