Geonosian Starfighter (#7959)

At first I wasn't too sure about this set, I put it on my list because it came with Ki-Adi Mundi. But once I had it assembled, it really grew on me. It's very difficult to hold this one and not swoosh it.

It comes with three minifigs: a Geonosian, Ki-Adi Mundi, and Commander Cody. I thought Ki-Adi's head would be one piece, but it's a standard minifig head with a "hat".

The ship's gun rotates from side to side... Not really an astounding feat of engineering here. I like how the top and bottom fit together to keep the stud-sides facing out.

The rear view. There have been some comments on the Lego site from people who don't really like the engine module, but I think it works.

The bottom flap opens to drop a bomb. It does a good job of staying closed in flight, so you don't have to worry about premature deployment.

I like the new canopy design with the clip bar instead of needing the hinge brick. It's nice not having to leave a space in front of the hinge to allow it to open.

Do yourself a favor when you're building the cockpit. Take out the two 1x3 grey tiles and put in a 1x2 plate and a 2x2 tile instead. This will keep the pilot secure while still making it easy to get in and out. The pilot does tend to rattle around a bit during flight without having the plate to keep him in place.

So, I ended up liking this one more than I thought. The only problem I have with this set is why they included two very specific figures in such a generic kit. I want to get another starfighter, but I don't need another Ki-Adi or Cody. At the same time, I probably wouldn't have added this to my list were it not for the Ki-Adi figure. I'll probably turn to my trusted Bricklink to find someone selling just the ship and the pilot.