TIE Fighter (#9492)

I know I say it quite a bit, but I wasn't sure about this one when the first photos hit the internet. I should learn to just embrace the new models because I end up liking them anyway. This is the third generation of TIE fighter designs. 7146 was the first in 2001, and 7263 in 2005 had only minor changes. But this one is almost a complete redesign.

The set comes with the new TIE pilot, Imperial officer, Death Star trooper, and R5-J2. To Lego's credit, they are including more minifigs with the models now. Yes, it has flick-fire missiles, but I think I'm going to cover the back ends so they can't be flicked.

Here it is next to its predecessor on the left. The original 7263 was done in black and blue, which annoyed me, so I swapped out the blue for light grey. Anyhow, back to 9492. The "wings" are about 5 studs taller than 7263 and it doesn't feel fragile when you hold it. It's tall enough it won't fit on my "Imperial" shelf. I'll have to stick it on the shelf with the Rebels and see if they notice. If you look at the larger photo (just click on this one), you'll notice our pilot gets a seat now too. The Empire must be redesigning the fleet with pilot comfort in mind.

They used the helmet from the TIE Defender set, which was a nice move. It looks much better than the old helmet.

Lego also decided to give the pilot a face, which was also very generous (and about time). The new stormtroopers also get faces, but that's another review.

The canopy is round this time instead of the old style. The wings on 7263 were quite wobbly, but 9492 has (mostly) fixed this issue. There's a tiny bit of wiggle room, but they used an axle piece to help keep the wings stable.

The side view looks much nicer, and movie-accurate.

Rear view. The wings are clearly thicker than the old version. The whole design looks cleaner and more thought-out than the other one did.

Is it worth the $70 to upgrade to the new version? It was for me. If you want a cheaper alternative, you can find the fighter on Bricklink for $30-$40 without the figures. No self-respecting Imperial fleet should be without this one...

Anakin's Jedi Interceptor (#9494)

I got pretty excited when Lego announced this set. I even went online and preordered it as soon as they would let me. In retrospect, I could've picked it up at Toys R Us two weeks sooner, but what can you do...

These fighters are so darn swooshable, I had to move it away from my desk so I could get stuff done. I like the green/grey color scheme. I'm not sure why they put in the two light tan pieces on the wing. I'll be replacing them as soon as I can get dark green tiles in from Bricklink.

Here's a photo of the complete set. Personally, I like the lava droid and platform. I think they're a fitting addition to the set. Nute Gunray, although he also belongs with this set, really needs to have legs. The printed skirt look just doesn't work for him.

Here's Anakin and R2 standing beside the fighter. I wasn't sure at first if I liked the idea of a full R2 mounted in the wing, but they seem to have made it work. And no, Anakin is not force-choking R2...

The cockpit has been redesigned slightly. This time we have clips to hold the lightsaber blade and hilt. Plus, the canopy doesn't flip open whenever you roll the fighter. This is a good thing. It's difficult to intimidate the enemy when your canopy keeps flipping open, although it's a good way to keep your cockpit clean.

Rear-view, the engines are slightly larger than those on the previous versions.

Aside from the "Nute Gunray in a dress" gripe, the only other complaint I have with this model (and the other recent models) is how sloppy the underside looks. Like the new Millennium Falcon and the Sith Infiltrator, the underside seems to be an after-thought. This one isn't as bad as it was out-of-the-box because I've already swapped out some pieces. While I'm not a fan of the flick-fire missiles, they do keep things balanced.

Here's Anakin and Obi-Wan duelling it out. This is what happens when Padme "Likes" one too many of Obi-Wan's Facebook posts. Awkward.

Here they are again, posing for the photo. Anakin has "Sith eyes" and Obi-Wan looks like the Clone Wars counterpart.

They both have alternate expressions, which I thought was kinda cool. These are apparently their "duelling faces". Can't you just hear Anakin saying, "You underestimate my power!"

I give this set a strong 9/10. It would've had full marks if Nute had legs and if the design department would 1) stop using the light tan pieces as filler, and 2) make the underside look like "we meant to do that" instead of "no one looks under here anyway".