Droid Gunship (#75042)

This is the second version of the Droid Gunship (#7678 was the first). We got to see it in action during Episode III and the battle on Kashyyyk. Since then, it has been featured in the Clone Wars series a few times.

The set comes with four minifigs, A new Chewbacca (sporting two-toned hair and printed legs), a Kashyyyk scout (same as you'll find in the battle pack), a super battle droid, and a standard battle droid. I like the new Chewie, and the Kashyyyk clones are my favorite.

Not sure why they didn't include a blue pilot droid with this set like they did last time, but we only get a standard droid. There's room for him to lie down, and there's even a targeting display... if only his feet were equipped with optical sensors. I feel that important displays like that should be placed where they can be useful...

A view from the rear. As you'll see in the comparison photos below, this one is much more streamlined than the prior version. Yes, there are supposed to be the new spring-loaded missiles on each "wing" but I took them off.

Turn it over for access to the bombs...

Pull the levers on the back to release the bombs, or load them up again.

Here's the newer 75042 on the left and the old 7678 on the right. The new one is much more in-line with the movie version with the lower profile.

The two pilot compartments. According to the tech specs, these gunships were technically droids and didn't use pilots, just like the Vulture Droids.

The underside is where the biggest difference is between the two. The Bomb deployment system is much better on the new model. It's also easier to grab this one, where the old one always felt a bit delicate if you didn't pick it up just right.

So, here's how I would rate the set:

• Features: 8/10. While there aren't really a lot of features with this model, it's not like there's a lot of wasted space that could be doing something if it had been designed better. The construction is solid, although slightly front-heavy. 
• Design: 8/10. Even though other reviews have called the underside "lazy", I think it works very well with the improved sleek look of the model. However, I do think they could've used the light grey pieces instead of the blue.
• Price: 7/10. SRP on this is $50 USD. I get the licensing fee, but it seems like there could've been a little more included for the price. Or take out a droid and knock a couple bucks off the price tag.
• Minifigs: 6/10. The new Chewie is great, but it felt like the droids were just fillers. If Lego feels they need to add in a standard battle droid as a pilot for extra play value, go ahead. But the super battle droid seemed a bit out of place. There aren't really any Jedi to add to the set, we have enough Yodas already. Another clone would've been cool, or maybe a generic Wookie warrior. 
• Overall score: 7.25/10. Far better than the original version and although not without a shortcoming or two, this is a good model.

AT-AP (#75043)

This is the second version of the AT-AP featured in Episode III. The first version was released in 2008, so it was probably time for a new one (my review of the first one is here). This one didn't really get a lot of screen time, just a couple of passing appearances on Kashyyyk and Felucia.

The set comes with five figures: Commander Gree, Tarfful, two battle droids, and a super battle droid. I'm not sure who was in charge of the weapon department, but I'm fairly certain the leader of the wookies would have something better than a musket.

There are some nice additions to the design of this model. There is a swivel lock on the back to keep the turret from moving.

Slide it down...

...and the main gun swivels up and down while the turret rotates.You'll probably notice I removed the spring-loaded missile and replaced it with a solid brick.

The roof flips up for access to the interior. I used two clones from the Kashyyyk Troopers set to man the cockpit. Not as fancy as the original, but there is more room. If you really felt the need, you could put in a simple weapon storage rack similar to the one in the first version.

Another improvement from the prior version is the laser canon on the front is now moveable. You may now oooohh and aaaahhhh to your heart's content.

There is a lock on the back to keep the third leg in place during travel. The old version used an inverted brick to hold the foot in place, this one just swings down.

Access panels on each side open up, more for looks than functionality. It's very difficult to get the minifigs in and out without using the top hatch.

So let's look at the two models together. This one is larger than its predecessor
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The cockpit base is much more solid than the old version and as you can see, it is more level as well.

View from the rear. Nothing really life-changing.

My final verdict? Since it has been six years since the last version, many of you likely won't have to worry about having a duplicate. This one is easily superior to the older version. The frame is stronger and it looks more like the movie version than before. Your clone army needs this set to combat the Separatist forces. Don't let them down!

Republic Gunship (#75021)

I wasn't overly excited about this one when it came out. Sure, it made it on my wishlist, but it was down at the bottom. I wasn't going to spend the money for what looked like another rehash of the gunship. Granted, the second version (7676 in 2008) was better than the first one (7163 in 2002), but what could they do to this one to make it worth buying again??

Then I was given a gift card to Best Buy (sounds familiar, doesn't it) which meant I only had to pay $25 for the set. Well, that's a different story. I don't mind spending $25 for a set like this, even if I have the previous version. So, let's take a walk through some of the features...

The set comes with the 7 figures posing outside (all the others I supplemented from battle packs): Padme with her torn shirt, Obi-Wan, Anakin (all three have alternate facial expressions), Clone Pilot, Clone Captain (the red one), and two super battle droids.

The cheesey swoop bike slides into the back hatch. Take a good look because this is the last time the bike will ever been seen with my gunship. I'm putting in a small rack to store the lightsabers instead.

Here's a view of the rear turret and weapon storage compartment.

The inside seems a bit bigger than it was on 7676.

The wing-mounted turrets are a bit nicer on this version. My only gripe is that the laser dish is on top of the dome instead of the front where it's supposed to be. The domes on 7676 were closer to being correct, so I may have to find a couple of extras on Bricklink.

I'm really glad they put these turrets back on. Because they used Technic pieces instead of hinges, the turret pods can swivel up and down as well as swing back into the ship. I may have to look at retro-fitting 7676 with these.

Instead of the mobile command post in 7676, the front storage compartment on this model holds a few refills for the flick-fire missiles. The field bacta tank was removed as well, so there's more reclaimed space. I was a little sad that the nose-art had been removed, but the model is based on the Episode II version rather than the Clone Wars.

The canopies are much nicer on this version as well. I found the ones on 7676 had a tendency to come off if you didn't open them just right.

Flick-fire missiles are pretty much the same as 7676, but these ones have the small colored pieces added in.

There's also a storage box for a Jedi holocron.

This small little handle is genius. It makes carrying the gunship so much easier.

For those who are curious about how this one stacks up compared to the 7676, here they are side-by-side. This one is a bit shorter than the last one and not quite as long.

Here they are from the top.

So, those of you who don't already have a gunship, or who have 7163, should save up empty cans and bottles or whatever it takes to get one. For those who already have 7676, let me speak to you for a moment.

Anyone who doesn't already have one of the prior versions won't truly appreciate the improvements in the design and build as much as you will. You know that frustration you get every time you pick up 7676 and you have to check which pieces are coming loose due to the weight of the ship? Having to constantly push everything back together unless you somehow find a way to hold it from the bottom? Well, those days are gone, my friend. This one is incredibly sturdy, thanks to the Technic frame inside which supports and distributes the weight of the model evenly. The engine pods on top don't even rotate like they do on 7676. Lego tacked down and secured everything.

I give this one a whole-hearted 10/10 for all the improvements Lego put in. Now that I've actually seen it in action, I would've happily paid the full price for it. Sure, Anakin's face looks a little goofy, but you probably already have 17 different versions of him anyway. Now, if you'll excuse me, the gunship has to go rescue some Jedi from the Separatist forces...

Corporate Alliance Tank Droid (#75015)

The new Summer 2013 sets are out, bringing another version of the Corporate Alliance Tank Droid. While most memorable from the Episode III battles on Kashyyyk, it did make a couple of brief appearances on Geonosis in Episode II.

The set comes with three minifigs: a dark brown battle droid, clone trooper, and Jango Fett. I guess Lego figured they could cut back on one minifig (compared to 7748) by throwing in an updated Jango. This is only the second set to ever feature him (the first being Jango's Slave I).

The original Jango minifig has been selling for upwards of $50 on sites like eBay and Bricklink. If you think a little plastic figure is worth that much, have at it. I'm not here to judge. Personally, I like this version much better... printed legs, better chest design, updated face, separate helmet and jet pack...

Here are the two versions side-by-side for comparison. There really isn't anything that jumps out and says, "Wow! This new feature is totally worth the upgrade!" I like the rods they added to the rear and the subtle changes to the "feet" on each side.

Front view... 75015 is slightly taller. Ooooh.... Ahhhhh....  I don't know if I can't count to 60, or I lack the fine motor skills required, but I had to add one more track segment to get it to connect. Fortunately they include a couple of extras.

Another side view with a better angle of the updates. There are two side guns and a flick fire missile where on the last one there were only two guns and one of them doubled as a flick fire. I know what you're thinking... "That alone is worth the sticker price!" Well, you're preaching to the choir.

Anyhow, this is a nice little army builder set. I'm a big fan of the new Jango Fett minifig (still could've thrown in another clone trooper). If your CIS troops are outnumbered, this will help restore a little balance.

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". 

Sith Infiltrator (#7961)

When I saw this one on the Lego website, I wasn't quite sure about it. I liked the curved wings of the 7663 version because they were more movie-accurate than the first incarnation (I may end up transferring them to the new one). This is one of those models you need to see in person before you make up your mind. This is the third version of the Infiltrator and I think Lego did a good job on it.

Here is the 7663 version with the new 7961 for comparison. The proportions on 7961 are much better and I prefer the new cockpit section to the old one. This one feels sturdier as well, it doesn't feel like it's going to fall apart when you pick it up.

The minifigs... the first time we've seen Captain Panaka, an updated Padme (haven't seen her since "Anakin's Podracer" set from 1999) with an alternate expression on the back of her head, and a new Quigon Jinn with a green lightsaber (finally).

The hinged cockpit works much better on this model than on 7663 (the back had a bad habit of falling off when opened) and there's a lightsaber storage compartment as well. Much better than having to piece it together from various parts of the ship.

Darth Maul... he comes with an optional horns ring (even comes with an extra one) or a hood which can be interchanged. This new version is very good.

Here's where we start getting onto shaky ground. The front section seems like the designers were a bit rushed and didn't put as much attention here. I'm not a fan of the spy droid deployment system. They're not supposed to drop out of the ship like bombs. I don't have a problem with storing them in the front section, but the bomb levers are a bit silly. An enthusiastic 'meh' on the flick-fire missiles, but I really like the speeder storage...

...and design. It's much more streamlined than its predecessor, and fits nicely inside the ship. But because the   top section of the ship is mounted on Technic hinges, it tends to flip open if you barrel roll the ship, which ends up with the speeder falling out and onto the floor. It's like having the hood of your car flip open as you're driving down the highway, not good.

So I fixed it with a hinged brick for now. If you have it, I would recommend the hinge with a 2x2 plate on top, the standard 1x2 doesn't seem to be strong enough.

Despite a few design shortcomings, this is still a great set. It even feels better when you hold it, 7663 felt almost fragile at times. This version does not have that problem. Overall, I'd give it a solid 8.5/10.