Jedi Starfighter is keen!

[JediTricks]

This is definitely a different direction for Lego's Star Wars design, but I'm not unhappy. The ship is not without its flaws, but it was a pretty interesting build.

Pros:
- The undocumented storage compartment under the tail holds both the binocs and saber hilt perfectly without obstructing the tail itself. The saber blade fits snugly behind Obi-Wan's back between the "chair" and the "back wall fence".

- This is kinda the first try for Lego at the self-contained landing gear and it's not a bad effort. The forward landing foot retracts up into the body at an angle that completes the side-profile line of the curved bricks.

- The above and rear profiles are very accurate; and while the underside isn't, it's a pretty cool design none the less.

- The ship definitely captures the feel of the ship I saw in the trailer, once I figured out where to pick it up from, I really enjoyed it.

Flaws:
- It seems a bit large, almost as long as the Lego X-wing, and when it's standing on the landing gear, it's very tall. I think it may actually be to scale with its pilot though.

- The cockpit fails IMO, the canopy leaves a huge gap and the figure has to put his arms way up in the air just to sit right.

- The wings feel a bit floppy because they're held on by the old "4x4 hinge plate" which isn't terribly strong, especially they way it's used here. The clicky-brick design on the Snowspeeder would have been a better way to go probably.

- The forward landing foot is a bit wimpy, it gives way too easily.


So, there you have it, a pretty cool ship, and the first officially-sold Episode II toy out!

[JetsAndHeels]

Overall I am happy with this set, being that it was the first EP2 toy I owned. However the one thing that bugs me about this piece is the wings, like JediTricks mentioned.
I could not believe how weak the support is for the wings. These are not small pieces either, and the 4x4 plate can only support a small amount of the wing.
If there was a way to make the wings more firmly placed, either by a new piece or some way to tighten the hold, I would probably be 100% satifsfied. However I will not complain because this is a very nice set and I recommend it to anyone who is thinking about getting it.

[LTBasker]

If you take the wings off and raise the back landing gear so that the landing "feet" are perfectly vertical it's kinda a cool 2nd mode.

The canopy definitely needs work, if only it were a little taller there would be a way to seal it up.

Definitely needs some better sturdier pieces, I'm thinking about buying an extra later on and modifying it so that it is much more sturdier.

Ya know, that was a really great use of that old flag piece mold.

[2-1B]

Good review JT That unsealed canopy does bother me, and while I like the landing gear design, mine is just a bit too touchy.
I'm with everyone else on the wings issue as well - too flimsy.

Jango96, you point out that it's your first E2 toy, and I'm inclined to see it the same way. I do like the LEGOs, and I'll be buying some more sets 4/23, but there was just something special about bringing home my first AOTC toy . . . in February

[JetsAndHeels]

Hey Caesar,
Its a good feeling to have something from AOTC isnt it? And now I have the set of preview figures, so the feeling continues.
Ahh, magic is in the air again!!
By the way, I saw a dog just like Caesar today and it made me think of your dog. What a cutie!!

[2-1B]

Originally posted by JangoFett96
Hey Caesar,
Its a good feeling to have something from AOTC isnt it? And now I have the set of preview figures, so the feeling continues.
Ahh, magic is in the air again!!
By the way, I saw a dog just like Caesar today and it made me think of your dog. What a cutie!!

Well, apparantly I am the only person in my community who's feeling the magic - there are still 2 dozen Jedi Starfighter sets collecting dust on the top shelf, PLUS another half dozen lingering amongst the other Lego sets.

I almost want to grab random customers, drag them into the Lego aisle and scream with joy LOOK ! ! ! A STAR WARS TOY FROM THE NEW MOVIE ! BUY IT ! . . . but I would like to go back there for 4/23 goods.

[JetsAndHeels]

Well I know how you feel, being a rarity in the community as far as loving and collecting SW. However that can work to your advantage, since you can usually get your pick of the loot.
For example last night when I went to Wal Mart here in Raleigh, a fellow collector was there buying the preview figures with me. As we took the figs out of the cases and put them on the pegs, he impressed me when he said "Lets get these up here so more collectors have a chance."
He even impressed me more when he used collecting terms like "cards", "bubbles", and "pegs" in his conversation with me.
It made me feel good to know someone out there was in this for the hobby like me, and not just out for a buck.
Then today at TRU I ran into him again. We had another conversation, you know the kind that only us collectors can have with each other, using more of our collecting jargon. Words like "variation", "scalpers", and "sculpt" were used.
Anyway, it is good to know that we are spread out across the area, but are still bound together by SW and our love for it.

[JediTricks]

I was wrong about the scale issue, it's too big. Also, talking about being wrong, it is longer than the dang X-wing!

Basker, that's a cool alt-mode idea, I did something similar to your idea to emulate the built-in alt-mode on the Hasbro version.

Caesar, my Wal-mart had the same issue, SOOOO many of them on the shelf, no open spaces. However, I think this is because of the first-quarter doldrums, when stores don't put much stuff on shelves; so people aren't expecting to see something new.

All in all, I've had a lot of fun with this set, it makes me happy to play with, even with all the little flaws (including one I forgot to mention, the 2x4 gray plates at the back of the underside of the wings get bumped into by the engine thrusters in the "up" position, so I had to change their orientation). I currently have it sitting in a battle with the LEGO Droid Fighter.

One thing I am interested in trying is the "scorpion fighter" from the back of the box. The dragster looks cute, but the alternate fighter looks very very neat.