OnSite:

OffSite:

LEGO Ultimate Collectors Series: Rebel Snowspeeder (UCS:RSS) - an overview

A "quick & dirty" page to post up details of the new (as of early Oct 2003) LEGO UCS Snowspeeder. This is the latest 'UCS' set, only available (at this time anyway) from the LEGO Shop@Home or LEGO brand retail stores. This set came from the LEGO Shop in Milton Keynes, UK, on Sunday 5th October. Cost was £110 UK.

The model:

The large box contains the bags of pieces, a 96 page instruction book (landscape format, ~A4 size), and a sticker sheet. The instructions are very clear & easy to follow, although there are one or two oddities (a particular piece is shown in the correct colour in the "parts list" (pg 15), but then shown in the wrong colour throughout after it is fitted (e.g. pg 28). Weird)

The model is built as 6 sub-assemblies. The first, and largest is the main body.

The second and third are, respectively, the rear & front sections of the canopy.

Next, the nose section ...

And finally, the left & then right wing assemblies.

The final model has little articulation: there are the airbrakes at the lower rear, the harpoon gun, the top airbrakes (which uncover a little world of greeblies), and the canopy (with its 'sun-roof' and support arm). That's it. OK, it's more than any other UCS set, but I'm a glass-half-empty kinda guy ... 8¬)

A parts inventory is available at Peeron.

Comments:

When this set was first announced, the first pictures didn't exactly grab me, and I wasn't immediately gripped with the need to buy. However, seeing it in the flesh was enough to make me dig into my wallet ... but why ?

First, it's a lot bigger than than I thought. It's about 45cm long, 35cm wide & 12cm high (excluding stand). Second, it's got a pretty good parts selection, although I don't think there are any particular unusual parts in the kit. Third, it's a heck of a sturdy model. Much sturdier than any other UCS set. It really is swooshable, without much worry of bits dropping off.

The only slightly disappointing part is the extensive use of stickers. There are 22 of them, not including the 'UCS' label for the stand. Most of these could easily have been printed directly on to the bricks. I have an aversion to stickers, and haven't applied them.

Accurancy wise, it's pretty good, IMHO. It looks a little long, but pretty good considering the limitations of the media. StarWars.com databank gives a length of 5.3m for the 'real' snowspeeder; that makes this model ~1:12 scale.

Overall, a great (big) model & impressively sturdy. Swoosh, swoosh !

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group.
This site is not sponsored, endorsed or authorised by The LEGO Group

All images and other content is copyright. They must not be copied or reproduced in anyway without the permission of the website owner.