Review: 75218 X-wing Starfighter
Posted by CapnRex101,
The T-65B X-wing Starfighter is among the most popular vehicles from throughout the Star Wars saga. Numerous different renditions of the craft have been produced at various scales, although six years have passed since the last such model was released.
75218 X-wing Starfighter is therefore an exciting set as a range of new elements have been introduced since 2012, including a cockpit canopy that was originally created for 75102 Poe's X-wing Fighter. The structure of the fuselage has undergone a considerable update too so my expectations for this set are exceptionally high!
Minifigures
Luke Skywalker appeared in the very first LEGO rendition of an X-wing, 7140 X-wing Fighter, which was released in 1999. Minifigure design has advanced a great deal since then and this version of the character looks marvellous, featuring a double-sided head with a smile on one side and a determined expression on the other. Luke wields a blue lightsaber and a standard blaster pistol.
Sixteen years have passed since Biggs Darklighter last appeared in a LEGO Star Wars set so I am delighted to see him return! His head features two different smiling expressions and a moustache, for which Biggs is well known. Both pilots wear the same orange flight suit, consisting of a white flak vest, a colourful life support unit and a light bluish grey harness that continues from the torso onto the legs.
Rebel Pilots have worn the same helmet component throughout the entire history of LEGO Star Wars. That element was excellent, given its age, but the new design represents a significant improvement in my opinion, including a superb trans-orange visor. The printed decoration matches the source material exactly and is remarkably intricate. I am particularly impressed with the chequerboard pattern on Biggs' helmet.
R2-D2 accompanies Luke during the Battle of Yavin and has appeared in every minifigure-scale model of the T-65 X-wing. The pearl silver dome looks great and I like the dark blue highlights which are printed all the way around the dome. Additional panels decorate the front of Artoo's cylindrical body but these are not present on the back, unfortunately.
7915 Imperial V-wing Starfighter included an R2-Q2 minifigure and a droid with the same designation appears here. However, they belong to opposing factions and are not totally identical in appearance, featuring slightly different black and white stripes on their domes. This design is perfectly accurate to the source material and the blue processor state indicator really stands out against the comparatively muted shades of dark bluish grey and pearl silver.
The Completed Model
This vehicle measures 34cm in length so is similar in size to its predecessor, 9493 X-wing Starfighter. However, the design of the model has been updated quite significantly, combining the most appealing aspects of past minifigure-scale X-wings and even including some impressive details from 10240 Red Five X-wing Starfighter. Moreover, the colour scheme of white and dark red looks superb in relation to the movies.
Few changes have been made to the X-wing's nose since 4502 X-wing Fighter was released in 2004. Its hexagonal shape has not been captured perfectly but significant alterations might compromise the rigidity of the craft. In addition, the present design provides room for the landing gear to fold up inside and the bright light yellow highlights along the top of the fuselage certainly represent an improvement over previous models.
A new canopy element was produced for 75102 Poe's X-wing Fighter and it suits the T-65 X-wing as well as the T-70 model in my opinion. The printed frame looks fantastic and I like how this component has been integrated with the fuselage. A pair of white stud shooters represent the proton torpedo tubes on either side of the craft. These may not appeal to everyone but they are excellent for play and can be removed with ease.
The cockpit features a seat for the pilot, a printed control panel and two dark bluish grey grille slopes which form part of the flight control systems. Furthermore, a red fire extinguisher is placed behind the seat. This is a fun detail but the space might have been occupied by a targeting computer which could fold out to reach over the minifigure's shoulder.
Astromech droid sockets have appeared on every rendition of the X-wing Starfighter but this design is better than its predecessors, allowing R2-D2 or R2-Q2 to face forwards rather than sideways. This area of the fuselage appears fragile but is actually remarkably sturdy and I think it looks superb, although the socket is not completely enclosed on either side.
The engines have also been updated quite substantially since 9493 X-wing Starfighter was released in 2012. They now include vertical braces which are represented by light bluish grey ice picks, borrowing an impressive building technique from 10240 Red Five X-wing Starfighter. 1x4 curved window frames form the armour plating around the engine and the thrust nozzles feature trans-pink dishes so match the pink glow of the engines in the films.
Dark red stripes denote the callsign for each X-wing during the Battle of Yavin and this model includes alternative stickers, placed on 2x3 tiles, so you can switch between Biggs Darklighter's Red Three and Luke Skywalker's Red Five. This is a delightful detail and the stickers line up nicely with some dark red tiles on each wing. The laser cannons appear rather short beside the fuselage but I do like the spring-loaded shooters.
The fuselage of an X-wing starfighter appears octagonal when viewed from behind and that has been captured effectively here, using two mudguard elements. The mechanical details look marvellous too, including a round S-foil servo actuator which is visible in the movies and has been represented by a large Technic gear on most previous X-wings.
However, the S-foils on this model are activated using a tan element on top of the fuselage. Pushing this switch forward will cause the wings to open fairly quickly, improving quite considerably upon past designs which have opened gradually. Unfortunately, there is little mechanical detail on top of the craft but I still think it looks good, due in particular to the attractive sand blue highlights.
Rubber bands keep the S-foils together when they are closed. The function works perfectly and the white rubber bands do not appear out of place, although I prefer the design in 10240 Red Five X-wing Starfighter which is not reliant upon rubber bands. Moreover, the levers that actually open the wings are very well hidden as they are situated near the fuselage, as demonstrated in the image below.
The underside of the X-wing is less detailed than the upper surface, as one would expect. There are some colourful highlights on the wings though and the Technic frame inside is almost entirely hidden. The starfighter cannot land properly with its S-foils in attack position so pressing a button underneath will close the wings automatically. I was surprised by the simplicity of this mechanism but its inclusion shows great attention to detail.
Overall
75218 X-wing Starfighter is definitely the best minifigure-scale rendition of an X-wing that LEGO has produced. Its fuselage looks great when compared with the source material and I love the bright light yellow highlights which provide a brilliant splash of colour to the vehicle. Furthermore, the minifigures are excellent, although another pilot and their respective Astromech droid would have been welcome.
Unfortunately, this set costs £89.99 in the UK or 99.99€ across most of the eurozone and that seems expensive. Its price of $79.99 in the US is far more reasonable but those in other countries may prefer to wait for a discount. Nevertheless, 75218 X-wing Starfighter is a magnificent set and I would certainly recommend adding it to your collection.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review is an expression of my own opinions.
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60 comments on this article
Jeez, I can't look past the new helmet. It hurts that we'll have to slowly wait to get all the unique rebel designs again.
I would like to get this set but I live in Ireland so it would cost me €100 which is too much
Bought it recently at less than half price; enjoyed the build and immediately lost it to my two sons. Looks great and is certified swooshable by those two.
Just get rid of that useless technic axle that's supposed to return the s-foil mechanism back out of attack position as the lever is enough for switching between both open and closed positions; the only other minor issue we have with it is the hinges+mudguards solution on the back look great but does not stay in position even under minor play. Other than that a great set.
Red Five, standing by!
This is a superb rendition of the x-wing but in my eyes there are 2 issues, the wing cannons are too short as are the engines. I rummaged through pick a brick and ordered a few extra parts to fix this, please see my pics on LEGO’s website for reviews of this set under ‘Jaimzee’
https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/X-Wing-Starfighter-75218
Never owned a Lego X-Wing of my own (nor any of the classic starfighters except the 2005 TIE, for that matter), so I can't deny that this classic piece of the Star Wars franchise calls to me... except that I don't really buy Lego anymore. Might keep an eye on the used market for this one in time, though, because it looks like a pretty nice design.
Thanks for the informative review!
£90? Haha, it was only £50 a few years ago and then £60.
Nice try...
The new helmets are terrible in my opinion. They look like they haven't been pressed down all the way.
I also removed the technic axle that closes the s-foils. Not needed and looks ugly.
This is a great set, and a nice upgrade over 4502 (the only other T-65 X-Wing set I have). I removed the mechanism that closes the S-foils when landing; it was a cool idea but the Technic pin was just too noticeable when swooshing. Very easy to do, and to each their own, so it doesn't bother me.
For me the only problem with this set is that the S-foils sag a little when closed. It's not a huge deal, but it looks droopy rather than impressive when on display in landing position. Anyone else have this problem and find a fix?
Love the X-wing but i only have the polybag version, and this model is great,
I want poes X-wing next in both sizes..
Typical Star Wars set. Ever-improving design, ever-increasing price. Sigh...
@UVARiovia interesting point about the wings sagging when closed--the UCS has the same problem.
I'm on the fence about this one. My current X-Wing is 9493 from 2012. Every time an X-Wing comes out, I think it's great and they've finally perfected it--then they release a new one a top it. This new one's definitely better, but I don't know if I want to go through the trouble of selling the old one and picking up the new one, waiting for a discount, double VIP, etc, etc...
I genuinely don't understand why R2-D2 (and his droid brethren) still doesn't get backprinting. He's one of the most common minifigures, typically appears in multiple sets every single year, appears the exact same most of the time, and yet doesn't get the most basic printing that almost every single other minifigure gets (certainly in the Star Wars theme).
Just so weird.
Thanks for another great review Captain! I bought the original Biggs on aftermarket, and have him piloting one of my two 2012 X-Wings. This version of him is a great, and is a long awaited update. This X-Wing is a nice update as well, however it's hard to justify 80.00 for what is, in the end, just an update. I think this set, and future X-Wings, shouldn't be more than 70.00 (and no more than 60.00 for TIE Fighters). The pricing on this set in other countries is just plain nuts!
Thanks for the review. After viewing JangBricks's, I wondered if I would not purchase this one eventually, as the only one I have is now old (6212), even if I still really like it. But this rendition, highly updated compared to mine, and your arguments have convinced me that this more accurate and overall sturdy version was the good one for changing. Price is a far too steep, all the more for a ship I already have, so I will wait and I'll get it at the first good discount.
I managed to pick this up for just over £50 from Amazon, when they had it on discount. I love the set, but definitely would not have paid £90 for it. £50, however, was excellent value.
Awesome! I've been collecting Star Wars LEGO since 1999, and I still do not own a minifig scale X-Wing Fighter. This one might be it! What a great set!
Argh. I have the last OT X-wing but this one is just gorgeous.... But for the same price as the Resistance Bomber? That's crazy. I just can't justify that, not even at 30% off. The original X-wing was £25... I know this one has more pieces but damn if that old set wasn't breathtaking at the time.
As for the new helmets, yuck yuck yuck. The shape might be more accurate on paper but they way they look on a figure is awful. They sit too high, they're far too big relative to the face. First Vader, now Rebel pilots... The sets get better but the helmets get worse!
Is it really better than the one of Poe Dameron?
Nice review CapnRex - and coincidentally pretty much in agreement with my opinion. Thanks!
I waited years for this set, anticipating a design that made use of all the best building techniques and new parts to finally capture the X-Wing accurately. I was very disappointed. Firstly, I do like the colours and stickers used and I understand the inclusion of stud and spring shooters. I also don't mind the design for the nose as the more accurate alternatives are not sturdy enough for play.
However, if you compare to the source material, you realise just how poor it is. The construction of the engines leaves a massive gap on the top and the front set too far back. The new wing-opening mechanism ruins the top of the fuselage. I loved the old pilot helmets and was collecting every rebel pilot, but these new ones don't fit in with the others and look terrible. There are also many other easily fixed inaccuracies:
- Thrusters too short
- Cannons just completely wrong. Spring shooters are forgivable but everything else about them sucks
- The wings are a each whole brick thick
- Gaps beside droid socket
- The way the wings are attached
I don’t understand all the disliking of the new helmet design - watch Episode IV - the helmets are massive!
This is currently double VIP points in the US with the free Han Mud Trooper! \o/ Bought!
@Nesquik: Compared to 9493-1 (the 2012 version) this one has 30% more parts, weighs 19% more, introduces seven new printed elements instead of five, introduces one new mold instead of zero, and has to account for 14.69% net inflation over that six-year period (source: http://www.in2013dollars.com/2012-GBP-in-2018).
Plus, the new version has four of the 1x4 spring shooters (15400), which like any pre-assembled part costs considerably more than a basic part of similar size and weight (like a 1x4 brick, 3010). To give you a sense of the price difference for pre-assembled elements like this, on Bricks & Pieces, each Medium or Dark Stone Grey 3010 costs £0.16, while each 15400 costs £0.67 (over 4 times more). Other than that the only pre-assembled elements in either version are the minifigure torso and legs assemblies, which they have in the same quantities.
Even if the price of the new one were only adjusted for inflation and weight difference it would be at least £68.24 — possibly £70 or higher when you account for the aforementioned parts-specific factors that would cause price increases to rise higher than the proportional weight increase.
That said, I am not fool enough to think that increased production costs account for all the increase in Star Wars prices from then to now, particularly considering how much the return of new movies to theaters in 2015 increased overall interest in Star Wars toys. Star Wars Black Series 6" action figures were £14.99 when they first launched in 2013, they are now £19.99 (a 33% increase, or about the same as how much the LEGO X-Wing price has increased since 2012 when you adjust for the weight difference). It's hard to tell how much of this is licensing contracts requiring higher royalty payments and how much is manufacturers padding their profit margins in response to higher demand, but either way it doesn't seem to be a LEGO-specific issue by any means.
I already gave up complaining about prices on Star Wars Sets. All in all this is a great X-Wing, but I got rid of the axle, modified the bottom, flipped the wing mechanism around and added greebling on top after closing the gap.
Both views are correct on this set! It is way too expensive, but it is also completely excellent...in fact, I am trying to figure out how to get a second one. Maybe wait for a sale in the near future.
By the way, combing the database tells me that we now have 6 of the pilots of Red & Gold Squadron, now that Biggs has joined the world of flesh-color: Luke, Biggs, Dutch Vander, Porkins, Wedge, and Theron Nett!
Yeah I bought a previous version of this ship for €60, the undiscounted RRP, a few years ago. €100 is the new RRP? Get out of town!
@samtheq We also have helmets for Red Leader- the olive green one in 75188 Resistance Bomber, and Red Four, John "D"- the dark red one in 75204 Sandspeeder.
I love X-wings and I was hoping for an update ever since we got Poe's Black One with that sweet canopy piece. And it's finally here and looks better than the older ones, but some things really bug me:
- not coming with the famous hangar vehicle and a technician, not even a ladder to climb in
- just 2 figs and 2 droids in a 100€ set
- laser cannons too short
- stupid wing mechanism where the entire top is open, not easy to fix (what was wrong about the gear?)
- way too expensive, even for LSW
- new helmets are ok but just don't look as nice as Poe's or the U-wing pilot's
I'm a huge LSW fan since 1999 but this is just a 3/5 for me.
Of the minifig-scale X-Wings, only 9493 from 2012 required the astromech droid to be placed sideways. Yet LEGO's site calls the ability to place the droid laterally "new for August 2018"!
Other than the fact thta both the cost and helmets are not cool ($79.99 for me), I like it but I wanted a Blue Leader X-Wing.
*i like the new helmets whoops*
I was given it for my birthday the other day, the helmets are perfect, people should stop complaining because they are more detailed and more film accurate than the old small ones
Oddly enough with the set in hand, the Biggs helmet looks way better and more in proportion than Luke's despite them being the same mold. Must be the printing coverage on the top of the former combined with the Biggs face print that covers more of the face.
Much like the new Vader helmet, pictures make the helmets look way too big and out of proportion. In hand, however, they look just fine.
So much hate for the new helmets lol. They look great and the proportions are spot on, they're supposed to look bulky, it's a fight helmet not a streamlined bike helmet or something.
2006: Batman
2012: Iron Man
2015: Darth Vader
2018: The Wasp and Rebel Pilots
There are three constants in this universe, Death, Taxes, and FOL's complaining about helmets. :P
man i had no idea about the double VIP points for it! and i already placed a decent sized order earlier in the month :(
This set is my first x-wing in this scale and overall I do like it.
As others mentioned; I got rid of the ugly and unnecessary pin from underneath.
The brown wing opening button on top is an inelegant solution and a better one should have been found. If fact the whole rubber band thing is less than desirable.
The major and most notable problem for me is as @UVARiovia mentioned; the wing sag. You can see it the last photo in the article. The end of the wings do not line up with each other. If displaying in landed mode you can fix the wings together to help. Obviously this is not a perfect solution though.
I love all the complaints about the helmets being out of proportion. The minifigure itself has been out of proportion for 50 years and I don't see many complaints about that. On Lego terms, the helmet is fine.
As for the set itself, I think it's a very good update from the previous T-65 and a nice compliment to the last 2 T-70's. My only gripes start with the length of the lasers. The lack of flash suppressors is understandable because of the spring loaded shooters, but I think they still could have given the lasers more length. Secondly, while I like the new mechanism for the wings, the tan lever is a bit of an eyesore. Thirdly, the "wing reset peg" looks terrible for swishing purposes. Surely it's really not that hard to pop the wings back with the lever. The peg is a silly inclusion imo.
@Chris
I understand what you are saying about the mechanism in 10240 being preferable to rubber bands (which I've always considered a cheat by Lego and is only a legal building technique because they say it is) but aren't you comparing apples to oranges? UCS vs minifig scale.
@560heliport I assume you are referring only to the T-65 X-wing? In which case you are correct. The previous two Force Awaken's versions have the sideways droid style however :(
@Phathead You know, you are right, hahaha, I don't know what I was thinking, I guess I WasDoingItWrong. However, just to recover (if just a bit) from sounding like a total moron, If the Lego T-70's were modified to hold an R2 style astromech, The easiest way would be to have it sideways.
And boy wouldn't it be nice if members could delete their own comments, lol.
I've really been looking forward to this set ever since the first pictures leaked out. I got 6212 back when I came out of my dark ages over 10 years ago, and while it was a phenomenal set for its time, it's definitely showing its age at this point. Over the years, I've updated a few things like the laser cannons and the wing markings, but only so much can be done without fundamentally overhauling the set.
9493 was a modest improvement a few years back, but not enough to warrant a new purchase. 75218 finally looks like a sufficient leap forward from the design that has essentially persisted with only minor tweaks since 2004's 4502 X-Wing. The engines have finally been integrated into the wings rather than sitting on top of them, and provide a nice attractive and accurate profile in both the open and closed configurations.
My only complaint is that the laser cannons do need to be just a tiny bit longer on this model. But that's nothing a simple mod can't fix! I think you can find a middle ground between these and 9493's huge cannons to find an ideal length.
The best about this X-Wing is, that it's easy to remodel into Blue 1. :D Price is too high, wings are sagging, no one needs the cross axle to close the wings. But, as I said, a hand full of blue pieces and you have got a Blue 1.
Is it me, or is LEGO running out of ideas? There's more people without B-Wings, Interceptors and Bombers than there are people without X-Wings. Where's every starfighter other than the X, Y and A-Wings gone?
@1947andallthat There was a B-Wing in 2014, more recent than the last T-65 X-Wing. However, I missed it so would love a new one. I also do want a TIE Interceptor, and a TIE Bomber would probably be a good set too.
Managed to get it for £54 a couple of weeks ago from amazon. Bargain. I just need to build up a baseplate diorama for it
I have never owned a Lego X-Wing of Tie Fighter before and I would like to add one to my collection. Not only that, but personally, I think the model looks very nice and is a major improvement over past iterations, as CptnRex explained in his review of this set. Also, oddly enough, I'm actually enjoying the new helmets that Lego is creating because they're more accurate to the films and show a general improvement of Lego over time. Just think about how many new pieces Lego creates each year, creating thousands of new possibilities. So, to summarize my thoughts, I actually enjoy this set and the new helmets, but I understand why people may think otherwise.
Waiting for a decent discount (more than 33%). Good remake. The best, the new engines; the worst, the canyons are too short, but it is easy to fix them.
About the new helmet, it looks a bit rare, altough the prints are brilliant. It will be necessary to get used to them; they are here to stay.
I’m usually really positive about SW sets but this one looks like a step back. The cannons are too short and the canopy, while great on the UCS version, looks too large and of scale.
I do like the new helmets, and the detail on them.
For $80 in the US I’ll spend my money on other LEGO.
I don't have too much of a problem with the new helmets, but the lack of chin straps on Luke and Biggs's faces is jarring. It's the opposite problem with the Anakin Skywalker minifigure in 75214 Anakin's Jedi Starfighter from this same wave; he has two face prints, but both prints have the headset on his forehead. In this case, both Luke and Biggs have two face prints, but neither side has the chin strap.
Nice set, but not nice enough to warrant a purchase. I decided to upgrade my 2012 version with the things I like from this one to make one that I'm satisfied with.
Well technically the 1999 X-Wing had R2 facing the right way to... but nobody is going to hold that old model up as a standard to strive towards.
I will be buying this set, but probably after the holiday season. The reason I bring up the 1999 X-Wing is because it is the only T-65 X-Wing I have... I do have Poe's X-Wing and its such an impressive model I have been waiting for the moment the T-65 would be updated to match it.
@1947andallthat: Nah, not by a longshot. Any successful, long-running LEGO theme is practically obligated to repeat itself if only to keep some of the most iconic and desirable types of product within that theme available to new buyers. This is true whether you're talking about Star Wars, Super Heroes, City, Friends, Minecraft, Technic, Creator, Ninjago, or even classic themes like Town/Castle/Pirates/Space.
Furthermore, the sheer size of themes like City, Ninjago, Friends, and Star Wars means they have plenty of room to keep revisiting some of their most popular subjects without running out of room for newer stuff. This year there are over a dozen Star Wars sets featuring minifig-scale, movie-based scenes and/or vehicles we haven't seen at any scale in sets before. Granted, most of these are based on the newer sequel trilogy and anthology movies, while most of the original trilogy/prequel trilogy stuff this year consists of remakes of stuff we've seen before… but honestly, that's to be expected when most of the iconic OT and PT starfighters have been produced already.
I personally would love to get more sets of Prequel Trilogy stuff we haven't seen before (except in microscale) like Theed Palace, Otoh Gunga, the Geonosian arena and droid factory, Dex's Diner, the Kamino cloning facilities, the Coruscant Jedi Council chamber, Lucrehulk Droid Control Ships, the various Naboo royal starships, etc. Not to mention Prequel Trilogy stuff that hasn't been in sets for 15+ years like the Coruscant speeder chase from Episode II.
But I understand we're not likely to get a whole lot of that stuff when so much of the Star Wars theme's higher price points and budget for new molds is being put towards stuff that pertains more to the newer sequel trilogy and anthology movies. If we get any anthology movies with pre-Galactic Empire settings, or if the pace of new movies slows down from the current one per year, then perhaps that will offer an opportunity for LEGO to fill in more of those gaps. But in the meantime, I understand I may be waiting a while, not because the idea for sets of these subjects somehow hasn't occurred to LEGO, but because they're just not in high enough demand at the moment to really be an urgent priority.
There has been a fair bit of this lazy design technique in Lego Star Wars recently. First the A-Wing and now the X-Wing. They made a rebels A-Wing, then re-coloured it as the latest remake of the RZ-1 A-Wing, seemingly not realizing that they are different ships. Now, after a popular build for the T-70 X-Wing , we se a quick tweak and re-colour for the T-65. Those cannons aren't even vaguely accurate, just ripped straight off the T-70 version.
As to the helmets, a classic case of changing something that was fine, to make it more accurate, and somehow making it less accurate. The lenses should be yellow, and the lack of chin strap is just lazy, and jarring.
Reading this review once again made me realize that I don't own any rendition of an X-Wing yet. Otoh I have got three different versions of Slave I. Go figure.
Seriously though, this is a great set, but the price is prohibitive here in Europe. If it becomes available at a substantial discount, I will get it, but at RRP, no smeggin' way.
If you can get around (or get over) the high MSRP, this is the best X-wing to date. Just recently, Costco dropped theirs down to $64.99, and Walmart to $64. Google Express had (still has?) a special of 20% off one's first order.
Agreed, best X-wing to date. Thank you, LEGO, for finally using these engine intakes on the System scale version. Now 10240 looks very strange!
@mr skinny -- I have seen episode iv; the helmets are big, but a) not that big and b) they sit more to the side of their heads than on top, like these do.
Also, what was wrong with the old design??? Feels like an unnecessary change.
Set looks great though.