Review: 75010 B-Wing and Endor
Posted by Huw,
In most markets, Series 4 of the Star Wars Planet sets are not due in the shops for some months, but for some strange reason, as we reported last week, this one is available in TRU in Spain already.
Avid Brickset reader Ahrien picked one up for me in Barcelona and I received it today. So, I'm pleased to be able to being you this exclusive review way ahead of official release. (Many thanks Ahrien!)
The B-Wing is an interesting craft and one which LEGO has made several times in the past, including most recently at UCS scale. This however, is the first micro-scale version and one I was particularly looking forward to because I made my own version back in 2009, so I wanted to see how well it compared.
Box and contents
Like all Planet sets, it comes in a cardboard box with a cutout for the planet to protrude front and back. The parts are inside the planet, which splits in two. The only other thing in the box is the instructions.
There are no new pieces other than the printed 2 x 2 x 2 cone that's used for the cockpit and of course the printed 4 x 4 plate/tile that's used on the base. There are a couple of rare-ish pieces in it though, including a 3l black bar and a 2 x 2 inverted tile.
Minifig
The B-Wing pilot minifig is unique to this set I believe (it hasn't been inventoried at BrickLink yet), and has a fantastically detailed print on its torso and legs.
The completed model
As with all other Planet sets, it consists of a planet 'bauble', a minifig, the space craft and a stand to mount the latter two on. This one clips onto the stand by way of the 3l black bar.
Appraisal
I have to say, I do not like the B Wing at all. It suffers from the same problem that all other LEGO B-Wings do (with the possible exception of the UCS one, which I don't have) in that it is not symmetrical about the vertical axis and thus looks totally wrong. Here are some more photos from all angles. You will note in the front and back ones, that one of the wings (on the non-stud side) does not open fully to 90 degrees.
Worse still, the wings don't lay flat:
Now, while my version is pretty crude by today's MOC standards, it is at least symmetrical and the wings close fully.
Conclusion
I know it's hard to get things looking good at micro-scale with only a handful of pieces, but I feel LEGO could have done much better than this. There are so many design flaws it really is disappointing.
Having said that, the Star Wars completest will need to buy it for the excellent unique minifig.
One good thing that's going to come out of it being so bad, is that it's encouraged me to revisit my model and see if it can be improved using today's parts palette, which will be the first time I've done any MOC-ing for some time :-)
Despite its flaws, I'd very much like to thank Ahrien for taking the time to procure and send it to me!
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34 comments on this article
I'm not big into LEGO Star Wars, so take my opinion with an extra grain of salt, but that is quite possibly the ugliest planet model I've seen. Without the Stars Wars Logo attached, I'm not entirely sure I would even know what it was supposed to be. Sheesh.
Well, I can once again consider myself lucky not to have been infected with the LEGO Star Wars bug. ;-)
Thanks for the write-up, Huw; I always enjoy reading them.
In my humble opinion the B-Wing doesn't look too bad. I see what you mean about the fuselage and s-foils not being symmetrical, but I am not sure how Lego could have fixed that and still kept the same look. If one adds tiles to the parts to smooth out the studs I think they would make them look too thick.
I do agree that the minifigure looks awesome. I'll definitely be purchasing this when it appears in the States (or on my next trip to Spain).
I do wonder, however, why Lego choose to make another Endor planet. With the multitude of planets in the Star Wars universe I think the powers-that-be would have chosen a planet not already in the line-up.
Huw, I like yours just a little bit better.
@Chills: In this set you are getting the planet of Endor. Last year you got the forest-moon of Endor.
Btw. great review again, Huw!
Hello,
Today I saw another Planet Serie 4 in my Toy's R Us close to Paris : the 75009 snowspeeder. Like for this one in Spain, it was the only from the serie 4 and all serie 3 sets were available...
Mistake from TLG or... ?
@DerImperator: Thanks for the clarification. Cool, so we do get a new planet.
EDIT: It looks that the package of the AT-ST/Forest Moon of Endor says the planet included is Endor. Guess Lego made a bit of an error, there.
That's a great shame about the set as it looked like it could be an excellent model when released.
Thanks for the review Huw! I cannot decide if these planet sets are worth the money, but I enjoy having the micro scale models as they allow me to bring Lego to work and show them off on the shelf of my office.
Yours is a way cleaner build with those inverted bricks. I'm just buying this set for the planet and minifigure anyway but yup I agree this ship deserved better from LEGO
I haven't checked these out yet because I remember in some of the earliest reviews Huw had commented that they would benefit from a clear plastic protector over the planet to prevent scuffs. Did this ever get added? I always thought they would be cute Christmas ornaments, but not if the planet is damaged. I don't trust lego elements exposed to, well, the elements in store.
This one certainly looks a little bit on the stubby side, the middle wing just looks a bit short. It looks like the wing folding issue could be fractionally improved by moving one of the orange 1x1 studs to above the wing rather than below it (I'm sure this is how the configuration should be anyway?)
Nice review though and I like the pilot. I have rather a soft spot for the B-wing, not so much from the films as from the excellent PC games... I look forward to seeing what they can do with a minifig scale B-wing (which surely must be coming in the next wave!)
Is that supposed to be the same Endor that has already been released with the AT-ST?
I'm not a fan of the planet sets, they are overpriced and don't have much to offer. I really only like the minifigures included.
The planet looks more like Kotholis form Rouge Squadron II rather than the planet Endor.
@jhs8swd, it looks weird I know but the 1x1 orange plates are supposed to be asymmertical like that, check out the image on the instructions.
That fig is awesome! I'll definitely try and pick up this one.
I like what you did with the engines and the primary airfoil Hew but I do think their position is a bit off. If you look at the actual B-wing you'll note that the S-foils come from below the engine unit, not directly from it. I'm not sure the round studs work for the cockpit's Auto-Blasters ether.
I hate to be that guy that nitpicks. The B-wing is my second favorite ship (Behind the TIE defender) and what you did is a great effort. I think your wings are better but I think Lego's got you beat when it comes to the cockpit and engine. If you could just move the wings down I think yours would be better.
Sorry, I don't have a flickr account but I wanted to give my impression of your moc.
Excellent review of the set though and I absolutely love the pilot. I wish they would have made a custom helmet however. They made one for the A-wing pilot, why not the B-wing? Lego's popping out new molds every other set.
Oh, This planet isn't the Endor that the Ewoks inhabit. This is the Endor gas planet and then the Ewok Endor is the moon of the gas Endor.
i did some resarch on the moon turns out it is the forest moon http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Endor but I like the improovement
Yes, there has been some confusion since the set's name was first released: the "planet" set with the AT-ST was the Forest Moon of Endor, which is a moon orbiting the Planet Endor, featured in this set. Thus, why the former was named "AT-ST and Endor", whilst the latter is named "B-Wing Starfighter and Planet Endor". Although, all the planets in the next few waves have "Planet" in front of their names, unlike the earlier series'. Perhaps this was a late decision once LEGO realised it would create less confusion with planet/moon pairings such as Endor, Yavin etc (I do hope to see a Planet Yavin in the future).
Excellent review Huw of what looks like a decent but perhaps flawed set. I will doubtless be picking this one up when it becomes a bit more widely available despite the negatives. As for your own MOC, I would certainly agree that it is an improvement over this rendition, but the cockpit looks a bit too chunky if you don't mind my saying so, perhaps the cockpit from this model and the main 'fuselage' (for lack of a better word) from your own would be the best combination.
Also, the UCS B-wing achieves that symmetrical appearance perfectly (but for the guns etc. of course) and is fantastic, absolutely definitive if you ask me. I would certainly recommend you pick it up when you can!
^ Absolutely, the cockpit is the waekest part of my design, the new element may well look better.
I agree, I like Huw's better. WHY is Lego so hung up on using the plates that way? SMOOTH is in baby!
@Chills
TLG has not rereleased endor. If you look at the designs on the planets they are completely different. They just released the planet endor. The previous one was a moon of endor and the moons name is the same. Much as endor jr. And endor sr. I was also confused and kind of upset at first but I looked into it.
Huw, when will we get your review of the set 79002 Attack of the Wargs?
I'll be getting this set at some point for the pilot. The only think I don't like about the mining is the helmet. It just looks wrong to me.
@Albus - didn't the X-Wing come with Yavin IV in the last wave?
I wouldn't mind them doing again though, maybe with a Y-Wing, as it was just a dreary slightly-textured green. With what they did for the Endor forest moon (I'll say it again as the question keeps coming up - this one is the planet Endor, the AT-ST came with the forest moon!) and Tatooine I felt a bit cheated with Yavin IV and Bespin.
(BTW, is anyone else with a bit of Bible background hoping they do a tongue in cheek Endor with medium, Saul and ghost-Samuel minifigures? :P)
i like this set i want it
I think it's the best yet. Has a cool looking planet and a minifigure. Most people aren't buying this for the ship.
I agree with above. Looks great. I honestly can't see any problem with the wings. Since the cockpit had to be adjusted anyway for landing position, I don't see a problem with removing the orange studs to make the wings fold flatter. That is my review of this review.
Too bad they can't differentiate the size of the planet pods. :(
Yours looks better. It's a few nubs bigger, but still, better.
I will buy it as I don't have another B-Wing. This is the only way to get a pilot for the UCS B-Wing released last year, I think it was a crying shame there wasn't one included in the £170 set. Put me off buying one really!
love your MOC !!!