Review: 76186 Black Panther Dragon Flyer
Posted by CapnRex101,
Wakandan vessels integrate uniquely advanced technology, hence 76186 Black Panther Dragon Flyer appears intriguing. This specialised design certainly corresponds with the onscreen vehicle which appeared fairly prominently during Black Panther and subsequent movies.
Moreover, three superb minifigures accompany this vehicle, notably including Black Panther and Shuri. While the Wakandan king is available with 76192 Avengers: Endgame Final Battle, his sister features exclusive battle garb. This set seems accordingly appealing, especially given the fairly inexpensive price of £17.99 or $19.99.
Minifigures
Three minifigures are provided, based upon their appearances during Avengers: Endgame. Black Panther therefore sports his distinctive Habit from both Black Panther and the recent Avengers movies, displaying metallic silver, purple and lavender accents which represent the kinetic energy charge. Five tiny Wakandan letters decorate the head, although only three are identifiable and these read '...AK...N'.
Unfortunately, the legs remain undecorated and seem relatively bland beside the intricate torso and head. The onscreen costume features limited texture across the character's legs, although including metallic silver ridges above the ankles would have been accurate. An alternative head that reveals T'Challa's face would also have been welcome, either in this set or 76192 Avengers: Endgame Final Battle.
76103 Corvus Glaive Thresher Attack included an excellent Shuri minifigure and this popular character returns here, now wearing her battle attire. This black hair piece suits the minifigure perfectly and I appreciate the decoration on Shuri's head, displaying authentic facial markings. The cheerful and determined expressions look great too, conveying welcome personality.
Extensive detail continues across the torso, where the dark blue and flame yellowish orange designs correspond precisely with the onscreen heroine. However, I dislike the reddish brown sections across the centre and reverse because these areas appear closer to dark blue during the films. Leg printing or a fabric skirt component might have been beneficial too.
Thanos deploys copious Chitauri soldiers during his conquests. These characters have twice undergone complete redesigns since their introduction with 6865 Captain America's Avenging Cycle and the new minifigure is undoubtedly my favourite. The head looks especially accurate, featuring an appropriate mouth shape and golden helmet, which continues onto the reverse so compares favourably with the movies.
Furthermore, the torso decoration includes metallic gold armour which looks fantastic and the alien skin underneath matches the onscreen character too. Once again, including printed legs could have improved this savage minifigure, although that is arguably less important here than for the aforementioned heroes.
Chitauri warriors generally wield golden particle rifles and these weapons have experienced multiple updates, matching this minifigure. The latest example is relatively large but includes suitable detail. Shuri's twin Vibranium Gauntlets look marvellous as well, making good use of elements originally introduced with the Ultra Agents theme.
The Completed Model
Wakandan technology presents an unusual visual style and the elegant Dragon Flyer shares pleasing similarities with 76100 Royal Talon Fighter Attack. This vehicle measures 22cm in length and the colour combination of dark bluish grey and black, with some trans-light blue highlights, looks reasonable when compared with the source material. These narrow wings feature accurate proportions as well.
The cockpit shape differs somewhat from the movies, especially since this Speed Champions canopy lacks proper curvature when compared with the onscreen vessel. However, I think the element looks nice. The metallic silver decoration is attractive and this aircraft might not justify creating an entirely new cockpit component, given its relative obscurity.
Shuri's substantial hair piece necessitates a spacious cockpit and the Dragon Flyer certainly satisfies that requirement. The blue interior seems reasonable and I like the stickered control panels. Moreover, the pronounced spikes towards the front compare favourably with the films, along with the chin-mounted laser cannons. The stud shooters are also neatly integrated.
The four primary wings are connected to the fuselage using ball joints, permitting impressive articulation which is helpful for display. The angled wing tips are also adjustable and integrate trans-light blue elements, depicting the manoeuvring thrusters which are visible here onscreen. Ideally, these thrusters would be more exposed but accurate wing shaping was definitely more important in my opinion.
Trans-light blue 1x1 slopes are positioned along each side of the fuselage, forming beautiful texture which loosely corresponds with the titular craft from 76100 Royal Talon Fighter Attack. Three stickers are also applied here. These create appropriate detail when compared with the source material and I appreciate the relatively sparse use of stickers across this aircraft.
Further to the adjustable wings and six articulated control surfaces underneath, both rows of trans-light blue slopes can be deployed sideways. These are cleverly anchored using two bar holders below the tail, which move downwards to release each hinged panel. I have not found any instances of this occurring onscreen but the function is enjoyable, nonetheless.
Dragon Flyers are capable of hovering and their impressive braking speed becomes apparent during Black Panther, when these vehicles pursue Everett Ross' Talon Fighter. The complete fuselage section swings downwards while the cockpit remains level. This model accordingly integrates the same function and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the tail provides adequate support to display the aircraft in this position.
The cockpit rotation is simply achieved using click hinges, while a clip secures the cockpit in flight mode. Blue accents are present towards the front and rear, although these bricks seem incongruous to me. I think some basic mechanical detailing would have been successful here, ensuring that the Dragon Flyer appears complete in either configuration.
Overall
76186 Black Panther Dragon Flyer incorporates some enjoyable functions and pleasing detail, given its limited size. The transformation between flight configurations works smoothly and the articulated flight control surfaces are excellent, providing various possibilities for display. Some improvements could potentially have been made though, most notably behind the cockpit.
The minifigures also leave something to be desired because these would certainly benefit from leg printing, which remains relatively uncommon within the Marvel range. However, I do like the new variants of Black Panther, Shuri and the Chitauri, surpassing their respective predecessors. Of course, including M'Baku would have been fantastic too. I think the price of £17.99 or $19.99 represents good value so would recommend the set, even though the Dragon Flyer is perhaps overshadowed within this wave.
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45 comments on this article
Bzzzzzzzz
Incongruous? Capn, do you have a word of the day calendar or something?
Man... I try not be negative and I love new sets/themes even if they don't interest me. But... this looks like something an 8 year old made. Plate wings, tacked on... just doesn't feel like an official set.
Spaceship!
Yes, I know it's not a spaceship per se, but it's a sci-fi high performance flying machine with an enclosed cockpit and it's completely unrealistic with regards to physical laws. That makes it a spaceship! to me.
Were there any chitauri soldiers in Infinity War and Endgame? I thought those movies used more snarling doglike alien monsters, not chitauri lizard people.
Looks like a fun set with good play features and a good match to the source material at a low price. Budget, meet set. Set, meet budget. Are you two going to get along?
nice, but I can't wait to see new Benatar review :D
@iwybs said:
"Spaceship!
Yes, I know it's not a spaceship per se, but it's a sci-fi high performance flying machine with an enclosed cockpit and it's completely unrealistic with regards to physical laws. That makes it a spaceship! to me.
Were there any chitauri soldiers in Infinity War and Endgame? I thought those movies used more snarling doglike alien monsters, not chitauri lizard people.
Looks like a fun set with good play features and a good match to the source material at a low price. Budget, meet set. Set, meet budget. Are you two going to get along?"
Yes, Chitauri were very prominent during Endgame’s final battle as their race came from the past as part of Thanos’ army, before they were massacred by Iron Man and his Nuke (that’s an oversimplification of events, but you get the point). You can see multiple of those battle cyborg space fish or whatever they’re supposed to be flying around the scene, and several getting taken down as well. And I’m pretty sure they’re not related to lizards in any way, by the way.
Once you have the wings positioned properly and see the thing from a good angle the odd design really works, but I find myself not really liking the way it looks in most pictures. Maybe it’ll be different in-person, but for now it’s a pass for me. I think the cockpit is just too large and there’s also something lacking about the wings, I think it’s the fact that they’re all black and there’s barely any black on the rest of the craft so they just feel slapped on.
Thanks for the review. If I wasn't a minifigure collector, I would easily pass this set.
The ability to hover the set is cool and I'm glad they included that. But when I buy this set I won't be building it, so the play features won't matter.
Shuri looks great, even if not 100% exact to source material. T'Challa looks good with the new printing, but I agree, he could benefit from some leg printing. Another Chitauri!!! How many versions can we get? I'm glad I never went all in on trying to army build them since they'd look so out of place with each other.
@nashikens said:
"Man... I try not be negative and I love new sets/themes even if they don't interest me. But... this looks like something an 8 year old made. Plate wings, tacked on... just doesn't feel like an official set."
just like every mcu sets in the last few years. the last good one was the iw line.
Aside from the lack of necessary leg printing, amazing set!
Nice set, especially for $20.
@Metalizer7734 said:
"nice, but I can't wait to see new Benatar review :D"
I wonder why it's never been named as such in any of Lego's recreations. Some kind of rights issue?
Regarding this set, I like it; it's not amazing, but it's a good companion to the existing Black Panther stuff we've got. I wish we could get a T'Challa without his helmet on, though this minifig is really nice.
It would be nice to have a picture of the source material.
This is a cool-looking vehicle, but it looks a little... drab? I don't know, maybe it's that colors like blue and Trans. Light Blue are so common, but it feels so much less exciting than it maybe could have been. Maybe if the transparent parts were Trans-Purple it would be at least a little more interesting looking.
To be honest, I feel like a lot of the "Infinity Saga" sets suffer from this. When I saw that past Marvel movies would be revisited I was hoping for maybe a little more color and maybe some more subjects from some of the movies that had not been covered or not been covered as well in past years, like maybe some of the Thor movies. Instead so much of it is focused on some of the more dull or drab parts of the MCU. At least the Benatar looks vibrant and interesting.
Then again, I rarely collect Super Heroes in the first place, so maybe things like this appeal more to the kinds of people that actually buy them than more vibrant takes on the subject matter would.
This seems like a pretty great build for $20! Disappointing that we still can't get leg printing for characters as big as Black Panther (and Captain Marvel), but the rest of the figure looks really good. Can't wait to see the rest of the Infinity Saga reviews!
@nashikens said:
"Man... I try not be negative and I love new sets/themes even if they don't interest me. But... this looks like something an 8 year old made. Plate wings, tacked on... just doesn't feel like an official set."
On that we agree, the box art is spectacular but only having 1 Chitauti, Black Panther again and a not so appealing design it reduces my interest.
This is one of my favourite sets and cheap too, I love all 3 minifigs! This version of Shuri is alot better than the last one, and the T'challa is more accurate to the BP movie.
I'd love to see LEGO make some Transparent neon versions of that windscreen at some point, the shape is nice for more then just Cars.
Also the shape gives me a bit of Insectoids vibes (probably also has to do with the bright colored slopes , whereas 6907 used a light and sound element).
I also like that LEGO still makes sets that have studs shown on things like wings.
For some reason, I expected it to be drum-lacquered silver pieces on top, which would make an excellent part pack.
Now I just don’t care ;)
Love how the blue bricks under the canopy create a purple-y effect, it adds to the Wakandan vibe I guess
I wanted to like this due to the space ship vibes, but it honestly doesn’t look very good. It just needs a smidgen of extra color. Something to make it really pop.
@Milo_Hilo_26 said:
"Incongruous? Capn, do you have a word of the day calendar or something?"
I can actually tell you exactly how I became aware of that word!
Those who have seen Batman: The Animated Series might recall an exchange during the very first episode, in which Alfred says "we have ourselves an incongruity". I watched that episode at about the age of twelve and the word has remained with me ever since.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @Milo_Hilo_26 said:
"Incongruous? Capn, do you have a word of the day calendar or something?"
I can actually tell you exactly how I became aware of that word!
Those who have seen Batman: The Animated Series might recall an exchange during the first episode, during which Alfred says "we have ourselves an incongruity". I watched the episode at about the age of twelve and the word has remained with me ever since."
That's awesome! Well, with all the huge words you guys use in reviews, you must have an iron safe for a brain to remember all of them.
That Black Panther minifig is just awful. How isn't it a solid molded piece? Can they not print the purple accents on a helmet?
And no pants print? Talk about mailing it in.
Great set for the price! Happy to add to my BP collection.
You know it's a 'memorable' vehicle when you've seen the entire MCU and it apparently appeared in multiple films... and this design doesn't ring a bell at all.
I'm missing some play features for this set. No cargo holding area, deployable drone or pop-up cannon or anything else beside the stud shooters and hinging cockpit? Even if it didn't do much on-screen, as a toy you'd expect more than the bare minimum.
@nashikens said:
"Man... I try not be negative and I love new sets/themes even if they don't interest me. But... this looks like something an 8 year old made. Plate wings, tacked on... just doesn't feel like an official set."
I had the same feeling when I saw the images. It looks nothing like an official set but like something someone threw together in five minutes from the leftovers in their parts bin.
I am usually very interested in flying vehicles, whatever the source material, but this thing seems totally bland.
@Milo_Hilo_26: Maybe they just have a predilection for polysyllabic verbiage, like myself. Although
Brobdingnagian mnemonic facilities do help.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Milo_Hilo_26: Maybe they just have a predilection for polysyllabic verbiage, like myself. Although
Brobdingnagian mnemonic facilities do help."
Uh yeah i can use big words too... uh... Banana... supercilious, enginuity, grandiose, verbose. Oh yeah bigg wurds.
@Milo_Hilo_26 said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Milo_Hilo_26: Maybe they just have a predilection for polysyllabic verbiage, like myself. Although
Brobdingnagian mnemonic facilities do help."
Uh yeah i can use big words too... uh... Banana... supercilious, enginuity, grandiose, verbose. Oh yeah bigg wurds. "
Some people just use big words to make themselves sound more photosynthesis.
@Cooliocdawg said:
" @Milo_Hilo_26 said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Milo_Hilo_26: Maybe they just have a predilection for polysyllabic verbiage, like myself. Although
Brobdingnagian mnemonic facilities do help."
Uh yeah i can use big words too... uh... Banana... supercilious, enginuity, grandiose, verbose. Oh yeah bigg wurds. "
Some people just use big words to make themselves sound more photosynthesis."
Lol, yeah that's just so mitochondria of them!
Looks like a set from insectoids theme
@TheOtherMike said:
" @Milo_Hilo_26: Maybe they just have a predilection for polysyllabic verbiage, like myself. Although
Brobdingnagian mnemonic facilities do help."
I could do better, and offer anyone without such knowledge my most sincere contrafibularities.
Actually, I'm anaspeptic, phrasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused you such pericombobulation.
(Yeah I know, I watch way too much British comedy, and Blackadder is one of my favorites)
;-)
I never use big words when a diminutive one will do.
@nashikens said:
"Man... I try not be negative and I love new sets/themes even if they don't interest me. But... this looks like something an 8 year old made. Plate wings, tacked on... just doesn't feel like an official set."
And I love it! Never understand the stud hate.
@AustinPowers said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Milo_Hilo_26: Maybe they just have a predilection for polysyllabic verbiage, like myself. Although
Brobdingnagian mnemonic facilities do help."
I could do better, and offer anyone without such knowledge my most sincere contrafibularities.
Actually, I'm anaspeptic, phrasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused you such pericombobulation.
(Yeah I know, I watch way too much British comedy, and Blackadder is one of my favorites)
;-) "
Wow, and I thought that the word synonymous was a big word that one time I used it... you are on another whole level!
@nashikens said:
"Man... I try not be negative and I love new sets/themes even if they don't interest me. But... this looks like something an 8 year old made. Plate wings, tacked on... just doesn't feel like an official set."
New stickers indicates the origin ^^
Take a strong long look to Classic Space sets - nowadays, I ask myself, were these really made by Pros ;-}
dragonfly, I would say ^^
@Milo_Hilo_26 said:
"Wow, and I thought that the word synonymous was a big word that one time I used it... you are on another whole level!"
Actually no. But I can recommend you watch the hilarious Blackadder episode "Ink and Incapability" starring Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Laurie and Robbie Coltrane for further reference.
I must admit I can't keep a straight face when I accidentally come upon an episode of Dr. House because I always have to picture Hugh Laurie as the utterly stupid prince regent from Blackadder the Third. :-)
An early review, great! (thanks)
I like the articulation of this vessel. It's different and cool looking. This will sell like hotcakes.
Such a good value for $20, I love it!
@lordofdragonss said:
" @nashikens said:
"Man... I try not be negative and I love new sets/themes even if they don't interest me. But... this looks like something an 8 year old made. Plate wings, tacked on... just doesn't feel like an official set."
And I love it! Never understand the stud hate."
I didn’t say anything about having issue with exposed studs.
I’m glad you enjoy this one.
I honestly like this. It feels pretty nice and may pick it up when I get the Ultra Sonic Raider
Great set. Love the accurate figures. Will definitely be picking it up Day 1, along with all the other Infinity Saga sets. In fact, I might get more than one of this. That build is just so good.