Is 60430 the 918 of its time?

Parts:

As a 2024 set, we can expect a few new parts! A black inverted roof tile is loose in the box. This is a new mould and connects perfectly with a few other new pieces in this "family". One family member is the new inverted roof tile with bow, also in the box. This part has the same footprint as the older inverted roof tile with bow, but now has Technic pin holes to connect more securely to the aforementioned family of elements.

Space 2024 is powered by mysterious battery packs. These are represented by a recolour of the 1 x 1 cylinder brick in "transparent violet opal" in all sets but 60433: Modular Space Station where one battery pack is inexplicably "transparent medium violet opal". Perhaps it is a special mega battery built from the crystal in 60432! The injection points and moulding lines are very obvious on these pieces, more so than the non-opalescent versions of the 1 x 1 cylinder.

I'd also be remiss to not point out the new reddish-orange colour for 2024! It is used tastefully sparingly on the ship and identifies minifigure hand holds. The colour immediately feels at home in the LEGO pallet. I also did not notice any colour variation with the new colour in my admittedly small sample size of this set's parts.

To confirm: there are no stickers in this set. All decorated elements are prints, increasing the value for money in my opinion. All printed elements are also available without printing in other sets, which some MOC-ers will be happy with.

Two quick additions on the part front. First, there is one teal 1 x 2 x 2/3rd rounded brick piece. This is a recolour for 2024, appearing in three January releases. Second, I was delighted to find two sand blue 2 x 4 bricks building up the centre of the ship. This colour has appeared sparingly since 2003, with only 10 appearances over the last twenty years.

Figures:

This set comes with one pilot figure. While many figures in the Space 2024 line share colours, this figure is unique with dark blue helmet and arms. The helmet has only ever appeared in white in the past, and the colour is currently exclusive to this set. It is dual moulded with white ribbing on the bottom back.

The backpack is sadly not recoloured in dark blue, but is the same dark azure colour as other blue Space 2024 figures. The backpack is another new for 2024 part. It has one stud which has great clutch power for accessories.

Building Experience:

The set comes together quickly. The previously mentioned sand blue 2 x 4 bricks were a nice surprise, as are the smattering of trans-orange 1 x 2 plates. These are used for the engine afterglow, but also for interior structure. It gave me the feeling of futuristic energy flowing through the model.

The main engine opening feature is accomplished with 1 x 2 rail plates moving through 1 x 4 bricks with slots. Both parts have been around a long time and combine with hinge plates to achieve the movement. No rubber bands or springs are used and the engines need to be manually collapsed to reset the opening function.

As a final comment, my copy (picked up at the very end of 2023) had parts packaged in the usual plastic bags. I wonder if later production runs of the set will include paper bags, or if City will get the Creator 2024 paper bag treatment for a different subtheme.

Model/Playability:

From the top, the completed model is the "arrowhead" shape of LEGO space sets like 10497. This roughly matches the arrowhead/ship in the updated space logo for 2024.

The model is slightly bigger than expected and does not feel too light. The trans-black windscreen from 75346 is striking. It complements the black, white, sand blue, and reddish-orange colour scheme nicely. The cockpit is on the larger side though, and the pilot is nowhere near the controls. One more plate of depth and some extended controls would have increased the believability of the pilot's environs.

The engine opening mechanism is fun to build and operate. A battery pack with a printed status console can slot in to "activate" the engine opening. This is a fun feature and battery packs of different sizes are placed in important compartments throughout the 2024 Space theme. In person, the battery pack looks a little silly sticking up so far above the rest of the spaceship, but looks more reasonable when engaged with the engines open.

The set comes with a winged drone, also powered by a battery pack. This drone can attach to the figure's backpack, or can be piloted by the printed display HUD screen as advertised in the marketing images.

While this printed trans-light blue book cover is an excellent piece, an additional accessory for the figure would have increased playability as well. Perhaps the classic wrench in silver to repair a broken battery pack? Or a walkie-talkie to radio to base? I suspect tools are saved for the orange 2024 Space figures.

I do love the use of the 2 x 4 bricks in sand blue on the inside, but I think that space would have been better suited for internal storage similar to 60429 from the Space subtheme. As it is, there is no spot to store the drone. Storing such a large assembly in the ship would prove challenging at this scale and target building difficulty. Perhaps an attachment point on the wings or below the fuselage would have sufficed.

Value for Money:

240 pieces, several large, several printed and one exclusive figure for $20 looks like great value on paper. The figure is excellent and the drone-as-backpack makes you want to pilot the pilot all around the house. While the ship itself does not connect directly to other City Space 2024 sets, the colour scheme and batteries link it to the wave sufficiently. It would look great landing next to 60434, or providing air support on a mission alongside 60431. If you are reasonably excited about what you see, you will not regret purchasing this set.

Final Thoughts:

60430 would be a skippable entry in the 2024 City Space range if not for the exclusive figure and great price point. Given those features, 60430 is a great appetiser for the 2024 City Space subtheme that fits the rest of the theme well.

So, is 60430 the 918 of its day? It's a bold claim. Only time will tell which LEGO space revival ships will achieve such iconic statuses. Let's hope there is the 2024 equivalent of a 497 that complements 60430 in a similar way. Perhaps the early retirement of the incredibly popular 10497 and the suspicious lack of the 2024 Space subtheme stretching to the Icons theme (yet) indicates such a model to come!

In the meantime, you will not be disappointed in this pocket-money-sized set while you save up for the larger entries in the subtheme.

10314 Dried Flower Centerpiece holds up as an excellent addition to the blossoming Botanical theme.

Parts:

This set is a cornucopia of interesting pieces in muted colors. As of the writing of this review eight months after release, nine element-color combinations are still exclusive to this set, while a further 11 are found in five or fewer sets. The number of each of these elements is decent, making this an excellent parts pack if nothing else.

Of particular note are the four Spruce Tree, Small and PLANT, W/ 3.2 SHAFT, NO. 1 in olive green which could be particularly useful for MOCs. You get four and 15 of these elements, respectively.

Continuing the olive green train, FINGER LEAF in olive green has only been found in three sets. Most recently in the 2022 Ray the Castaway GWP and previously not seen since 2017's Battle on Scarif before that.

Additionally, this set is a great way to get PLANT, W/ PLATE 1X1, NO. 1 in olive green if you do not want to cannibalize your A-Frame Cabin and Rivendell to use this piece in quantity. 31 are included here.

Breaking away from olive green, the dark tan CROWN, NO. 1, dark red PADDLE, NO. 1 and orange EPAULETS (sic) are excellent and useful recolors.

Building Experience:

I built this set with my wife. The bags and instructions were perfectly divided for two builders. Until the final third of the build we were frequently assembling the same sub-assembly due to the symmetry of the piece. This was a fun dynamic that facilitated conversation about the piece.

The build begins with the base. This was my first experience with the PLATE 2X6, W/ FUNCTION, NO. 1 part in any color and I was impressed to see how it was locked in place. The first few bits of foliage added were underwhelming in their coverage of the base. This abruptly changes on step 73 when the second to last foliage sub-assembly is attached. When looking at the final product, my wife and I marvelled at how all of the elements appear organically arranged and no mounting mechanisms are visible.

My favorite step of the build was 51 when the aforementioned FINGER LEAF piece was perfectly placed over some of the unsightly ball and socket connectors on the extremity of the base.

Playability/Displayability:

This set has no playability unless you count manoeuvring the flowers. On that note, motion is limited, but I noticed the individual flower assemblies are much stronger than, say, the lavender from 10280 Flower Bouquet.

Removing the two black PLATE 1X5 from the sides allows you to separate the model into two halves from the 1 x 8 connection module in the middle. This is useful because parts are also included to combine this set to mount three copies of this set in a hexagonal arrangement. This is a fantastic inclusion which is expected of a premium product like LEGO.

I do not have two additional copies of the set so I can't comment on the combination arrangement, but I feel the exposed black connectors to make the larger centerpiece would be distracting. Perhaps placing a candle or another fall display MOC in the center would remedy this issue.

As a display piece, this set is impeccable. Both my mother and sister-in-law commented the final piece looks better than the images on the box. The orange daisies built by epaulettes and clusters of cool yellow flowers on dark green stems are scattered tastefully around the focal flowers. The symmetry of the stacked dark tan crowns, light tan gears and large dark red flaps are a beautiful backdrop for the floral amalgam.

I've caught a few family members, and admittedly myself, lingering by the mantle where the piece is displayed admiring the intricate composition. The piece looks fantastic on display where it can be appreciated via multiple angles.

The only downside to this set is its size. The size is reasonable for the pieces and detail, but the set is dwarfed when placed on a wall or, per it's name, as a centrepiece on a dining table. Propped on our mantle ended up being a good temporary location for this piece, but I will need to search for a more suitable home during the fall season.

Value for Money:

812 pieces for $50 USD seems like excellent value on paper. However, many of these pieces are 1 x 1s or small clip elements. On the other hand, many of the parts remain exclusive to this set, or are still fairly rare.

Admiring the final product I can easily see $50 of value for the set. High quality centrepieces can run the gamut in prices, and this set exudes quality with the best of them. The composition is excellent and the building experience went from strength to strength.

Right now, you can find the set for sale on Amazon for 20% off retail. $40 is a steal for this set, which would make an excellent house-warming gift this season. It is a great fall themed date night activity, or solo activity for these cold rainy days in the north.

Final Thoughts:

This set is not one to miss. Consider it as an add-on to hit a GWP threshold, a use for some of those stockpiled Insider points, or an impulse purchase from a secondary retailer. My family and I will enjoy building this set each year going forward, as I'm sure you will too.