Oh man, this model is so big, only 247 parts but you get bigger bricks and plates. It looks more like a 50 Euro set. It is very stable and all you want of a SW model. I highly recommend to get one!

The lego Star Wars T-16 Sky hopper is a favorite. Overall, It is amazing. The build is somewhat tough though. The parts are amazing too. the playability is that you have to use imagination because it had 0 screentime. $24.99 for 247 is a good ppp ratio.

Despite it's lack of true presence as a Star Wars craft, there is still some real charm to the T-16 for fans of the original trilogy. When I saw this set on the roster for 2015, I was quite astounded by the impressive accuracy and geometry of the model (especially compared to the 2003 version...), and I can now say after actually purchasing the set, it more than exceeds my expectations!

Box/Instructions

The packaging and instructions are your standard fair. I admit that I care little about either so long as the model is good. Nonetheless, the box is eye-catching and the instructions are clear.

Parts

Parts selection is probably the least exciting of this model's offerings. Though I'm sure the windscreen parts could be used very cleverly on a MOC, beyond that there's not much to see here besides a lot of gray.Stll, it is not bad by any means. The price to part ratio is good too, seeing as it falls right about at the 10 cent mark (United States).

Minifigures

The set includes two minifigures, both of which are unique to this model. The pilot, though by no means iconic, is really nice looking with a dark red suit and a very nicely printed gray pilot helmet (a part that I have always been very fond of). He includes a small blaster pistol that can be conveniently stored in the crate that sits in the rear of the ship itself.

The Tusken Raider really looks impressive. This is only the second one that we've seen in the 15+ years of Lego Star Wars, and the first to have a unique mold. It looks great overall, and is actually well-complemented by it's weapon; a creative use of parts that looks strikingly similar to the oddly shaped staff we see in the film.

The set also includes a "Womp rat", and while it technically bears little resemblance to the actual creature, it is a clever reference to Luke's iconic quote and I find the use of a simple Lego rat somewhat humorous and charming.

The build

The building process is actually quite enjoyable, with lots of technic and system pieces locking together in all kinds of nice ways. It does not feel repetitive or simple, but offers lots of creative techniques and features. The only downside of building is the stickers, which all must be placed with a particular amount of preciseness in order to make sure that the model looks correct. This can be difficult, and consumed a lot of my time (though I am a bit picky when it comes to stickers).

The completed model

I really think this model is one of my favorite screen-to-set adaptions that I've built. The triangular geometry is handled nearly seamlessly with an amazing looking cockpit design. The colors all match up well to the original, and it looks great from just about any angle. It is also extremely sturdy. The technic skeleton holds that huge wing together soundly, and it can take a real beating. That said, I give the model an "A+" on the "swooshability" scale. You can fly it all around and make all the silly sound effects you want, and it will remain intact and looking good at all times (and I say that from experience!). Plus, it has two spring-loaded missiles, which means you can literally bulls-eye Womp rats, and that to me is exciting! The only real weaknesses in this set are 1) a somewhat crude back-end (more details around the thruster would have been nice) 2) the missiles are somewhat of an eyesore seeing as they clearly stick out of the back (though this can be easily amended by simply removing the launchers).

Overall opinion

In summary:

Pros:

-Amazingly reflects the geometry and detail of the original source material

-Cool and unique minifigures

-Extremely stable despite such a tall wing.

-A more-than-satisfying value for your money

Cons:

-lackluster rear-detail

-There are prominent stickers on this model that would look quite dreadful if they ever peel...

Overall, The pros FAR outweigh the cons. I really can't recommend this set enough! Despite its obscurity, the T-16 still feels like a piece of Star Wars history, and I really think you'll find the Lego version just as satisfying! Hope my review was helpful; Happy Building!

Parts

There are many useful parts featured in this set. I quite like them all.

Minifigures

Minifigures are excellent. The Tusken Raider is perfectly detailed, the head is one of the best I've seen LEGO make. The T-16 pilot is also nicely detailed, featuring a great printed helmet and superb torso printing.

The build

The build was super fun, I especially liked building the top 'sail' part, which was very interestingly designed and makes me excited for Shuttle Tydirium coming later this year.

Overall opinion

The model is fantastic. I've placed it on a stand because I find he model looks better with the wings spread farther out to make sort of an upside down 'Y' shape. I love the spring-loaded shooters, even though they are not accurate to the film. The ship can be swooshed around, is very light, and would be great for adults or children alike. Excellent, cheap set. Get it as soon as you can!

The T-16 is unique among vehicles featured in the Star Wars movies in that it's the only one that appears as a model of itself - Luke swooshes a toy version around while Threepio takes his oil bath. Check it out:

This was actually the production model meant to be used in VFX shots featuring the full-sized version of the Lars family's T-16, but those scenes were cut, and the brief appearance of Luke's toy (perhaps included as a freebie by Incom with every purchase?) is all that remains.

Still, after fifteen years, Lego has shown a willingness to produce anything and everything when it comes to the Star Wars universe, so now we've got our second version of the Skyhopper on store shelves.

Box/Instructions

The box of a normal front dimensions for a $25 set, but its depth makes it surprisingly thick and boxy. The box is nearly three inches deep, presumably to accommodate the large pieces used in the build - a 6x8 technic box and the two 6x12 wedge plates that form the wings. The box theming this year is in the gritty, sandy hue of the Rebels sets, and it compliments the Tatooine setting of this set quite well.

The instructions are of a standard small size, straightforward and printed on a plain grey background.

Parts

There are 247 parts in this set, hitting the desired $.10/piece mark almost perfectly. What's more, several of them are quite large; the aforementioned technic frame and wedges, but also two 16-hole Technic liftarms. Also of great note: the 5x6 hexagonal flag, better known as the S-foil of the Jedi Interceptors, appears for the first time in trans-black. I'm sure creative ship builders are already working out clever cockpit designs to take advantage of this new potential windscreen.

Aside from these, there aren't many pieces of note - though I was surprised to find two 1x4 plates in lime green, which end up completely hidden once the build is complete.

Minifigures

There are only two minifigures here, and only one that really matters. The T-16 pilot in his dark red jumpsuit is a perfectly serviceable figure, but certainly not iconic. In fact, it's unclear whether he's based on any canonical character design at all. It's possible that TLG created him from whole cloth. In any case, he's a step up from the 2003 version, who wore what appeared to be a very earthly jumpsuit and a red helmet. This one is wearing a much snazzier light bley helmet with a red-and-white insignia, and his torso print has a lack of specificity that likely makes it attractive to creators of custom figures - I can imagine it fitting right into a steampunk setting.

vs.

But the real star of the show is the Tusken Raider! A far more iconic character who's been treated very shoddily by TLG in the past, appearing in just one set from way back in 2002. That version of the figure had merely a printed tan head and plain tan legs. The new version is so much better in every way, from its molded head to its detailed torso to its printed legs - my only complaint is that it makes my old ones from 2002 look unusable for display setups by comparison. Let's hope that TLG sees fit to give us a set with more of these guys (Lars Homestead set maybe?) in the future.

(Note: The head looks bigger in the brickset picture than it does in person)

The one disappointment among the minifgures is the 'womp rat', which is just a regular Lego rat piece that has been around since time immemorial. And while it is exceedingly large compared to a figure (seriously, it's closer to a ROUS piece than a rat), it's also pretty clearly not the 'two meters' that Luke estimates their size at. Canonically, womp rats were fearsome beasts that had more in common with hyenas than rats, and it would have been nice to get a mold that reflected that.

The build

The build is an interesting mix of technic and system techniques. The central airfoil is reinforced with those gigantic liftarms and as a result the whole thing feels rock-solid. The build is divided into three bags in the instructions (base, airfoil, and wings) but for a set less than 300 pieces this division feels really unnecessary. The whole thing comes together in about a half hour when building at a leisurely pace.

It should be noted that there is quite a bit of stickering to make the model's final appearance work, but it's mostly large-ish stickers which are easy to apply. The only exception is the two little red rectangles which carry the red stripe at the top of the airfoil across the dark bley technic liftarm. I found these kind of difficult to line up, but in the end it worked out.

The completed model

The final model is very striking. The $25 price point has featured a lot of vehicles last year and this year, and the T-16 is physically the largest of them. While not quite minifgure scale, it comes very close, and is far larger than its predecessor from 2003. The color blocking is great, mostly light and dark bley but with a white underbelly and splashes of bright red and a hint of yellow lightening it up.

The execution of the build is not without its flaws - the connection of the side panels leaves something to be desired, since they're mounted on the same friction pin and pulling down on one will raise the other in turn unless it's held in place. The ion engine at the rear looks a little bare, since it's literally just a dish in the middle of a plate. Perhaps the biggest flaw is the windscreen - while the trans-black flag part is certainly a neat addition to the repertoire of parts, it fails to replicate the distinct triangular shape of the actual vehicle's windows, and leaves an unsightly gap at the front of the cockpit. However, I can't think of any other piece that could feasibly have served the purposes of the model better, and this solution is certainly better than the 2003 version which simply left the cockpit open to the elements.

One final thing to note - the model is very nearly the size of the one Luke plays with in the movie. You could consider this set not a representation of the actual T-16, but a full-size replica of Luke's toy!

Overall opinion

I'm glad I bought this set. Sure, the Tusken Raider figure may be what makes it a must-have, but the model itself is really nice, and captures in great detail the likeness of a vehicle not many people know about. It's rare to get a civilian Star Wars vehicle in Lego form, but it makes a nice break from all the military hardware the theme produces on a consistent basis. Sure, it may be Star Wars, but how about some Star Peace once in a while? I'm content to occasionally take a break and just cruise around in a Skyhopper, bullseyeing too-small womp rats.