Long have we waited... If you are even reading this review you already know you want this set. I'll give you a quick rundown, since there are more detailed reviews out there.

It's big and beautiful, which is the appeal and potentially the downside to this amazing set. If you do not have the ample space to display it, it could be a burden. It will NOT fit on a regular shelf as it's wingspan is huge.

Two downsides that I have had personally with this set was the build, which was extremely complex. If that is a plus fo you then have at it, I however had to set it down and walk away several times after messing up sections or accidently destroying certain sections resulting in a partial rebuild. The display stand seems rather flimsy and moves the Gunship around quite alot which is a cause for concern. As of yet I have not destroyed this piece by knocking it over, but be aware for ones with little ones or pets.

The price point is expensive at first glance but for the size, pieces, and overall look, it is an absolutely stunning piece to have and dare I say worth the money. If you have the money, patience, and space, you will not regret getting this it.

First things first: This is my first review here so I dont really know what Im doing lol.

The 75309-1 UCS Gunship is basically the beginning of my "professional" Lego career. It is what got me participating on Lego Ideas, and actually using Youtube for what it was designed for: watching Lego content and discussing it with other fans. I watched M&R Productions video on the vote the day it was uploaded, subscribed, got an Ideas account, and voted instantly. Since then, Ive subscribed to more Lego channels, visited more Lego websites, bought custom minifigs, and just generally bought more Lego sets! I went from getting maybe a 50$ set every six months plus a larger set for my birthday and Christmas, to an all out fan with a 16000$ collection because of this one set. So, in the end, this set is my entire collection.

On to the set. The Gunship itself is incredible. I thought it would be big, but its freaking MASSIVE! It meets and exceeds my expectations in every way! It looks accurate, in both shape and color. Here are the pros:

Cockpits are excellent piece usage and the printing is most welcome.

Accurate shape and coloring.

Solid construction.

The doors and turrets, while not really "play features" offer some different positions for display.

In my opinion, the mix of exposed studs and tiles is perfect. Enough to make it deserve its UCS status, but also remind you that its a Lego model!

Stand gives the set its rakish look as it flies into battle, and I appreciate that. It would have been easier to put it on a flat stand, but this makes it so much better for display.

The rotating missiles are a fine addition, and while not really useful, are definitely cool!

So those are the pros of the main model. On to the cons:

Slight discoloration with the dark red pieces, however, the Gunship is so massive, its hard to notice or even really care that much.

On the front archway, a sticker is used to make the far side white to match the surrounding area. Lego used a clear backed sticker, so it kind of goes gray - gray white - white. Its unacceptable and looks quite awful actually. I believe a regular paper sticker would have solved the problem.

The main missile launchers might be a little too small, but the reason for that could be the same pieces used on all previous Gunships, making these seem smaller. Its not a big problem, and it might just be my imagination.

There is a slight gap in the very front where the backs of the dark gray pieces meet. I think it is unavoidable, but it looks slightly off.

Now this isnt a huge problem for me because of my display setup, but for some people, its gonna look bad. The entire rear section including the rear door is completely studs with no effort whatsoever to tile it off. As I said, I personally dont care, but if someone was to display this with a 360 degree view, it would look very, very bad. You are going from the clean, mostly tiled off front and sides of the ship to the apparently thrown together rear section. This is an unacceptable issue and is overall the worst problem of the set. Not cool for the price at all!

So in the end, I give the Gunship a 9.5 out of 10. Overall beautiful set, except for some certain areas. Great piece usage, but not really a rewarding building experience. Id say this set is mostly about the finished model. And it is worth every penny.

But now we are on to the minifigs. A real situation! Im afraid that this will mostly be a list of cons. But first, a pro:

If you happen to not have any Mace Windus, really like him, or dont like Jedi Bob or accurate pilots for some reason, hes a good minifig. Commander Ponds, even having P2 armour, is a detailed minifig and is acceptable in this set.

CONS!!!!!

Lego ASKED us what minifigs we wanted in the set, and then were like: "Ha Ha screw you Prequel fans, you get a Gunship, BUT NO GOOD MINIFIGS!!!!!" Remember my previous remarks about this set being the start of my collection, I unfortunately do not take this lightly. There is no better place for our old friend Jedi Bob, who Lego has apparently forgotten :( I know Ive been a fan a very short time, but this set, its characters and background are very important to me (cringe I know)

There was no better time for Lego to introduce accurate Clone pilots. No, we dont just remember "sOme CLonE wITh yELlOw MarKIngS" we remember the P1 Clone pilot. In the previous sets, the current pilot did just fine being in a playset. But I think that aside from Jedi Bob, two accurate Clone pilots on the stand would have been perfect! Super cool Lego, I love my UCS Gunship with Mace Windu and Commander Ponds!

The minifigs in the set are just plain wrong. Its not a matter of opinion, these minifigs are very much among the last that come to mind when thinking of the Gunship.

Overall, the minifigs are a HUGE screw over. Minifigs in themselves: 9 out of 10. Their existence in this set: negative 10 out of 10! Lego went out of control on this one. I can excuse many mistakes, the minifigs are honestly good, but in this set... not what I got up at three in the morning for! RIP Jedi Bob.

Now I have to cover everything else as well. Box art and instruction manual error is unacceptable. It offends me as a Prequel fan, and it is also stupid for people who collect boxes as well. (even though they will probably be even more rare) Come on Lego, either you just really dont care, or youre drunk.

Not really part of the physical set, but I think deserves a mention. Holier than thou designers who threaten and mock the fans. I honestly dont think Im taking this too far when I say, that guy wasnt kidding at all when he said: "Youd better buy this or you never get to see another Prequel UCS set again!"

Anyway, back to the point: is the Gunship worth the money? Absolutely! However, I hate to see something so beautiful that defines my life hobby as a whole surrounded by so much negativity. The Gunship is perfection. The minifigs, box, instructions, designer mockery and threats, and Legos treatment of the fans sure leave a bad taste. But in the end, go buy it now! As long as you can see past the glaring flaws surrounding it, you absolutely will not regret buying this. It is an amazing display piece, and if youre a Prequel and CW fan... It will make a fine addition to your collection! It has instantly become my second favourite set in my collection.

Thanks for reading I think?