6970 Beta I Command Base Review

[WesternOutlaw]

6970 Beta I Command Center

Year Released: 1980

Piece Count: 254

Minifigs: 4

Vehicles: 2 (1 moon buggy & 1 small ship)

List Price: $37

The Beta I Command Center was my favorite of Classic "Blue-Era" Space Baces. It offered a great amount of playability having a command center, an early monorail (for lack of a better name), a moon buggy, and small space craft. Unique elements included the replacement of standard yellow bricks with trans. yellow windows, a black laser gun, a clear minifig cup, and a Classic Space flag, to name just a few. The set was so fun as a kid. Now on to the review.

The instructions:

The baskside of the instructions. Notice how the picture keeps including more sets (compared to earlier sets):

The set includes four figs, still just white and red:

A moon buggy that has a clip for attaching a wrench or walkie-talkie:

One of the nicest components of this set is this small space craft:

A different view:

The ship takes off from this landing platform which lifts up:

A small monorail system from the Command Base takes two figs at a time to the platform:

A close-up of the two seated manual monorail:

Notice also the great classic space flag. The decals are original.

And here's the Command Center:

The radar system on top:

Inside the command center are two rotating chairs, two beds, table, and accessories:

The left side has a large printed display screen (different from the one included within the Space Command Center #493):

A close-up of the right side:

Here's a shot at a different angle. I always liked the clear cup. It's too bad that the other minifigs have to share:

The backside. I love the large window:

This image gives you an idea of the distance between the landing platform and command center:

The complete set that is a lot larger than it looks with this picture:

This set gets a 10 from me!

REFERENCES:

Brickset

Lugnet

BrickLink

[I Scream Clone]

wow nostalgia! I remember this set from my early days. I really used to dig the light rail too the waiting spaceship! The memory is so hazy, i cant remember whether i owned it or my next door neighbour. I definitely owned the buggy with rocket on back seen in the second pic though.

Man those space guys really got to relax back in the day, clear mug and beds and a room with a view

Nice Review Brickster!

[Hewman]

Thanks again Brickster. I too think this is the best of the classic space bases, I got so many hundreds of hours of enjoyment from it as a kid and I agree with you about all tose great little touches it has in it. That clear plastic cup was once a total rarity until it appeared in a few modern sets and I bought a few more just so all my classic spacemen could have a space drink.

[snefroe]

never had this base, the mother of all space stations... it must have been highly sophisticated back then, but even by the mid 80's, this must have looked primitive and out of date... still, it's one of those sets that never lose that aura... and then there are the printed parts and the flag... those are still golden nuggets in the space community...

[Spacefan]

This is easily the Galaxy Explorer equivalent of space stations back in the day, not as advanced as what came later, but you just knew when all the pieces fit together to make the whole set work.

I think Mars Mission should get a more advanced version of a base like this, the 7690 MB-01 Eagle Command Base just doesn't work in my view.

[Siegfried]

Ahh, this set brings back memories... from last month! I was bidding on it and it slowly went out of my price range. I considered going higher, but I would have just used it for parts so it was hard to justify.

Thanks for the great review.

[def]

I had this set. In fact, I bet it's still in a box mixed with other sets in my parent's basement. Just looking at those instruction photos bring chills to me. At 5 or 6 years old, building that mini mono rail was beyond fascinating. Great great post, personally.

[mania3]

Wow, this really brings back a lot of memories for me. I personally never had this set and didn't start collecting until the Futuron era, but I knew other kids who did. I always wanted their classic space minfigures. I got a great sense of relief when, as an adult, I went on Bricklink and bought a bunch of my own for the first time in my life.

[Algernon]

I won't lie- I'm not a classic Space fan, it was far too long before my time. However, this set is pretty impressive, it really feels like a NASA mission rather than just science fiction. I like the touches on the inside of the command base.

Great review.

[jamzee]

fatastic review, fantastic set. my brother got this the same chrismas i got the 6929 space transporter (uk title), what an incredible time we has with those two awesome additions to our pretty huge space fleet! btw i've never worked out how lego take pictures of the ships in flight, im sure its really obvious if you know but for 30 years or so it has puzzled me (on and off obviously lol!) if you know by any chance, please share the secret. also, iwsh lego would bring back those huge multi~set vistas in their catalogues..!

[natelite]

it's the first set i have. and i still have it though is a lot worse shape than the reviewer's. i am actually quite surprised afols aren't tearing this set apart for not having enclosed cockpit or enclosed base. in fact, this set has more in common with the new space themes in that you need to IMAGINE an enclosed cockpit and enclosed base.