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Set#: 6980
Name: Galaxy Commander
Theme: Space
Year: 1983
Pieces: 443
Minifigs: Classic Space Red, 2 x Classic Space White, 2 x Classic Space Yellow
Price: You'll have to ask my mum.
Peeron
Brickset
Bricklink
The Box
Thanks to Eurobricks
The front is much the same as what's on the instruction booklet.
The back has a nice range of alternate builds to inspire you with. Though the double cockpit of the main build is a bit of overkill, you can see in these pics how it multiplies the play possibilities.
The inside box lid highlights the ship's features, one more alternate build, and the 1970's fashion crimes still abundant in the early 1980's
The booklets
The booklet is tall, and goes straight to business. Not even a full front page, it goes into building a little vehicle. Not as slick as what we're used to today, but classy in its own way.
Much like today, there is a page which shows releases from around the same time. I also had the missile launcher in the back at the right. Loved it too.
The Pieces
A majority of the pieces are blue and white. Everyone will have their preferences as to what good classic Space colors are, but at the time, after years of blue and grey, the introduction of white hit like lightning. I loved the new color.
Some typical early space pieces. The jet, the metal detector, and the walkie talkie. Oh, to be in the future.
The familiar gun and jets done up in white.
The transparent pieces were also a blessing. They weren't unheard of at the time but this set had loads.
Much like the white pieces, the yellow spacemen shocked me. Red and white were spacemen, and my eight year old mind was flabbergasted that... yellow... spacemen... can exist! I had a simple imagination. Luckily, most of these guys are still in pretty good condition.
Even with jet packs! Or oxygen tanks. Not sure.
And a landing strip for the Galaxy Commander. Not super useful, but always involved in play.
The Finished Product
First we have these two little vehicles. Early 80's Lego was big on these flat pieces with wheels as vehicles. I have a fire man's car that isn't dissimilar. Minor greebling on them.
Apparently they are made for the whities.
The main build has three parts. The front piece is the star. Four turrets, two cockpits, lots of lights. Extra points for the bottom half of the cockpit being transparent blue.
More angular than anything that would come out today, but space has no atmosphere, so aerodynamics are fairly irrelevant. (Which is why the Borg's cube could go so fast
)
The yellows fly the ship. Both have their own steering wheel. Not efficient, but there were no AFOLs at the time to nitpick.
The jets are tucked into the back, and we can see the dock for the hitch in back.
On the underside, there are a few black stands to keep it balanced, though those can be removed when it's all assembled. Nearly twenty years later, those same pieces would be used for Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator.
Next is the space-trailer. It's a simple, functional part, but I love the long blue legs on it, reminiscent of those used in the NASA space program.
Last is the research station. It's a little bizarre, with jets on the bottom. I'm assuming it's not meant to be steered.
The hatch opens to reveal the station, with two control decks!
Red goes in here, and he's happy to be there, as we can see. He's hung his tank on the side.
It closes, ready to attach, as the transmitter tucks down to avoid the friction of space... wait... (piece missing in the pic, upper right, sorry)
It enters the trailer. A latch on the trailer fits into a notch on the lab.
And hinged pieces on the back lock it in place. 2x1 white pieces can be used to secure it on top.
In turn, a latch opens on the main ship, where the trailer can lock in.
And so we have this delightful beast of a ship.
The overhead view shows a bizarre silhouette.
The ship is strange and intriguing. Unwieldy, but manageable with two hands.
The Final Verdict
Design: 10/10 This is not trying to be real. This is trying to be fun. And it succeeds. It's three part system intrigued me endlessly as a kid, and I tried to replicate it a lot. In all ways successful.
Build: 8/10 For the most part average, but illuminating in the locking mechanism, which nudges it up a bit.
Playability: 10/10 That's all it is. Lots of figures, a variety of functions, a platform for them to land on, accessories...
Minifigures: 6/10 A good number, but all are basically the same.
Overall: 9/10 This is a great set that still makes me happy to look at it. Maybe it's through a nostalgic veil that I look, but I think any Lego lover would be somewhat delighted to get their hands on this cleverly made, truly fun creation.
I've mentioned that this set doesn't seem realistic, and that's what I like about it. It is imaginary fun. I wonder if it's my age that doesn't allow me to enjoy Power Minors whatsoever, but a series like that probably inspires similar delights in its fans. It doesn't have to make sense to be fun. It just has to trigger the imagination. The Galaxy Commander was for years the king of my toy collection, and has now reclaimed its place at the top of my Lego.
The drinky member.
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MultiQuote
The design of the lab section actually seems to have inspired the rear section in the newer Galactic Enforcer. They have some obvious similarities.
Posted 23 February 2010 - 09:15 PM
I've never seen this set before (I'm only vaguely familiar with the single-minifig-face age) but it's absolutely gorgeous. And you've kept it in great shape. I really like the photo of all the sets in the instruction booklet, it somehow feels far more like Lego than any more recent such photo does.
