17 replies to this topic

[WhiteFang]

Hello everyone,

This is my very first Alien Conquest review and I certainly took quite awhile to pick it up with no regrets. If not, I may not have a chance to pick this up locally since most of the local LEGO stores had not been carrying the LEGO Alien Conquest theme despite of it being released back in June 2011. I am still in the midst of searching for those small to medium sets and thank goodness, I managed to pick this set and some other bigger ones as well. So, without further ado, let me share my thoughts on this nice LEGO Sci-Fi/City related set.  

Name: 7067 Jet-Copter Encounter
Theme: LEGO System / Space / Alien Conquest
Year: 2011
Pieces: 375
Minifigs: 3 minifigures
Price: USD $39.99, GBP 30.99, EURO N.A, SGD $89.90
Resources: Brickset, BrickLink


An original box image of the 7067 Jet-Copter Encounter



Back view of the original box image of the 7067 Jet-Copter Encounter



ADU is in full aerial pursuit


Ever since the day I have seen this official picture, I told myself I wanted to get a military futuristic helicopter design but I was very hesitant of buying this Alien Conquest set due to budget constrain, thinking to myself that it might still be around for a year or so in the shelf, but I was almost wrong.

So before it was completely gone, I picked this set as my very first LEGO Alien Conquest set and for the price that I had paid and the enjoyability that I had get, after building it. I was extremely pleased with the entire design concept which made me very happy to swoosh it around in my bed which gave me an instant aerial battle for fun, just like in my childhood and this is the kind of fun experience that I had gotten after building it.


The content of the sealed box


Within the sealed box, it comes with 4 mint numbered packages and some other bigger parts like the blue tail wings that are excluded from the plastic packaging. After building the set, these are the remaining spare parts.  


Instruction Manual (Front)



The dreaded sticker sheet which I did not use



Meet the ADU Combat Pilot and the Green Aliens


This set comes with 1 Alien Defence Unit (ADU) combat pilot and 2 green alien pilots. The ADU combat uniform is a standard-issued for all combat personnels. However, you might want to note that the ADU combat pilot's dual expression is unique to this set. While the green alien pilots can still be found in other UFO designed small crafts.  


Backview of the ADU Soldier


Above, you will noticed the back printing of the ADU combat uniform and the other dual expression. You might also notice that the new ADU space helmet is actually the same design that you see in the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series, like the Series 1 Spaceman, Series 3 Space Villain and Series 6, Inter-galactic girl.


Green Aliens breakdown


On the other hand, our green alien counterparts are ready for Earth invasion. Equipping themselves with the state-of-the-art ray guns which are commonly found in the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series. The mould of the head is individually packed and I find the green aliens' feature to be well-designed.


WANTED: Alien Criminals on the run



UFO Small Crafts


The green alien pilots are very sneaky and they board their UFO small crafts to create confusion and chaos, like the form of guerilla tactics and these small crafts are fitted for such missions. Both of the small crafts are the same design and it is good to see two of the same kind for more quantities and it is a pretty good way to assemble a fleet of it as well.

With the fast throttles at the rear and the laser beam at the front, I could imagine these small crafts to be in abundance flying out of the mothership and roam around the cities to blast at their enemies. The small craft can also adjust the wing flaps on both sides and you will understand why there is such a feature in the next few sections.


Piloting the UFO Small Crafts


You can see our green alien friends, sitting tightly and ready for take-off.  


Different views of the UFO Small Crafts



Combining both UFO Small Crafts together


It came with a pleasant surprise and I didn't really know that both of such small crafts can be combined to form a bigger spacecraft which can be piloted by 2 green aliens. More importantly, every of their capabilities upon combining will instantly grant them double impact and double speed. This will prove dangerous for our ADU friends.


Different view of the combined UFO Small Crafts



Another view of the UFO Small Crafts with the Alien Pilots



Building up the ADU Jet-Copter


As you can see, we are stepping away from the UFO small crafts and we are now going to focus more of the main highlight. This is the completed built from parts taken out of packets number 2. At this point, I am extremely tempted to modify it to a landing shuttle aircraft type. It also reminds me of the Aliens dropship as well.  


ADU Jet-Copter is ready for mission


After you put everything together, I have to admit that this ADU Jet-Copter is very beautiful. It comes with so much firepower and weapons which most boys will enjoy playing. I fell in love with it and every aspect of it is very nicely designed except that I am quite tempted to change it to an aircraft instead of an helicopter.  

In fact, it can be done if you take away the blades and it is almost ready to be fitted for landing craft purpose.


Bottom view of the ADU Jet-Copter


As you can see the bottom view of the jet-copter, both of the landing gear on each side enable it to adjust upwards and downwards, similar like those booster thrusts.


Closer look at the flick missiles


Take a closer look at the annoying flick missiles. Instead of using your fingers to flick the launcher, you could just do it by pushing the technic beam to launch 2 flick missiles at one go. It is a very simple mechanism and I will see it as an improvement from using the fingers to do the flicking.


Take a look at the cockpit


Too bad, the trans-black windscreen does not lift on its own. I was wishing that I could just lift it up with the back attaching to the top instead of taking it apart. The pilot controls the helicopter with the joystick and a sophisticated looking computer controls which can be seen here.


Detachable prison pod


I didn't know this jet-copter came with a detachable prison pod which is meant for transporting green alien to the Chief Scientist for researching purposes. I will think that the ADU pilot's job is not only to shoot down his enemies but also to retrieve their bodies as well. I must admit that the location of the prison pod is very well securely placed and it gave additional fun playing feature.  


Encapsulate the prisoner


This is indeed one of my favourite playing feature. I could just store away the green alien and placed in there in frozen state and carrying it at the back of the jet-copter. It is a simple capsule and yet it is very nicely designed. I had already made plans for other medical escorts preparation which can be seen below.  


Medical Escorts preparations



A superb view of the ADU Jet-Copter



Different views of the ADU Jet-Copter



Preparing to take off



Bringing in the Classic Space Defenders



Engaging the Aliens in full aerial combat


To conclude, I am extremely happy with this purchase and I haven't built a proper set for quite a long while and this set gave me the fun building and ultimately playing experience which I yearn for. It satisfy my hunger of combat and imaginary playing with the usage of aliens versus humans kind of scenario. I certainly loved this theme and I am tempted to pick another set, just to pair it together, provided if I could get it at a discounted price. Otherwise, it is too heavy for my wallet. I will be highly recommending this set if you are only intending to get only one LEGO Alien Conquest set!

Summary review
Playability: 10/10 (Nothing to complain, prison pod, flick missiles with mechanism, combing UFO small crafts are some of the fun playing factors.)
Design: 9/10 (Design is very good except for the cockpit which can be improved.)
Price: 8/10 (Quite reasonably priced but it is best to buy it at a discounted price.)
Overall: 9/10 (MUST buy this set if you are intending to only get one Alien Conquest set.)

I gave it a "5" based on my Review Score Card. What about yours?

I hope every one of you enjoyed reading this simple review of mine. Comments and Criticisms are strongly welcomed.
Pictures can be found in My Flickr and My Brickshelf (When moderated)

[dr_spock]

Great review.  We have this set.  Didn't know you could combine the two alien crafts.  

[jFox]

That's a pretty cool looking set, I must say.  Thanks for all of the pictures, especially the shot where the two alien ships combine together! It's a shame they're no longer on sale at the LEGO store online.  It was originally just the minifigures that drew me to these sets, but after a closer look like this I might be leaning toward them a bit more.

How sturdy is that copter?  From the pictures the tail and the skids on the bottom look they might fall off easily.  Are they securely attached?

[Hrw-Amen]

This is one of my favourite ADU sets, the little alien ships are I think the thing that make it really for me. I do like the helicopter but from the look on the box it seemed a bit bulky. When I made mine I was pleased to find it was not as bad as the picture made out, although the flick cire missiles I found are a bit difficult to handle without knocking bits off of it, but then I am rather big and awkward!

Good review though and good to see that pilot handing the alien over to the marines once he has landed.

[Piranha]

Great review WhiteFang.

I really like all the details and useful parts in this set. The hybrid copter is very cool and the overall feel of the set is great. The ADU Troopers have that really nice Azure blue and I like your bonus shots with the S7 Galaxy Patrol, which fit in really well this theme as shock or heavy troopers.

Overall I would rate this set at 4/5.

[WhiteFang]

dr_spock, on 10 April 2012 - 12:17 PM, said:

Didn't know you could combine the two alien crafts.  

I didn't know that too until I built it.

jFox, on 10 April 2012 - 01:04 PM, said:

How sturdy is that copter?  From the pictures the tail and the skids on the bottom look they might fall off easily.  Are they securely attached?

The jet-copter is extremely sturdy and the frame of the entire copter is very firm which include the tail and the skids. They are not as 'loose' as I will think it is.

Hrw-Amen, on 10 April 2012 - 05:57 PM, said:

Good review though and good to see that pilot handing the alien over to the marines once he has landed.

Macoco, on 10 April 2012 - 11:01 PM, said:

The ADU Troopers have that really nice Azure blue and I like your bonus shots with the S7 Galaxy Patrol, which fit in really well this theme as shock or heavy troopers.

Thanks guys! I can see the potential of merging the Alien Conquest theme and the CMF theme to be used together for a greater variety.

[Si-MOCs]

Great review. You would have convinced me to get it if I didn't already have it  

It's refreshing to get a review from someone who isn't biased towards the theme already - and judge the worthiness of the set.

The prison is a bit gimicky - but it's the play action that they built in. Only thing I would change would be the yellow fins under the engines - they broke off with some hard swooshing  

PS - PM me if you need help getting some Alien Conquest stuff.

[Sinner]

Nice review! Interestingly I got this set recently too... and on sale!   I bought most of the sets of this line, but this one was too much of a middle set for me so I had other priorities. I was actually considering doing a review of it, but since you've done a quite nice one I'll probably do another set instead.

(BTW, you've got two interesting issues with your review; firstly you label the set "7066" in the image, and secondly the tails are on backwards in a few shots... )

[WhiteFang]

Si-MOCs, on 11 April 2012 - 04:57 AM, said:

The prison is a bit gimicky - but it's the play action that they built in. Only thing I would change would be the yellow fins under the engines - they broke off with some hard swooshing  

I really wondered what you had actually done with it.  

Sinner, on 15 April 2012 - 03:14 AM, said:

Nice review! Interestingly I got this set recently too... and on sale!   I bought most of the sets of this line, but this one was too much of a middle set for me so I had other priorities. I was actually considering doing a review of it, but since you've done a quite nice one I'll probably do another set instead.

You are most welcomed to do a review of this set too. I will be looking forward to hear you take on the Alien Conquest sets too. I wonder what set could that be.  

Sinner, on 15 April 2012 - 03:14 AM, said:

(BTW, you've got two interesting issues with your review; firstly you label the set "7066" in the image, and secondly the tails are on backwards in a few shots... )

Oops!     

I seriously don't know why I written '7066'. I am so muddle-headed. And, I didn't know the tails are on the backwards until you have pointed it out. Keen observation from the Walrus.

[Algernon]

Great review, WhiteFang.   I always did like the look of this set, but never had the chance to pick it up. If I find it on sale, I'll probably fix that! If you're collecting Alien Conquest sets before they get discontinued, I'd highly recommend getting the Earth Defense HQ as soon as you can. It's on sale pretty much everywhere and it's one of the best Space sets in recent memory. I got it for $60 and I can safely say it's one of the best purchases I've ever made.

Thanks for a second look at this great set, I may go pick it up now.  

[vynsane]

This one is definitely my second-favorite from the theme behind "Earth Defense HQ", with "UFO Abduction" coming in a close third.

The only thing that bothered me was that the 'stasis/prison pod' wasn't exactly the same as the one in the HQ - the one 1x2 modified plate being the culprit. In the 'copter, it's a click hinge and in HQ it's a 1x2 with "slide". I suppose, though, this is an issue with the version in HQ - it should have been the click hinge on both, since the slide doesn't really factor into the play features of HQ, but the hinge factors into the play features of the 'copter. If both were designed with the hinge, they could swap back and forth between the two.

As for the set itself, great pieces (some in new colors), great figures... it's a winner!

[Brinstar]

Thanks for this excellent review Whitefang! I really enjoyed the Earth Defense HQ and the Alien Defender but have been on the fence about this one. Your review has convinced me to buy it. The helicopter is well designed and the two alien fighter craft round off the package very nicely. I do think the ADU sets are better than the slightly tongue in cheek alien sets, as a result I've turned to older space sets to provide opponents for the ADU.

This has certainly been a good few months for Lego Helicopters what with this and the excellent 4439 Heavy-Duty Helicopter.

[just2good]

Exceptional review!
I've seen many credit this set as the best AC set (besides the Earth Defense HQ), and I could see why. It's cheap, cool, comes with awesome pieces (especially the ADU guy's face), and a cool play function. Sadly, I've never seen this set on clearance. If I ever see it for 25%+ off, I'll pick it up.

[WhiteFang]

Algernon, on 15 April 2012 - 05:00 PM, said:

If you're collecting Alien Conquest sets before they get discontinued, I'd highly recommend getting the Earth Defense HQ as soon as you can.

I actually managed to get the Earth Defence HQ at the very next day after I had bought this. Now I am waiting for the right time for the HQ to come out of the box. Glad you managed to get this set as well!

vynsane, on 17 April 2012 - 03:47 PM, said:

The only thing that bothered me was that the 'stasis/prison pod' wasn't exactly the same as the one in the HQ - the one 1x2 modified plate being the culprit. In the 'copter, it's a click hinge and in HQ it's a 1x2 with "slide". I suppose, though, this is an issue with the version in HQ - it should have been the click hinge on both, since the slide doesn't really factor into the play features of HQ, but the hinge factors into the play features of the 'copter. If both were designed with the hinge, they could swap back and forth between the two.

I didn't know about the differences of the features. I will assume that it can be integrated but apparently as you mentioned, it can't.

Brinstar, on 18 April 2012 - 10:10 PM, said:

Thanks for this excellent review Whitefang! I really enjoyed the Earth Defense HQ and the Alien Defender but have been on the fence about this one. Your review has convinced me to buy it. The helicopter is well designed and the two alien fighter craft round off the package very nicely. I do think the ADU sets are better than the slightly tongue in cheek alien sets, as a result I've turned to older space sets to provide opponents for the ADU.

This has certainly been a good few months for Lego Helicopters what with this and the excellent 4439 Heavy-Duty Helicopter.

Yea, it made me pleased to know that this review helps in your buying decision.

just2good, on 19 April 2012 - 01:35 PM, said:

Exceptional review!
I've seen many credit this set as the best AC set (besides the Earth Defense HQ), and I could see why. It's cheap, cool, comes with awesome pieces (especially the ADU guy's face), and a cool play function. Sadly, I've never seen this set on clearance. If I ever see it for 25%+ off, I'll pick it up.

Thank you! Look like more people are picking this set at a pretty good price.

[alex54]

Great review again Whitefang!
I'm not that much into space, but this Alien conquest line was a very nice surprise for me last year!
TLC brings us some very nice head for the ADUs. Some of them, like with this set, are unique and very well done. Unfortunatelly, I don't have them all... Why TLC doesn't used those nice heads in the city line, instead of putting always the same heads for more than 3 years now?!
I don't find the ADU vehicules that really great in terme of colour scheme and design. They look too blocky for me.
The hight point of this line are the aliens and their UFO.
Those green aliens are the best alien LEGO ever made. Just have a look at Space police from 2008/09, the aliens don't look very nice for me.
But those one are just so !

[Dakar A]

Well, with this now on sale, I may have to consider getting this! Curse you Fangy! The set looks great, and the review only makes it look even better. The first couple of steps gave me the same idea, maybe I'll get it just to modify it into a spaceship. So much fun in such a little package!

[WhiteFang]

alex54, on 05 May 2012 - 09:55 PM, said:

Great review again Whitefang!
I'm not that much into space, but this Alien conquest line was a very nice surprise for me last year!
TLC brings us some very nice head for the ADUs. Some of them, like with this set, are unique and very well done. Unfortunatelly, I don't have them all... Why TLC doesn't used those nice heads in the city line, instead of putting always the same heads for more than 3 years now?!
I don't find the ADU vehicules that really great in terme of colour scheme and design. They look too blocky for me.
The hight point of this line are the aliens and their UFO.
Those green aliens are the best alien LEGO ever made. Just have a look at Space police from 2008/09, the aliens don't look very nice for me.
But those one are just so !

Thank you Alex. It's great to see you dropping by to my review to hear your thoughts. The ADU sets compliments very well with the City settings. I enjoyed very much and the civilian and solders' expressions are ever so non-ordinary like the typical ones that we had always seen. I do agree with you that the ADU aliens are much better to me than the SP3 criminal aliens.

Dakar A, on 06 May 2012 - 05:25 AM, said:

Well, with this now on sale, I may have to consider getting this! Curse you Fangy! The set looks great, and the review only makes it look even better. The first couple of steps gave me the same idea, maybe I'll get it just to modify it into a spaceship. So much fun in such a little package!

Now you ought to get this set as soon as you can. Because once the sales is over, it will be discontinued. I regretted not picking up a second set during the sales.

[Nom Carver]

A great review of yours as always, about the set, I think is an ugly combination between a chopper and a plane