31039 Blue Power Jet - build and (poor excuse for a) review.

[oz the malefic]

Whilst I generally keep to Technic and Creator Expert models, the 31039 Blue Power Jet just looked to good to miss. The consensus appears to be that the design is strongly based on the oft-maligned Lockheed Martin F-35. This is the jet that was the result of the Joint Strike Fighter program that cost multiple world governments multiple billions of dollars, included possible loss of data to Chinese spies and has recently made the news due to losing a dogfight with an F-16 (an aircraft produced in the 1970s). Of course, I must say, I don’t really care about the detractors, as I don’t know nearly enough to form my own opinion.

Now onto the Blue Power Jet, with a USA price of $70 for 608 pieces puts the value around a fairly average price-per-piece, though the Australian price was $90, which I would consider a little high, but fortunately found it on sale at one of the bigger retailers making it immediate buy, otherwise I would have waited until double VIP points and bought it with something else to get free shipping.

Open the package and we reveal this: some bags.

Fairly full bags, but not nearly as many as I have been used to lately.

I’m still not sure how I am feeling about bound instruction booklets. Of course it’s a positive having everything in one single volume, but I think I prefer how a stapled book can be flattened out, allowing a better view all the way to the centre of the page spread.

But onwards, I then moved onto my patented sorting method to get this build commenced.

Ah, there, ready to go.

From the very beginning we jumped into a straightforward Technic frame.

Which was quickly expanded upon to give a very early indication of the length of the final product.

Some simple SNOT techniques created the space for the landing gear to retract, it’s very neat but probably one of the few downsides of the final model is that the wheels are still visible even when retracted (though quite well hidden in from most views being below the wings).

The cockpit area is quite interesting, and a very effective use of some common elements.

Beautiful use of cheese wedges for the rear of the seat.

Joystick, multiple printed screens, an interestingly placed 1x1 transparent green plate for the HUD. Of course meaning that this placement in a clip is a legal Lego design, I think I’ve seen it elsewhere, but I’m not 100% sure.

Just so much SNOT….

I probably geeked out about such a small design feature more than I should, but I loved the use of a hinge to form the diagonal edge of the side intakes

So simple, but so effective….

It was at this point that I really felt like what I had made was looking more like a boat than a jet.

And now it looks like a boat from Spongebob Squarepants!!!

Since the original photos, I had been very interested in how the wing was going to come together, it’s a very simple connection, only one stud holding above and below at one end and a 4x1 hinge plate at the other.

The wing is then just COVERED in plates and tiles, nothing super special to photo, but very nicely executed and very effective to see.

I adore how the wings are held in place though.

Gaps in the body and some plates with bars.

And then just clipped into place (there are some bricks later to hold it in place more securely, but this is very effective in holding the wing by itself)

Looking almost done

Alas, because of the small amount left to go, I didn’t really take photos of the construction of the stabilators or vertical stabilisers, but they were very simple and either plate based or brick built.

Though it was at this point that due to being in Australia, I did get a helper come along to finish the build.

Stabilators in place.

Vertical stabilisers.

So I guess means we’re done…

NOT YET!

Good news, minifigs fit in the cockpit! And apparently, if you can drive a Ferrari F1 car, you can fly a jet:

I really do love the cheese wedge headrests.

I don’t think the scale is quite the same….

And with the use of some scaffolding, we have a flyover of my extremely busy modular city.

Hopefully this has been an interesting enough read, I strongly recommend this set. The design is (as I keep saying) extremely effective. Great use of tiles for surfaces, great value, and a great build experience. I don’t do ratings, I’ll just class it as a “worth buying”.

Edited July 9, 2015 by oz the malefic

[NuckElBerg]

Great review! I'll definitely buy a couple once I find them on sale!

[ED-209]

The consensus appears to be that the design is strongly based on the oft-maligned Lockheed Martin F-35.

Y'know, I'd not even realised that until you mentioned it - and you're right it certainly looks like the F-35. Now I'm surprised the set doesn't cost a lot more!

It certainly looks like a nice build, have you tried replacing the rear wheels with smaller ones? The same wheel that's used in the nose might make the rear landing gear more discrete when collapsed?

Joystick, multiple printed screens, an interestingly placed 1x1 transparent green plate for the HUD. Of course meaning that this placement in a clip is a legal Lego design, I think I’ve seen it elsewhere, but I’m not 100% sure.

I've seen the same idea is used in the 76042 SHIELD Helicarrier for the microfigues' computer screen, and the little striped road barrier things. Probably other sets as well? As far I can tell it's only considered a "legal" technique with the newer thinner clips, presumably there's a bit more flex on the newer one:

rather than the older style:

[legomanic]

It certainly looks like a nice build, have you tried replacing the rear wheels with smaller ones? The same wheel that's used in the nose might make the rear landing gear more discrete when collapsed?

I went ahead and changed the rear wheels to a smaller set and put hinged covers on!

[DarkShark6679]

That's really nice, would love to get one of these. Wasn't sure before if it could seat figures - sweet to see it can!