[MOC] Brief Photo Review: UCS UT-60D U-wing by Mr_Idler

[lowlead]

Full credit and praise to Mr_Idler for making instructions available for his giant U-wing!  Instructions for this MOC are available on Rebrickable.

I enjoyed the Andor series so much so that it compelled me to sink my teeth into this fantastic custom MOC project.  I am continuously thankful for all the talented creators who choose to share their builds by providing instructions for sale or free download.  Below are some images and comments:

As with many large custom MOCs, there are aspects of the model that may not meet TLGs standards of build experience and/or durability.  I would rate this MOC an 8 out of 10 for the overall build experience.  Also, as I understand it, this model is a v1.0 - which may prompt Mr_Idler to issue revisions in the future.  Either way, the instructions are high quality.  Only a couple steps here and there require a bit of interpretation - an attribute that I find part of the fun when tackling big projects that LEGO has not yet dared to!

If I had to point out a single area of the model that could use some re-work is the fwd ventral viewport assembly.  This section utilizes 3 trans-black windscreen elements and associated sub-assemblies to achieve near perfect angles when compared to reference images of the vehicle.  The assembly is very delicate and requires a high degree of patience and fiddling to attach it correctly.  In the end however, it cannot be overstated how good it looks - always a trade-off I suppose.

Mr_Idler's innovative wing construction technique uses stacked wedge plates in a sort of 'reverse orientation' that create a very accurate shape while preserving those straight, sharp edges that other custom MOCs sacrifice when using different techniques.

The main drive engines were wonderfully conceived, with variation between the 4 engine pods that require specific 'clocked' attachment steps.

With the exception of the ventral viewport area in the front, the main fuselage is solid and has some great interior detail.  The cabin very accurately represents the multi-level aspect of the cockpit vs lower main deck.  The deployment doors are a bit fragile (he acknowledges this in comments) and do not have open-close features, but can be attached to be displayed in either configuration.

Thanks once again to Mr_Idler for sharing this fantastic creation - great fun!

$ .02

 

Edited Saturday at 05:24 PM by lowlead
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[TheScaryDoor]

I really like the U-Wing and this looks great 😊. Always wanted one in the UCS era.

[Anio]

The way the wings are tapered is very clever !