[PRESS RELEASE] 75144 Snowspeeder

[jdubbs]

The UCS snowspeeder was supposedly slated for release in 2016, but for unknown reasons got delayed to 2017. Possibly a production delay with the snowspeeder, or a desire to get the revised Death Star out by Christmas/to coincide with Rogue One. My guess is that the Assault on Hoth set was moved up to take its place, since we ended up with back-to-back UCS playsets in 2016, and Assault on Hoth comprised a bunch of previously-released builds... suggesting it was hastily arranged. I would also guess that the Falcon (assuming we get one) was always intended to be released in the latter half of 2017, to put some distance between it and the $500 Death Star (and the smaller Falcon still on shelves), to position it for the holiday shopping season, and to push it closer to the Han Solo movie the following May.

[Schneeds]

It looks sharp and is well designed; a great display addition to those who have the x-wing, tie etc.  I personally am just not a fan of the huge scale they use for the fighters.  I prefer scale versions such as Lildime's/Lars etc. 

[BrickMonkeyMOCs]

On 23/03/2017 at 11:18 PM, BEAVeR said:

• Includes 2 minifigures: a Rebel Snowspeeder Pilot and a Rebel Snowspeeder Gunner.
• Features intricate, authentic detailing, opening airbrakes, rotating rear gun and an opening cockpit with space for the 2 included minifigures.
• Attach the Snowspeeder to the stand with fact plaque to display it.
• Includes 2 blaster pistols.
• Accessory elements include electrobinoculars, a Snowspeeder Pilot helmet and a Snowspeeder Gunner helmet.
• Snowspeeder on display stand measures over 8” (21cm) high, 15” (39cm) long and 11” (29cm) wide, and over 4” (11cm) high without stand.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think this is a beautiful set and I look forward to building it, but the promotional blurb/feature list has me baffled. Am I supposed to be excited by the inclusion of minifigures here? But there are two of them! With blasters! Ooh! And binocs! And, wait for it... even helmets! And there is space for them in the cockpit!?! Huh? What? Are we meant to stick them in a glove compartment or something?

Still, a very nice model (despite the stickers). :)

[Delta62]

Nice set but too expensive for me. Wish they do something else in the star wars universe for a change instead of rebooting the old ones.

[Ceroknight]

Looks great! It's a pretty little thing

[Cottin]

Dunno if this is the right place to ask, but how long do you folks figure the UCS Slave I will stay on shelves after the Snowspeeder gets released? 

I was surprised how quickly the Ewok Village retired last year in the US -- for me at least, it was abrupt and without warning (lacking the "Retiring Soon" label on S@H). If you all think that there's any likelihood Slave I is retiring soon, please let me know. I'm thinking it'll be my May the 4th order..

[Ellisss_2]

26 minutes ago, Cottin said:

Dunno if this is the right place to ask, but how long do you folks figure the UCS Slave I will stay on shelves after the Snowspeeder gets released? 

I was surprised how quickly the Ewok Village retired last year in the US -- for me at least, it was abrupt and without warning (lacking the "Retiring Soon" label on S@H). If you all think that there's any likelihood Slave I is retiring soon, please let me know. I'm thinking it'll be my May the 4th order..

Seeing as it has been on the market over two years, I would say that it will probably be leaving soon. In my opinion the Slave I is a much better set, pick it up while you can as the Snowspeeder has been released as a UCS set before.

[jdubbs]

The Slave I has just started showing up on eBay for under list price — I just got mine for about $50 off, which was too good a deal to pass up — which is usually the precursor to big box retailer sales and then an official discount at the online LEGO Shop (if there is to be one). My guess is that it gets retired between the release of the Snowspeeder and whatever comes this Fall (likely the Falcon). 

Edit: The UCS TIE Fighter is also still on the market, and it could get retired before Slave I, even though it was introduced after it. It depends on how well each one sells... the X-WIng was retired almost a year before the Ewok Village, for instance, and the original Death Star playlet was on the market for way longer than the usual 2-3 years before it was retired and upgraded. Since the Slave I has a bunch of minifigs and functions a bit more like a playlet, it could have more kid appeal and last longer...

Edited March 25, 2017 by jdubbs

[bataleon]

Ok Lego, these remakes of the smaller ships is fun and all but it's time to get serious!! :D

[Flandy]

I don't get all the complaints about "remakes". This is a VAST improvement on a 14 year old snowspeeder, that's now unaffordable to buy as a whole, and has some pricey and difficult to find parts to try and piece together. The original looks like an inaccurate stud-fest. This is a welcome set, and so too will be the Falcon, should it be the second UCS this year.

[All in the Reflexes]

I think this is lovely and makes the pain in the butt original to bricklink a thing of the past. But seriously LEGO, USC AT-AT or a new Falcon NOOOOOOW!!!!

[Miro78]

For those that would rather have proportional pilot figures, I have built these scaled pilots Luke Skywalker (right) and his expendable gunner Dak Ralter (left). Follow the link below for LDD file. I have posed them in an action pose as they hurry to their snowspeeder for some AT-AT wrangling shenanigans.

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-7457/Miro/miniland-rebel-pilots/

To make them fit in the seats, they might have to lose their lower body or some modification may be needed. However I did scale them accordingly, assuming ~6 foot tall pilots and a 17 foot long snowspeeder.

cheers,

Miro

Edited March 27, 2017 by Miro78

[Flandy]

Those are Brilliant! Nice work!

[Cpt. Dan]

I primarily want the figures because of the arm printing. I'm curious to see what that'll set back on secondary market, my guess is $30/fig minimum 

[Daphatty]

I love how so many of us are still optimistic about the re-release of the MF. :)

This set will be a day one purchase for me. I've already warned the wife. House purchase be damned.

[TheWolffe]

$330 AUD for this. I feel like TLG are trying to push Australians away from buying LEGO directly from them, it's definitely evident for the prices on the last few wave of sets.

[bataleon]

22 minutes ago, TheWolffe said:

$330 AUD for this. I feel like TLG are trying to push Australians away from buying LEGO directly from them, it's definitely evident for the prices on the last few wave of sets.

I agree mate. It's getting a bit out of hand.

2 hours ago, Daphatty said:

I love how so many of us are still optimistic about the re-release of the MF. :)

This set will be a day one purchase for me. I've already warned the wife. House purchase be damned.

I think I must be one of the few that are still hoping for an ISD or Tantive IV instead of a MF. The MF just doesn't do it for me at all. I feel the other 2 I mentioned capture the essence of 80's styling perfectly, the MF not so much. Each to their own though, it's what keeps the world interesting :)

Edited March 29, 2017 by bataleon

[jdubbs]

While I don't have the original UCS Falcon, I do have the UCS Star Destroyer and UCS Tantive IV. I would be very happy to see either of those redone, as well as a new UCS Falcon. I don't really care which comes first as long as they all get modern builds in the next few years. Between its appearances in Rebels, Rogue One, and the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars, I would have thought the Tantive IV had the best shot at UCS treatment this year, but all signs seem to be pointing to the Falcon.

[KevinYoung]

What a beauty looking forward to buying this !!!

[neoconagenda]

First off... The poor rendition of a Millennium Falcon... Pure genius. 

I am really at a loss for words. This set is beautifully crafted and will stand side by side to its sister ship to show the evolution of build techniques and the ever growing love of TLG to abuse SW fans with freaking stickers. 

[Lasse D]

I'm glad to see a new 10x2x3 windscreen apparently replacing the old 10x3x3 one. I wonder if it will also come in smoke. The designer of the old UCS Snowspeeder didn't have any reference photos for the bottom. I wonder what has prompted the design of this one to be so different.

[Lobot]

The Brick Fan has posted a detailed review (link); I'm looking forward to May 4th!

[mortesv]

Great improvement over the 2003 version. Better nose. Better cockpit. Better cannons. Better functions. Better grille.

A few too many stickers where bricks could have done the job just as well, but that is an easy mod.

The "shoulders" will have to receive an overhaul though. Their angles are simply too steep - this is one of the few areas where the 2003 version fares better.

Maybe still a few too many studs for my taste, but overall a very, very fine model :)

Edited April 15, 2017 by mortesv

[Jim]

For those of you interested in my point of view on the model: