Review: 6039 Twin-Arm Launcher

[dj2005]

Title of Set: 6039 Twin-Arm Launcher

Theme: Castle/Lion Knights

Year Released: 1988

Pieces Count: 73

Minifigures: 2

Original Price: $8.50 (USD), Unknown (EUR), Unknown (GBP)

Further Information: Brickset, Lugnet, Peeron, Photobucket Album

Set 6039 Twin-Arm Launcher is one of the earliest forms of catapults within the Castle theme. Armed with two side-by-side trench buckets and manned by two Lion Knights, this catapult is ready for action.

Instruction Pamphlet:

The instructions utilize a foldout system much like what is found in many smaller LEGO sets. All 15 steps are displayed in surprisingly large, clear pictures making this a very simple build. The front of the pamphlet accurately portraits what the set will look like once built.

Parts:

With only a 73 piece count and only two minifigs, this set does not offer a whole lot. Still, some nice pieces are in there.

Minifigs:

Two ordinary Lion Knights are included in this set, along with a white horse.

Accessories:

Here is where this set shines its brightest. Two regular gray guard helms are included, along with various weapons. The sword is not made from the flimsy plastic that recent Castle sets use, but of strong ABS plastic that takes a good amount of force to bend. Arguably the best items of this set are the barding and two round shields. More detail on both of these in the following section.

Unique Pieces:

The barding has a red base coat with yellow details prominently displaying two lions on each side. The round shields do not have a U-clip, but instead, a single bar grip. Both the barding and round shields are quite rare and were featured in only a few vintage sets.

Partially Built:

Many of the steps are for building up the bulk of the catapult.

Set without minifigs:

Front:

Side:

Back:

The catapult is almost all black in color. The arms of each launcher have a finger design that allows manual movement at each end: the handle and the trench bucket. Yellow barrels are used as ammo. The front of the catapult holds a brown barrel container and two brown spears. The back has plenty of room for the four yellow barrels, as well as the two flags. There are two wheels on each side and two red barrels that, I assume, are to emulate torches. Lastly, the two black antennas are there to keep the launching arms from going all the way down. The 2x2 red tiles that exist on each side also help with this.

Completed set with minifigs:

As displayed before but with the two included Lion Knights and white horse.

Reviewer's Score:

Playability: 6.5/10 - Alone, this set does not offer a whole lot as a catapult is made for destroying the opposition. Still, some fun can be had with shooting yellow barrels around the room.

Design: 8.5/10 - The catapult doesn't flip/tip when launching and the structure is very stable as a whole. The four brown wheels make it easy to push around while not making it look childish. The catapult is able to fling the barrels very nicely - not too far and not too close. The uses of red and yellow accents are great and there is no doubt that the Lion Knights have built this siege weapon.

Price: 5/10 - The weakest area of the set. At the MSRP, it is too pricey for only two minifigs and 73 pieces when compared to other sets released during this era.

Total: 20/30 - A mediocre set. The lack of an extra minifig and/or more accessories really hurt this set. Not all is bad, though. The design is nicely thought out, and the unique accessories are great pieces to have in one's LEGO collection.

[KimT]

One of my favourite castle sets.

I've got 3 of them and I love them.

This is the numero uno catapult to own.

Indexed.

[Dadster]

I always thought those round shields were cool. And they also came in the trans red for spacemen!

[KimT]

I always thought those round shields were cool. And they also came in the trans red for spacemen!

And trans-clear

[Nikola Bathory]

This is a great set! Best catapult in my humble opinion.

and the barding is a great bonus!

[Cardinal Brick]

I good set in my opinion, though I've always wondered how such a poorlooking knight, no armour or proper helm could afford such a nice barding.

[dj2005]

I good set in my opinion, though I've always wondered how such a poorlooking knight, no armour or proper helm could afford such a nice barding.

It's a rental.

[MoonCheese]

This might have been my first castle set ever...one of my first, anyway. I still have that horse barding.

[legotrainfan]

Thanks for this review! Now I finally know what this set looks like if assembled. Mine is MISB. The round shields are really rare, but they also came with the catapult that preceded this one, namely the black falcon's catapult 6030, which I have as well but not MISB.

Don't you think that the two red and round bricks, one on each side, are also ammunition? It could be burning ammunition to set fire to a castle or to medieval houses.

[dj2005]

Thanks for this review! Now I finally know what this set looks like if assembled. Mine is MISB. The round shields are really rare, but they also came with the catapult that preceded this one, namely the black falcon's catapult 6030, which I have as well but not MISB.

Don't you think that the two red and round bricks, one on each side, are also ammunition? It could be burning ammunition to set fire to a castle or to medieval houses.

Could be, but isn't the ammo suppose to be loaded then set on fire?

[Kliq]

Very nice review! This was one of the classic sets I picked up during a recent ebay/bricklink spree, and I have to say it is certainly worth the more money. A couple classic knights, a very cool catapult on wagon wheels, and that barding all make for excellent reasons to pick this up.

[legotrainfan]

Could be, but isn't the ammo suppose to be loaded then set on fire?

Actually yes, but I don't have a better explanation for the use of those round red bricks. To make it really realistic, you would need something like chameleon bricks; bricks that turn from yellow to red as soon as they are loaded.

[Guss]

Oo I never saw those round shield before, It was a great set , I wish I had it ^^ you makes really nice reviews Dj2005 !

[castlestrike666]

Nice review! You've made some great pics there.

It's an outstanding set. I especially like the barding of the white horse! One of the best bardings Lego ever made!