Review: 8031 Lego Mini V-19 Torrent

[starstreak]

Swoosh! Pew! Pew! Folding wing for a landing. This mini-V-19 Torrent is pretty good. It's not just a static display but very playable. Best part, it's $3.99 for 66 part count!

Set Name: 8031 Lego Mini V-19 Torrent

Theme: Star Wars Clone Wars mini series

Released: 2009

Pieces: 66

Price: $3.99 US price. I do not know if it's available elsewhere.

Let us start off by looking at what you get.

8031 "box"

Ha! It's not a box, but a bag. Be careful. The bag is easily ripped. For a bag, they did use a lot of color.

8031 Instruction book

Ha! Got you again. It's not a book, but a fold out poster. I never saw this before but it looks like it lists a part number next to each piece that they add on.

Extras

Hey, even with a set this small, there are extra parts in the bag. Yay!

There is no parts list or alternate set. Use your imagination to create your own ideas if you breakdown this set.

Here is a build process shown in build sheets.

8021 Build sheets

You read it from left to right, from top to bottom. And that's about 24 step process. I bet I wrote more words than they are pieces.

Finished pictures

Side view. Landing mode._Front view. Landing mode

Rear view. Landing mode._Top view. Landing mode.

Side view. Flight mode._Front view. Flight mode.

Rear view. Flight mode.

Lets try iso-view from the front in flight mode.

Iso view from rear in flight mode.

Iso view front in landing mode.

Iso view from the rear in landing mode.

All final photos can be clicked on to view a larger picture.

Features

I give Lego credit for making it pretty realistic. The center wing actually swivels down for flight mode. It does it with a good feel too. The center wing has resistance when moving. Helps for when you might be flying it around your room. You won't need to hold the wing to keep it from moving loose. Then again, maybe mine had a tight fit. The other part that moves is the two wings, They can raise and lower for flight mode and landing mode.

Issues

No issues. Everything was simple to follow. Hard to get lost when there's ~66 pieces to put together.

Final thoughts

At $3.99 for 66 pieces, it's a good deal if you need parts from it. If not, there always the 8033 Lego Mini General Greivus set which "only" has 44 count, but still $3.99.

To see the full size pictures, please goto my flicker site: Mini V-19 Torrent

My rating:

Playability: 4 out of 5. It’s swooshable. It's a mini. Stick it in your jacket pocket and take it with you.

Design: 3 out of 5. Very good job. I think a few things could've made it better like what IlikePi said, "Where's the other republic insignia for the other wing?"

Build experience: 2 out of 5. This was easy. As I mentioned before, hard to get it wrong with so little pieces.

Overall: 5 out of 5. It's $3.99. Even in Hawaii where there seems to be an automatic $5-30 price increase on most Lego sets when compared to the mainland. Well worth buying at least one.

Thanks for reading!

[KimT]

Great review starstreak

Now we've got three reviews of this super mini in the index.

It's one of my favorite minis

I also added a poll

[Future74]

Very nice review, with tons of pictures!

You've put a lot of afford in this one.

The set looks great.

[CommanderCody77]

This is a very good review and thanks for also deeplinking the instructions.

and after everything I am finally a knight!

[Millacol88]

Congratulations on your graduation from the academy. This is a stellar review of a set I will hopefully soon have.

[posades]

Looks good, I'm liking that trans smokey piece I don't have any of, might buy one or two if I find them at my local Target.

[pr0visorak]

Oh goody! This is the 3rd review! I wrote the second! I like your pictures! The lighting is very nice.

[ILikePi]

Thanks for the review Starstreak!

I need to post a review of the two mini sets too.

P.S. Thanks for mentioning me in your review.

[starstreak]

Thanks guy/gals! I'm more of a "picture" person, but I thought doing reviews would be fun. It is. I hope to do more shortly. Strange, that the idea of having a icon next to your name, an give you a boost to work harder. lol

[Derek]

I LOVE this little set! It is (Was? I don't think its still available at Target ) a fantastic value at $4. I'm so glad they sold this and Grievous's fighter there even just for a little while.

Great thorough review of a great set! Thanks for sharing!

[prateek]

good review i like the "features" on this set. BTW the blue in your pics looks bluer than thte actual pieces (if that made sense)

[starstreak]

good review i like the "features" on this set. BTW the blue in your pics looks bluer than thte actual pieces (if that made sense)

Mine is that blue. :) JK. To give a bit more pop to the picture, the contrast was a bit higher. Sometimes I wish I had a different color background but I can't put up anything but white.

[mania3]

Wow. I've got to say, for a mini, this set is actually pretty cool. Had it not been for this review, I'd not have known that either. I really think the features in it are surprisingly well done given the low piece count. Thanks so much for sharing this great review with us!

[Marin Stipković]

I guess here's why there's only one republic insignia: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:Tor.jpg

[CommanderFox]

Great Review Starstreak

I really would like one of these but they are alittle to expensive in NZ for a Mini imo.

It's a very cute little fighter!

Great job!

CommanderFox

[grahamh_100]

Nice review, this was one of my fav sets from the Mirror promotion here in the UK. One of my favorite Minis, too.