[Review] 8037 Anakin's Y-Wing

[jansued]

Ok, if nobody else wants to do it:

Here is my review of the Set 8037, Anakin's Y-Wing

Set Name: Anakin's Y-Wing Starfighter

Set Number: 8037

Theme: Star Wars / Clone Wars

Year: 2009

Price: EUR 69,95

Pieces: 570

Minifigures: 3

First the formal part...

This is the box:

from the back:

and the contents:

And again - the world famous box analysis:

Better than 7749, but still only 20-30% of the box is used...

The minifigs -well known. Just R2D2 got a grey head.

Now we start construction...

The first step - building the "engine bridge":

Some SNOT is used when building the sideboards...

To shoot a torpedo, you just put R2D2 on a little grey technic axe and move him like a trigger. I'm not sure if R2D2 really likes this mechanism, but for my kids it was ok.

Are the egg-like thingies new parts?

Engines are nearly complete:

What really tested my abilities and endurance was the construction of 8 (eight) engine attachments. Puh..

The final cockpit:

Having a rotating turret just would be perfect. Otherwise enemy fighters kindly have to be asked just to attack from a straight line behind.

I hope, they've got a good heater inside - the cockpit is open in the back

Under the Y-Wing there is the "Torpedo-Canon"

Formal comparison of the Y-Wings:

Set 7658: Y-Wing 454 Parts, EUR 45,99.- BTL S3 Y-Wing

*Snip*

It's a nice day at a main alliance outpost a few months after the Battle of Endor. The rookie pilots have a lesson about heavy bomber starfighters.

Instructor: Listen up! This is an BTL-B Y-Wing Starfighter, now nearly 28 years in Service. It has gone through some modifications, as you can see at the S3 Version behind you. We changed the turret and the weaponry and those lazy mechanics took the panels away. It's an old lady, but it flies like a Sandhopper, has shields to protect you from nearly any enemy fighter and can carry more bombs and torpedos than any other craft - except the B-Wing.

There are some rumors that especially this craft was flown by Darth Vader and some jedi girl punk in the Clone Wars. I think these a re rumors - ol' Vader and a girlie jedi - pffff.

*mumbling*: Yes that kid was a pain in the a** - but I'll be back...

Overall

Design: 8/10 Better than the old Y-Wing, but

- a rotating turret and a cockpit without holes just would be perfect.

- some kind of landing gear just would be fine...

Build: 9/10 Easy, some new parts (for me)

Playability: 9/10 The torpedo "rocks" and the whole fighter is very durable.

Minifigures: 6/10 Just the usual suspects. Some nice individiual Clone Pilots would have been better and may have influenced some AFOL's to buy this set...

Price: 8/10 Just the usual overprizing. But because of the playability and the nice design better than some other Clone Wars sets..

Total: 40/50

Conclusion.

Not as bad as you might thought. Ok, it's too expensive, the minifigs are boring - but the design is simple and nice and my kids really like to play with it. (And I can safe my 7658 BTL S3..)

Edited May 27, 2009 by KimT
Indexed and poll added

[prateek]

i like the old y-wing better. this one is too chunky. i agree this set should've had a clone but a rotating turret would be hard to build. good review

[KimT]

Great review.

Thanks.

I've frontpaged this.

And indexed it within a minute or so

[dunamis]

Thanks for the review and the photos.

I'm really shocked at the boxes and how big they are compared to the parts inside. Very wasteful. I assume it is LEGO trying to keep the box size large to match with the increase in pricing while dropping the piece count.

Lack of rotating turret is a bummer as well.

Would have been nice to include a unique minifig to make this set stand out. Otherwise, it is nothing special (unfortunately).

[Algernon]

I can't understand this set... looks terrible to me. Way too much yellow...

Good review though!

[KimT]

I can't understand this set... looks terrible to me. Way too much yellow...

Good review though!

Yellow is good.

Especially considering that I still have that yellow modular castle sitting unfinished on my shelf

I agree though, this is not the best set in this wave and getting the same figs (more or less) as in the Twilight is annoying,

How many Anakins does one need afterall?

An average from me.

[mutley777]

Nice review!

I can't understand this set... looks terrible to me. Way too much yellow...

That is because this is anakins ship. His ship has alternate colours to the rest of the squadron.

What this means is where the clone Y-wings are white anakins is yellow and vice versa.

[Natman8000]

Nice review! This set is one chunky monkey! And those egg things are a redo of the old ones, as they have no texture.

[Asuka]

Thanks for that cool review, jansued.

I really like that veteran - a cool starfighter design and a really nice set with some serious MODing potential.

I already got used to all these march-through-cockpits, but a non-turning turret (hmm... is a turret still a turret

if it doesn´t turn? ) for that model´s just a plain badly missed chance to put some lovely playability into an otherwise

perhaps (MFs ) almost a little boring set.

[pokedudejr]

Did anyone else notice that the R2 is new?

Edited May 27, 2009 by pokedudejr

[ILikePi]

Did anyone else notice that the R2 is new?

Yes, I did. For those who don't see any difference, it's a Clone Wars R2, and has new, different printing.

Thanks for the review.

I definitely won't be getting this set, since the figures aren't new, and there aren't many features in the set. I agree, having a normal Y-wing instead of Anakin's would be much better. We've already seen too many Ahsoka and Anakin figures in sets.

Now there's no more Star Wars sets to review for now, at least until the exclusive sets come out.

[Dadster]

Thanks for the review.

[prateek]

Yes, I did. For those who don't see any difference, it's a Clone Wars R2, and has new, different printing.

and the head is grey

[The Green Brick Giant]

70 Euro?!?! Holy shit!!!

[SWMAN]

I don't like how R2 has a grey head. It doesn't match. Also, if you think those 8 legs were hard, try the Troll Battle Wheel. That is pure torture.

[LEGOMAN132]

Very nice review it looks like a very nice set.

[RileyC]

while this looks good im not sure wether to buy it. It looks good with a lot of detail but the minifig selection could've been better. I wouldve much rather had matchstick and another pilot. I would like to have a clone wars R2 head though.

Great review!

[Svelte]

I'm really shocked at the boxes and how big they are compared to the parts inside. Very wasteful. I assume it is LEGO trying to keep the box size large to match with the increase in pricing while dropping the piece count.

I appreciate the criticism of wasted space, but I think it is exaggerated here and in the Hoth review where the parts are shoved as tightly together as possible. Lego parts come pre-scratched and damaged enough as it is these days - would you like to see this even worsed by compressing the parts as tightly as possible? There needs to be some room in boxes to fit manuals, sticker sheets, and parts bags with enough air so they aren't constantly rubbing against each other

In The Brick magazine, Lego did say they had reduced packaging by an average of 7% and standardised box sizes somewhat, so the boxes from the summer wave are what we will be seeing for the forseeable future.

Thanks for the nice review, though! This set has really grown on me, and I like the idea of the evolving Y-Wing

[Ras 74]

The review is very good!

But the set... come si come sa.

It has way to little screentime to make me think this is a really good ship.

Dont even know if I will buy it.

That we got those mini-figs again is not so strange to understand though.

But it would have been nice if they got one other character as well.

The clone R2 is really a step back for any AFOL as well.

Why didnt TLC make the head in metallic silver when they where at it?

-Ras-

[TenorPenny]

Thanks for the review! I don't really like the colour scheme, but the build seems fair enough.

[jansued]

I appreciate the criticism of wasted space, but I think it is exaggerated here and in the Hoth review where the parts are shoved as tightly together as possible. Lego parts come pre-scratched and damaged enough as it is these days - would you like to see this even worsed by compressing the parts as tightly as possible? There needs to be some room in boxes to fit manuals, sticker sheets, and parts bags with enough air so they aren't constantly rubbing against each other

Sorry this didn't come out as clearly as I wanted: Its exaggerated by purpose - nobody wants TLC to reduce the box size to the absolute minimum. Even with your points, a box 50% of the actual size would be enough. But making them so big as they are is not good and gives a lot of points to argue about: Why are they so big, what effects does it have (transport costs - environmental impact) and so on ...

Another point: It is close to impossible to hide the new boxes. The average detection time for my kids / wife (even worse) is about 60 seconds - and then the struggle starts. No way then to build the set without interference. Smaller boxes could be hidden in the normal shopping bags ;-)

Regards, Jan

[Skipper 24]

I seem to be about the only person that likes this set. I just love the shape over the standard OT Y-Wing. The minifig selection is a but meh but I'm sure i would be able to live with it. Thanks for the review .

[jimmyhoppityhop]

love the review, but you do know thats hawk, hes a gunship pilot. you would want a pilot from shadow squadren or blue delta!!!!! but it would be better than anikan and asohka!!!

[Ras 74]

love the review, but you do know thats hawk, hes a gunship pilot. you would want a pilot from shadow squadren or blue delta!!!!! but it would be better than anikan and asohka!!!

Do you watch the Clone Wars?

They do a mission when Anakin is pilot this Y-wing.

-Ras-

[jimmyhoppityhop]

Do you watch the Clone Wars?

They do a mission when Anakin is pilot this Y-wing.

-Ras-

well yer, i know he does but thats with shadow squadren, where they go through a nebular right????