REVIEW: 9495 Y-Wing (2012)

[Ceroknight]

Thank you for the review!

Looks like a good set to get if you missed the previous (me)

[Brickmamba]

Thanks for the review, the new R5 looks great and a Leia would fit nicely with the other ceremonial figures, I don't have a Y wing yet so may pick this up on sale, cheers

[cei]

Thanks for the review. If I were to purchase this set, I would most likely due so for the quality minifigures and neat parts. While the model itself does sport one good improvement (a nice, roomy cockpit ) I find it too poorly designed for display. Among other things, I find the fact that the droid socket protrudes from the underside of the ship hilarious.

To say that the new head is “far more screen-accurate” is a bit of an overstatement in my opinion. There's definitely prominent sloping on the head, and while the lack of topside curvature is an improvement, stepped plates don't quite do the angles justice. Then again, I have yet to see anyone do a better job at this size with LEGO, so perhaps it's a moot point.

I think it still is 'far more' screen accurate, with emphasis on the more. It isn't perfect, but then thinks like the sloping forwards are pretty impossible to do at this scale.

The Y-wing's ion cannons should be fixed forward – there isn't supposed to be any vertical movement . I suppose some articulation would have increased playability, though.

That reminds me – how secure is the connection? I remember many people annoyed by how the cannons on 7658 and 7150 swiveled wildly while swooshing.

The connection is still loose, leading to swinging when being swooshed - it's based around a technic pin connection for horizontal plane movement, but there is no friction to hold in place. Fixing in position would be an incredibly easy modification, I think Lego left it in as a play feature more than anything.

Oh, and the cannons on a Y-Wing can be fixed to go backwards as well ;)

[Fallenangel]

It isn't perfect, but then thinks like the sloping forwards are pretty impossible to do at this scale.

Not so. One could hinge the entire construction to slope downwards, similar to the head of a Lambda-class shuttle. Since the canopy should slope as well, it could work.

[StoutFiles]

Not so. One could hinge the entire construction to slope downwards, similar to the head of a Lambda-class shuttle. Since the canopy should slope as well, it could work.

The slope is at such a small angle that it is practically unnoticed in the movie and by other toy companies. Also, not only would most people assume the cockpit was badly built, TLG would likely sacrifice stability to achieve that angle. As you've already pointed out, there are still tons of other problems to fix anyway, especially my favorite TLG problem (droid facing wrong way, again).

Edited January 9, 2012 by StoutFiles

[Fallenangel]

I'd say ERTL and even Hasbro made a decent attempt at acknowledging it. But you're probably right in saying that it wouldn't be appreciated in a LEGO set.

[Algernon]

This model seems to look better in real life than it does on the box. However, since I still own the last rendition of the Y-Wing (and I'm pretty happy with it), I don't think I'll be shelling out $50 to pick up this slight update. Also, for my taste, the cockpit is just a bit too boxy. I don't know if that's more movie accurate or not, but it's still just a pet peeve of mine.

That said, great review! Thanks for helping me make up my mind on this one.

[Hollander]

[...]

I would have to disagree. SNOTing the sides of the head was a good decision, but it was poorly executed, as I've mentioned before. The same could be said for the curved slope at the front, which looks out of place with the stepped plates.

The rectangular structures between the engines and the fuselage are situated too far downwards. See their location relative to the pyramidal slopes in this picture – it should be obvious that said structures should be around a brick higher. I also think they're too thick (the ideal size would probably be about one stud's width, as on Flail's Y-wing), but that's understandable for stability reasons (as well as the fact that they are flush with the underside). And of course it's well-established that 4-wide engines are too small for a Y-wing of this size (especially considering that they were just about perfect for Brickdoctor's MIDI rendition). Actually, the entire aft section of the fuselage just might need trimming down.

[...]

I somewhat agree with you, but not completely. I think the head section is pretty well done for an system scale set. The SNOTing on the sides is indeed nice, but I doubt if there would be any more accurate solution which doesn't reduce the playability and so the reliability of the ship without using the stacked plates around the cockpit. The two cheese slopes do however look somewhat out of place. Oh well, guess this is just a matter of taste. At least this Y-wing head is better than the previous one.

[NoteWorthington]

The top mounted cannons are easily tightened with zero modifications needed, and even with out, if fastened securely during building, do not rotate or move around much, if at all, during "swooshing" or play.

[Ebak]

I'm not sure if someone has mentioned it, however you missed out a piece on the back, that 2x2 brick with the rounded edge that has a hole? You stick a stud in the hole and then attatch that to the back, you can see this on page 10, the 15th step.

[cerebus76]

The top mounted cannons are easily tightened with zero modifications needed, and even with out, if fastened securely during building, do not rotate or move around much, if at all, during "swooshing" or play.

Thanks for the tip! I thought they were loose by nature but squeezing on them a bit made them nice and tight. Now I can swoosh without worry!

[Another Brick In The Wall]

The reason I'm not shelling out for this set is that i can't stand the sideways orientation of the Astromech droid. I consider it a major design flaw. Am I too pedantic?

[Gory51]

Got this about a week ago and really love it. i have only recently started collecting, but This is really one of my favourites so far.

The sideways astromech droid does not really bother me. I turn his head forward anyway.

My only real complaint is the very plain landing skids/ supports.

[Faefrost]

The reason I'm not shelling out for this set is that i can't stand the sideways orientation of the Astromech droid. I consider it a major design flaw. Am I too pedantic?

The sideways Astromech is a (no pun intended) side effect of the Astromech minifigs, not so much an issue with the fighter design. The oversized legs and feet of the traditional LEGO Astromechs are what causes the need to socket them sideways. Your just not going to be able to typically get screen accurate in that regard without reworking the minifigs. Which takes half the fun out of it.

[Undercover California]

Very nice job cei!

All the pics really give the greebling its dues!

(Also, the application of stickers looks great!)

Five stars!

-U.C.

[BrickG]

I just got an built this. It's pretty good. Larger than I imaged!

My only two issues is the droid is on it's side when it's inside the thing and there is NO landing gear. I think both are easy fixes though.

The underside is not nearly as detailed but I don't really care. I don't play with these things. I display them and this guy is going straight in a hangar I want to build so you won't see the bottom anyways!

Princess Leia is perhaps in her least iconic look here too. I'd rather get the donut bun hair but whatever. She looks more like padme (but I know which scene it's based off of in the movie, it's just so brief).

9/10

Not perfect but I really like it. The Y-Wing and the A-Wing are the best minifigure ships right now. X-wing is kind of annoyingly inaccurate in it's cockpit.