The Cobra

The calendar is out here in Italy. I'm still thinking whether I should buy it or not. Speaking of "what do people think about Friends"... I'm one of the people who did NOT find the review helpful.

Thanks for another outstanding review! And 100 is A LOT! I agree with most everything you said on figure-by-figure comments. After the first pictrues of this new series surfaced, I made a quick researsch (so I migh be wrong): there actually IS a difference between this pirate captain and every previous one. Eyewpatch on the right eye instead of the left one. Still, he's just another Capitan Sciancato (goggle suggests "lame" as translation; I literally meant he's missing an eye, a hand and a leg, but "lame" works great too). It will take some time to see Series 8 in Italy (series 7 is still very hard to find, while there's plenty og Series 6 around). Prices in Italy and most Europe will probably one again be 2,50 per bag and 150 per box.

Have you considered starting from the roof? You have a lot of slopes there, including angled slopes. The shape of your house could be more original than a square or a rectangle. And, when you look for inspiration for houses to build, just look around yourself, or you might see something interesting in a movie or TV show or anime. Maybe you can find different worth adding to your MOC in different sources, and the put it all together.

I just saw this on eBay. Did the Black Falcons conquer the Lion Knights' castle? Or did they just clone it? Edit: I forgot to translate the AD. "Here comes a vessel full of knights! This new knights army is really water-proof. The Knights' ship is one of 5 new sets in the Legoland Castle line, to always ride the top of the wave (This last sentence does not mean "to become involved with and get advantages from opinions or activities which have become very common or popular (often + of )", but simply "to be popular"). On the other hand, I kind of remeber another paper ad (or was it a TV ad?) where the 6030 Catapult belonged to Lion Knights.

1) be VERY careful (I wasn't, hence the damages). 2) take out the inside "ears". 3) Open the bottom. 4) Fold evrything you can safely fold. Here's my result: Link 1 - Link 2 By the way, I just noticed the lot number is engraved on the bottom!

Oops, thanks for the heads-up!

One of the two LOTR sets I'd like to own (the other one being Uruk-Hai Army), it bearies an awfully high price tag (60 Euros!). (So does 9471 at 40 Euros). Still, you made me want it even more. Let's home for some sales...

Oh, the childhood days. While back then I picked 6371 instead of this one, I absolutely dig the house. And while we finally have been given 1 minifig in recent Creator houses, we still need more town holiday sets.

I love these Creator polybags, this one even comes with an accessory (bamboo!). Thanks for the review!

My favorite car EVER in an outstanding Lego rendition. You did a fantastic job there!

Oh, so true!

I'd pick something I would have loved to own as a kid: 6080 King's Castle.

Take a table - In the evening - By the waterside [...] Looking out from this position - Are things what they seem? (Yes - Fly from here) Set data: 1817: Sea Plane with Hut and Boat a.k.a Promo Airline Forest Year: 1997 Theme: Town Subtheme: Special Pieces: 131 + 4 extras RRP: 15 USD (source: Brickset). Legopriceguide.com states a 55 USD as value for a MISB set as of August 2012. Building time: less than 15 minutes MISB on review: Yes More info: Brickset - Peeron - Bricklink Official description: N/A Box front: While the box was battered, it still made me want this set. And while most everyone in the world knows that Lego is a building toy, it makes its owners happier to know that this set was "specially made for Airline companies" (especially now that I am one of them!) Box rear: whether on a river or on a lake, these three guys seem to have a whole lot of fun Box inside: That's how I like my Lego boxes: FULL! Box scan: Such a torn box is hard to take pictures of, and a nightmare to scan. Here's my best try to show you what's on the sides. The small pic with the swimming guys is a funny (and a bit creepy) one Box content: Large bag, medium bag, small bag, two instructions manuals, stickers, brochure, two loose green plates, one loose big black slope, one loose string. Pieces: We have a lot of white and red to make the plane and the boat, and grey for the hut, plus a few other colors for details and accessories. Random instructions page: Actually, this is a folding double sided A3 that will show how to build boat and hut. The fishing rod needs some attention. Random instructions page: And this IS a page, since this is a browsable manual. Placing the tail wing on the tail was quite tricky. Stickers: Only two, they add some detail and they both are placed on a single piece. That's the way it should be. Mini-poster While Brickset lists this set in 1997, other databases date it 1996 (so does the copyright on the box side). That's why we have some nice City sets here and not that <insert that tiresome argument> stuff. As usual, side B is about other themes. Please click on these thumbnails for larger images. Minifigs: Here are three guys form the mid-nineties, each with a quite-standard "shades and grin" face. No back printing whatsoever, not even front printing for the sleeveless man (he'll be wearing a safety vest, so printing would be wasted, right?) Building the plane: The cockpit is far from interesting, except for a printed slope and a place to store some accessories. Building the plane: Hey, we're done. This is a seaplane, so the pilot wears the other safety vest (yep, there are only two). We see pontoons under each wing: not only they make this model more accurate, but they also help it from falling on the tail, where most of the weight resides. View from the queue: Here's a couple of shots to show some details, like the propellor, lights on the top of the wings (shouldn't there be lights on bottom too?), and the yet un-stickered tail. The cockpit: While it may look cozy, it still can host a briefcase and a backpack. Comparison shot: Here's the 90's sepalne standing by his newer version. Since vehicles have grown larger over the last decade, it's no surprise that 3178 is slightly longer, larger and taller. The boat: No frills, just a nice small way to float on the river, and an oar to help it moving. Comparison shot: An impulse set! I used to love 'em. The Coast guard boat is 2 studs shorter. The hut: As small as detailed, thanks to 6 grille bricks (I'd love to see a 2012 edition with the new brick-profiled bricks) and quite a lot of accessories. A three-sided building that we grown-ups love, don't we? Comparison shot: Shortest rod, better catch. Maybe our inuit friend knows that a 1x1 plate with clip light doesn't work as a bait. Complete set: In all of its glory. Our heroes made it to the hut, let the holiday begin! Extra pieces: Some 1x1's "Thanks, Frosty": Come on guys, lunch's almost ready! Review: My Dark ages started in 1987, to finally end. That means I missed a lot of sets (and themes), and 1817 fell in the "I want it!" category. 15 years ago it would have been impossible to own; my chance came in spring 2012. It costed me nearly 20 Euros (thanks to the €/£ ratio going South); is it worth it? The seaplane looks like a seaplane and not just like an "ordinary plane" and that's helps with the "mountain river holidays" feeling. Unlike many other Lego planes it hase no side doors for luggage, but our pilot only carries some essential tools like a briefcase and a backpack. He also wears a safety vest, to save space in the cockpit (and, maybe,his life in the unfortunate case of a ditching gone wrong). The boat is really simple; hand-powered, 10 studs long outside, 6 studs long inside, so it host two people: a rowing one and his resting guest. Oar color matching boat color: that's chic. The Hut: as small as great. On 12x10 studs combined green plates, this 8x5 wonder comes with outside detail (grill bricks), small tree, front door, side windows, outside seat/cup holder, inside seat/table, chimney, barrel (with cover), shovel, axe, fire grill, fishing rod, frypan and two cups. Okay, I could complain about getting three guys and only two on some accessories (red cups, a must on 00's City trucks, and safety vests), but I just can't. There's really nothing much to comaplin about, except for my usual grunt about "we are some hard-to-find sets so nice? Can't they all be awful?". All of the figs are male, maybe they didn't want to imply what happnes when two guys and a girl are in a such isolated place (unlike, let's say, Surf Shack, which probably lies on a crowded beach). This was just a manly fishing weekend. Still on the con side, don't look fore rare/unusual pieces here. There aren't. All torsos, headgears and hand tools are far from rare. But there's more of each that you might expect in a 15 bucks set (remember? that was the price back then). Well, how does it compare to a 2012 set worth 20 Euros? Interestingly, we have a lot this year: most of them are called Great vehicles. Finally, they come with two or three figs (and one of them is a girl!), but 1817 is more than "just" a vehicles set. It gives you a "finally, a few days out of town" feeling, with firends to talk to and walk/row/fish/eat/fish with. (Seaplane con only seat one.) So, yes: I'm happy I spent 20 Euros to own this set. Rating: Color scheme: 5/5. Simple and effective, no nedd for frills. Minifigs and accessories: 5/5 3 figs in a quite small set, and 10+ plus accessories. Just great. Pieces: 3/5. While the rear box shows alternate buildings, this set doesn't look like one you would buy for pieces. But if you're into small planes, what you need is there. Playability: 4,5/5. A lot of it. Two vehicles and a small building lots to do with all that gear and a few imagination. Design: 5/5. It's hard to think "it could have been better". Overall rating: 4/5. The main con of this set is availabilty. Back then it would have be hard to own one, but now we got the Internet (and a wage!) The final words: An hard-but-not-impossible to find that town lovers will love. A toast to male friendship!: "Ok, next year we're renting a larger hut."

To the best of my knowledge, both LOTR and MF sets will be released in September. As a general "rule", shopping malls are a good place to find Lego, a few times of the year you can even find sales. Usually, general stores chains have better prices than toy shops; on the other hand, toy hsops have a much wider assortement (most everything), while supermarkets have City, Hero factory, SW planets and CMF's (series 7 is finally here!)

Evil robot looks way better without the bucket on his head. And I would have liked a trans light blue wand for the fairy. As for the cheerleader: her face looks much less stupid than Series 1's.

I've always liked un upcoming series as the first pics surfaced, then I sometimes changed my mind (series 3) This time, I'm not so excited. Not as bad as the translated_from_Czech list, but surely half as bad. Trader: not bad, but far from exciting. Ameican footballer: interesting choice, let's see how different he is compared to the S4 Hockey player. The trophy doesn't scream NFL, but it would have been hard to make a proper ball. Cheerleader: Why? Seriously, Why? Female alien: far from interesting, but I only bought the two smaller Alien Conquest sets, so the head piece will be new for me, and the fig will be easy to spot thanks to the slope skirt. Conquistador: Outstanding. Robot: see cheerleader. Bavarian boy: Original, and lovely food piece. Fairy: I'm not sure I like hair piece and wand color, everything else is great. Cowgirl: way better than expected Disk jockey: see cowgirl Winged Monster: I'll only buy the two smaller Monster fighters sets, so it's not bad to have him here. Old style diver: see cowgirl and disk jockey Pirate: eye-patch, hook and wooden leg. What's his name, Captain Original? Female skier: let's say it's okay. I wonder if future (rumored) series will come with more opposite-gender counterparts to existing sports figs. Santa: at least he has a new hat and bag / backpack. Hamlet: best concept in this series, and one of the best in any series so far.

Source: Brickset

Quoting Model Gal from Brickset: The Friends Advent Calendars were technically cancelled, but they have already been made, so they will be selling in both the European and US markets (I don't know about other markets). It was on the Ambassador Forums and I heard it from Kevin Hinkle himself last weekend. So not to fret, they will be available!

Oops, my bad.

Western figs had yellow hands and heads (see Brickset gallery). Since this wouldn't be a licensed set, I don't think it'd come with flieshies.

While I haven't handled Series 7 yet, I remember that in series 6 it was quite common finding 2 of the same fig in a row, sometimes even 3 of the same.

I strongly hope TLG told different info to different retailers asking them to keep info condidential, just to find out who wasn't acting fair. If that list is really what Series 8 is, then that's the lamest Series we have had so far (and I now wounder if I shoulp hope those voices about 8 more Series actually ARE true)

Thanks for another great review. It makes me like this set even more, but the RRP for Italy (and most of European countries, I think) is 40 Euros, and that's a lot, even for a licensed set. I still rate it Above average. And yes, I like the new horse!

That happened to me here in Italy too. I didn't think much about it and left the pieces there. I just do not trust employess to go and report the problem. I can hear them ask "are you sure YOU did not open them?". A friend of mine once found an open Lizard man, he just used it as a code-detector to find a sealed one. I'm not saying either of these was "right", but it sure was safe and legit!