In celebration of May the 4th at the beginning of the month, LEGO added the latest brick-built starfighter to its hanger, giving the A-Wing the UCS treatment for the very first time. Marking its largest version to date, the latest Star Wars creation enters with over 1,670-pieces and an overall design that truly lives up to everything the Ultimate Collector Series is known for. Head below for a closer look at the new UCS A-Wing in our latest LEGO review.
Hands-on with the LEGO UCS A-Wing
LEGO’s latest addition to the Ultimate Collector Series enters in the form of the A-Wing, a Rebellion starfighter that made its debut in Return of the Jedi. Over the years we’ve seen quite a few versions of the ship assembled out of bricks, but none quite as impressive as the newest 1,673-piece rendition.
Diving right into the assembly, the base is pretty standard for larger builds these days. There’s an underlying Technic scaffolding that gets covered in brick-built details. But once you begin branching out from the core, there’s plenty of eye-catching techniques that lend itself to the utterly enjoyable build.
In order to pull off the slick curves and overall unique shape of the starfighter and assemble the A-Wing in true UCS fashion, LEGO had to get pretty creative. So throughout the build there are plenty of clever techniques that rise above what most builders are used to, meaning it’s a joy to assemble.
Details
In the Star Wars universe, the A-Wing stands out from many of the other starfighters in the Original Trilogy thanks to its sleek design. Gone are the greebles you’d expect, and in their place is a more pristine look. That carries over into the LEGO model and poses a bigger challenge than the clunkier vehicles that have gotten the UCS treatment over the years lately.
But there are plenty of novel part usages that deliver a build that’s as true to the on-screen version as possible with LEGO. Assembling the front mandibles is one of the best showcases of this, with a few different modules carefully locking into place in order to assemble the tapered form-factor. There really is some next-level geometry at the core of the design, and that leads to a build that’s just a delight to assemble.
Some other noteworthy aspects enter in the form of a gearbox that runs through the center in order to rotate side-mounted cannons. A furnished cockpit offers some added details, even if it isn’t at minifigure scale. And lastly, the engines have a novel design that just slots right into place to complete the build.
Finished model
Just as you can expect from the UCS lineup, this is the most accurate version of the A-Wing yet. Aside from just having the disposal of a larger part count to add all the intricate details in, this kit is the first time that LEGO has managed to include the iconic divot right on the A-Wing’s snout.
Minifigure
Sure minifigures aren’t the stars of the show when it comes to UCS builds, but the included A-Wing pilot is pretty noteworthy as far as things go. Living up to the collectibility of this set, you’ll find an exclusive design for the pilot. We’ve seen a similar overall appearance included in other sets, but this variant packs some added details alongside a fresh dark green suit. Count that as yet another win for LEGO’s latest UCS creation.
Breaking down the LEGO UCS A-Wing’s value
Clocking in with 1,673-bricks, the LEGO UCS A-Wing enters with right around the expected assortment of bricks for a $200 kit. The Star Wars theme isn’t known for being a bargain from the parts per dollar perspective, and that’s a notion that carries over to its latest creation. But luckily, the A-Wing is way more than the sum of its individual parts. Not only are you getting the impressive final model, but the bricks that are included are of a greater variety than your usual UCS creation.
But does it scale?
Over the years LEGO has expanded its UCS lineup with a variety of models that all enter with different sizes. Some like the Millennium Falcon look to offer a true minifigure-scale creation, while others like the Star Destroyer just assemble a display-worthy collectible.
The new LEGO UCS A-Wing lands in the second category, creating a starfighter that’s overall size is similar to other builds, but isn’t in the same scale as past creations from the theme. Given that the A-Wing is a pretty small vehicle in the Star Wars universe, it makes sense that LEGO would opt to go this route for its latest UCS build. Even so, it still would have been great to keep it in the same scale as the more minfigure-accurate ships.
Authenticity is the name of the game with LEGO’s Star Wars UCS theme. So it’s unfortunate that it gets set aside here and adds a demerit to the otherwise untarnished build.
Best UCS kit in 2-years
This year has already seen some amazing kits from the Star Wars universe and beyond. This of course is by no means an exception, delivering a top-notch rendition of the Rebellion starfighter. In fact, the new LEGO A-Wing is easily one of, if not the best UCS sets in the past several years.
Since the Y-Wing hit the scene back in May of 2018, there’s been a lot to be desired from the UCS line lately. Last fall’s Star Destroyer entered with an intimidating price tag turning off all but the hardcore collectors. That was preceded by the Tantive IV and Cloud City set, which both carried more affordable price tags while giving up the usual features that make UCS builds so appealing.
But that all changes here. LEGO has returned to the usual glory that fans have come to know and love with a memorable build that nails the execution of its source material. It’s the first time since the Y-Wing that was released in 2018 that I can wholeheartedly recommend the biannual Ultimate Collector Series kit. And I’ve reviewed quite a few of the LEGO UCS builds since the launch of the A-Wing.
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, the $200 price point, attention to detail, and overall authenticity make the LEGO UCS A-Wing an easy recommendation for collectors and Star Wars fans alike. It being one of, if not the best build from the theme in years seals the deal.
Buy the LEGO Star Wars UCS A-Wing featured in this review
More LEGO Star Wars reviews:
- D-O: Newest Star Wars droid gets the brick-built treatment
- Empire Strikes Back Helmets: UCS details in an accurate, affordable package
- UCS Star Destroyer: The pinnacle of LEGO Star Wars’ 20th anniversary
- Resistance A-Wing: Most value-packed Star Wars set of the year
- AT-ST Raider Review: The Mandalorian makes a grand brick-built debut
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