Jump to content

Rogue One Rebel U-Wing Fighter (06755)


Mike

Recommended Posts

Rogue One Rebel U-Wing Fighter (06755)

1:100 Revell Make & Play

 

boxtop.jpg

 

Star Wars. You're reading this, so you've probably been a fan most of your adult life, whether it's only a minor obsession, or you live your life by the Jedi code.  I know a few grown men (one in particular) who dress as Stormtroopers at the weekend, and since Disney took over the franchise from a rather dormant Lucasfilm a couple of years back, we've been treated to two new films.  One following on from the original storyline, and now Rogue One, which is set in the Star Wars universe, and (look away if you've genuinely got no clue of the story) sets the scene for the conflict of Star Wars – A New Hope.

 

I took my 6 year old son to see it soon after it came out, and there are some great new designs fighting alongside the more well-known ones, many of which will no doubt become icons alongside their older siblings (I know, sacrelige!).  The U-Wing is a Multi-Role combat ship of the Rebel forces, and is seen many times during the film, transporting the main protagonists to and from many a "fun" encounter with the Imperials.  It is swing-wing, and can carry a number of troops in its belly, whilst exhibiting a number of familial traits in common with the X-Wings of legend, which also make more than a brief appearance in the film.

 

 

The Kit

Make & Play are a superb line of easy-build kits that are great for both little ones to be introduced to the joys of model making, and for the older modeller that quite fancies one of these soon-to-be-iconic designs for their shelves.  Not to play with at all.  Oh no!  They can also be used as a basis for a detailing project if you so wish, which I once did with the old Sith Infiltrator.  These ones come with nifty sound and light modules built into them, which is always a bonus.  The box contains 35 parts, some of which are contained by vacformed clear packaging, others within a pair of heat-sealed plastic bags.  The instruction booklet is simple, and begins with a visual list of parts, which also gives them numbers, which is at variance with the numbers and letters etched inside some of the parts, so pay attention to which parts go where.

 

kit1.jpg

 

kit2.jpg

 

kit3.jpg

 

There are two clear canopies, a pair of pilots and their seats, and a very simply hull construction that shouldn't take long to complete.  In the rear of the hull sits the light & sound module, with a slip of clear plastic breaking the contact between the batteries to ensure that they reach you in good working condition.  Pull this clear part out, and pressing the button will then activate a green light in the cockpit, and one of two sound effects culled from the film.  Before the hull is closed, the wings are fixed to posts in the lower hull, and once closed up, the wings pivot around the posts, clicking into position around the octagonal shape of the posts.  The four engines are made up in pairs and fit onto their own posts on the rear of the fuselage.  They will only fit the correct way, with one from each pair installing on the top, the other on the bottom on the opposite side.  Add four landing gear legs, and that's it.  Go and play!

 

lights.jpg

 

Speaking of play, the parts are all made from ABS plastic, which is substantially stronger than the styrene that most "serious" models are made of, so the structure should be quite resilient to heavy handling, although the gear legs look like they may collapse in a heavy landing, and the flexibility of the wings could be severely tested in the wrong hands.

 

 

Conclusion

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  These kits are excellent introductions to modelling, and great toys for kids, but they are not super-detailed hyper-realistic replicas of the "real" thing.  I know my Boy will love this one in particular, and their ready-painted nature means that there's no waiting around.  I added a few dabs of glue inside some of the more structural friction-fit towers to keep the engines on the model during the inevitable rough play.

 

Very highly recommended.

 

Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For further information visit

 

logo-revell-2009.gif t_logo-a.png or facebook.gif

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...