LEGO Saturn V Gets Ready For Liftoff

[Hapori Tohu]

I am super excited today to share some news about the next LEGO Ideas set. Releasing on June 1st, 21309 NASA Apollo Saturn V will be one of the tallest LEGO sets ever released, coming in at over three feet. This massive rocket contains an incredible amount of detail, from separating stages to printed microfigure astronauts. It even contains 1969 pieces to commemorate the year man first landed on the moon! BZPower has the official images, press release, and a video sharing some initial thoughts, so let's check it out!

 

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[CHTrilogy]

Oh yeah, you'd better believe I'm preordering!

[Ta-metru_defender]

Yeah, I need this.

[Aanchir]

Wow! Just… wow! I was already excited for this set especially after we got those three teasers, but somehow it still manages to exceed my expectations! First of all, the price per piece is astounding — 1969 parts (a cheeky reference in and of itself) for just $120, or around 6 cents per piece, is way better than I could have anticipated. The overall build seems to be a big improvement on the original project, with a rounder fuselage, more detailed brick-work, and what appear to be individual printed pieces instead of STAMPs (Stickers Across Multiple Pieces). The stages of the rocket seem to split apart quite effectively, with the Command Module, Service Module, and Lunar Module all represented very effectively. The three astronaut microfigures are nicely printed and about as appropriately scaled to the rocket as a person could hope. The height of around 39 inches also makes this (if I'm not mistaken) the tallest LEGO set ever! {EDIT: Actually, no, the Eiffel Tower is still taller.} Definitely going on my wish list!

Edited April 29, 2017 by Aanchir

[VahiHolder02]

This looks superb. The detail, the functionality, all of it. The only thing I am slightly disappointed in is the inclusion of microfigs instead of standard minifigs. However, I don't fully know the legality of using actual persons' likenesses, so perhaps I was being unrealistic.

[Bfahome]

Eventually I'll need this, to go with my poster:

 

Edited April 29, 2017 by Bfahome

[Chronicler06]

The last time there was a Lego set of the Saturn V rocket was a much smaller one back in 2003. I got that set back then, and I still have it packed away somewhere in my closet. Of the other Lego Ideas sets, I did get the Mars Curiosity rover when it came out back in 2012. Despite this Saturn V model being quite a large set with a rather high price, I am definitely going to get this one once it comes out a month from now. Until then, I'll just have to figure out where I'm going to put such a huge model.

[Torran]

But can it be swooshed.

[Toa Doublebee]

Are those...Keetongorange Balljoints?

The set is cool enough, now I must have it.

[Aanchir]

Are those...Keetongorange Balljoints?

The set is cool enough, now I must have it.

Yep! Those are not really a new recolor, though; they've been in nine sets since 2014: https://brickset.com/sets/containing-part-6071608

 

This set does have more of them than any previous set besides the "WeDo" education kit, but paying $120 for three of them doesn't make a whole lot of sense when there's a $15 Super Hero Girls set with two of them.

[Ta-metru_defender]

But can it be swooshed.

Anything can be swooshed if you try hard enough.

[CHTrilogy]

 

But can it be swooshed.

Anything can be swooshed if you try hard enough.

 

 

What do you mean, "swooshed"?

[Aanchir]

 

 

But can it be swooshed.

Anything can be swooshed if you try hard enough.

 

 

What do you mean, "swooshed"?

 

It's a term used by LEGO fans (especially LEGO Space fans) to describe holding a set in your hands and zooming it around in the air. Many reviews of aircraft or spacecraft sets specifically judge them on how "swooshable" they are, as an aspect of the set's playability. This can depend on a lot of factors like how comfortably the set fits in your hands, how sturdy the set is, how much the set weighs, whether the play features need a second hand to activate, etc.

 

The main obstacles to this set's "swooshability" would be its size, weight, and how secure the connections between the separate rocket stages are. A lot of bigger Star Wars vehicle sets like Star Destroyers or Republic Gunships include a fold-out handle so that they can be "swooshed" more easily, but this one doesn't seem to have one.