I tested for you: LEGO Star Wars 75181 UCS Y-Wing Starfighter

The announcement and then the marketing of a new set from the LEGO Star Wars range Ultimate Collector Series is always an event for the fans. This year it's the LEGO Star Wars set 75181 UCS Y-Wing Starfighter (1967 pieces - 199.99 €) which has the honors of May 4.

LEGO-style representations of the Y-Wing are not lacking in the LEGO catalog with already five classic sets and two UCS models. Collectors who own the set 10134 UCS Y-Wing Attack Starfighter (1485 pieces) marketed in 2004 are probably wondering if the new reference is a real evolution of the model or a simple opportunistic remake. I think in my case that the 2018 version is much more successful than that of the 2004 set.

I know that those who have sometimes spent a fortune to acquire an old set often take a dim view of these "reissues" and are even willing to show a little bad faith to reassure themselves ... Here , the simple fact that the trim of the boosters is finally (almost) circular instead of being cubic is enough in my eyes to put the 2004 reference out of play.

There is no question here of trying to convince yourself to spend € 200 on this pure exhibition product. Star Wars fans and other die-hard collectors will quickly add this Y-Wing to their shelves while others gaze distractedly and wary at this somewhat expensive mockup. Everyone will have an opinion on the interest of this product which targets a particular segment of customers.

I will spare you the various stages of construction, there is nothing here that is really original or exceptionally innovative. Those who will acquire this box will however take great pleasure in assembling this Y-Wing which gradually takes shape over the stages despite a few repetitive phases.

Nice use of the wheels of the Clone Turbo Tank (75151), here in Medium Stone Gray, in back. The rendering is more convincing than with the white rims present on the 2004 version.

The use of bare Technic axes for the extension of the motors is also welcome. Despite the impression of fragility of this part of the model, the model does not come apart if the parts are well fitted together. It is not designed to play with anyway and it is still prettier than the white tubes of the previous model.

I specify that the model is really very stable on its modular base to present the Y-Wing from different angles depending on your mood of the day. It doesn't rock dangerously.

As with other sets where the many surface details are made up of a multitude of small parts (the greebs), you have to be patient and precise not to miss anything over the pages of the instruction booklet.
And even if you place a specific part in the wrong place, that's okay, it's the organized disorder of these different elements that gives the final rendering to the model.

No parts in Dark Red too visible to dress the outside of the body of the vessel here, and that's good. The visual sobriety of this new model reinforces the high-end model effect. The 2004 Y-Wing always struck me as way too colorful.

You get a little bored during the engine assembly phase, which logically requires you to duplicate many elements. LEGO had the good idea to propose a different order for the phase of greebling of each of the motors, which helps to break up the monotony of this stage of the assembly.

The two boosters finally display curves faithful to those of the model seen in the film. Exit the cubic rendering of the 2004 engines, the designer has applied himself here so that the result is really convincing.

Bonus for convenient storage, both boosters can be removed quickly without breaking everything. This will avoid a complete disassembly when the set has gathered dust for too long and it is time to expose another ship.

The designer has also endeavored to provide a sufficiently substantial covering for the lower part of the vessel, with the added bonus of three retractable landing gears which allow the model to be laid flat in a realistic manner. Unlike the 2004 version, the boosters are dressed on all four sides. As usual, no one is going to exhibit this Y-Wing upside down, but just knowing that the ship is properly finished on all sides will be enough to make its owner happy.

We are talking here about an exhibition product for collectors, impossible to hide once again the presence of stickers in this box sold for 199.99 €. There is still no valid excuse to justify using these stickers on the sides of the canopy, inside the cockpit and on the cabin of a high-end set when LEGO makes the effort to pad print all the contents of sets from the LEGO Juniors range.

The luxury impression that emerges from the set, with its pretty box inside which we find a second white box in the spirit of those seen in the set 75192 UCS Millennium Falcon, its rich documentation with a few pages devoted to the reference vessel and the work of designers and its high public price, is simply spoiled by the discovery of the sheet of stickers.

LEGO has provided a small wheel placed just behind the cockpit that allows you to turn the two ion cannons placed on the back of the canopy. It's a bit superfluous, but we're not going to complain about having a second "feature" in addition to the retractable landing gear, no matter how futile.

On the cockpit side, LEGO has remained on the solution used until now for all representations of the canopy. It's far from being faithful to the version seen in the film, but we make do with it. The canopy of the model is pad printed on the top and the front. Two stickers come to dress the sides. Too bad.

Small nice detail: the aiming device integrated in the cockpit which comes to fall back on the face of the minifig.

To accompany this model, LEGO delivers two minifigures: Jon "Dutch" Vander alias Gold Leader and the astromech droid R2-BHD.
Let's not sulk, a character already present in several copies in the LEGO inventory but delivered here in a new combination of parts is always good to take. A droid seen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story also.

Collectors will have recognized the outfit of Zin Evalon, the young Y-Wing pilot delivered with the book LEGO Star Wars Build Your Own Adventure or that of Theron Nett delivered in the Microfighters set 75032 X-Wing Fighter.
The head is that of many pilots in the LEGO Star Wars universe. She is notably used for Dak Ralter (75049), Will Scotian (75144), Zev Senesca (75144), Wedge Antilles (75098), Wes Janson (75098) and a few others.

The droid dome is new, the body was already used in the set 75172 Y-Wing Starfighter (2017) for the droid R3-S1.

If you have a little trouble with the big stickers that dress the presentation plate of the sets in the range Ultimate Collector Series, here's what to get rid of the headache: Spray a little window cleaning product on the black plate, apply the sticker without worrying about the alignment at first then correct the shot.
Evacuate any air bubbles with a cloth, let dry and you're done. Do not smooth the sticker with the edge of your VIP card, you will scratch the surface of the sticker.

No need to philosophize for hours, this set will find its audience only among fans of LEGO and Star Wars who appreciate these very detailed models. I know that some only collect stamped boxes Ultimate Collector Series.
As far as I'm concerned, I say yes without hesitation. The model is a nice evolution of the 2004 version, it's detailed without pouring into the overly exuberant color mix of its predecessor and it's more of a modern reinterpretation of the Y-Wing than a lazy remake. You no longer have any excuse to spend double the price of this new set to treat yourself to the old version.

If you want to treat yourself, it's right now and it's on the LEGO Shop or in the LEGO Stores that it happens.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included in the game. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before May 11 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.