Review : LEGO Star Wars 75252 UCS Imperial Star Destroyer (Part 1)

Today we are interested in the LEGO Star Wars set 75252 UCS Imperial Star Destroyer, a very big box which at least has the merit of leaving no one indifferent. Too gray or too big for some, too expensive for others, essential for the most motivated collectors, this model of the Devastator sold for € 699.99 has fueled the interminable debate on the public price / inventory / interest ratio of the product since its announcement.

Everyone has their opinion and I do not intend to try to convince those who have already decided to ignore or discourage those who are already in the starting blocks while waiting for September 18th. As usual, I'll just give you some very personal thoughts on this set.

First observation, LEGO has worked on the packaging of this new product since the problems encountered with that of the set 75192 UCS Millennium Falcon, And this is a good thing. Indeed, it was not uncommon for the instruction booklet for set 75192 to arrive damaged and the packaging of the booklet for this new set seems to me to be more suited to logistical constraints. For the rest, the box uses the principle of internal sub-packaging in which the bags are distributed. It's pretty and it gives a little luxury to the product.

Everyone already knows that the Devastator is empty inside and the object is built around a structure based on Technic elements. The start of the assembly phase therefore looks more like that of a LEGO Technic machine than that of a high-end model with an exemplary finish.

Without questioning the interest of basing the internal structure on a frame made up of elements which ensure its rigidity, I must admit that I was a little disappointed by the first hours of construction: This patchwork of colors and elements gave me the impression of assembling a tinkered structure in a hurry with what fell to the hand of the designer.

Some, especially those who had trouble with the much less festive inventory of the set 10030 UCS Imperial Star Destroyer marketed in 2002, I will perhaps oppose the usual remark about the voluntarily varied and colorful inventory which allows you to do something else with the parts of the product. As this is a pure exhibition product, I still think that it was not really necessary to provide such a colorful inventory that could be reused for other creations.

I know that this structure of just under 500 pieces will no longer be visible after the thousand necessary construction steps, but the high-end model that LEGO promises us perhaps deserved a more uniform frame and dotted with some details. or nods that fans appreciate. Here, nothing directly refers to the final product or the Star Wars universe and you have to wait to start assembling the different panels of the hull to really get to the heart of the matter.

Before tackling the structure of the ship, it is necessary to assemble the support on which the Devastator take place. It is a logical choice which makes it possible to work on a stable construction where all the faces are easily accessible. This support may seem relatively fragile at first, but it is perfectly sized to support the imposing vessel. If I had to make a complaint about this element of the set, I think that a few centimeters more in height would have made it possible to better take advantage of the spaces available under the hull and possibly facilitate the integration of the ship on a shelf already loaded with models. from the LEGO Star Wars range, some products can fit under the front and back of the Devastator.

From the first stages of assembly, the size of the finished product is known with an internal structure which also makes it possible to move the construction short without breaking everything. The two minifigs provided in this box are available from the first sachets, like the plate on which is placed the only sticker of the set that I decided to keep for the end.

When the chassis is built, we then proceed with the narrow sides of the ship strewn with greebs, these various and varied elements which ensure the finish and the relief of the model. The two sides are identical and can be assembled simultaneously, it is always a few minutes saved.

We then proceed to the assembly of the lower part of the hull of the vessel which will be visible from certain angles. Several sub-assemblies must be built before clipping them under the structure. We find here a Tie Fighter microphone which will not be really visible afterwards except when leaning, but as usual "we know it's there".

The large sets of plates that make up the lower shell are also dotted with colored pieces on their inner face. It is useful from time to time to follow the instructions to the letter while respecting the positioning of certain sub-assemblies but here too I think it is superfluous. With only black, dark gray and light gray, the difficulty level would have been slightly increased but the impression of assembling a high-end product would in my opinion have been reinforced.

As we move forward in the assembly, we also notice that this model will be relatively fragile in certain places. The flat panels of the hull are well maintained by ball joints but there are still some solutions used to obtain more or less pronounced angles and finishing details which will require taking all the usual precautions when moving the product.

The blocks of parts fixed to the structure using Technic pins are not in question, I am rather thinking of elements like the three nozzles which are dressed in 2x2 parts or the edges of the lower hull which are dotted with parts including half protrudes at the back. The solution based on Ball Seals used here to keep the hull of the ship on the chassis is in any case more reassuring than the one based on magnets imagined for the set 10030 UCS Imperial Star Destroyer.

The large sets of plates which cover the lower part of the structure are logically not very detailed and therefore quickly assembled. I just noticed a little unusual resistance of some 16x6 plates that it is difficult to fit correctly without insisting (very) strongly. It seems to me that some of them are slightly hazy and the phenomenon does not affect the other large plates provided.

At this point the Devastator begins to take shape but the sobriety of the final product is not yet in order. The manufacturer recommends gripping the construction by the red "handle" placed on the top of the internal structure. It is convincing, the vessel does not bend under its own weight and the balance of the whole is ensured thanks to a well thought out placement of this handle.

This is what I could tell you about the internal structure of the ship. In the second part of the test, I will focus on the finishes of this model and on the different elements that accompany this Devastator.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the September 28, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. The comments from both parts of the test will be accumulated before the draw, so you will have two chances to win instead of one if you post to both parts. 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.