Review : LEGO Star Wars 75252 UCS Imperial Star Destroyer (Part 2)

A few hours before the launch of this big box, here is the second part of the test of the LEGO Star Wars set 75252 UCS Imperial Star Destroyer, which now takes shape with the addition of the various sets that form the hull of the ship.

The model is almost "modular", with sub-assemblies to be mounted on the corner of a table before placing them on the main structure. It's practical, you can leave the frame aside and get busy in front of the TV without having to clutter the living room table with this large model 1.10 m long and 66cm wide under construction.

As much to tell you right away, the handle which seemed to me judiciously placed to lift the model turns out to be in fact rather badly positioned when it comes to lifting the final product. The center of gravity of the vessel is located further aft and the handle alone is no longer sufficient. You have to support the ship from the front to avoid disaster, as is indicated in the instruction booklet. You will probably lose a few 1x2 coins in the process, be sure to check behind you when you move the Devastator.

On the other hand, access to the interior space has been very well thought out: all you have to do is remove two of the modules which are held by two Technic pins to access the bowels of the Devastator.

When you are done with this model, you will realize that it can be dismantled in blocks without having to go out the instructions to reassemble everything. Convenient for those who will consider storing it under pressure from other inhabitants of the house or taking it on their next exhibition.

As expected, the designer has certainly done his best to adjust the different modules between them but there is still a lot of empty space. These different modules are also dotted with colored pieces, from certain angles, the ship lets appear several of these colored elements. It's not a problem if the model sits at a good distance on a shelf, you only notice these touches of color when you really approach the model.

The finish of the upper decks of the vessel is very correct with many details embodied by these small parts (greebs) sometimes diverted from their main use. The structure of the pairs of modules is identical with a mirror effect but the finish of each sub-element varies slightly from one block to another.

It's when we finish assembling the set that we realize that the ship would probably have deserved a few touches of dark gray on its outer hull. As it stands, it's a little sad and it lacks relief. The side strip which separates the hull elements would have benefited from this alternation of more or less dark colors, just like the guns and the front face of the various upper decks.

LEGO was able to sell us the set with official visuals expertly staged with saturated colors and play of shadows, but we do not find any of this on the final product without setting up adequate lighting in the exhibition space. .

I mention again this impression that I had from the first hours of editing about the 16x6 plates which seemed to me slightly veiled. Some gradually unhook from the tenons on which they are fitted and you have to literally hit your fist to put everything back in place.

The junction between the fuselage panels is fairly rough. The gray Technic bar which is at the front end of the frame aims to try to visually "block" the space which circulates to the upper decks. This is partially the case in terms of color uniformity, but it does not fill in the gaps.

I know we're talking about a LEGO product here and not a glue-on mockup, but that empty groove is a bit unsightly. the designer tried to fill the upper part of this space with a few pieces, but that was not enough to completely eliminate the separation between the fuselage plates.

Overall, the model is very fragile and difficult to handle. It is obviously not intended to serve as a playset and there is nothing to see inside, but this fragility still seems excessive to me for a high-end model.

Speaking of the interior, this mockup has enough internal volume available to accommodate a mini command post, even symbolic that would have echoed the two minifigs provided. The Millennium Falcon from set 75192 had some vaguely "playable" internal spaces, that was enough to satisfy many fans.

The rear of the ship seems pretty successful to me and the designer has done his best to respect the different angles of the reference model. The reactors are convincing and all that's missing is lighting to really show them off. The parts that protrude all around the back of the hull tend to come off during handling, be careful.

The Tantive IV microphone provided is necessarily anecdotal because it is vaguely on the scale of the Devastator. It is hardly better than a polybag model but it is nonetheless a nice decorative accessory which brings a little color to the model and helps to make the ship even more impressive. The construction can be hung on the sides of the Devastator or integrated into the location provided for this purpose under the vessel.

The two minifigs provided are exclusive to this box and they should in principle remain so for a long time. You have to be content with a generic lieutenant and a crew member whose name we will probably never know, but collectors who make the effort to acquire this box will inevitably find a place for them in their Ribba frames. The others do not miss much, even if these two minifigs are successful with in particular a nice pad printing of the arms on the crew member.

Unlike those who consider that a set from the range Ultimate Collector Series can easily do without minifigs or be satisfied with the bare minimum, I think LEGO could have made an effort on this point. Fans spending $ 700 on this monochrome ship deserved better than these two minifigs and Darth Vader seemed right to me. Everyone loves minifigs, even collectors of UCS sets ...

Finally, the sticker provided specifies that it is indeed the Devastator but it does not use the name Imperial Star Destoyer, who knows why ... By the way, if you want to avoid killing everything by sticking this sticker, apply a little window cleaner on the black plate, you will have an additional chance to be able to reposition it correctly before it dries completely.

Let's talk briefly about the price: € 699.99 at launch, that's the price to pay to get it right away but we all know here that the set will quickly drop below the € 550 / € 600 mark in the coming months. There is no fair price for a set of this type anyway, it is always too expensive for some and it is not a basic product.

Forget the calculations of the price per piece or per kilo that serve as a pretext for both to argue that this product is an overpriced deal or model. LEGO sells a global product, with its license, its potential to attract fans, its overall assembly experience, all at a price that makes it exclusive and desirable but also unfortunately inaccessible to many fans on a budget.

I add in passing that LEGO necessarily monitors what's happening in the aftermarket and that the statistics of the (re) sale of the set 10030 Imperial Star Destroyer on Bricklink undoubtedly had an impact on the manufacturer's choices in terms of retail price for this new model.

Will I afford this box one day? Yes, no doubt about it. This model is a nice reinterpretation of the ISD despite the few flaws that I find in it and it makes the version of the set obsolete in my opinion 10030 Imperial Star Destroyer marketed in 2002, whose magnets used to fix the hull panels age very badly. On the other hand, I will take my troubles patiently, hoping for a more substantial discount than the doubling of VIP points offered by LEGO for the launch of the product.

Le Millennium Falcon from set 75192 had been a real crush in its time that made me impatient. Here, this is not the case. The Devastator will wait.

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.