For one of our Christmas Stocking Filler features last year
we reviewed Plo Koon's Jedi Starfighter model kit from Revell. We were so
impressed by that kit that we couldn't say no when Revell offered to crowd our
doormat with a bunch of other Star Wars models from their EasyKit range. A
perfect review for the run-up to Star Wars Day (May the fourth (be with you)),
and without a dab of paint in sight, we got building.
EasyKit Pocket.
This range is so called because each set will set you back
no more than £8-9, with the resulting model fitting comfortably in your pocket.
We were sent the Republic Gunship, Obi-Wan's Jedi Starfighter, the Tie Fighter,
and the Millennium Falcon.
Each kit comes in a well sealed little box and usually
contains just two frames of pieces. As with all EasyKits from Revell, all the
parts are pre-painted and glue is not required to assemble them. Although using
a craft knife to remove the little pieces from the frames is recommended, we
found most will just pop off without being damaged; give them a twist and out
they will come.
The parts then clip and slot together, usually very tightly,
to complete the model. With a kit like the Millennium Falcon you'll have no
problem, as all the parts are large and wedge together well. The Republic
Gunship however was far more fiddly, containing smaller, thinner pieces that
nearly snapped under the pressure of assembly. The ball turrets on either side
of the ship, for example, are transparent pieces that fit on the end of very
delicate plastic arms. During our time building it one of these arms snapped,
meaning we were forced to get out the ol' super glue to fix it. An easy fix it
was, but still... beware.
We especially loved the Tie Fighter model and really enjoyed
building it. Contained in each of the boxes are black plastic stands for the
vehicles to sit on, meaning that once lined up on a shelf the range looks
pretty awesome, despite being out of scale. Kudos to Revell for applying so
much detail to the kits, not just in the mouldings but also in the
pre-paintwork design. All models were really good replicas of the films' spaceships.
Each kit around £8
EasyKit.
The bigger boys were what we were really interested in,
especially after getting to grips with Plo Koon's ship last Christmas. To the
same scale as that (although much bigger and more detailed than the EasyKit Pocket
version) was Obi Wan's Jedi Starfighter, the ship that first appears in the
opening space battle of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The build took us the
best part of 30 minutes and we found that all the large parts slotted together
very well. Detail was great, particularly on Obi-Wan himself who sits in the
cockpit.
One niggle we did have for this model however, was that
unlike Plo Koon before him, Obi Wan is not attached to his seat at all, meaning
that if you were building this to play with, your pilot would flop around
inside his cockpit. The super glue was called upon once more, just to ensure
Obi-Wan stayed put. A minor thing, and if your model will be display-only this
won't be problem.
A far tougher and time-consuming build was the Republic
Gunship. Unlike it's Pocket range cousin, the full-sized Gunship is firm and
hardy and lacks any small delicate pieces. Once assembled the kit is a bit of a
monster, and looks incredible on the included stand, especially with the clone
troopers standing by the open hatch.
To make the Republic Gunship so strong and playable, Revell
have made some allowances that you might not expect. The classic ball turrets
(which caused a bit of problem on the Pocket version) are missing here, instead
giving the illusion that they have yet to be deployed from the ship. That is a
bit of a shame as we would have loved to see a little trooper sitting inside a
transparent ball, but clearly Revell have realised that the shape of the ship
is firmer without them. Still, a transparent cockpit with pilots showing
through is a nice touch, as are the battle-damaged paint details.
Obi-Wan's Jedi Starfighter: £19.99
Republic Gunship: £29.99
These are just a small collection of the Star Wars ships
available from Revell's EasyKit range, and because a model system that requires
no glue or painting will always attract more kids than adults, this is a
perfect tie-in. As we said a couple of times, parents should be slightly weary
that the model their children are building might not be as robust as they had
hoped for without a little dab of glue here and there, but for the most part
any model enthusiast should be more than happy.
Visit www.revell.de/en
Revell model kits are
available from all good toy and model retailers. For details visit www.revell.de/en, on Twitter
@RevellGermany, or on facebook.com/revell.