It boasts arguably the finest mid-size ship interior Lego has ever created and the greebling is simply exquisite.
Two of thebest Lego setsof their day, if you ask me.
Past incarnations include theLego Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder(75341).
The TIE Interceptor sits back on the stand as if it’s hurtling into a climb(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
The most recent additions are theLego Jabbas Sail Barge(75397) and theLego UCS Venator(75367).
So, I couldn’t wait to start piecing this set together.
But is it worthy of the Empires finest or a bucket of studs?
The side of each wing displays some excellent greebling(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
Id also recommend using a pair of tweezers when applying them as they’re all reasonably small and fiddly.
There are fewer Technic pieces here than your average UCS build, which I like.
Once the cockpit is finished, it’s time to build the stand.
The rear’s twin ion engine is almost cooler to look at than the front!(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
This then allows you to mount the cockpit on the stand while you build the wings.
The first stage in building the wings is constructing the two rectangular mid-sections.
They are virtually identical, but some excellent greebling keeps them interesting.
The cockpit control panel is beautifully detailed(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
You then move onto the four irregular quadrilaterals, which make up the rest of the wings.
This is an 18+ set for good reason.
The X-Wing is the better of these two retro models.
The TIE Interceptor and X-Wing Starfighter aren’t to scale, but they still look fantastic side-by-side(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
Even back then, the TIE Interceptor looked boxy and spindly in comparison.
But now, I think the tables have turned.
And its gotten worse over time.
Although you can’t see much of the excellent cockpit through the windshield, you’ll know it’s there!(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
Time will tell if the weight of this hulking TIE Interceptor will produce similar problems.
But I could tell while I was building it that its a much more structurally sound model.
That said, pieces do fall off.
I’m just not as happy with the glossy plaque as I was the matt one on the UCS X-Wing Starfighter(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
Probably the most frustrating culprit is that instantly recognizable windshield.
I venture to avoid resting my thumb on it when moving the model because it almost always falls off.
Its not built for practicality and its not built for play.
The wings are angled using clips. They can actually be tilted but only outwards by one click(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
So long as its stable enough to hold itself together while being displayed and not touched, Im happy.
As is often the case with a good Lego set, pictures cannot do this thing justice.
Stacking it up against prototype imagery reveals a strikingly good resemblance.
The rear, twin ion engine construction looks so good, you could display the ship backwards(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
The greebling throughout is very tastefully done.
On either side of the cockpit are a pair of cleverly positioned gray Lego video game controllers.
All fantastic little details.
The printed top hatch hinges upwards for cockpit access(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
The inner wings are covered in anti studs (the uglier rear of Lego plates).
It doesnt really damage the overall aesthetic.
But this certainly comes down to a matter of taste and is in no way a negative.
Although the TIE Interceptor isn’t Minifigure scale, the TIE Pilot fits perfectly within the cockpit(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
Talk of printed bricks brings me onto the UCS series famous printed plaque.
The X-Wing Fighters plaque has a matt finish and I much prefer it to the TIE Interceptors glossy variant.
Fresh from the box, I could see little scratches on it and its a fingerprint magnet, too.
This is the view of the cockpit from the top hatch, showing just how detailed it is(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
And since these ships go together like Han and Leia, its a shame the plaques arent uniform.
Its a shame the interior of the TIE Interceptors cockpit is so hidden because its a thing of beauty.
And while this ship is not minifigure scale, the TIE Pilot slots into the cockpit beautifully.
The TIE Pilot Minifigure is exquisitely detailed and the mouse droid is a lovely mini-build addition(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
This is the gold standard in TIE pilots.
Although not technically a minifigure, you also get a mouse droid.
This is a lovely little mini-build and sits next to the pilot on the stand nicely.
Arm printing makes this TIE Pilot stand out from other recent variants(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
Should you buy the Lego Star Wars TIE Interceptor?
Don’t buy it if…
You’re Rebel scumNot a fan of the Galactic Empire?
Then youre looking in Alderaan places!
You also get head, torso (front and back), hip and leg printing(Image credit: Future / Mike Harris )
You want a set with more playabilityLego Star Wars UCS sets generally opt for realism over playability.
How we tested the Lego Star Wars TIE Interceptor
This review sample was provided by Lego.
I built the Lego Star Wars TIE Interceptor (75382) over roughly five-and-a-half hours and in three sittings.
Out of the X-Wing Starfighter and TIE Interceptor, the latter gets my pick. And that’s coming from a Rebel starfighter fan
Ive been collecting Lego since the early 90s, making me extremely well-versed in the worlds favorite construction toy.
For more information on our procedure, take a look athow we test products.
For more brick-based goodness, don’t miss our guides to the bestLego Super Mario sets.
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