Lego Studio Air Boat - Small But Impressive
Written: Sep 13 '02 (Updated Mar 23 '06)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Nice stunt man figure, green pieces, cool design.
Cons: Not much in the replay department, limited number of pieces.
The Bottom Line: Great for use as a small reward or stocking stuffer, the Air Boat is small but fun to build.
|
|
|
| Freak369's Full Review: LEGO Air Boat 1362 |
The Lego Studio line produced some awesome sets but for every really impressive set there seemed to be three or four that just flat out sucked. This set falls in the middle of the road, it is small and has limited replay value but the end result is visually impressive and fun to play with. For the suggested retail value of $2.99 this is a good set for the money but for non-Lego lovers this might not be a great investment.
A vast majority of the smaller sets from this series left a lot to be desired so this is a nice refreshing twist to the series. Since the overall design of the Air Ship is compact and sleek, you can have several of these in a scene without them taking away from the overall image. These work well with the Explosion Studio [1352] and Movie Backdrop Studio [1351] and are great to use as side props to the scene.
The Air Boat
Since this is a very small vehicle there are only so many design options available but unlike other ships and vehicles this one has a lot of sports to add additional pieces. The main points of the Air Ship are the back propeller that sits at the back of the ship and the front part that features a small working lever. There really isn’t much to building the ship so this would be great for kids just getting into Lego assembly.
If you have other Lego pieces on hand you can add round transparent pod elements to the sides of the ship or under it to give it a boost off the ground. These pieces are great if you are planning a water scene and want to give the illusion that the ship is floating.
Stunt Man
Comprised of five pieces, the stunt man that is included with this set is a little above average when compared to others in the series. His helmet and visor snap together nicely and the solid black visor gives him a very nice appearance. If the solid black visor seems a bit too much or doesn’t work within your scene, you always have the option to change it for a clear one or possibly a green tinted one. The stunt man has a little stenciling on his torso which is almost identical to that of the stunt man featured in the Stunt Go Cart [1363] set. The leather jacket with a straight pull down sipper, yellow tapers and waist belt are all small little details that give him a little zip.
The stunt man figures can be used in a variety of ways within the Studio sets so the more of them you have on hand the bigger and more impressive scenes you can build. With a few small changes – such as the color of the hands or the color of the helmets – you can have a whole army of stunt men, stage hands, extras and prop people.
Instructions
The instruction sheet is easy to read, has great illustrations and will show you how to build the Air Ship as well as the stunt man. There are only nine simple steps needed to build the ship so don’t be fooled by the size of the sheet when you unfold it. Just like the rest of the sets in the series, there is a small comic strip included that shows you another adventure of the stunt men and women that run around the studio.
Don’t forget about the bonus set of instructions located on the page portion of the instruction page for details on how to build a special plane from following Lego sets – 1360 [Director’s Copter], 1361 [Camera Car], 1362 [this set] and 1363 [Stunt Go Cart]. In just six easy steps you can create a great looking model!
The Bottom Line
As I mentioned in the beginning of the review, this would make a great small gift as a reward or as a stocking stuffer. For $2.99 [suggested retail price] you can pick up several sets without going broke and build your own stunt man team. Out of the four sets in this mini series, this one is my favorite since it has enough space to add pieces to it. This was also a huge hit with the brood and they had a lot of fun adding pieces to the Air Ship as well as using the pieces in conjunction with the other sets to build the alternative plane featured in the instructions.
These sets may very well be on clearance soon so make sure you check the sale aisles of your local toy stores. With new sets in the series being introduced within the next month, vendors will need to make room for the new stock. While this will make these sets hard to find, it will allow you to pick up multiple sets at rock bottom prices.
As with almost all Lego sets, there are small pieces that could present a choking hazard. Please make sure that older kids are aware of this and check the play area for stray pieces when they are done building. It’s better to spend a few minutes double checking the carpeting and floor than to spend a few hours in the emergency room :]
The Stats
Set Name: Air Boat
Family Set: Studio
Lego Set: 1362
Number of Pieces: 23
Age Recommendation: 6 - 16
Ease Of Assembly: Easy
Time Of Assembly: 5 minutes
Cost: $ 2.99
As always, thanks for the read!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2006 Freak369
Other Lego Studio related reviews ...
Temple Escape
Stunt Man Catapult
Camera Man
Stunt Go Cart
Director's Copter
Air Boat
Green Goblin Set
Werewolf Ambush
Vampire's Crypt
Pirate Scene
Curse of The Pharaoh
Mini Copter
Pirate Treasure Surprise
Dino Head Attack
Scary Laboratory
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $2.99
Type of Toy: Blocks
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.