Subject:
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4403 Air Blazers Review
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto
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Date:
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Tue, 2 Dec 2003 07:37:53 GMT
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Viewed:
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666 times
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4403
SYSTEM / Designer
Air Blazers
Ages 8+, 698 Pcs. (C)2003. 127 page manual:
3 models, 46 primary (5+6+6+11+4+5+8+8+3+7+6+3+14+2+3+4+2+4=101
secondary) steps in main model
Price Range: $50 USD
RATINGS (Scale: Must-Have Excellent Very-Good Good Fair Poor)
Set: EXCELLENT / Models: MUST-HAVE / Playability: EXCELLENT
DECALS? None
SPECIAL FEATURES/COMPATIBILITY
None.
SET DESCRIPTION
Set 4403 Air Blazers is a large red helicopter with white and black
accents. It's modelled after a sleek modern helicopter, sort of like the
Agusta 109 or Bell 222, and is done in a Model Team like style, although
it probaby less detailed than previous Model Team sets. The set makes
extensive use of new Lego curved shapes, while at the same time brings
back old favourites like 75 degree slopes and double convex corners.
Also included in the lavish manual common to many 2003 sets are extra
model instructions, for a small jet plane and a biplane.
Though it's not obvious from the box or pictures, the model includes two
mechanical functions: The first is retractable tricycle landing
gear. The second is a rotor spinning feature which is very novel in that
you squeeze the rear fuselage panels with your thumb and index fingers,
which activates a linkage inside that spins the main rotor. However, the
tail rotor doesn't spin in turn.
SPECIAL ELEMENTS
Like other sets in the new line, there are very few pieces which are
new. The majority are found in other sets. Of particular note:
-2x Jack Stone jet engine nacelles in grey
-16x 1x2x2 and 2/3rd Rounded Top Windows in red
IMPRESSION
2003 has been a banner year for Lego enthusiasts and hopefully the public
appreciates the new line of sets as much as I do. In particular, large,
detailed and colourful sets like 4404 Land Busters were some of the few
sets I've wanted to buy just looking at the pictures leaked early in
2002. I didn't really plan to buy 4403 based on the photos published, but
found myself really liking the model once I saw it in my hands at the
Hobby Show where Lego critic Allan Bedford had brought one out to show.
Luckily, I received a 4403 as a gift and I'm glad I got one, it's a great
model. First, the model is huge. How large? It's so big, it can be
barely parked on top of my 17" monitor. From the tip of it's tail
rotor to the extent of its main rotor, it's nearly two feet long. Much of
the size is the span of it's rotor and tail, but the even its cardboard
box feels very dense and packed of bricks.
4403 Air Blazers is of the same vein as 4404: Perhaps less
detailed, but certainly full of great pieces, good building and high
value. There's a tinge of that Model Team tradition of using unusual
pieces to represent a detail: No less than sixteen rounded Castle windows
are used to form the port and starboard fairings on the side of the
fuselage.
The retracts and rotor function are cool enough to be a Technic
set on its own, and the colour scheme is sharp, almost reminiscent of
Coast Guard helos. The nose of the aircraft is a little wide and somewhat
boatlike, but this is probably due to the use of 1x6 curved and inverted
slopes. All in all, this is a well designed set.
Set Rating
EXCELLENT
Broken apart, the set has plenty of useful pieces, including basic bricks,
slopes and plates.
Model Rating
MUST-HAVE
Looks like a great desk model and is similar to 4404 Land Busters and
Model Team sets.
Playability Rating
EXCELLENT
The rotor function is neat.
Likes/Dislikes
Other than the shape of the nose, I like this set.
Scale
Smaller than Technic figure scale, larger than minifigure scale. Will set
neither properly.
Errors
None found.
Extra Elements
There are a lot of extra elements left over from the main model including
some large red wings. These are for the other models, and are much
appreciated. Lego has gone out of the way to support maximum construction
fun out of this set and it shows from the extra pieces to the additional
instructions.
CONCLUSION
I would very much so buy this set for myself and I recommended it to Lego
enthusiasts who like building.
REVIEWER INFORMATION
Review Written: December 2003
By: Calum Tsang, tsangc@mie.utoronto.ca
Age 26 Favorite Lines/Themes: Town, Trains, Technic, Boats.
I like building, especially large Technic or Model Team models.
COPYRIGHT
This review is Copyright 2003, by the author as named above. The
author grants publication rights for all uses, public and private,
with the following exceptions: all information in the document must
be published in full; any for-profit use requires express written
permission by the author for publication in full or in part.
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: 4403 Air Blazers Review
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| Why hide light under a bushel basket. Crossposted to reviews. (and a well done review it is!) (...) This review needs to be posted to reviews. This text is to defeat the "too much quoted text" check. Repeat as necessary. This review needs to be (...) (21 years ago, 2-Dec-03, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto, lugnet.reviews)
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