Review: 30524 The Mini Batwing
Posted by TheBrickPal,30524 The Mini Batwing is currently being given away with purchases of $35 or more at shop.LEGO.com and LEGO Brand Stores, from December 27th to January 15th.
The model is based on a new representation of Batman's iconic Batwing vehicle that will be seen in The LEGO Batman Movie next month. We also have it on good authority that we will see the craft in full minifig-scale this summer.
For now though, we'll have to do with this micro-scale version. Is it worth going out of your way to obtain, or should you wait for its much larger counterpart?
The Completed Model
The Mini Batwing is built in four sections: head, body, and two wing assemblies which can be posed at will with the help of hinges on either side of the main body section.
The main body is covered with smooth curves and greebling such as 1x2 grilled slopes and light-saber hilts for what I assume are some type of blasting weapons on the full Batwing.
Of course, the design overall, when seen from a top view, immediately brings to mind Batman's symbol, and thus a bat silhouette in general. The shaping is absolutely fantastic, with the wings represented by the wings of the plane, the body being the body and the front cockpit attachment being the head.
Speaking of the wings, they can fold in completely vertically, horizontally, or at an angle. A slightly-angled-down variation is the only one seen in advertisements and on the packaging of the polybag, which makes sense as they look the best as such, in my opinion.
The detailing, like the solid black NEXO Power pieces and sloping, is superb. The exposed studs actually add some nice texturing too. Each wing is lined with red which offers a nice splattering of color in the otherwise monochromatic model.
From the underside, there is not much to see. It is rather ugly, though I suppose you won't be displaying the craft with it visible. The trans-yellow studs are a pleasant diversion, though.
The best thing about the poseable wings is that you can make the Batwing look like a completely different type of vehicle. Here it is in a 70908 The Scuttler-like stance. I wonder what other bat-vehicles you could rebuild this thing into! That's a challenge for you, readers.
The head is attached very easily between a "telescope"-like brick in light bluish-grey and a modified 1x2 plate with bar at the front of the body. It slides right on, blending in with the rest of the craft marvelously and leaving no gaps.
I appreciate the angling of the sides of the head using the new black wedge plates, as well as the splash of trans-yellow in the windscreen glass using two cheese slopes. Two 1x2 slopes form the ears at the top of the head, or front of the cockpit (depending on the angle you are viewing the Batwing from).
Verdict
This is a delightful little set - sleek and perfect for display - and best of all, at the moment it's free with qualifying purchases in North America!
It makes a great complement to whatever haul you are planning on getting this month at the LEGO Store or online. And to be honest, why wouldn't you plan on that?! There are plenty of great new 2017 sets available now!
However, I would not completely go out of your way to get it unless you enjoy collecting micro-scale vehicles or if you are a LEGO Batman Movie theme or polybag completist. But if you do, I have a feeling you will be quite pleased.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
Thanks to Huw for the photos.
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20 comments on this article
Very nice review! Will be buying some sets soon, and I'm happy that I'll be getting this promotion!!
I just got my 3rd one today. It's cool and cannot wait for minifigure scale.
Nice review! I got one (actually got three) and love it; not just the look of it, but the build experience.
I have not seen any pictures of the craft in the movie, so for me, there is still a TBD on how good of a representation of the original this model is.
Awesome model! Great photos, great thorough review!
Looks awesome! Love its Batman symbol silhouette.
"The Mini Batwing is built in five sections: head, body, and two wing assemblies..."
1. Head
2. Body
3-4. Two Wing Assemblies
5. ?
^ Oops. Fixing!
^
http://brickset.com/parts/4211502
http://brickset.com/parts/4611700
I started to collect the Mighty Micro vehicle sets. So I think this will make a nice addition. Though when I finally saw an image of the mini Batwing in the catalog I was disappointed. But I had an order I needed to make so I will get the Mini Batwing regardless. I am hoping I will like it better in person ;)
I'm looking forward to getting my mini-Batwing, but I have to be honest... I probably wouldn't have placed an order to get it if the Valentine's Day seasonal set hadn't been in stock.
any inside info as to whether this will hit Europe at some point please?
Lego is firmly established in UK and Europe so they don't need to promote as much as USA, so we lose out on the best promotions. Or if we do get the promos, we have to wait. So because we spend more they punish us!! Anyone want to correct me on that?
@meesajarjar72: I remember getting various polybags and other promo's well ahead of the US (like the classic minifig sets), and vice versa. I've also seen polybags for sale here in Belgium (like the mini AT-AT) at normal retailers, months ahead of the free poly action in other parts of the world.
For some reason Lego doesn't (always) synchronize promotions across the globe.
I have it and its a nice wonder, a beautiful addition to my mini scales sets (right along the SW sets I have maneged to get).
@meesajarjar72: Lego is very well established here, it's been found in almost every toy store for decades. Not only is it found in almost every toy store, but it maintains a larger section of permanent shelf space than any other toy brand. However, we often miss out on many sets, like the Series 4 Star Wars Planets sets, and the Star Wars: Battle of Hoth game, which I was pretty bummed about because those are some great microfigures (spent out the nose on getting those on ebay). There are also sets representing almost every theme released in the UK and Europe that never see the light of day here. So while you may be missing out on a Mini Bat Wing for the moment, there are plenty of times when I wished I could hop on a plane and do some Lego shopping in your neck of the woods (across the pond : )
It would look even cooler in the Scuttler position, if the had could tilt. It doesn't seem impossible to rebuild it like that.
Very nice little set - good review too.
I'm not into batman but this is still a brilliant polybag model
Fun set to go with all the other small scale batman vehicles and scenes. My 6 year old loved it for his bday this month, even after all the batman he received from xmas and bday. When I pulled this out one afternoon, as a lil suprise he was very excited.
And i have my own one set aside unopened;)
This is a very cool set that I'm glad to have gotten. It looks great in my modest little Batman shrine.
I have two extras of it now, however, but hey, extras are never a bad thing. Now to find someone with the Polybag Batmobile so's I can make a trade...