Lego Star Wars T-16 Skyhopper

Although the T-16 Skyhopper set is a very neat Lego set to own, it could've been something more. If you remember, this was the first craft that Jedi master Luke Skywalker flew. Sadly, it does not include a minifig of Luke. Instead you just get a plain ol' Skyhopper pilot. Oh well, you win some you lose some, right? Overall, this is a pretty versatile set; it has wings that move up and down, and it has a rather sleek feel to it. And there is a "secret" compartment--revealed when you lift up the top--that hides the pilot's firearm and binoculars. It's quite nifty, actually. Like just about every Star Wars Lego set, the fun level is a definite 5 stars. It's also very easy to put together. The only bad part is you'll be done before you know it.

The educational value of the Skyhopper is definitely lacking. I was disappointed they did not include Luke's minifig with or in place of the original pilot. Pretending its pilot is Luke just isn't the same. But nevertheless, you can teach your budding Star Wars militants (or children) all about the T-16 and its important role in `Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'.

The durability of the Skyhopper is also a bit inadequate. The sleekness and simplicity of the model make it very easy to break if you're not careful. Especially the top part, which is only one brick wide and moves up to take out the pilot. If you're too forceful you just might end up having to reconstruct the top wing over and over again. It all depends on how well you manage your Legos.

All in all, the T-16 Skyhopper is a very neat set and a very important piece of the Star Wars puzzle. And although this set is somewhat small compared to others, you can't give the cold shoulder to any Lego set. The 21 steps and 96 pieces allow for just about anyone to finish building the Skyhopper in no time. But remember: the fun lasts forever. Don't let my loathing in the absence of a Luke Skywalker minifig discourage you from purchasing this set. It's very cool, and an important part of the `Episode IV' story. Let the force be with you!


Fun to build..   April 17, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This was really fun to build - the large and smaller pieces are in separate bags. The book showing how to build it is very well laid out and the illustrations are clear enough for anyone to follow.

The Skyhopper's wings bend slightly..It actually looks pretty sharp. Definitely not for small children due to the many small pieces involved.

This takes considerably less time to build than the larger Star Wars Lego models. It makes a great gift for the Star Wars Fan you know :-)