Set Review - Droid Escape Pod - #75136

Are these the droids you're looking for?  As mentioned previously, I purchased a few Star Wars sets during the LEGO Shop at Home double VIP point sale and one of them was the Droid Escape Pod #75136.  This set is a recreation of R2-D2's and C-3PO's escape from the rebel ship and landing on Tatooine from Episode IV.  This set is $24.99 in the US with 197 pieces or $0.127 per piece.  This is quite high compared to the average of about $0.10 per piece, but as it's Star Wars, LEGO tends to set higher prices (and we keep buying them).  This set contains 4 minifigures, R2-D2, C-3PO, and 2 Jawas.  Should you get this set too?  Let's find out.

Here is the box front.  It's your standard container with a picture of the set, the minifigures listed on the bottom right, and then like the last few I've reviewed it has Kylo Ren in the upper right even though he wasn't in the original trilogy.

Here is the back.  Again, it's pretty standard.  It shows some of the features of the set and the Jawa's "weapons," 

Here are the contents.  There are 2 bags of bricks, a sticker book, and instructions.  As per usual, the instructions and the stickers were jammed into the box.

The first bag starts the pod structure.  There isn't too much special about this build.  Not a lot of interesting techniques and not a lot of interesting pieces.  The large stickers that go on the outside of the pod are not easy to put on.  It says for ages 7 to 12 on the front, but I doubt I would have been able to get the stickers on right at age 7.  Well, they would have gone on... just crooked.

So the final build.  Here's the pod itself all closed up.  I haven't seen episode IV in a while so I couldn't tell you how accurate this is compared to the actual.  With that being said, this set isn't designed for accuracy, it's designed for play... remember the front says ages 7 to 12.  

The pod opens up and you can put the 2 droids in.  It's designed to have C-3PO in front and R2-D2 in the back.  Now shown are the hidden "Death Star" plans that C-3PO can hold.  Other than that, not much else to this build.

Here's the final set with all the figures to include the 2 Jawas.

In my personal opinion, the selling point for this set is the minifigures.  C-3PO, R2-D2, and the Jawas are the ones offered in this set.  C-3PO has only been in some of the more expensive sets recently (like the $299.99 #75059 Sandcrawler or the $249.99 #10236 Ewok Village) so this is your chance to get him without paying a fortune.  Same for the Jawas.  C-3PO is shown with the Death Star plans.

So what are my parting thoughts?  For an adult fan of LEGO (AFOL) or a Star Wars fan, this set is about the minifigures.  This is not the set for someone looking for a good, fun build with lots of great parts that can be used elsewhere.  As I've said in the past, it could be a good set if you are a landscape/scene builder.  Although the desert of Tatooine doesn't sound like a very exciting build (do you have lots of tan plates/bricks?).  Have you purchased this set already?  What do you think?

If you're looking for Star Wars minifigures, you can find them here:
Clone Wars Minifigs
Episodes I-III Minifigs
Episodes IV-VI Minifigs (to include the minifigs from this set!)
The Force Awakens Minifigs

Click here for Star Wars Sets

Set Review - Star Wars Carbon Freezing Chamber - #75137

I opened up another one of the Star Wars sets that I purchased.  This one is the Carbon Freezing Chamber from episode V, the Empire Strikes Back.  Released in the US on 1 March 2016, this set is currently selling for $24.99 and has 231 pieces putting it at $0.108 per piece.  This isn't too bad for a licensed Star Wars set, but not the greatest if you consider it among the rest of the LEGO universe.  It includes 3 minifigures, but I'll get into that later.  

So let's get into it...  Here is the box.  Still not sure why Kylo Ren is on the box when it's a set from the original trilogy, but whatever.

Like most sets, the back of this box shows what you can do with this set.  It shows how you can "freeze" Han Solo, the spot where Han was tortured, an elevator, and of course the weapons in the set (Boba Fett's blaster).

There isn't much special about the box contents.  There are 2 bags and instructions that once again are shoved into the box.  No stickers in this set so that's a good thing.

The first bag comes with the Ugnaught (yes, I had to look that up) and starts the construction of the chamber.  Nothing too out of the ordinary with the build other than the use of Technic pieces to build the carbon freezing mechanism.  Here's what bag 1 gives you.

Bag 2 contains Boba Fett, Han Solo, Han Solo frozen in carbonite, and the remainder of the set.  Not a lot special here with the build.  I think it would have been nice to have the top to the chamber as well, but that would drive up the cost.  I guess someone can build that scene on their own, right?  The first picture shows Han before being frozen.

You can spin it around and see Han frozen.

Next up, the minifigures.  You've got the Ugnaught, Boba Fett, Han Solo, and then the frozen Han Solo (not sure if it counts as a minifigure or not, but I think so).

Should you buy this set?  If you're a hardcore Star Wars fan or if you want some of the minifigures, definitely get it.  If you're looking for a fun build, then not so much here.  Some of the pieces in the set are pretty good and can be used in MOCs, but not a lot of exciting parts that are out of the ordinary.  Let me know what you think of the set in the comments.

If you're looking for Star Wars minifigures, you can find them here:
Clone Wars Minifigs
Episodes I-III Minifigs
Episodes IV-VI Minifigs
The Force Awakens Minifigs

Click here for Star Wars Sets

Set Review - Star Wars Hoth Attack - #75138

With the double VIP points being offered from LEGO Shop at Home, I took advantage and bought a few sets.  Once again I have a backlog of sets to build and review, but that's a good thing.  Anyways, one of them included the Star Wars Hoth Attack - #75138.  It is from episode V, The Empire Strikes back.  With 233 pieces and priced at $24.99 it's $0.107 per piece which actually isn't too bad for a Star Wars set.  It has 3 minifigures and an Imperial Probe Droid (not sure if you can count that as a minifigure or not).  

Here is the box.  The front shows the final set in action with the 3 minifigures on the bottom right.  I'm not sure why a picture of Kylo Ren appears in the upper right, but whatever.

The back shows some of the play options and by favorite, the weapons included in the box.  I don't recall Han Solo throwing snow at the Imperial Trooper with a shovel, but it has been a while since I've seen the movie. 

Next up is the contents.  Nothing special here, just 2 brick bags labeled #1 and #2, a small sticker page (thankfully), and an instruction booklet that was crammed into the box so it is nice and creased when you go to open it (Come on LEGO!  You can fix this!).

Bag one contains the Han Solo minifigure and then some of the build.  The build isn't too out of the ordinary although for the play factor the option to have a smaller base as shown or a line as shown on the back of the set box isn't a bad idea.  If you're someone who likes to recreate scenes on your own, this might not be a bad set to get you started and then you can expand.  Here's the end of bag #1's build.

Bag 2 finishes up the set and has the remaining minifigures.  It includes an Imperial Snow Trooper and a Rebel Trooper.  It also has a Imperial Probe Droid and a weapon that can be set up and a large rifle for the Snowtrooper to fire.  For those who want to play with the set, you can put a minifigure into the cannon, it has the spring loaded shooter device, and the cannon rotates as you turn the rounded brick on the bottom.

Here are the minifigures.  They are Han Solo (I'm not really sure how you can tell it is Han Solo or not), a Rebel Trooper with a rifle, back pack, and a helmet with goggles that can be on the helmet or across the eyes, and then a Snowtrooper with a blaster as well.

Here is the final set with minifigures.

Overall what did I think of this set?  For those who want to play, it's not bad.  There are a number of features that make it good for kids (to include us older kids) to recreate a scene from the Empire Strikes Back.  In terms of the build, there isn't anything special about it.  No really challenging techniques, but a few good pieces that could be used elsewhere.  I think it's a good set for those who want to add their own pieces to expand it.  I often build a set and then add my own pieces.  Usually this is with LEGO City sets where you only get the front of a building and I'd like the back of the building to be included too.  If all else fails, the minifigures in this set are worth it for your collection.  As mentioned, it's hard to tell that the Han Solo figure is really Han Solo, but the Rebel Trooper and Snowtrooper are pretty good.  Since the set is just out, I haven't seen any discounts yet, but the double VIP points sale at LEGO Shop at Home might make this a good time to buy (sale ends 22 March).  Have you bought this yet?  Leave your thoughts in the comments if you have.

If you're looking for more LEGO minifigures, you can check out my store here:
-Episodes I-III minifigures
-Episodes IV-VI minifigures
-Clone Wars minifigures
-The Force Awakens minifigures

Set Review - Battle of Takodana - #75139 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I'm a LEGO fan, I've talked about LEGO Force Awakens sets on this blog, I sell Star Wars minifigs and sets... and I have not seen the movie yet.  In some circles this probably makes me a bad person, so please forgive me for reviewing a Star Wars LEGO set and for not seeing the latest Star Wars movie yet.  

Today's set is the Battle of Takodana (#75139).  It retails from LEGO for $59.99 in the US.  It has 409 pieces ($0.146 per piece).  This is rather high, but it's a licensed set and it's Star Wars and... it has 5 minifigures.  There are 2 First Order Stormtroopers, Finn, Maz Kanata, and Kylo Ren.  As the only other set with Kylo Ren in it is Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle retailing at $119, I'm sure the LEGO Star Wars fans are excited to pay half as much to get a Kylo Ren minifig.  This set was released on 2 January 2016 and is still available from LEGO Shop at Home.  

The box is pretty standard.  

The front shows the set with all of the minifigures on the bottom right.  As an aside, I'm still not used to seeing the Disney logo tied to Star Wars.

The back shows some of the play features, weapons, and another view of the set.

Nothing too special about the contents.  There's an instruction booklet that as per usual was shoved into the box and was folded with a crease (come on LEGO, you can fix this!), 3 bags, and a sticker sheet (with only 2 stickers!).  

Bag one included the First Order Stormtroopers, a brick separator, and some pieces.  The build is fairly easy and straightforward.  Nothing too out of the ordinary.

Completed Bag 1

Bag 2 added in some more details to include movable doors.  It also included Finn and Kylo Ren with hair and his mask.

Bag 2 build complete.

The final bag added Maz Kanata and the rest of the structure.  There are a number of Technic elements used to create some play-ability.  The tree falls over, a hidden container pops out, and some pieces of the wall fall off.

Final set with all the minifigs.

The final verdict... in my opinion, it's all about the minifigs for this set.  The rest of the set doesn't do much for me.  Would it be different if I had seen the movie?  Maybe.  If you're looking to get Kylo Ren or Finn and to not pay over $100 or buy the minifigs on the secondary market, then this might be the way to go for you.  For those of you that build MOCs, this isn't a bad set in terms of pieces.  I enjoy the textured 1x2 bricks that have the brick texture on them.  There are 28 in this set which is great for those of you like me who enjoy adding buildings to their town/train scenes.  The textured 2x4 round bricks in brown are good and the 2 foliage pieces are as well.

I'm curious to hear your opinions.  Leave them in the comments.

Set Review - Series 15 Collectible Minifigures - #71011

I originally thought the LEGO collectible minifigures were just a rip off.  You have to hope that you can collect all 16 and you don't know what is int he bags... or maybe you're good at feeling through the packaging to figure out which minifig it is.  I avoided them and then one day while walking through a Walmart I decided to pick up a few just for fun.  From there it was all downhill.  I was hooked.  I had to get all 16 of each release... and the rest is history.

These minifigs were released in January 2016 and LEGO typically keeps them out for 3-4 months (although it usually depends on order and stock levels).  The cost is $3.99 each so buying large amount and hoping to get them all can get expensive.  So what are they?

While I'm not an expert on collectible minifigures, there aren't too many that come with animals.  There are a few the come with cats or dogs, but I think this is the first one with a pig.

As a kid I was a huge fan of all the space sets.  I miss the regular stream of creative space items being pumped out.  Thankfully, the LEGO company has released a few cool sets like the Exo Suit that come close.  This minifig sporting the classic space flag is awesome.

There is a knight in this set to add to your castle collection or maybe to terrorize your city.

Clumsy Guy is a first as far as I know.  I don't ever recall there being a set of LEGO crutches out there.  The banana peel on the shirt is new and different too.

There have been a few Native American minifigs in the collectible minifig sets to include this one.  This one is a first because the minifig has a baby that is wrapped up that she can either wear on her back in a pack or hold in her hand.

I'm not sure where this one was designed from, but it's interesting looking.

In my second order from LEGO, I received the faun.  It definitely looks like he fits into a famous CS Lewis book.

Series 9 Collectible Minifigs came with a plumber.  This one comes with a janitor.  I don't think I have seen this mop design before in another set.

If the pig wasn't good enough, having a skunk in the same series is awesome too.

The ballerina!

This is not the first mech to show up in the collectible minifigure world.  There is the Battle Mech from Series 9 and then the Evil Mech from Series 11.

I think the swords that come with the Kendo Fighter are new.  Has anyone see these before?

When the first pictures were released by LEGO, everyone knew that shark guy would be popular.  This shark looks very similar to the dancer made famous during the 2015 Super Bowl half time show with Katy Perry.

The Wrestling Champion looks pretty tough... except for the sky blue eye paint.

Keep your jewels safe from this minifig!

The queen goes along with the Classic King from series 13.  I haven't seen a dress like this before on a minifig so I think this is a new piece.

Set Review - Creator Expert - Brick Bank - #10251 - Part 2

In case you missed part 1 of the review, it's here.

With 2380 pieces and 20 bags of LEGOs, this set takes a while to build.  After a few days, I was finally able to put it together.  Here goes...

There are the contents.  A pretty thick instruction booklet that comes in a wrapped package for protection, a tan base plate, and 4 sets of bags (20 total).  This set also comes with a brick separator which comes in handy given the number of pieces.

The first set of bags is the tiles for the sidewalk and floors along with the start to the first floor.

The designs for the floors inside the cleaner and bank are awesome.  Some new pieces were used to make the design inside of the bank part.  You can also see the start to the vault to include a vault that opens and closes with a dial.  The vault has a stack of cash... all $100s of course.  The first set of bags comes with one minifigure who is shown working as a bank teller.

The Brick Bank is a corner building.  The bank side is shown here with the second set of bags complete.  It comes with 2 minifigures, a girl and a woman.  The box shows the woman taking a picture of the girl receiving a check for 500 studs.  You can also see some of the great design features used to make this set stand out.  You'll also notice that there is a decal on the windows.  If you were paying attention, I didn't mention a sticker sheet.  YES!!!  No stickers in this set, everything is already printed on.

Here is the other side of the bank and "Soap 'n' Suds" the laundromat.  The advertising on the laundromat is fun with a pair of pants and a washing machine.

Here is a top view of the set with the second set of bags completed.  The vault is complete although you'll notice there is a way for a potential thief to sneak into the vault through a shaft above.  Also, the laundromat has 4 machines to include one for "laundering" your money.  

The third set of bags complete here with the second floor done.  The second floor has 2 office spaces to include a private office.  The chimney continues to allow a thief down to the vault.  2 more minifigures come with this set of bags.  They are both male figures.  One is shown in the office stamping and another is shown just outside the office at another desk.

Here is the other side of the building.  You can see the clock attached to the building and the design of the front of the building to include the textured pillars and the window designs.

Here is the final set .  The top has a large sky light.  Also the picture doesn't show it, but there is a cool looking chandelier that lights the building.  You can also see included is a ladder, broom, and bucket so someone can clean the windows.  

Here is the front of the building from a corner view.  You can see the tree, bench, and lamp post outside.  Also, there is a pulley that the box shows as a way for them to install the laundry machine on the signage.  It could also be used for a thief trying to climb up.  I don't have it shown, but the set include a LEGO string, black hat, and scarf for one of the characters to put on and sneak into the vault through the chimney.

I have other modulars, but many are boxed up as I don't have space to have them displayed all the time.  Here is the Detective's Office from last year attached to the Brick Bank.  Both fantastic sets with some creative building techniques.  The Brick Bank does not disappoint.  While you have to shell out some extra cash to get it, it's well worth it.  It's a challenging build with some interesting building techniques.  For those people that like to build MOCs, there are some great pieces in here for building future designs.  

Well done LEGO on another great modular building!

Set Review - Creator Expert - Brick Bank - #10251 - Part 1

(CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE REVIEW.)

The LEGO modular building line was started in 2007 and I am a huge fan!  Each set typically has more than 1,000 pieces and many have over 2,000 pieces.  As they have continued to be released, the details have become even more impressive. You don't buy these sets for the minifigures (they exist, but have the standard yellow face), you buy them for the build.  

This year's set is the Brick Bank.  It contains 2,380 pieces and costs $169.99 in the US. This works out to $0.07 per piece (it's actually .07142 and so on, but I figured you all weren't too concerned about that).  Not a bad price at all in terms of price per piece.  It was released on 2 January 2016 and LEGO keeps them out for a few years (some have been on sale for 4 years, others less).  Often times it's best to wait for Double VIP point promotions or other details, but in this case I was given some LEGO gift cards as Christmas gifts so I decided to order it sooner rather than wait for Double VIP points.  

I haven't had a chance to open it yet.  I'll release details on set contents and the build in a future post.  For now, here is the box.

As you can see from the front, it contains 5 minifigures and the build is split into 2 floors and a roof.  The front of the building is the bank and then along the back, it's a laundromat.  It's a corner building similar to the Cafe Corner, Grand Emporium, and Palace Cinema.  If you're not familiar with the modular buildings, along the bottom of the building are Technic pins that can be attached to other modular buildings (or you can build your own).  

The back of the box shows some details of the set, the different floors, and what the set looks like next to previous years modular buildings.  This box shows the Detective's Office (and here) as well as the Parisian Restaurant.  I'll go into some of the fun details of the build once I build it.

Has anyone else purchased or built it yet?  Let me know in the comments.

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE REVIEW.

Set Review - Clash of the Heroes - #76044

Okay, so I'll admit it... I don't follow Super Heroes much.  DC Comics and Marvel are not at the top of my list.  I'll be the first to admit that I don't know why Batman and Superman are fighting.  Shouldn't they be on the same side?  I should probably look that up.

In the meantime, I do follow LEGO and the sets LEGO releases.  Released on 2 January 2016, the Clash of the Heroes contains 92 pieces and 2 minifigures.  It has an armored Batman and then Superman.  Batman's head glows in the dark and has 2 different facial expressions.  Superman has the same to include one with a normal looking face and one with red eyes.  The set cost $12.99 brand new and I have yet to see it advertised for sale anywhere.  That works out to be $0.14 per piece which is rather high, but the norm for some of the smaller sets like this one.

Here is what the box looks like:

Nothing special about the box.  It shows the set on the front and the back shows some of its features to include the "super jumper" (a plastic piece that lets a figure "jump") and a Technic piece add on that allows Batman to "jump" towards Superman.

Here are the contents.  A sticker sheet with one sticker... I can't complain I guess.  There's an instruction booklet, 2 parts bags, and a larger part outside the bag.

There's an armored Batman. He comes with armor and some weapons.

This is the first instance of this Superman figure.  I only picture the figure this way, but you can rotate the head to see another face.  The same goes for Batman.

The build is fairly simple and straight forward.  The pieces are not bad, but I wouldn't buy the set just for the pieces.  Having the Bat Signal is pretty neat, but it doesn't justify the higher price either.  Here is what the final set looks like.

You'll notice behind where Batman is in the picture, there is a Technic pin.  If you put Batman in front of it and move the pin, he can "jump" forward.  The clear piece in the front of the picture is the "super jumper" so Superman can "leap" at Batman.  I noticed this feature last year, but maybe it has been around for a while.  Either way, it doesn't do much for me.  Maybe for the younger audience it has an appeal.  I tried it and Superman doesn't jump really well.  I recommend using your imagination and picking up Superman with your hand to pretend he is flying at Batman.  That way you can make a fun swooping noise with your mouth too.  Back to the intro of this post... why are they fighting anyways?  The joy of LEGO... I can always turn this set into a cafe where Superman and Batman meet up for some coffee and donuts.  

So my final opinion on this set.  Get this if you want the minifigures.  The build itself is rather simple and it is geared towards kids as opposed to an old kid like me.  The parts can be found elsewhere and if you want the Bat Signal, I'm sure you can find it online.  The minifigures are pretty good though Batman and Superman have come in various forms and these are pretty impressive.  Also, watch for chances to catch the set on sale.

The 2 heroes from this set are below if you are interested in them as well as some other versions for sale in the store on BrickLink.  

Set Review - Kwik-E-Mart - #71016

I finally finished my building backlog.  I've had this set since this summer and it is now completed.  The question I now need to answer is where do I put all of these sets.  Some day I hope to live in a place that has a giant basement that I can engulf with LEGO.  In the meantime, I will probably have to break all of these sets down and store them for the future.

Onto business... In 2014, LEGO released The Simpson's House.  A minifigure scale size home that looks pretty darn close to the one you see on TV.  The 2015 Simpson's set is the Kwik-E-Mart run by Apu.  It was released on 2 May 2015 and contains 2,179 pieces.  It has 6 minifigures, which include Homer, Bart (with a spray paint can), Marge with a shopping bag, Chief Wiggum (with a club and handcuffs), Apu Nahasapeemapetilo (yes, I had to look that one up... he has a mop to clean the floor), and Snake Jailbird.  If you just want minifigures, LEGO has released 2 collectible minifigure series sets.  Series 2 was released in 2015 and was sold out after Christmas this past year.  I have a number of figures from series 1 and series 2 in my store if you are still looking for them.   The Kwik-E-Mart is $199.99 in the US which works out to be about $0.092 per piece.  While not the greatest price, it's not too bad considering it is a licensed set.

Here are the pictures of the box.  It's a pretty large box.  The front has the standard full picture of the set while the back shows some details of the build.

Here are the contents.  I counted 17 bags total.  Plus some loose large pieces.  There is also a large instruction book and 2 pages of stickers.  There are some great pieces in this set in some great colors.  The only thing that really bothered me was the stickers.  I understand that it is probably a cost savings as it is cheaper to put stickers on then to print on parts, but it is a real pain to put stickers on parts.  That's just my opinion...  This set has a lot of stickers to add detail so if you buy it, get ready.

The first set of bags is Chief Wiggum, his car, and Snake Jailbird along with a piece separator.  The police car is a similar size, shape, and build to the Simpson's car from the Simpson's House set if you are familiar with it.  

The next set of bags gets started on the store.  The freezer and the cashier's area are included.

Here is more of the build.  The outside includes an area for the dumpster that has a door that opens.  There are also some fun arcade games, a drink dispenser, magazines, and a few other interesting details.

I didn't take pictures at every step of the way, but this stage shows how the back of the store attaches.  It hinges out so you can have access to the store on both sides.  I have a final picture with the back open later.  Homer is picture as well.  He just comes as shown, but I'm sure you could find some donuts with pink frosting in the store to put in his hands.

A little later in the build here... The Kwik-E-Mart sign is an interesting design.  The "E" is made of LEGO plates and then the rest of the sign is 2 larger stickers.  I can't complain as I'm sure it would have been much more challenging to build the whole sign out of bricks.

Here is the final set with the roof on.  I haven't watched the show enough to know that Apu grows plants on the roof.

Here is the final set with the roof removed.  You can see how the back of the store opens up to get access to it.  

Here's a few of the inside looking in from the back.  You can see a bit more of the detail to include the security cameras, donuts, and some of the items for sale.  The designers did a good job coming up with different items to sell, but as you can see there are a lot of stickers throughout the set.

Overall it's a pretty good replica of the Kwik-E-Mart from the show.  Even if you don't like the set, it comes with a lot of great pieces if you want to take it apart and build something on your own.  LEGO has been putting out more sets priced $100 or more recently.  This is most likely to cater to adult fans.  While some of these are great sets, the prices definitely keep some of the fan base out of the sets.  I'm not a raving Simpson's fan, but as an adult it's been fun to watch every now and then (definitely not a kid appropriate show).  Fans of the show should definitely look into getting this set.  The build was full of details and looks realistic compared to the show.  The only downside of the set to me was the large amount of stickers.  I'm not a fan of stickers on LEGO sets and I always have trouble putting them on straight.  

If you have the set, post in the comments and let me know what you think.

Set Review - Blue Power Jet - #31039

The Blue Power Jet was released in the US on 15 May 2015.  It is a part of the Creator line and contains 608 pieces total.  It costs $69.99 in the US which works out to be 11.5 cents per piece.  In my opinion, this is a bit high.  I found it on sale at Amazon.com for $59.99, which works out to be 9.8 cents per piece.  Right under the average of 10 cents per piece so about average.  If you're interested in this set, I would definitely look for a sale if you can find one.  

As you can see on the box, it comes with 3 separate designs.  There is the jet, a helicopter, and a speed boat.

The set comes with 5 parts bags and a 217 page instruction booklet.  It also comes with a part separator which is $2.49 from LEGO if you buy it separately so you can't complain there.  The bags are not numbered since there are 3 different builds so it takes a bit to find the pieces you need.  It also makes it more fun.  On page 2 of the instruction booklet, it says there are 3 different builds.  There is a "quick build" which is the speed boat, a "medium build" which is the helicopter, and an "advanced build" which is the jet.  For this review, I show the jet version only.  Interestingly enough, the Blue Power Jet looks a lot like the US military's F-35 Lightning II.  

F-35A - Courtesy of www.af.mil.

You'll notice some of the differences pretty quickly.  Besides some of the differences in shape (intakes, bottom of the aircraft, tail), there's the 2 seat cockpit versus the single seat cockpit, and the landing gear being visible.  I'm getting ahead of myself... let's get into the build.  

The build is on the bottom of the picture with all of the pieces above it.  You can see how the front landing gear fits in and you see the use of the Technic pieces to hold it all together.

As the build continues, you can see some of the engine taking place.  This variant looks similar to the F-35B variant that the US Marine Corps will use.  You can see some pictures on Lockheed Martin's Flickr stream here.  You'll notice a few pictures where panels open up so the aircraft can do vertical takeoffs and landings.   In later pictures, you'll see that the top of the LEGO model has panels that open so you can see the engine inside.  Not sure if it's for maintenance purposes or if it's vertical takeoff and landing parts.  

In this photo, you can see the cockpit taking shape.  The front seat has a green 1x1 translucent tile that I assume acts as the Heads-Up-Display or HUD for the pilot.  

In this photo you'll notice that the main part of the fuselage is covered.  There are 2 panels that open up (a picture of them open will be shown later).  Also, one of the wings is installed.  When I started the build, I was confused as to how it was going to work, but in the end it turned out very nice.  My only complaint is that the top is very detailed, the bottom is very plain (another picture seen later).  You'll notice the flaperon as well.  In my opinion, there's a lot of space between the wing and flaperon, but there isn't much you can do with a model this small.  By the way, if you don't know what a flaperon is, it's an aileron that can be used as a flap as well.  The aileron help you turn the plan, the flap gives you added lift at slow speeds.  Watch the wings the next time you fly commercial and you'll see the flaps open up before landing.

Here is my final build in progress picture before the final one.  Both wings are on now.  We're just missing the tail (vertical and horizontal stabilizers) and the canopy.

Here is the final build.  I put he flaperons up, the horizontal stabilizers are pitched as well.  You can see the panels open on the fuselage to expose the engine parts.  Also, the canopy is open too.  The actual F-35 has a single canopy piece that opens at the front versus 2 pieces.

Here is a picture with everything closed up.  

Here is a view from the front.  The nose is pretty flat and not a great aerodynamic shape.  Given the small space, I can't complain with what the designer did.  I'd rather have this then, LEGO building a specific piece that is a BURP (big ugly rock piece).

Here is the bottom of the aircraft.  Very plain if you ask me.  Landing gear is exposed, the wings do not have a shape on the bottom (camber is the official term for you nerds like me), and the color scheme from the top does not continue on the bottom.  To be fair, I'm sure LEGO didn't design this to be an official model.  They built it to give someone a building experience and if you want to make it better, go for it.  Get some additional pieces and knock yourself out, right?

Overall, it's an impressive model.  Lots of great detail and fun to build.  It's not an exact replica of a fighter jet, but given the size, I can't complain.  The price is a bit high so look for it on sale or take advantage of deals on LEGO.com (double VIP points or free give aways) to help out with the higher price.  I didn't build the other 2 models, but having the instructions for 2 others is great too.  Plus, it comes with a ton of great pieces.  The darker blue color is great to build with and I'm sure there are many other things you could build with these parts and maybe a few others.  The box says it is for ages 9 to 14.  I realize I'm older than that, but it's all good.  Younger kids may have trouble with the build or it may be a good time to sit down with a kid and spend some time together away from a screen.

I hope this post was useful.  Let me know in the comments if you'd like to see something different in set reviews.  Also, let me know if you have this set and what you think.  

Finally... I do not have this set available in my store.  Sorry.  I will look to catch it on sale so I can add it to the store or to one of my sales events.