There is a rather odd mechanism in the center of the fuselage, whose purpose is unclear during the build - a two-stud-wide hinged thingie that flops back and forth. The fuselage opens up like a clamshell, and all of the panels are on hinges, making the entire structure rather wobbly. While the overall shape of the shuttle may largely reflect its inspiration, it’s not without its flaws. This photo also shows one of the stickers, affixed to a 2×4 white tile, which I think doesn’t add much to the look of the finished model. The wings flip up and down on click hinges, which keeps them secure even while swooshing. The rear view in particular highlights the rounded engines where the wings attach. But as a minifig-scale recreation of the source material, the finished landing craft isn’t half bad. So, in LEGO form, this set already has a number of marks against it, through no fault of the LEGO designers themselves. The bulbous shape of the fuselage and the stubbier wings don’t recommend themselves either, compared to the sleek, angular lines of the Lambda shuttle. As one of the first “improvements” made by George Lucas back in 1997, this vehicle hasn’t received much love from Star Wars fans, but it’s been incorporated since then in numerous other media, from the Rebels TV series to various video games over the years. Indeed, Star Wars is no stranger to the concept, with vehicles like the Republic Gunship, Resistance Troop Transporter, and U-wing Gunship. The idea of an orbital dropship or space-worthy troop transport is a common concept throughout science fiction, from the Cheyenne dropship in Aliens to the D77-TC Pelican dropship from Halo. Wedge plates then sandwich the wing, attached to the bracket bricks, creating an incredibly sturdy structure that can safely be lifted without worrying about the top flying off in your hands and the rest plummeting to the floor below. Although the Sentinal-class landing craft and the Lambda-class shuttle share many design elements, the new landing craft uses a different LEGO design for its upper stabilizer, incorporating long Technic beams to strengthen the wing (much like the Tydirium), but also bricks with studs on both sides. With the otherwise excellent 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium released in 2015, the reinforcing Technic beams didn’t extend all the way to the top of the stabilizer, and I’ve personally dropped my Tydirium several times, with much weeping and gnashing of teeth as it nearly smashed apart on the floor. It’s tempting to lift a vehicle like the Imperial Landing Craft or Shuttle Tyderium by the large vertical wing that extends up from the fuselage.
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