REVIEW: LEGO TIE Fighter Pilot Helmet
When LEGO announced the new helmet series to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, I was quickly drawn to the LEGO TIE Fighter Pilot helmet. While Boba Fett is the most famous of the three choices, the TIE Fighter Pilot helmet seemed the most interesting to me. Since we’d only planned on buying one, the choice was pretty easy.
Backstory of TIE Fighter Pilots
TIE Fighter Pilots are an elite class of the Imperial military. TIE pilots wear a black jumpsuit with a black reinforced helmet very similar to a Stormtrooper design. The helmet has two flexible gas tubes attached to it, giving it it’s iconic look. Some of the more well-known pilots are Baron Valen Rudor and Captain Vult Skerris both of Rebels fame.
The Build
The LEGO TIE Fighter Pilot Helmet (#75274) is 724 pieces. This set is part of the new helmet collection which features iconic dark side helmets to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strike Back‘s original theatrical release. The collection showcases the TIE Fighter Pilot, Boba Fett, and a Stormtrooper. This collection is designed for builders ages 18 and up.
The build of this helmet took me about 5 hours to complete. I am not a LEGO master and this set was challenging. This set is for sure not for younglings or younger padawans. I got through the first three bags rather quickly. I got to bag four and hit a brick wall. The side panel was tricky. I built it and then had to redo it twice. I build LEGO sets a lot but I’m far from an expert so I made plenty of mistakes. A more experienced builder might not struggle as much as I did.
The directions were designed for expert builders, where many steps are shown in the same drawing. What makes this set extra challenging is the detail pieces are all the same color. Lining them up just right requires a deeper level of focus than even other Expert-level builds like Ultimate Collector Series ships.
The Results
The blood, sweat, and tears paid off and the results are quite remarkable. The helmet is extremely detailed. On the backside of the box is a picture of a TIE fighter pilot that you would see in The Empire Strikes Back. The box pictures show the front of the helmet and one of the sides. The LEGO version of the helmet is spot-on. LEGO paid attention to all the details and most definitely delivered. The helmet is seven inches tall and includes a display plaque. It’s a perfect addition to any Star Wars fan’s collection.
Score
I give the LEGO TIE Fighter Pilot Helmet a score of 9/10. I love the attention to detail that LEGO produced. The helmet looks just like if not better than the one used in the movie. I also like the size. I previously reviewed the Darth Vader Bust, which I love but it’s much small and a lot less detailed than this helmet. I like how LEGO only used a few stickers and most of the visible pieces with designs on this have the design printed on them. I think that gives it a much more quality look. This is clearly a set for adult collectors.
The only reason I am not giving this set a 10/10 is because of the struggles I encountered building it. It was a tough build which frustrated me a lot. I had to stop for the night and come back to it in the morning. Still, I’m excited to add this piece of Star Wars memorabilia to my collection.
