When the #75212 LEGO Star Wars Kessel Run Millennium Falcon was revealed a couple of weeks ago, Star Wars fans immediately started speculating about the purpose of the altered front section. Of course, we know that this version of the Falcon is related to the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story film, but why the Falcon looked so different at the front was not clear. During the New York Toy Fair, however, it was revealed that between the prongs of the Falcon there is a removable pod, which may be used for carrying cargo, or perhaps as an emergency escape pod (and knowing Han and Lando, probably smuggling too). 🙂
The design of the #75212 LEGO Star Wars Kessel Run Falcon inspired a number of Star Wars fans to alter the previous versions of the Falcon to accommodate the pod. The Falcon came out in a number of different versions and sizes through the years, and some of them are easier to convert than others. The bigger the Falcon, the more difficult to customize, due to the number of alteration and additional pieces needed. The most difficult projects in this regard are obviously the LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series Millennium Falcons; the #10179 LEGO Star wars UCS Millennium Falcon with 517 pieces from 2007, and the #75192 LEGO Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon with 7541 pieces from 2017.
The fact that the LEGO Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcons are so huge, and take so long to assemble, makes most LEGO fans hesitant to even attempt a customization project. You change your mind, or something goes wrong, and you are left with having to re-assemble a set with several thousand pieces. However, the challenge is definitely tempting, particularly for the newer, #75192 LEGO Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon, which already represents two eras.
One of the most impressive customizations I have seen so far is by a LEGO fan who goes by the name TheSpyIsHere. They included the pod at the front, and also made it removable, so the ship can be easily modified between different versions. TheSpyIsHere plans to make further modifications as more information becomes available about the ship. If you would like to follow this project, I recommend you follow them on Reddit.
Now, I’m just waiting for someone to make the LEGO Star Wars UCS Falcon in blue and white! They definitely would need lots of time and money! Speaking of the blue and white Falcon, here are some pictures of the interior of the #75212 LEGO Star Wars Kessel Run Millennium Falcon from Jedinews.co.uk. It looks more finished on the inside than previous Falcons of this scale, and the blue and white combo looks pretty nice.
If you are up to a good challenge, modifying any version of the LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon is definitely a fun project. The #75212 LEGO Star Wars Kessel Run Millennium Falcon will be available in April, and three other Falcons that are currently available are the tiny #75193 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon Microfighter, the medium size #75105 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon, and the #75192 LEGO Star Wars UCS Millennium Falcon. You can find them (well, when they are not showing as out of stock) at the LEGO Star Wars section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? Do you have any versions of the LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcons? And have you considered customizing them to include the removable pod? And how do you like the Kessel Run Falcon? Feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below! 😉
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This is seriously very cool! Very-very cool! Now everyone who has the Falcon will have to make this modification! 😀
OMG! This is awesome! I would be scared to modify that Falcon! I really like the greebling, but I think the real Falcon has a smoother front. But keep it. I think it’s great as is.
WoW! That looks great! Maybe Lego could have waited a year to also included the pod in the UCS Falcon. That would have been great. But I guess it’s not too difficult to modify. Are the instructions available?
Yeah, that would have been great! There are no instructions for this modification as the designer is still working on it. My guess is that if this modification becomes popular, many LEGO fans will create their own for different versions of the Falcon, and may even release instructions. 🙂
Funny, and here I was thinking the newer one sans gap had less personality. YMMV! 😀
Scratch the word ‘sans’ I was too tired when posting this! 😀
I mean the one WITH the gap feels has less personality. I’m going back to bed! x.x 😉
I was wondering about what you meant there! Okay, all clear. 🙄
I never really liked the regular version of the Falcons. It is too gappy, and the transition from the body to the mandibles is never smooth. The Kessel Run Falcon has the same issue. But the UCS Falcon is amazing!
Yeah, it’s not an easy shape to recreate, and the larger scale LEGO designers can work at, the more accurate they can be. Maybe there will be some interesting new pieces in the future that could solve some of the weaknesses you mentioned.
So the Falcon being a freight pusher is no longer canon? Very cool modification by the way!
I think this design actually strengthens that concept. The point is that you can attach things in between the forks. Be that cargo containers, or escape pods, or what have you. I’m sure Lando and Han used this feature in some creative ways throughout their career. 😉
That’s so cool that there’s a story of why the Millennium falcon looks like a magnet/ horse shoe and that it didn’t start out that way. Want this at some point. Other things are on my plate right now. Saving money and being tempted to spend it is a bit mind boggling.
Hm… it’s possible to enjoy and appreciate something and not be tempted to get it yourself. It’s kind of like being happy for someone else for what they have or what they achieved, but not necessarily wanting the same thing for yourself. Like, I have been a lifelong Star Wars fan, but I don’t own a single Star Wars set. I knew if I get into it, there would no stopping, and I simply don’t have the money or the space to display them. So I’m happy to enjoy them from a distance, and look at other people’s collection, without being jealous or tempted. After years of doing this, I can honestly say that I’m fully at peace with the decision and I never regretted it. And, if you really have the Star Wars itch, you can always build something Star Wars-ish, from what you have. 😉
Good call, otherwise you wind up with something like this: https://robbhunter.deviantart.com/art/Complete-Lego-Star-Wars-Collection-2-733218155?ga_submit_new=10%3A1519833654
Hi, my name is Rob and I’m a Star Wars Legoaholic. 🙁 🙂
That’s a lovely collection! 🙂
Thanks!
I perfectly understand that but, I’ve been collecting various Lego sets ( including Star Wars) and so now my Focus on sets I don’t have like sanctum Santorum set . It’s expensive and a bit out of my League ( money wise), but, I’m willing to save up for a bigger set as to buying smaller less expensive sets. I guess you can say I am trying to break my habit of the buying sets that are under $50.00 all the time . It saves some room and has more of a Challenge in building . It’s not going to be every expensive set just a few here and there. I already have a millennium falcon I don’t need one right now.