Star Wars

Droid Gunship

A sharp little Revenge of the Sith gunship that arrived a bit too soon after its last remake.

Brick Rated Score

3.4/5

Set 75233 · 2019

Pieces389

Minifigs4

Year2019

Set number75233

Check price on Amazon

Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

The verdict

I like this ship more than I expected to, the sloped cockpit module and the light bluish grey and dark blue paint job look properly menacing on a shelf.

But I'll be straight with you, LEGO only retired the previous Droid Gunship three years before this one landed, and the changes are more of a refinement than a reinvention. If you already own the 2014 version there isn't a huge reason to double dip. If you don't, and you want Yoda and Chief Tarfful fighting off Kashyyyk Battle Droids, this is a fun little midweek build.

Best for: Revenge of the Sith fans who skipped the 2014 Droid Gunship and want Chief Tarfful in their collection

The full review

What it is

The first time I got the cockpit canopy open and slotted a little Kashyyyk Battle Droid gunner inside, I actually grinned. It's a small touch but it makes the ship feel lived in rather than just a shape you snap together and display. The overall silhouette is properly aggressive too, that swept insectoid nose and the dark blue accents against light bluish grey read as menacing in a way a lot of Star Wars vehicles at this scale don't manage.

The catch

Here's the honest part though. LEGO retired the previous Droid Gunship (75042) in 2016, and this one showed up in stores barely three years later. That's a fast turnaround for a remake, and reviewers at the time noted it, this is the favorite version of the ship so far, but it doesn't feel like enough of a leap to justify owning both. At $49.99 for 389 pieces you're also paying a bit of a premium, and the front cannons look great but don't actually launch anything, which stung a few builders who wanted more firepower to match the missiles underneath.

Who it's for

If you're chasing a complete Revenge of the Sith collection or you specifically want Chief Tarfful, who only ever appeared in this one set, grab it while secondhand copies are still reasonable. If you already have the 2014 gunship sitting on a shelf, I'd say save your money for something that adds more to your collection instead of a slightly nicer version of what you already own.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

Building this one moves fast. It's a weekend afternoon project rather than a multi-day commitment, and the hull comes together in logical chunks, the central body first, then the wings and their stud shooters clip on, then the whole thing gets its legs and landing gear. Nothing about the construction is fussy or repetitive, it just clicks along at a satisfying pace, which makes it a nice palate cleanser between bigger builds.

The two Kashyyyk Battle Droids were new for this set and are the real parts story here, they're a genuinely fresh recolor and printing combo you won't find anywhere else, tan and warm colors that stand out from the usual battle droid grey. Chief Tarfful himself is an exclusive minifigure with unique printing that Wookiee collectors specifically hunt this set down for. At 389 pieces for a display-worthy ship plus four figures, the part count value sits right around fair, not a steal, but not a ripoff either.

Fun facts

01Chief Tarfful has never appeared in any other LEGO set, making this the only way to get him as a minifigure.
02This was the second LEGO version of the Droid Gunship, following 75042 from 2014, a remake gap of only about three years.
03The set replaced the older bomb-dropping play feature with dual flick missiles that can be fired one at a time or all at once.
0475233 was released in January 2019 and retired by the end of that same year, giving it a shelf life of under a year.