Imperial landing craft... and Flappy Helen

Today's deconstruction is one of the Imperial Landing Craft - 75221 from 2018.  This is a nice enough set with some reasonable play features.  However, it pales into insignificance against the much older, smaller 7659 from way back in 2007. I was lucky to pick up a brand new version of 7659 for a bargain because the box was missing - everything else was still new and sealed!  

To compare: 75221 is bigger all round and weighs in 636 parts whereas 7659 has 471.  Both have 5 minifigs, though to be fair perhaps 75221 pips in this area.  Playability is where I remain in awe of 7659.  You get:

• cockpit (on both)
  
• the rear wings are on 7659 move on technic gears (much inferior toothed hinges on the later set)
• rubber bullets on 7659 (vs small stud shooters)
• Opening middle section (on both)
• Working bomb shutes on 7659
• The whole middle section detaches on 7659
• To be fair, 75521 does give you an extending ramp

Here are some photos of the playability functions:

I have to say, controversial though it may be, 7659 is well into my top 10 favourite (non UCS) Lego Star Wars sets of all time.

I am also deconstructing "Flappy Helen":

My 7yr old niece may be unhappy to hear this - she got one of these too when I visited in May and christened hers Flappy Helen after another sister-in-law, who is somewhat less than impressed.  My nephews found it funny.