Among the various Star Wars sets by LEGO, the model of Slave 1, the ship used by Boba Fett the bounty hunter, has been released in six different versions . These versions have ranged from two small, pocket-sized ships to several larger ones that measure more than a foot long. While Boba Fett has just a small part in the overall Star Wars stories, he has captured the interest of many of the story's fans. His ship has also turned into an object of great interest among those same fans.
In the Star Wars story, the bounty hunter Boba Fett plays a key role in Episodes V and VI. He is the bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to find and capture Han Solo and to bring him to Jaba the Hutt. His ship, Slave 1, was first owned by his Father, Jango Fett, who "acquired" it during his escape from the prison on Oovo IV. The ship was a prototype Firespray class patrol ship that he managed to steal during his escape.
Jango called the ship Slave 1, and he began a program of major upgrades and put a lot of effort into re-arming the ship. After he brought the ship to the Kuat Drive Yards he had their powerful drive engines squeezed into the ship, taking up two-thirds of the room in the hull. The weapons added to the ship included two sets of twin blaster cannons, two projectile launchers, and two rapid-firing laser cannons. There was also a system for mine laying that could deploy seismic charges.
The LEGO versions of Slave 1 feature a lot of these weapons. The level of detail in the models has increased as with each new model that has been released. The first release of Slave 1, designated LEGO 7144, was released in the year 2000. While it captured the basic elements of Slave 1, it looked a bit primitive, since it didn't have the specially designed elements that were added to the later models. This initial version looked a lot like something a LEGO fan would build using nothing but basic LEGO parts.
The next Slave 1 version released by LEGO and was designated as LEGO 7153. In this model the quality and level of detail begin to improve a bit. The new cockpit was a special piece of plastic with a smoky tint, and the pieces that create the upper side of the landing shoe were special pieces as well, giving it a smoother, more finished look. This model was also larger, as it had more than twice as many pieces, 358, as the 7144 version which had 165. This set also included mini-figures, contrary to its predecessor.
The Slave 1 model which LEGO designated LEGO 6209 followed when it was released in 2006. As before, this was a significantly larger model than the previous one, having 537 elements. At this juncture the design of LEGO Slave 1 really began to develop. The use of specialized parts was increased, which produced a much more finished appearance. This ship includes a cargo hatch that could be opened so that you could load the Carbonited Han Solo aboard. The finished model also included the mine launchers, and the missile launchers. The twin cannon arrays are also provided. The set of four mini-figures (five if you include the Carbonited body of Han Solo) was the highest number to be included in a Slave 1 set.
The most recent version of Slave 1, LEGO 8097, is the model currently available and still in production. It is again larger than its predecessor, but only marginally - 572 elements vs. 537. The finish and quality of the model have improved yet again, with even greater use of special elements to create a more finished appearance. The cockpit cover can be opened, and a mini-figure seated inside. This set contains three mini-figures, plus the Carbonite skid, which is designed to allow the Han Solo mini-figure to be inserted into it, for really great realism. The finish details on this latest model are really impressive, and the completed ship has a real look of authenticity to it.
Finally, the last two versions of Slave 1 that LEGO produced were mini- (pocket-sized) versions of Solo's ship. The one designated LEGO 20019 was included with the January 2011 Brickmaster Catalog issue. It wasn't intended for sale in stores. The other miniature was one part of a two-ship set that was released in 2003 - the second ship was a model of the Delta-7 Aethersprite Class Starfighter flown by Obie-Wan Kenobi. These older Slave 1 LEGO sets are all available in the reseller market, and the current set is available on the primary retail market, so it's never too late to build out your collection of Slave 1 ships. If you don't have a Slave 1 in your fleet, better get one soon before they do disappear.
In the Star Wars story, the bounty hunter Boba Fett plays a key role in Episodes V and VI. He is the bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to find and capture Han Solo and to bring him to Jaba the Hutt. His ship, Slave 1, was first owned by his Father, Jango Fett, who "acquired" it during his escape from the prison on Oovo IV. The ship was a prototype Firespray class patrol ship that he managed to steal during his escape.
Jango called the ship Slave 1, and he began a program of major upgrades and put a lot of effort into re-arming the ship. After he brought the ship to the Kuat Drive Yards he had their powerful drive engines squeezed into the ship, taking up two-thirds of the room in the hull. The weapons added to the ship included two sets of twin blaster cannons, two projectile launchers, and two rapid-firing laser cannons. There was also a system for mine laying that could deploy seismic charges.
The LEGO versions of Slave 1 feature a lot of these weapons. The level of detail in the models has increased as with each new model that has been released. The first release of Slave 1, designated LEGO 7144, was released in the year 2000. While it captured the basic elements of Slave 1, it looked a bit primitive, since it didn't have the specially designed elements that were added to the later models. This initial version looked a lot like something a LEGO fan would build using nothing but basic LEGO parts.
The next Slave 1 version released by LEGO and was designated as LEGO 7153. In this model the quality and level of detail begin to improve a bit. The new cockpit was a special piece of plastic with a smoky tint, and the pieces that create the upper side of the landing shoe were special pieces as well, giving it a smoother, more finished look. This model was also larger, as it had more than twice as many pieces, 358, as the 7144 version which had 165. This set also included mini-figures, contrary to its predecessor.
The Slave 1 model which LEGO designated LEGO 6209 followed when it was released in 2006. As before, this was a significantly larger model than the previous one, having 537 elements. At this juncture the design of LEGO Slave 1 really began to develop. The use of specialized parts was increased, which produced a much more finished appearance. This ship includes a cargo hatch that could be opened so that you could load the Carbonited Han Solo aboard. The finished model also included the mine launchers, and the missile launchers. The twin cannon arrays are also provided. The set of four mini-figures (five if you include the Carbonited body of Han Solo) was the highest number to be included in a Slave 1 set.
The most recent version of Slave 1, LEGO 8097, is the model currently available and still in production. It is again larger than its predecessor, but only marginally - 572 elements vs. 537. The finish and quality of the model have improved yet again, with even greater use of special elements to create a more finished appearance. The cockpit cover can be opened, and a mini-figure seated inside. This set contains three mini-figures, plus the Carbonite skid, which is designed to allow the Han Solo mini-figure to be inserted into it, for really great realism. The finish details on this latest model are really impressive, and the completed ship has a real look of authenticity to it.
Finally, the last two versions of Slave 1 that LEGO produced were mini- (pocket-sized) versions of Solo's ship. The one designated LEGO 20019 was included with the January 2011 Brickmaster Catalog issue. It wasn't intended for sale in stores. The other miniature was one part of a two-ship set that was released in 2003 - the second ship was a model of the Delta-7 Aethersprite Class Starfighter flown by Obie-Wan Kenobi. These older Slave 1 LEGO sets are all available in the reseller market, and the current set is available on the primary retail market, so it's never too late to build out your collection of Slave 1 ships. If you don't have a Slave 1 in your fleet, better get one soon before they do disappear.
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Learn more about the LEGO Slave 1 sets, including where to buy them and get the lowest prices, go to Lego Slave 1. To find more great LEGO Star Wars themed sets, go to Lego Star Wars Sets, there you will find lots of information on some of the best Star Wars LEGO sets.
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