u/ThePaladinAasimar

Robots in disguise

This was a very fun build and, surprisingly, much easier than I expected. It's rated 7/10 for difficulty, but compared to the other 7-rated Metal Earth models I've completed, this one felt more like a 5/10. It's a fairly large model, but it's not overly complicated.

The only frustrating part was inserting the chest piece (89) into the slots on the side chest pieces (86 and 88) while also aligning the hands (56 and 67). That step took the most patience.

I did break the folding tab on leg part 18, so I decided to remove the matching tab on part 38 as well. Fortunately, it didn't affect the final build.

I also think I found a quality control error. Parts 49 and 64 are shown with the hook piece inverted in both the instructions and the 360° view on the Metal Earth website, exposing the silver side. However, the image on the packaging shows the blue-painted side facing outward. Personally, I think the blue side looks much better on the outside.

Overall, this was an enjoyable build with a great final result, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a larger model that's easier than its difficulty rating suggests.

This build was decent. Cylinders are always annoying.

Parts 19 and 32 are very frustrating to round into the proper shape. My suggestion is to use a AA battery (or something of a similar size) to shape them. This size gives you enough room to insert and twist the tabs for the rudders and stabilizer.

DO NOT ignore any of the TWIST 90° and Blend tabs. Forgetting even one will affect the ability to move the wings between slow and fast mode. I was lucky that the tabs I forgot were still accessible.

The cockpit, canopy, and nose cone turned out better than I could have imagined.

The end pieces of the thrusters were not difficult to attach. I honestly thought they would be because of their shape. I rounded the thrusters first, then bent the tabs into a hook shape and attached them one at a time. I didn't bother bending the tabs after all three were inserted into their slots. They were securely held in place by the hooked shape I gave them initially.

My only issue with the model was the forward landing gear. It is too thin and bent accidentally several times. I managed to get it back into shape.

Total build time: A little over 3 hours.

This build was a lot of fun, but there were a few sections that lined up perfectly and others that didn't. Overall, it definitely had its challenges.

Attaching the top and bottom sections was by far the most difficult part. The left side fit perfectly and slid into place surprisingly easily, so I thought this was going to be one of the easiest builds. Unfortunately, the right side was slightly misaligned, and I couldn't figure out what I had done wrong.

In the end, I folded the tabs under the wing instead of feeding them through the slots to hold everything in place. Not my proudest moment, but it was better than scrapping the entire build. My brother had the exact same issue, so I don't think it was just me.

Parts 40 and 41 also gave me a lot of trouble. They wouldn't stay in place, so I ended up using a tiny drop of super glue, which worked perfectly. I've noticed similar "floating" or loose-fitting pieces on other models, so I may start using super glue for those in the future. I'm not sure if that method is frowned upon in the Metal Earth community, though.

Other parts to note Part 45 and 46. The tab in the back near the thrusters. I twisted it instead of folding it. Folding it cause problem for a Part 51, because it folds over a slot. Twisted it solves the problem and it's hidden within Part 51..... so good I guess.

Special thanks to @BendingMetal4Fun on YouTube for the helpful tips on this build!

Hi everyone,

I've been thinking about starting the imperial light cruiser but I've seen some disaster builds and some flawless builds.

Anyone builds this recently and have any comments, recommendations

Also an approximate build time?

This has to be one of my favorite builds so far. However, this build does have its challenges.

The instructions are very clear; however, bending the cylinders is quite frustrating. I opted to use a AA battery to start shaping the body and thrusters, then switched to a AAA battery. I found that both were excellent sizes for the job. The nose cone was especially difficult to form.

The slot between the two thrusters was impossible for me to connect, no matter how hard I tried.

I'm also not a fan of the single connection in Step 5 between parts 9 and 11. I think the model would be sturdier with an additional connection between parts 9 and 15.

Aside from that, all of the other slots were very easy to connect.

I really like that the stand connects to the thrusters and can be removed. Most other models permanently attach the stand to the model, so this is a feature I really appreciate.

I also think the advertised 7/10 difficulty rating is a bit misleading. For most of the build, I'd rate it closer to a 5/10. The only reason I'd consider it a 7/10 is because of the cones—they're by far the most challenging part of the entire build.

It's a really fun build. I completed it in about 1.5 hours.

This is one of my favorite builds I've done so far. The only issue I had was the light on top of the roof. The cones were far too small for any of my tools to shape properly. Three of them snapped off while I was trying to bend them, so I ended up cutting them off instead.

The only other part I had difficulty with was the rear tire fenders. At first, the slots don't seem to line up properly, which was very frustrating. However, after attaching the first fender, the misalignment started to make sense. The slots are intentionally offset because the fenders flare outward slightly.

Take your time with this step.

I also tried a different approach to assembling the model. I would only recommend this method for more experienced builders, as it requires reading ahead in the instructions to determine which pieces can be attached early.

For example, I built the model in an order such as Steps 1–5, then 8, 9, 6, 9, 10, 15, and so on. I also built components only when I needed them during the assembly process. This meant I didn't have the sides of the truck, exhaust, tires, hood, and other completed assemblies sitting around waiting to be installed.

I found this approach much more organized, as each section was built and attached directly to the model.

Please be warned this model is definitely not a 5/10 difficulty. It is certainly at least a 8 or 9. The individual piese build itself isn't too complicated. However the final assembly of all the peices is a complete nightmare.

The 2 engines mounted and side wings need to attached almost at the same time and very very very little room for twisting tabs in a confined space.

This build should've only taken me 3 hours at best. It took me nearly 18 hours.

Honestly I nearly gave up and smashed it.