Reviewed by Malcolm Keevy (SAFOLs Member, CapeLUG Member)
LEGO® has made several memorable real life space sets over the years, but the first one I ever bought was the IDEAS® Saturn V set, which was a combination of such an iconic machine and an amazing LEGO® set. Then the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander (10266), in addition to the obvious link, has that same status – an instantly recognizable and historically significant vehicle.
That comes through from the start with the instructions, as although it is a CREATOR® set, the instruction manual looks more like the IDEAS® range, with a few pages of history and images from the Apollo missions.
The Build
The first bag is the base. It is not a particularly exciting build, with a single crater in the middle. The purpose of the circles becomes apparent later. The one lovely detail is the light grey layer underneath that are the footprints.
The lander has a difficult octagonal shape to achieve which requires some interesting building techniques, using ball and sockets to join the intermediate sections, and then once it is all finished off you still have the details of the tanks tucked into the base. Once it is one the base it is already a cool model.
The module is built in a few different directions and has some cool techniques. It almost starts with the panel stickers and builds out from there, as the internal space it tight and cramped to fit the two Minifigures in, which made it difficult to fit my big fingers in but reflects the actual size.
Final Thoughts
This is a great model. It was an enjoyable build and overall makes a great display piece. It does have quite a few stickers, but at the finished product is superb. For fans of the other space sets it is a must-have addition to the Saturn V and space station.
