LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft review

42152 Firefighter Aircraft hones in on the fun features of LEGO Technic with some inventive (but not what you’d call quick) mechanisms.

The only LEGO Technic March 2023 set not to be based on an existing licence or property, 42152 Firefighter Aircraft instead focuses on a massive emergency vehicle usually seen in LEGO City. That’s not the only thing setting it apart, though, as 42152 Firefighter Aircraft also has one of the most interesting and fun functions in the upcoming range of models.

With its bright colour scheme, massive volume and genuinely exciting features, 42152 Firefighter Aircraft may be easily overlooked in the March 2023 wave of LEGO Technic sets, but take a moment to appreciate its features.

— LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft set details —

Theme: LEGO Technic Set name: 42152 Firefighter Aircraft Release: March 1, 2023

Price: £94.99 / $99.99 / €109.99 Pieces: 1,134

LEGO: Available now

— Where to buy LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft —

Coming in as the second-biggest build in the March 2023 range of LEGO Technic sets, 42152 Firefighter Aircraft is available now for £94.99 / $99.99 / €109.99. Check out all the latest prices below.

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— LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft build —

42152 Firefighter Aircraft is huge, its size cannot be understated. This not only proved it an interesting challenge to photograph but to build as well. Towards the end of the instruction manual, smaller changes are made to the wings and engines but the pages keep the same view of the entire set, making it hard to spot exactly where the pieces are intended to attach. This could have easily been fixed by zooming in on specific areas to make things clear, though experienced builders may welcome the challenge.

The final group of bags takes a lot longer to put together compared to the rest of the model, and we’d suggest splitting them into two parts. This will prove easy to do as they focus on the wings, and once the lengthy (and at times frustrating) build experience is complete, 42152 Firefighter Aircraft is one of the most genuinely fun LEGO Technic sets we’ve had in a while.

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The main feature of the set is a trigger beneath the front section of the plane that you can pull back to spin the propellers. This mechanism is in the perfect place to operate while holding the plane, especially for bigger hands, and that makes it especially easy to swoosh 42152 Firefighter Aircraft around the room. Similarly, a lever that opens the hatch and drops the water at the back is easy to flip while holding the model too.

However, it’s not the only impressive feature in the LEGO Technic set as this is one of the few Technic planes to have working landing gear, as previously seen in the retired (and motorised) 42025 Cargo Plane from 2014. Nine years later, motorisation has been eschewed in favour of a manual gear to fold the landing gear into the body of the vehicle, almost completely out of view.

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Unfortunately, it’s not all good news for the landing gear as the function doesn’t work flawlessly. The mechanism is slow, taking many spins to completely fold the wheels away and seemingly stopping around halfway, but don’t worry – it’s just taking its time.

We’ve checked that this assembly was put together correctly and the choice of element used for the mechanism takes many spins to work. It’s not difficult to make it function and play with the landing gear, but the repetitive nature of this feature doesn’t incentivise repeated use. Each of the devices in this creation is completely hidden beneath the various panels used for the body of the plane, which is a shame as you can no longer admire how they work without dismantling the build.

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The build doesn’t use many stickers and none are particularly hard to place. Those that are included are realistic to real firefighter aircraft and include a reference to the set’s number.

— LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft price —

Considering its massive size, by the end of the build we expected 42152 Firefighter Aircraft to be a bit more expensive than it is. At under £100 / $100, it’s good value and will keep Technic enthusiasts of all ages occupied for a while, during and after its assembly.

42152 Firefighter Aircraft can be purchased for £94.99 / $99.99 / €109.99 and even with the higher price in Europe, the value of this set is still worth the cost.

— LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft pictures —

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— LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft pros and cons —

42152 Firefighter Aircraft provides some of the most fun we’ve had with a LEGO Technic set in some time, and we can imagine younger enthusiasts finding a lot more to love in this model. It’s been some time since we’ve seen a LEGO Technic plane with working landing gear, but the switch to a manual system has its drawbacks. However, as long as you’re patient it’s easy to operate and the wheels are surprisingly hidden too.

While the lack of a property or familiar licensed vehicle may take away from the appeal of 42152 Firefighter Aircraft, this model is a genuinely fun experience that you’d be wise to pace out over the course of a few days thanks to its lengthy build time.

Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft pros	Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft cons
A rare kind of vehicle for LEGO Technic and one of the most complete propeller aircraft yet	The final group of bags should be split into two groups for a more manageable experience
Fun, functional and thoughtful features	The landing gear is exceedingly slow to fold in
Good value in terms of features and size

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group. 

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— Alternatives to LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft —

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The closest alternative to 42152 Firefighter Aircraft is the now-retired 42025 Cargo Plane from 2014, down to its design and features, just without the motorisation. However, as that is no longer available, the next best dual-propeller LEGO plane is LEGO Jurassic World’s 76937 Quetzalcoatlus Plane Ambush, highlighting the unique nature of this Technic creation.

— LEGO Technic 42152 Firefighter Aircraft FAQs —