EMvTW Extra 09: Klingon Bird of Prey (23rd Century, Landing Position)

NOTE:  You can click on most pictures to get a larger view of them.

Our next issue of Eaglemoss vs. The World series is the 23rd Century Klingon Bird Of Prey.

We are first introduced to this ship in the movie, "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" where... ummm...

Whoah!  Deja vu!!!

Well, it looks like Eaglemoss has decided to pull a trifecta and give us the 23rd Century Bird Of Prey one last time.  However, since they already gave us the BOP in the "Cruising Mode" (read that review at THIS LINK) and the BOP in the "Attack Mode" (read that review at THIS LINK), they have decided to round off that part of the collection with the BOP in "Landing Mode".

I will say that I am glad that Eaglemoss went the route of releasing this model as a limited edition "Extra" model instead of sneaking it into the Standard collection like they did back in Issue 107.  Not everyone is going to want this ship in this configuration, so it is nice that they didn't force it on the subscribers.


Just like I didn't do for the Issue 107 Review, I am not going to go into my usual Memory Alpha this and Memory Beta that stuff because, let's face it, I've done it all already.  Go read Issue #3 if you would like to rehash all of that.

I have seen a few FaceBook friends who have reported that thier model came with a broken disrupter.  Mine seems to have dodged this fate, however, the did seem a little off skew.  When I reviewed Issue 107, I had lamented that mine had come broken, however, a little super glue will easily remedy the problem.

So... how does this Extra model compare to the other two?  Well... besides the obvious wing placement differences and some added landing gear, my opinion is that this "new" model is exactly the same when you compare the sculpt and mold work and the paint work.

 Issue #03 vs. Issue #107 vs. Extra #11

I'll be brutally hones, other than the wing position and the extended landing gear, I could just copy and paste all of my comments about the Issue #03 model and they would still apply on this model.

Let us talk about that landing gear.

This is certainly a new feature for Eaglemoss to attempt.  While all the shuttlecraft that have been produced to this day, have a natural look that allows them to look great sitting on your desk without a stand, this is the first larger ship that Eaglemoss has produced that has landing gear and can be displayed without it's stand as well.

My initial reaction to them wasn't favorable.  It looks like these pieces were just glued on to the bottom of the model.

I was VERY surprised that the magazine for this model actually came on time.  Which gave me all sorts of great information and cool pictures, EXCEPT for the landing gear.  I was going to berate Eaglemoss on how unrealistic the feet look until I did some Google searching and found some models that were built of the BOP.

 

Having now seen a plastic model's version of the landing gear, I think I have to change my tune and say that Eaglemoss did a fairly good job of reproducing them in such a way that allowed the feet to support the rest of the model.

One last thought about this particular model...  If Eaglemoss was going to be really cool about it, they should have tacked on a HMS Bounty sticker on the side of the ship.

And that is all I really have to share at this point on this model.  As for pricing, I will continue with the tradition of rounding up the most inexpensive Buy-It-Now prices from eBay at the time of this article's writing (October 2018).

Eaglemoss = $51

NOTE: Prices were researched last on October 1st, 2018.  As of the writing of this article, you can also currently order the Eaglemoss model right from the company themselves for around $25 (shipping unknown).  since the model just came out in the U.S., the prices are going to be a little high on eBay until the regular sellers here in the States get thier hands on the model.

All of that pricing is irrelevant though, because, I am ultimately going to tell you to NOT buy it.  If you read my review of Issue #107, you would have seen that coming because there is another contender out there.

I present to you, the Hot Wheels rendition of the Klingon Bird Of Prey.

Photo Credit: Mattel

This model is super cool, because it not only looks great, but it actually has wings that can be positioned in variable ways.

 

Super Sexy Hot Wheels Model Posing On The Runway

Let us look at this from an economical point of view.  I commend Eaglemoss for bringing us this ship in all three of these "modes", however, it currently will cost you $71 (shipping included) to buy them all right from the Eaglemoss webstore.  

While, the Hot Wheels model will only cost you around $27 (shipping included) from a reputable seller on eBay.  And since my ultimate goal with these reviews is to help my readers find the best model for the least cost, I am forced to strongly suggest that you invest in the Hot Wheels model.

Article Update (11/27/2018): The Eaglemoss WebStore now sells a bundle pack that contains all three ships.  It is priced at around $55 (shipping unknown).  Which is not a bad deal and is almost as good of a deal as getting the movable Hot Wheels model.

BONUS ROUND!!!

Every once in a while, I'll have a little extra stuff to share with you that sort of fits in with my comparison articles.

I was fortunate enough to catch a sneak peak at Ealemoss' next rendition of the Klingon Bird Of Prey.

This one will be the cloaked version of the ship.  However, due to licensing, they will only be able to bring it to us in the Special Edition or XL size which means, we will have to pay $54 to $70 for it.

I kid of course.  There is no such thing as a cloaked model...  or is there???

As always, I hope you found this article useful and informative.  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to comment below.

So for now, "Live long and prosper!!!"



Additional Links To Photos Of My Collection:

Eaglemoss   Hot Wheels
Comparative Shots

Other Reviewers Take On The Eaglemoss Model:
Some Kind Of Star Trek  [NO REVIEW YET]
Star Trek Starship Collection   [NO REVIEW YET]