LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor review

75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor is an excellently designed two-in-one LEGO Star Wars set, and a must-have this May the 4th.

Combining the design standards of LEGO Star Wars in 2023 with a multi-vehicle concept not seen in years, 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor feels like a throwback wrapped in modern LEGO love. And for a number of strengths – not least of which is the first LEGO TIE Interceptor in many years – this is yet another LEGO Star Wars set released this year not to overlook.

— LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor set details —

Theme: LEGO Star Wars Set name: 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor Release: May 1, 2023

Price: £89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99 Pieces: 957 Minifigures: 4

lego

LEGO: Available now

— Where to buy LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor —

LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor launched on May 1 at LEGO.com and in LEGO stores as part of the LEGO Group’s May the 4th 2023 shopping event. You can find the latest prices for this set below.

[bdproduct search=’75348′ sort=’discount’ numberOfRecord=’4′ brand=” sliderMinValues=’0′ sliderMaxValues=’750′]

— LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor build —

We spoke in the 75346 Pirate Snub Fighter review about the immediate appeal and clear LEGO potential of any number of ships that have appeared in The Mandalorian to convert into highly credible LEGO Star Wars sets, and LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor is yet another example of how.

Interestingly too, the Mandalorian Fang Fighter mirrors 75346 Pirate Snub Fighter in core design principals, built quite flatly and out of a number of plates. Of the two ships in 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor it’s the one we only really glimpse at during season three of The Mandalorian, without ever seeing in action. But from what we have seen, the design approach taken here makes sense and offers up a credible replica in brick plate form.

The cockpit design in particular shows off the more recent attention to detail that such smaller LEGO Star Wars sets benefit from nowadays – there are no fancy new pieces here, but a presentation that colours the interior in a nice warm tan contrast to the cooler exterior of the ship. It’s a little thing, really, but gives an air of quality to the overall design.

Whilst quite flat and generally plate-based in design (as needs to be for the thin appearance – it’s just not the most fun to put together), the Fang Fighter remains incredibly sturdy – lifting by the tip of one of the wings is demonstration enough of this, even if MandR chose in his review to test its strength a little too well.

Alongside the Fang Fighter comes the TIE Interceptor – LEGO Star Wars’ first System minifigure-scale model of this ship since 2006. A lot has changed in the 17 years in between, from the obvious aspects such as the shift from a blue and black colour scheme, to the finer points, such as the use of so many smaller and better-suited pieces to capture the unique shape of the Interceptor in LEGO form, and indeed the light grey framing of those black wing panels, both exterior and interior.

As a result, of course this 2023 version of the TIE Interceptor is the best we have ever seen in LEGO form, but it’s also a stand-out in the recent line of TIE-series LEGO sets that we’ve had, alongside 75347 TIE Bomber. It’s a good size, the detailing and shaping is great and everything that you would expect or hope to see in a minifigure-scale version of the TIE Interceptor is here.

It’s the far more compelling model to build in 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor and looks really great on display once complete.

— LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor characters —

Included in LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor are four characters – three minifigures for The Mandalorian, a Mandalorian Fleet Commander and a TIE Fighter Pilot, and one droid, R2-E6.

The two Mandalorians are where most of the attention will be, for the updated and far-more-accurate helmet for the titular Din Djarin (with the rarer face print underneath), and a long-awaited (if a little late) new mould for the Darksaber; and another Mandalorian in the form of the Fleet Commander to add to the collection and great for army building.

Could we have had a named character such as Axe Woves or Koska Reeves instead? Most definitely, but it doesn’t take away from the really nice design for this Mandalorian Fleet Commander, who himself does get a bit of screentime and some lines during season three.

The TIE Fighter Pilot is fairly standard whilst the detailing on R2-E6 seems even more refined – even if these characters will be overlooked, the LEGO Star Wars team didn’t downgrade any aspect of their design.

Overall, this is a very strong line-up for such a set to contain. The only complaint is the risk that the helmet on the Mandalorian Fleet Commander will come scratched. Much like with the helmet for Bo-Katan in 75316 Mandalorian Starfighter, the facial detailing to the Fleet Commander’s helmet is painted on and is highly scratchable. Our review copy included a nick that you can’t unsee once you notice.

— LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor price —

Coming in at £89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99, LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor is priced pretty much where you’d expect it to be, considering the size and quality of the two models that come in the box. For everything about how good this set is – across both models, but in particular the TIE Interceptor – and for a glance across what else the same budget could land you this May the 4th, that price represents fair value and an easy way to move closer to any of the promotional gift-with-purchases available from release day this May.

— LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor pictures —

— LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor pros and cons —

Ultimately, LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor is a win – how often do we see two ships in one LEGO Star Wars set and, at that, both credibly and accurately designed as both the Fang Fighter and TIE Interceptor are? Both these LEGO models are nicely sized as individual ships and in relation to each other, making for quite possibly the most swooshable LEGO Star Wars set of recent years.

Consider also the rarity of a LEGO TIE Interceptor and just how nice this one looks on display (or in your hands flying around the living room whilst your partner shakes their head) and it’s certainly one not to miss.

75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor pros75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor cons
Two strong and respectively-proportioned ships in one setPainted helmet for the Mandalorian Fleet Commander liable to scratch
First TIE Interceptor in yearsShould one of the four characters been swapped out for another named character from The Mandalorian?
Good minifigure line-upPlate-based building is relevant to the Fang Fighter’s design, but after 75346 Pirate Snub Fighter too, it’s a less-enjoyable building experience

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

Stay across all the May the 4th deals this year and support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO Star Wars through one of our affiliate links.

— Alternatives to LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor —

The most relevant alternative to LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor is actually more of a perfect complement to it in the form of 75347 TIE Bomber, for how they share relevant screen time together in the third season of The Mandalorian. Budget-wise, the likes of 75353 Endor Speeder Chase Diorama and 75356 Executor Super Star Destroyer are both cheaper and are catching our eye just as much this May the 4th.

How long does it take to build LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor?

With two models included in LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor, it takes about an hour to build between them.

How many pieces are in LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor?

LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor comes with 957 pieces including parts for four characters – Din Djarin with darksaber, Mandalorian Fleet Commander, TIE Fighter Pilot and R2-E6.

How big is LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor?

The Mandalorian Fang Fighter in LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor measures 16cm long, has a 14cm wingspan and is 4.5cm tall, whilst the TIE Interceptor measures 25cm long, 21cm wide and 15cm tall.

How much does LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor cost?

LEGO Star Wars 75348 Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor comes in at £89.99 in the UK, $99.99 in the US and from €99.99 in Europe.

Author Profile

Rob Paton
As one half of Tiro Media Ltd, I mix a passion for print and digital media production with a deep love of LEGO and can often be found on these pages eulogising about LEGO Batman, digging deeper into the LEGO Group’s inner workings, or just complaining about the price of the latest LEGO Star Wars set. Make a great impression when you meet me in person by praising EXO-FORCE as the greatest LEGO theme of all time. Follow me on Twitter @RobPaton or drop me an email at [email protected].

Rob Paton

As one half of Tiro Media Ltd, I mix a passion for print and digital media production with a deep love of LEGO and can often be found on these pages eulogising about LEGO Batman, digging deeper into the LEGO Group’s inner workings, or just complaining about the price of the latest LEGO Star Wars set. Make a great impression when you meet me in person by praising EXO-FORCE as the greatest LEGO theme of all time. Follow me on Twitter @RobPaton or drop me an email at [email protected].

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *