Our pals over at Brickset bring us a review of LEGO set 75204, the Sandspeeder. Not aware of this vehicle? Here’s why.
Popular vehicles, characters and locations often seem to be omitted from LEGO’s product range in favour of some more obscure subjects. 75204Sandspeeder is a particularly striking example of this phenomenon. The craft has never appeared in a Star Wars movie or in any official material, either from the modern canon or Legends!
Instead, the vehicle is loosely based upon a Kenner toy that was scheduled for release in 1985 but was subsequently cancelled. This might be considered a bizarre source from which to take inspiration, especially given the unprecedented obscurity of this vessel. Nevertheless, it seems logical that the T-47 airspeeder could be adapted for desert conditions as well as the cold and the set includes a couple of interesting minifigures which have caught my attention.
UPDATE: My good friend Gary Willis from Galactic Voyage dropped me a line with some further information on the Sandspeeder.
I know it was stated that the Sandspeeder had never been seen before, but a version of it was used briefly in the intro to the 2000 Video Game Star Wars Force Commander. I have an article about it in my Ships section:
http://galactic-voyage.com/
Light%20Side-Speeders-T-47% 20Airspeeder-Sandspeeder.htm. You can see more of the Sandspeeder in action during the opening intro scene:
http://galactic-voyage.com/
Movies-Force%20Commander-The% 20Battle%20of%20Kalaan.htm.