The SHIELD Helicarrier

Name: LEGO The SHIELD Helicarrier 76042
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 76042
Rating: 4.67 (229 reviews)

64 · MIXED REVIEWSINVESTMENT GRADE: BB20152,996 pcsHigh agreement · 99%

Expert reviews

2analyzed

Owner ratings

229

Consensus

WAIT FOR SALE

BrickScore

Mixed Reviews

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"The SHIELD Helicarrier is a visually commanding display piece that delights Marvel fans willing to invest the time and money, but its $349.99 price and display-only nature keep expert scores in Mixed Reviews territory despite strong owner enthusiasm."

The SHIELD Helicarrier (76042) earns a Mixed Reviews verdict with a BrickScore of 63.5, driven by a notable tension between critics and owners. Expert consensus highlights an outstanding display model with impressive design and decent minifigure selection, but a steep $349.99 price tag and near-zero playability keep the score grounded. Owner sentiment tells a warmer story: 229 ratings across Amazon and LEGO.com land at 4.67 out of 5, with 90% recommending it, but the value-for-money signal from owners comes in at only 3.96 out of 5, reflecting the same affordability concern critics raised.

Where they split: The sharpest split is between critics and owners on overall satisfaction. The BrickScore of 63.5 reflects expert concern about value-for-money (aspect score: 40) and near-zero playability (35), yet 90% of LEGO.com owners say they would recommend it and average ratings sit at 4.67 out of 5. Owners appear to buy it knowing it is a display piece and rate it on those terms; critics weight the price against broader utility and find it wanting.

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LOVED (6)

01Massive, imposing display presence befitting the iconic flying aircraft carrier
02Impressive engineering with motorized turbines that rotate in unison via a gear system (with optional Power Functions add-on)
03Inclusion of nanofigures and micro-scale vehicles (Quinjets, forklifts, mini jets) that convey the ship's scale
04Detailed deck layout with working areas that feel lived-in rather than sterile
05Multi-section building process across roughly 12 segmented bags, praised as a rewarding long-form build experience (13-27 hours reported)
06Strong centerpiece and display value for Marvel and Avengers fans

CRITICIZED (7)

01Price of $349.99 (roughly $0.117 per piece) is difficult to justify on value-for-money grounds, with owner value scores averaging only 3.96 out of 5
02Limited playability; once built, this is a display-only model with few interactive features beyond the Power Functions turbines
03Fender plates on the engine nacelles are fragile and prone to falling off when touched
04Incomplete stern hull (no plating at the rear) looks unfinished
05Missing key Avengers characters such as Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk from the figure lineup despite the Avengers branding
06Power Functions battery pack placement requires partial disassembly to access; workarounds documented by fans but not built into the official design
07Stand balance is slightly rear-heavy

What reviewers are saying

"For £269.99 or $349.99 I think the Helicarrier feels a bit small, particularly since only five minifigures are included."

Brickset Reviews

"it took me until after 2 a.m. that night to get this finished it's a very serious build the manual alone weighs almost 2 lb and has over 430 Pages"

JANG's LEGO Reviews

Ecosystem

10188 Death Star — Death Star costs only £5 more but has far more playability and looks better on display due to superior height. Helicarrier feels overpriced by comparison despite impressive scale.

10188 Death Star — Same box size. Death Star has 1000 more pieces and 19 more figures, making Helicarrier appear less impressive for the price point.

6865 Captain America's Avenging Cycle — Captain America minifigure takes huge step up from previous version.

76017 Avengers: Captain America vs. Hydra — Captain America minifigure takes huge step up from previous version.

Marvel Super HeroesTier 2Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 2

Avg score

Consensus

WAIT FOR SALE

Brickset Reviews

Editorial Source

WAIT FOR SALE

"For £269.99 or $349.99 I think the Helicarrier feels a bit small, particularly since only five minifigures are included."

Key Pros

✓Enormous scale (80cm/31 inches long) immediately impresses
✓Satisfying Technic and System construction combination
✓Beautiful printed runway design (though alignment issues noted)

Key Cons

✕Black deck panels should be dark bluish grey (major aesthetic complaint)
✕Control tower looks 'dreadful' and lacks detail; trans-black piece appears out of place

READ FULL REVIEW

JANG's LEGO Reviews

Expert Video Source

SKIP

"it took me until after 2 a.m. that night to get this finished it's a very serious build the manual alone weighs almost 2 lb and has over 430 Pages"

Key Pros

✓Excellent geometric capture of the Helicarrier design
✓Looks great from many angles including very low perspectives
✓Detailed microscale vehicle accents (Quinjets, fighter jets, tanker, forklifts) enhance realism

Key Cons

✕Control tower design feels out of place with inconsistent scale and proportion
✕Nose section in front of control tower doesn't work well

JUMP TO REVIEW

Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Buy now (1)Wait for sale (1)

Value drivers

JANG's LEGO Reviews: Black Widow with new hair piece is called out as desirable, though reviewer acknowledges limited personal knowledge of minifig collectibility

Brickset Reviews: Black Widow minifigure - described as near-perfect and exclusive to this set. Captain America exclusive without mask. Maria Hill only new character.

Exclusivity

Brickset Reviews: VIP early access period in Europe with free Winter Soldier polybag promotion. Wide retail release post-VIP period at £269.99 (UK), €349.99 (Germany/France), $349.99 (USA), $399.99 (Canada). Licensed Marvel product.

JANG's LEGO Reviews: Large exclusive printed pieces (8x6 deck elements), Nano figures, and formerly illegal technique components make this exclusive

Resale

Brickset Reviews: Not explicitly discussed by reviewer, but inventory sold out quickly during VIP period, suggesting strong secondary market potential. However, reviewer notes it is a 'static model' that may function as a 'dust magnet,' which could affect long-term collectibility perception.

JANG's LEGO Reviews: Reviewer expects strong collector/investor interest with many staying boxed; likely to see aftermarket activity from resellers

Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (8)

Iron Man Statute

$73

Captain America Statute

$39

Maria Hill

$27

Nick Fury

$21

Captain America

$14

Hawkeye Statute

$13

Hawkeye

Black Widow

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Dark blue curved slopes (base of SHIELD stand)
Only appear in four other sets; rare and potentially useful for custom SHIELD vehicles
Large hull components / grey pirate ship-like hull sections
Used to create the main structure; distinctive large-scale pieces
Inverted curved slopes above control room windscreen
Technique not previously recalled by reviewer; sit flush with deck when added
Hinges forming ring around each rotor
Work brilliantly to create turbine pod structure
1x1 tiles on clips for control panels
Previously considered 'illegal' building technique; reused in this set and future 31039 Blue Power Jet
Printed runway pieces
Excellent but line alignment issues noted; some pieces may need swapping for consistency

What Owners Say · summarized from 50 written reviews (LEGO, Amazon, Walmart)

Owners consistently praise the Helicarrier as a spectacular, highly detailed display piece with a rewarding build experience, though some note it is better suited for display than play and power functions can have assembly issues.

COMMON PRAISE