Airstrike Heavy Armored Tank (Qiji 1729)

About this set

This KEEPPLEY 1729 sits in the Combat Zone tactical series and rates 2/5 on difficulty, so it works as an entry point into military-themed building. The 1196-piece set builds the submarine base named on the box: a large black submarine hull with grey and red parts breaking up the surface, a separate sail, propellers and torpedo tubes, plus an interior structure worked into the hull. Six minifigures are included, among them a diver, along with an underwater thruster, a parachute and a small boat, enough to stage both surface and underwater scenes around the sub. Build the interior and sail first, then close up the black shell before attaching the propellers and torpedo tubes, so you are not pulling large sections apart repeatedly. The 12-in-1 direct transformation is the main selling point, with multiple combo builds in the instructions, so try the main submarine before breaking it down into smaller models. Best for builders who want a weighty black submarine as a display piece.