6877 Vector Detector

In 1991 the Lego company unleashed a special offer for an instruction manual which you could mail in for and use with three of the M-Tron sets.  All you had to do was buy the three sets and you could build it.  I call this shrewd marketing.

Here is the first entry in the 6862 Secret Space Voyager construction series

6877 Vector Detector was released in 1990 and is the smallest M-Tron set to contain the famous magnets; and the M-Tron crate.  It's a somewhat small transport craft with three sets of wings and a similar cockpit profile to Beacon Tracer.  Within the M-Tron series this is the fourth smallest set, and the first transporter size craft, which is significant since transporting cargo is what M-Tron does best.

The M-Tron theme is something of a merchant/mechanic/mining fleet as I've gathered and this particular set was priced in that awkward spot where it doesn't offer much in the way of mercantile transportation, and has no repair support for downed spacecraft whatsoever.  As a mining craft it is only a Mineral transporter.  

In point of fact, I don't think M-Tron is a mining fleet...they've got nothing on Rock Raiders where that's concerned.  Additionally this is known as Search Craft in Great Britain, and that is literally the best function it can offer.  Though, Vector Detector's two front radar dishes/plasma blasters? could probably help it hide/hold its own against a smallish Black-tron vessel while looking for a downed Futuron Stardefender 200.  

The British names for the M-Tron sets suggest a search and rescue operation for the M-Tron theme.  I think the set designs bear that out.

This is the red shirt of the M-Tron fleet...destined to get out of its depth in combat situations. Heavens help it if it crosses vectors with a 6981 Aerial Intruder.  Remember the survivor's motto...detect and run away!!!!!

The Vector Detector's Cockpit has an interesting locking function that uses red clips rotated on the then new antennas to hold the window down.  It is a very exact fit.

Closed

Opened

The main fuselage is two studs wide and looks somewhat awkward due to its length.  The designers tried to resolve the odd appearance by including a red wing cutout that gives the front end a triangle shape from the top, but that only draws more attention to the thinness of the craft.  This set doesn't offer the best of M-Tron design, though it certainly got some of the desirable bits into the hands of penny pinching kids.  

Of all the M-Tron sets Vector Detector was the most prevalent among the kids I knew growing up. Its desirability as an investment is suspect; but for cash strapped collectors it is fairly easy to get.  I've seen sealed examples sell for very reasonable prices in the last year...relative to other sets in the theme of course.

That out of the way let's take a look at Vector Detector's special attributes.

The unique parts

1, also in Secret Space Voyager, but that is this set plus two others.  If you need a reason to get Vector Detector, this is it.

  

The parts you won't get in other M-Tron sets

2, very common part, but not in M-Tron.

1, another slope which is also very common.

1, this unprinted neon green window was unique in 1990 to Vector Detector, but 1991's Black-Tron: Future Generation flooded the market with it.

1, this is a pretty common piece.

1 in Black, this is the most common color for this bracket.

Overall 7 parts that add value to the M-Tron collection out of 59 total pieces.

And so we arrive at my favorite part of the blogpost: Alternatives!

The models are various kinds of spacecraft.  Overall, it looks like the designers ran into the same problem I did...you have to use a significant number of parts from this set to get anywhere with a design.  

Oh hello...one part was sticky...yuck!

Scrub a dub...into the bath we go...welcome to collecting old toys.

A small fighter. 

A Transport craft: 100% Vector Detector parts usage.

So that's Vector Detector; and here's a Futuron variant made by:

Rafał Zerych

Futuron Vector Detector

Final Score: C+

Pros: Easy to find, Good part selection, magnets

Cons: Thin design, bland looking compared to M-Tron lineup