Build your own R2-D2

De Ago/Fanhome Artoo

“Build your own R2-D2” is a “partworks” kit designed and sold by De Agostini/Modelspace, a subsidiary of Italian publisher De Agostini. It seems it got re-released under De Agostini’s marketing name “Fanhome” in 2021. It’s also carried by firms in other territories, such as Altaya in France and STK in Hong Kong.

It’s delivered as a 25 month (optionally 1 year in the US) subscription over 100 issues, and results in a digitally controlled and motorized R2 model that’s a little under half the size (28cm wide and 48cm tall) of the original movie props.

When complete it will cost you £900 in the UK or $1625 in the USA (last time I looked, though check for yourself since the prices keep going up and up). In most countries you must also buy the special lithium batteries extra.

Here are some notes on the product, based on my observations. My review may sound positive in some ways and negative in others. But my goal has been to be as accurate and fair as I can. I'm not attacking De Agostini, but neither am I making excuses for them. I just want the best (most accurate-looking and reliable) model R2 for my money! And I wrote this review so that other people can make their own informed decisions about the product.

This is a really long review

I'm going to be the first to admit that this nonsense is definitely a really stupidly long read. If you can't be bothered to read the whole thing, and I don't blame you if that's the case, feel free to jump straight to my review's conclusion.

I – About the De Agostini/Fanhome R2-D2 (Kit Review)

II – Problems and Fixes: the De Ago/Fanhome R2

III – About Partworks Kits

IV – Useful Links

V – Part List and Downloadable Instructions

I also have addition material on the real R2-D2 movie props:

The Astro-Droids Pages