Get To Da Choppa!

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve built anything with my own Lego, but I’m going to post something anyways. I built this light transport helicopter months ago, and have finally managed to get the photos together. I tried to spice things up with a little scene this time, although it may be too little for the helo.

Sparrowhawk Light Attack Helicopter 47

I’m a big fan of tilt-rotors, though I hear this is properly called a tilt-wing. Either way, the tilting adds a fun little activity, when swooshing this thing around.

Get Robo!

I don’t know what the Get Robo company does, but I know I like this sculpture if their mascot by Ewok in Disguise. The robot is cute, and incorporates some intersting building techniques in the torso. Frankly, I think it’s better looking than the source image he based it on.

Commissioned Project Complete!

The Golden Hinde

Brickshelf user T-Brick brings us this lovely replica of the Golden Hinde, the infamous ship of that gentleman-pirate, Sir Francis Drake. The real ship was used by Drake in his circumnavigation of the globe, one of the earliest such voyages, and only the second to be completed in a single ship. T-Brick’s version is particularly interesting, because he hasn’t used custom sails or rigging.

A Neo-Classic Space resurgence?

There’s been a spate of really great Neo-Classic Space models over this last week or so, and I hadn’t realized I missed it quite as much as I apparently do. The latest update to a classic set is Chris Edwards‘s update to 6928 Uranium Search Vehicle.

Uranium Search Vehicle 01

As much as I love the vehicle — from the faithful recreation of the uranium detectors on the front to the lab on the back — what stands out most to me is the great updates to the black and white Space minifigs.

Countryside Keep for the Mini-Castle Contest

Each year, Classic-Castle runs a number of contests. Right now we’re in the middle of the Mini-Castle Contest, a sort of precursor to the massive Colossal Castle Contest. You’ve still got until October 31 to enter!

In the meantime, I invite you to check out some of the competition. Ru Corder has posted this lovely micro-scale landscape/castle mix-up. I’m in love with the timber fence-line.

A Three-pronged Attack

And for Jon Walker (Jon1138), those three prongs are excellence, imagination, and the capacity to carry out his plans. It seems that every year, large spaceship designs get more innovative and more unorthodox in their shapes, and the Dalu planetary defense craft is certainly at the forefront of these original designs.

According to Jon, it checks in at 150 studs long, and 60 studs wide, making it deceptively large, and all the more impressive in its structural integrity.

A Prickly Sort of Fighter

This latest spaceship by T.Oechsner, a veteran of Classic-Space themed models, is certainly a beauty. All the antennas and other technical accoutrements are perfectly placed to give this spaceship a menacing, sturdy feel.

LL1110-07 THRA BAR

How to identify LEGO Series 5 Collectible Minifigs by touch

iconLEGO Series 5 Collectible Minifigures proves, it’s pretty hard to identify the minifigs using any but the “touch and feel” method. Thankfully, SEALUG / TexLUG member Jason Junker has put together this handy guide to find the minifigs you want by touch.

Small Clown: His bowler hat feels similar to the Detective’s hat. He also has a pie, which feels smaller than I thought it would. (that’s what she said) [Tee hee! -ed] Each time I confirmed by feeling for the short legs.

Boxer: The surprise here is that his boxing gloves are attached to his hands. He’s one of the hardest to feel if you don’t know this little fact. Also feel for the gap in his face guard. (Thanks for the “attached gloves tip” W. Heron)

Royal Guard: 2 words, HUGE hat. And feel for the rifle to confirm.

Lumberjack: The only “baseball cap” in this series. The axe is easily recognizable. But be sure that you feel the attached axe head on the end, or it could be the Evil Dwarf’s axe handle.

Zookeeper: I expected the monkey to be easy to feel, but the banana is the dead give away here. No other pieces feel anything like it.

Graduate: He’s the only fig with a 2×2 tile (certificate, like “Disco Guy’s” record from S2), and his graduation cap is what I used to confirm. It’s square, with 1 different feeling corner for the tassel and a little raised bump in the middle of the top.

Cave Woman: The only fig with a squishy element this time. Her hair. Feel for the bone separately, and the club is the same as the S1 Cave Man’s. (Thanks for the “squishy hair tip” W. Heron)

Snowboarder Guy: Just like the last 2 snowboarders, the snowboard is a dead giveaway.

Detective: His hat is double billed, so feel for both sides, or it could be the Small Clown. I felt for the magnifying glass to confirm.

Egyptian Queen: Huge wedge dress, and snake are easy to feel.

Ice Fisherman: The fish, and fishing pole are the giveaway here, just like the last 2 series fisherman/gnome.

Evil Dwarf: The winged helmet is bulky, but so are the pieces for the Royal Guard & Gladiator, so I felt around for 1 of the 2 detached axe blades, or the handle. The difference in the shield between the Gladiator’s is that the front of the Evil Dwarf’s is smooth.

Gladiator: He has a huge bulky helmet, but he’s also the only fig with a knife/sword. It’s shorter than I expected. (That’s what… never mind) The difference in the shield between the Evil Dwarf’s is that the front of the Gladiator’s has a stud.

Gangster: This fig has the smallest accessory, his pistol. I also felt his hat, it’s he same as the Cowboy’s from S1 or Indiana Jones’. I never once knowingly felt his case.

Fitness Instructor: Big long hair, and the “boom box” feels like a brick with a handle (just like the Rapper’s from S3)

Lizard Guy: Last but not least, the one I was most excited about, and will be the first one I open… His tail was what I ended up feeling for. It’s a very large piece that fits under his head like a backpack, so you can feel for that tab with the hole in it as well.

Jason rightly says that it’s helpful to have a good picture in front of you, so here it is:

LEGO Series 5 Collectible Minifigures