Yearly Archives: 2011

Machinations in the Boardroom

To get the necessary overview of what’s happening in the LEGO world, we here at TBB often have to rely on various sequences of small pictures — it’s just not possible to review hundreds of LEGO photos a day in deep, individual detail. Sometimes, amazing LEGO models get overlooked as a result. So we’re eternally grateful to readers like Chris Edwards to make sure we don’t just blog LEGO models that “looked good from the thumbnail.”

This fantastic photo by Nathanial Brill (Shuppiluliumas) is a perfect example of what we might have missed if we were only looking at a tiny version of the picture.

The Boardroom Take 2

Low light emanates from the walls and ceiling, illuminating the scheming executives. Outside the window, Nathaniel uses microscale buildings to provide a clue to the scale of the city in which these captains of industry plot their hostile takeovers.

It’s definitely worth taking a look at the large version on black. And don’t miss the setup shots.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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Trying out LEGO Cuusoo

After the LEGO Cuusoo Beta launched in English last week, I’ve been keeping an eye on the site to see what people are up to. As announced last week, winning projects have to reach 10,000 supporters, and the winning designer keeps 1% of the proceeds from the LEGO set’s sales.

Projects from several Japanese builders are also available on the English site, including one of Hidaka‘s classic, oft-imitated pianos.

LEGO piano by Hidaka

Other cool projects include a Back to the Future Delorean and Macross/Robotech Valkyrie.

LEGO Back to the Future Delorean LEGO Macross Valkyrie

Of course, we here at TBB don’t want to be left out! Dan already mentioned his Protype Attack Mecha Alpha Zero design, while Nannan submitted his massive “Mirage” collaboration with Tyler:

LEGO Mirage diorama

I thought I’d go a bit smaller, with a couple of my favorite vehicles — a wildland fire engine and WW2 ambulance:

LEGO 6x6 TATRA Fire Truck LEGO WW2 Dodge WC54 Ambulance

It’ll be interesting to see where all of this goes!

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LEGO Technic 8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 400 [News]

The VW Camper Van isn’t the only German vehicle released in LEGO form this year. Long-time readers of the blog will recall that I’m obsessed with the Mercedes Unimog, and I’ve featured several — starting with Adam Grabowski’s Unimog back in 2006. Adam now works for LEGO as a designer. I don’t think Adam works on Technic sets, but it’s nice to see an official LEGO version of this awesome vehicle.

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It’s been out for a few months, but I suspect it might be news for a couple of you out there. TechnicBricks has the full review.

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Time-lapse video: Building 10220 Volkswagen T1 Camper Van

I spent a good chunk of Saturday and Sunday at BrickCon building 10220 Volkswagen T1 Camper Van, assisted toward the end by an able young spacer (I build slowly — really slowly — savoring the build, or something). Marshall Matlock has managed to squeeze the build into a minute and a half.

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Video game designer Hideo Kojima uses LEGO to build levels

Metal Gear Solid designer Hideo Kojima recently gave a talk at USC in which he revealed that he and his development team have used LEGO to design game levels.

Relating a story about taking his son to work one day during a time when his wife felt he was spending too much time at work, his son says that Dad “plays with Legos all day.”

I can imagine little scenes like this one by David McNeely scattered around Kojima’s design studio…

Slit

Read more on Joystiq (via Kotaku).

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Eternal Dusk

The Ma.K starfighter contest may be over, but there still some fantastic builds to be found in the LEGO Starfighters group on Flickr. This shapely fighter by ROOK is an entry for the FBTB MOC Madness 2011 tournament, and features some excellent weathered stripes and interesting textures on the wings.

Eternal Dusk

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Spy ship gone rogue

Zane Houston designed a spy ship and outfitted it with guns to suit a bounty hunter. Not a bad combination of stealth and firepower.

Arkose VII

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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.

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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.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.