What’s behind the mask?

At first glance, you might think you’re looking at Optimus Prime sporting Rodimus Prime’s maroon color scheme and pinstripes from the original Transformers. Think again. This semi-truck is way more than meets the eye because it is a LEGO Creation of Rhino from M.A.S.K., the signature shape-shifting tractor rig/mobile defense unit from the 1985 Kenner toy line and animated series. Builder Hobbestimus actually made this his third version of Rhino, now complete with almost all the specs of its retro counterpart: battering ram, smokestack cannons, missile launcher (doesn’t actually launch), mobile computer command center, and detachable all-terrain vehicle, according to his Flickr page.

His attention to building the detailed functions of Rhino are what set it apart from a straight-forward buildable version. Hobbestimus modeled Rhino to the LEGO City scale, which limits a vehicle’s width by six studs wide. Like Rhino and his other LEGO Creations of the M.A.S.K. team, some of his other builds based on 1980s themes are also mid-sized. While building LEGO often has a fun element of surprise, Hobbestimus captures the spirit of M.A.S.K.’s tagline,  “where illusion is the ultimate weapon.” Check out these other vehicles from the M.A.S.K. line.