About Andrew Becraft (TBB Editor-in-Chief)

Andrew Becraft is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Brothers Brick. He's been building with LEGO for more than 40 years, and writing about LEGO here on TBB since 2005. He's also the co-author, together with TBB Senior Editor Chris Malloy, of the DK book Ultimate LEGO Star Wars. Andrew is an active member of the online LEGO community, as well as his local LEGO users group, SEALUG. Andrew is also a regular attendee of BrickCon, where he organizes a collaborative display for readers of The Brothes Brick nearly every year. You can check out Andrew's own LEGO creations on Flickr. Read Andrew's non-LEGO writing on his personal blog, Andrew-Becraft.com. Andrew lives in Seattle with his wife and dogs, and by day leads software design and planning teams.

Posts by Andrew Becraft (TBB Editor-in-Chief)

10226 Sopwith Camel biplane announced, plus 65-piece mini version [News]

This past weekend, LEGO announced the new 10226 Sopwith Camel set at AFOLcon in Manchester, UK.

Lots more photos in the photoset on Flickr.

In addition to the large-scale version, LEGO will also be releasing a mini version:

Here’s the full press release:

10226 Sopwith Camel

Ages 14+. 883 pieces.
US $99.99 CA $129.99 DE 89.99 € UK 79.99 £ DK 799DKK

Relive a classic era of aviation history with the Sopwith Camel biplane!

Recreate your very own piece of aviation history with the historic Sopwith Camel. This detailed replica of one of the most recognizable British single-seat biplanes ever to have graced the skies. Features include a realistic rotating propeller and engine cylinders, hinged tail rudder, realistic tension wires, functioning wing ailerons and tail flaps that can be controlled from the cockpit – just like the real plane! The detail doesn’t stop there; this authentic model has over 880 bricks, including dark green, dark tan and metallic silver elements.

Features include a rotating propeller and engine cylinders, hinged tail rudder, functioning wing ailerons and tail flaps that can be controlled from the cockpit

Includes dark green, dark tan and metallic silver elements

Recreate a piece of aviation history

Turn the propellers and see the cylinders rotate
Model measures over 15” (40cm) long and has a wingspan of over 19” (50 cm)

Available for sale directly through LEGO® beginning June 2012 via shop.LEGO.com, LEGO® Stores or via phone.

LEGO adds:

In addition the Sopwith Camel has many sought-after parts including some metallic parts on the cowling and new 1×1 round tiles. “We’re also introducing the 1×1 brick in dark tan, which was on our top ten list of elements that our fans want and we give you quite a few of them,” adds Jamie

“We have tried to avoid stickers wherever possible and have a brick-built rudder in the characteristic red, white and blue of the original. Also included are dark green 8×16 plates and 1×3 tiles in the same colour.”

Finally, here’s the designer video:

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LEGO Star Wars on sale + free shipping & exclusive TC-14 minifig [News]

The annual LEGO Star Wars sale on May 4th (“May the Force…” — you get the idea) is upon is. The pickings are a bit slim this year, but you get free shipping on all orders over $75 and various gifts with purchase — R2-D2 poster, TC-14 minifigure, etc.

The only two bigger sets on sale are Imperial Shuttle” and Super Star Destroyer — both at 20% off.

Link for our Canadian readers:

Link for our UK readers:

Microscale Matsumoto Castle by Blake Baer

Matsumoto Castle is an unusual castle in Japan that has striking black walls instead of the more familiar white walls of Himeji or Osaka castles. Blake Baer captures many wonderful details, from the red balcony to the slats on the black walls.

Thanks to reader Jake for making sure I saw this.

This mecha is no joke

waka joked on Twitter recently that Izzo‘s sudden activity might just be an April Fool’s joke. Happily, that’s not the case, as his latest mecha — inspired by ABAKAN 2288 — proves.

See more pics on Izzo’s blog. He says he’s proudest of the back, and it’s definitely lovely, as are the dark red touches against the gray.

Prometheus unbound

Rob (dasnewten) solidifies his place among LEGO builders as the “master of angles” with this excellent microscale frigate inspired Studio Nue and Kazutaka Miyatake.

LEGO Marvel Superheroes sets now available [News]

If I learned nothing else at Emerald City Comicon last weekend (post to follow shortly), it’s that I’m much more of a Marvel fan than a DC fan. So I’m a lot more excited by the official release today of the LEGO Marvel sets than I was about the DC sets a few months back.

Wolverine is looking pretty awesome with his claws and bike, but Captain America is who I’m happiest to see in LEGO minifig form:

Each set includes a unique combination of minifigs that I’m sure was designed to encourage collectors to buy them all:

Captain America’s” Avenging Cycle: Includes Captain America and a couple guys who must be from the upcoming movie (or a comic book I haven’t read)
Wolverine’s” Chopper Showdown: Includes Wolverine, Magneto, and Deadpool.
Loki’s” Cosmic Cube Escape: Includes Iron Man, Loki, and Hawkeye.
Hulk’s” Helicarrier Breakout: Includes Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, and Loki.
Quinjet Aerial Battle: Includes Thor, Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson, Loki, and one of those “foot soldier” dudes.

Our US readers can see the complete product listing by clicking through the following banner:

In other good news, TBB readers in the UK and Canada can now help support the site by clicking through from TBB when buying LEGO from the LEGO Shop online. I’ll set up the ads on the left to link differently depending on where you are shortly, but in the meantime, you can use the banners below (apologies for the visual repetition — it hurts my eyes, too):

Canada:

United Kingdom:

Banksy

Hans Dendauw (Tigmon74) built this excellent pair of buildings for a VirtuaLUG collaboration at Bricks by the Bay 2012.

Replicating graffiti in LEGO is tough enough, but Hans has LEGO-ized one of the most recognizable designs by one of the most recognized graffiti artists on the planet.

The Banksy wall certainly caught my eye, but Hans’s corner building is the real artistic triumph.

Via Brick Town Talk.

Sail away to your new home aboard the North Central Positronics Colonial Fleet

Mike Yoder has his own corporate entity reminiscent of Black Mesa from the Half-Life universe and Weyland-Yutani from the Alien franchise. North Central Positronics is a shadowy, semi-military organization with heavily defended bases on earth and a full-fledged fleet in space. Mike’s latest addition includes a pair of cargo barges, a pilot ship, and several heavy fighters.

Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahari

When I visited Deir el-Bahari, our Egyptian guide told us an easy way to remember the name of the pharaoh who had the colonnaded temple built for herself near the Valley of the Kings and Luxor. “Hot sheep suit,” he said. “You know, hot, like the sun, with a suit made from sheep.” The weather forecast placard in the hotel lobby had informed us it was going to be 45° C (113° F) that day. Standing there in the blazing desert sun, it was hard to imagine wearing a wool suit. And today, it’s hard to forget how to pronounce Queen Hatshepsut’s name.

Similarly unforgettable was her mortuary temple, here recreated wonderfully in LEGO by Harald P. (HP Mohnroth).

See many other wonderful LEGO models of historical structures in Harald’s LEGO Architecture set on Flickr.

Via GodBricks, so you can’t blame me for necro-posting — which is sorta appropriate for an Egyptian model, I guess.

LEGO Alien Conquest 25% off

While we wait patiently for LEGO to release the Marvel Super Heroes sets soon, they’re clearing space by discounting all Alien Conquest sets 25% (or more) through April 8.

New LEGO stores opening soon – celebrate with exclusive model [News]

The LEGO Group is opening 10 new stores in North America this year — including one I’m especially excited about just north of Seattle in Lynnwood, Washington. LEGO will be making a model of a LEGO store — 3300003 LEGO Brand Retail Store — available exclusively during grand opening celebrations

Here’s the complete press release:

3300003 LEGO Brand Retail Store

Ages 7+ 280 pieces

New LEGO Stores are opening soon!

Celebrate the opening of a brand new LEGO Store in your area with the new, exclusive LEGO Brand Retail Store model! Not available for purchase, this set is only given out to a select number of customers with a qualifying purchase during the Grand Opening Celebration. We are proud to announce 10 new locations in North America opening in 2012:

Nashville, TN

Victor, NY

Vancouver, BC; Canada

Wauwatosa, WI

The Woodlands, TX

Peabody, MA

Overland Park, KS

Elizabeth, NJ

Seattle [Lynnwood], WA

Alpharetta, GA

Stay tuned for details on the Grand Opening Celebrations, featuring the new exclusive, limited-edition LEGO Brand Retail Store set and T-Shirts! For more information, please visit stores.LEGO.com.

Offers will be available during the Grand Opening Celebration only, while supplies last.
Phone orders will not be accepted, to qualify purchase must be made at store location.

Bricks by the Bay 2012 wrap-up [Guest Post]

Since The Brothers Brick contributors can’t be everywhere all the time, we’re going to try being more consistent about bringing you coverage of important LEGO events from guest contributors. To start things off, here’s Carl Merriam to cover the recent Bricks by the Bay!

It’s been a little over a week since the doors closed at Bricks By the Bay 2012. It feels so much longer. Getting back into the flow of real life is always difficult after such a fun and rewarding convention. This year BBtB had more floor space, full use of the convention center theater and breakout rooms and quite a few more attendees and visiting public.

At the opening ceremonies we enjoyed some playful banter from LEGO Company representatives Kevin Hinkle, Jim Foulds, Steven Canvin, and Jenn Wagner. Hinkle also unveiled the new R2-D2 UCS set. I played with it myself and it does have some very nifty features, including folding computer interface and buzzsaw arms, as well as a “retractable third leg”.

There were plenty of great MOCs. Some of my favorites included The Last March of the Ents by The OneLUG, Bill Ward’s Rainbow Connection: Kermit the Frog with Banjo, Benjamin Newitt’s fully transforming Megatron, Tim Inman’s Heron Building, Kevin Smith’s T.A.R.D.I.S., Bruce Lowell’s prolific replicas, Remi’s Technic Dinosaurs, Norbert Labuguen’s Hero Factory Octopus (made from 10 of the new Joker sets), Chad Mealey’s pair of zoetropes, Brandon Griffith’s simply perfect Soylent Green, and, of course, my own miniland scale Pier.

On Saturday night the fire alarm in the hotel went off and everyone had to leave the exhibit hall. Most groups of people would have been frustrated. We took it as kind of an impromptu meet and greet. Talking about all things LEGO and getting to know the new people who were nearby, the time passed quickly. It turns out that the fire alarms were malfunctioning.

Attendees may have noticed BLARE Media running around all over the convention, filming scenes for the upcoming feature film Brick Madness. Justin McAleece, the film’s director, was kind enough to put together this brand new mashup of some scenes shot at BBtB 2012 for us to enjoy:

BBTB 2012/ Brick MADNESS clips from Justin McAleece on Vimeo.

My only complaints about this year’s BBtB were the absence of both the Bricks of Character category (Iain, you know LEGO is more important than that work nonsense you’re always going on about) and the Nova Albion steampunk convention that we all so enjoyed cross-pollinating with last year. However, their absence was totally circumstantial and not controlled by BBtB. I wore my commemorative bricks for both all weekend in memorandum.

The Local ABC affiliate did its own wrap-up:

Photos of everything can be seen here: