Category Archives: Models

This is what we’re all about. We scour the web for the best custom LEGO models to share with you. From castles and spaceships to planes, trains, and automobiles, you’ll find the best LEGO creations from builders all over the world right here on The Brothers Brick.

This P-51D Mustang is ready to take on the Luftwaffe

I have come to admire mrutek for his models of some of the lesser-known aircraft of the Second World War, such as the A-20 Havoc and the Yakovlev Yak-1, but he has now turned his attention to a rather more famous aircraft: the P-51D Mustang. The P-51D combined a license-produced Merlin engine (famous for its use in the British Spitfire) with an airframe that could carry enough fuel to fly all the way from England to Berlin, escorting bombers. Nonetheless, the aircraft was sufficiently fast and agile to take on the best the Luftwaffe could throw at it. The P-51D was the first Mustang version with a bubble canopy, that offered excellent visibility to its pilot, and is an aviation classic.

The model carries very attractive markings similar to those of the USAAF’s 361st Fighter Group on D-Day, with its yellow nose and invasion stripes. It’s not all perfect, though. For instance, I think the nose is a bit too long and should curve upward more at the bottom (I have purposely chosen a picture where this isn’t obvious). I also think that the distance between the leading edge of the wing and the front of the canopy should be a bit bigger. I know that building WW2 fighters isn’t easy, however, and overall this is an instantaneously recognisable model with some very nifty techniques.

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Super heroes racers

Okay Yaramanoglu (Oky – Space Ranger) built a lineup of mini-racers for Lego’s super heroes minifigs. Each racer is suited to the driver’s style (just like in Mario Kart). Which ones are your favorites?

The wacky Popcorn Wagon

Those of you who read this blog regularly will have seen tricked out and wacky hot rods by Lino Martins (Lino Martins) before, but few rods are as tricked out, as wacky or as hot as his latest creation: the Popcorn Wagon.

He normally builds his own custom designs, but this is a model of a real-world show rod from the sixties. These things weren’t so much cars (nobody knows whether this one can even drive under its own power); they’re sculptures on wheels. There is something oddly ‘meta’ going on here. Show rods are almost like real-world versions of the sort of vehicles Lino normally builds, which themselves are a kind of sculpture with wheels. Gnarly!

NASA Recovery Drone

I’ve made no secret of the fact that Shannon Sproule at his best is one of my favourite builders. And in his Mars Mission Recovery Drone he is definitely at his best. This LEGO model shows off Shannon’s mastery of beautiful and original designs constructed from primary shapes and blocky colours.

A dark river rushing

Although it’s a little low on color, that’s exactly what works in this diorama by K.Kreations. Both the roofs on the crumbling huts and the complex rock-work of the ravine are masterfully executed.

K. apparently built this for the Legends of Brickdom Global Adventure Challenge.

Curiouser and curiouser... Moko builds Alice and the White Rabbit

Moko claims never to have read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (as it so happens, I’m reading it right now), but that doesn’t stop him from building a wonderfully evocative version of Alice and the White Rabbit based on nothing more than a few image searches on the web.

Moko says that Alice’s hair was especially hard and that he had to rebuild it a couple times. The extra effort has certainly resulted in some naturally flowing hair.

Greetings from Nantou

Next up is a fabulous mosaic by a pair of Taiwanese builders Swar(left) and 娘娘槍(middle) called Swimming Carnival of Sun Moon Lake. The photo comes courtesy of lixia_1982 who has more photos from the recent Train Festival exhibition in Nantou.

Don’t even think about going all Elvis on this model, you unruly hooligans, these guys (and gal) don’t look like they would brook your shenanigans. This post was ripped off from the good folks over at Mosaic Bricks.

“The Cosmic Castaway (yeah)”

It is time for a blast from the past (not literally of course, we only bring you the freshest content here on TBB) courtesy of Awesome-o-saurus and his retro-rocked the Sarthîon Cruiser. It’s good to see that the builder, who has been around for a bit, finally dropped the “not so great” from his moniker. It is time for Lego nerds everywhere to embrace their inner awesomeness without all the annoying qualifiers. Now all Mr. O-saurus needs is an exclamation point after his name to complete the transition from very hungry caterpillar to beautiful butterfly.

What do you want from me in terms of commentary on this one?…it’s a cool pointy rocket.

“My friend the witch doctor, he taught me what to say.”

The doctor is in, constant reader and he’s ready to hear your myriad of problems dating back to childhood. Hankyung Ryu (uhank) is the responsible party for this out of left field Bionicle creation which he calls Witchdocter-bot. The righteous headgear drew me in, but I stayed for the fine details like the ribcage and fancy accessories.

Since sharing is caring and the Bionicle Tribe is notorious for their strong bonds of friendship and consumption of Mountain Dew, I’m going to sneak in one more non-System model. The builder is Belarus native Vlad Lisin ([Rhymes_Shelter]), whose work has graced the pages of TBB in the past. Enjoy G’Loona, part of your Sunday serving of Bionicle…which is totally not dead.

Summertime in Italy

As part of an event in Ballabio, North of Milan, the Italian LEGO users group ItLUG held a Creator contest, which was won by Dario Minisini (oirad72) with this lovely cottage.

I’m not sure whether the combination of the shape, the red roof-tiles and the white walls triggered it, but when I saw this picture I was immediately reminded of Italy, even before I knew the back-story. Like many Creator sets, its construction may be relatively straightforward, but the colours, the proportions and level of detail make it work.

Cruise the high seas in luxury with Orion Pax

It is time to beat the heat, constant reader because the stupid sun has had it too good for too long. Inspired by a good friend who runs a dive-center in Thailand, TBB regular Alex Jones (Orion Pax) takes to the high seas with his latest build the Sunreef 100 TDS. The boat looks like something you’d see in a rap video, with scantily clad babes cavorting with gold-chain wearing shot-callers. Alex gives you unprecedented insider access to his build process with an extensive work-in-progress photos and commentary and it’s all available on his website Orion Pax Blog. This isn’t the first time the two pals have teamed up for some aquatic action, check out Alex’s tribute to Thailand’s Similan Islands.

The Ocean’s Just a Step Away

Here’s a lovely use for a mosaic: use it to build a backdrop to your creation. Bluesecrets did exactly this with her latest build for her local LEGO store community window. (The community window is a small dedicated space in LEGO stores for adult fan clubs to exhibit.) This is a great example of using a mosaic for forced perspective to add depth to a diorama.