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.

Plunder Cats, Plunder Cats, (yo ho) ho!

Ever wonder what your cats do while you’re away? If this fun LEGO diorama built by Okay Yaramanoglu is to be believed then they’re out plundering the neighborhood for catnip in a box hideout. I had my suspicions that was the case! In Okay’s words; “PlunderCats are a band of ferocious feline pirates lead by the fearsome Captain Fluffybeard. Their ship is basically just a box with sails since the cats are usually more interested in the crate that the pirate ship parts arrive in than the actual ship itself. Their hideout is located in the middle of the Catribbean on Cat Skull Island (which used to be inhabited by Mouselanders) and is essentially a big cat tree. This is where they are keeping their enemy, the scurvy dog Admiral Barkington, hostage and where they are hiding their most prized treasure, the Golden Cheezburger.”

That explains much of the tomfoolery going on around here, actually. In case your tuna supply has run low in your neighborhood as well here are a lineup of the usual suspects.

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.

I think I’ll have the Butter Burger with Brick Cheese.

There are a lot of important questions facing the world right now. One that keeps coming up in particular is “Who’s hungry?” Steven Stelter has a suggestion: Maybe you should head to Culver’s for a burger and shake combo. This brick-built beauty beacons you from the highway to delight in the realistic ductwork on the roof, the colorful brickwork, and the custom stickers that ensure you know just where you’ll be blowing that diet of yours.

Continue reading →

Terraforming has never been so terrifying... Trust me

Pascal has created a vision of a truly terrifying dystopia. This may look like some neo-classic space robots helpfully planning the terraforming of a new, distant world, but look closer! This is a world devoid of mere mortals like minifigures. In this darkest of timelines, our new robot overlords spend their days playing God with the very Earth that sustains us. Rivers bend to their will. They literally move mountains. And we must acquiesce, as tiny figurines moved around on a Warhammer board, powerless to stop them. If only someone had a brick separator… Then we may be free of this torment that the machines call a game…

Don’t fall for this hideout

Here’s a gorgeous little LEGO diorama by Simon Schweyer of a bit of mountains and a waterfall. The first thing that made me stop and look was the beautiful yellow autumn trees, which look a bit like poplars. They mesh well with the lime green grass to give a crisp, September feel to the scene. The waterfall itself is worth noting, too, as I’ve never seen that large cockpit (originally designed for Jango Fett’s ship) used as flowing water before, but I think it looks wonderfully placid here.

This waterfall hides a secret within, as there’s a cave behind the flowing river where the crew can make plans—though whether they’re brigands or heroes I’m not sure.

A Voyage to Whatever Happens Next

You don’t need me to tell you that life can be a wild, wondrous, and sometimes convoluted journey. Daniel Cloward (AKA Dan the Fan), with the help of his friend Julian, has built what might be a LEGO homage to how wild and wonderous a journey his own life has become. I love the odd shapes, whimsical colors, and textures. I also very much enjoy the title of this article, not made up by me, but by Dan. Sometimes whatever happens next is not entirely controlled and maybe we have to just enjoy the journey for now. He tells us the confusing proportions and wacky details are a testament to what may be happening in his own world. We’re a fan of yours, Dan the Fan. You all can be too. Check out our Daniel Cloward archives to make it happen.

In the Super Mario universe, the mushrooms are not fun guys

What do people have against mushrooms? I love them, but I had a roommate at college who flatly refused to eat them as they “taste like dirt”. I reckon it’s a case of Goomba-induced PTSD – to be fair, these little walking mushrooms can be a real nuisance in the Super Mario games. Lokiloki29 has paid tribute to this under-appreciated foe with this frankly adorable LEGO Goomba. They’ve perfectly captured its cartoonish likeness. Sure, he looks grumpy, but wouldn’t you be if there was an Italian plumber constantly trying to stomp on your head?

Pint-sized dinosaur and friend are on the hunt

This adorable LEGO vignette of two characters from the animated show Primal, by Dan Ko is a fun scene. Even though it was built with a small number of parts, it is big on charm with some very clever part usage, like the Minifig bowtie used for the dinosaur’s eyebrows, and the claw part used for the feet. But that single clip for the two spindly front legs is perfect.

An ocean of adventure in four micro modules

If it hasn’t been clear from past articles I’ve written on here, I am a humongous fan of micro LEGO builds. I probably build within an 8×8 stud area more often than not anymore. And I am absolutely gaga for these connected micro scenes by Louis of Nutwood. Depicting some of the classic tropes from high seas adventures, this quartet of vignettes shows the vessel, the fortress, the kraken, and the remote island. Each of the scenes lives in its own black box, reminiscent of those from the succulents LEGO set. But those boxes are then linked via waterfalls, connecting the disparate parts into a whole story. While there is some excellent parts usage throughout, some of my favorites are the cannons on the fortress and the texture-filled tree design.

A North Korean train with surprising cargo

After President Trump’s failed attempt to broker peace on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea resumed ballistic missile tests in 2019. They have done so many since, it has become quite hard to keep track of them all. However, two tests, in September 2021 and in January of this year, stand out because the missiles were launched from a train. Putting missiles on a train makes some sense. If it were to come under attack, North Korea needs to ensure it can still launch its missiles. Mobile launchers make it much harder for an adversary to find and destroy them on the ground. And North Korea has poor roads but a fairly well-developed train network. Finding the launchers becomes a shell game; just about any box car in the country can house an unpleasant surprise.

The train in September consisted of a single Soviet-built M62 diesel locomotive; a very common type in communist countries. This pulled two freight cars. The first was a regular Chinese-built P61 box car. The second was externally similar, but it had an opening roof, extra doors in its side and launchers for two ballistic missiles inside. I admire the skill that goes into building a LEGO train, but the last time I built one was in 2014. And the one before that was in 2009, so it is fair to say that I rarely build trains. But North Korean missiles on a train definitely piqued my interest. I have built number of other missile launchers recently, including a Soviet MAZ-547 transporter erector launcher for an SS-20 ballistic missile and a Cold-War cruise missile launcher. This fits that theme perfectly.

Furthermore, I also happen to write professionally about missiles from North Korea and I write computer models to predict their trajectories. So, the research that went into building this model is directly linked to what I do for a living. Over the years I have found that quite a few people in similar lines of work are actually LEGO builders.

A LEGO Batmobile scaled down for minifig Michael Keaton

For me and my generation, the iconic Batmobile will always be the 1989 version from the Tim Burton movie. And this minifig-scale LEGO version by Jerry Builds Bricks is a beautiful recreation of Bruce’s vehicle of choice. I’m most impressed by the parts the builder chose not to include. There’s neither a bat wing nor printed piece in sight. Instead, setting this build apart from the numerous Batmobiles of this scale churned out by LEGO since 2006, the vehicle relies entirely on sculpting from curved slopes and angled tiles to achieve all the sleek curves seen in the movies. I especially like the brick-built batwings on the rear of the car, as well as the clever use of the black rubber tubing for the cockpit’s windscreen.

A cup of space coffee, to go

It is always a treat to find a LEGO model that uses a non-traditional “element” such as this spaceship by Robert Heim that features a LEGO brand coffee cup in the shape of the Minifig-sized cup (the model includes 4 of those as well). The landing gear is also quite an interesting look, propping the ship up on a base built around the handle. LEGO products are made to such precise standards that a curved elements fits the shape of the handle perfectly.

These pirates are feeling a little crabby

Behold the mighty Hermit ship, constructed of LEGO by Thomas Jenkins! What happens with a bunch of little crabs team up with a giant hermit crab with a ship for a home? They all turn to pirating the seas, gathering all the goodies they can in their claws and stowing it away in the ship. They make use of the old ship’s stores to outfit themselves, and they roam the ocean floor looking for their next haul. The build before us here is adorable and colorful, giving a sense of whimsical adventure. Good usage of Bionicle and Hero Factory parts give the hermit crab form. The ship makes use of Technic parts for the bowsprit, and some nice slopes for the curving bits of the keel. The crabs make use of pirate tools, though the one atop the forepeak makes use of some scissors to cut opponents down to size.

The biggest issue with stowing loot in a broken ship? The cargo hold doesn’t exactly hold anything, as seen with the treasure chest being left behind. From this angle we can better see the details of the broken ship. Meanwhile, life in the sea continues as the pirates pass by. Fish swim around the coral and another crab goes about its life instead of joining the buccaneering crew.