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.

LEGO motorization from an era of steam mechanisation

I love seeing old ideas for things that never got beyond the prototype stage. That’s particularly true from the early age of mechanisation – crazy ideas like steam cars or balloon ships look more like steampunk fiction than reality. Take this steam tractor, built by LEGO builder Nikolaus Löwe. Nikolaus is no stranger to sci-fi creations, and indeed that’s what I figured this was. It looks very functional, and yet like nothing I’ve ever really seen… And yet, it was real! This is a model of an early Hornsby steam tractor, of which only one was ever made. The model itself was not a commercial success, by all accounts, but early prototypes did result in the tracks being dubbed ‘caterpillar’ tracks on account of their caterpillar-like motion. Indeed, the Hornsby firm would eventually morph into the company we know as Caterpillar today.

Oh, and speaking of motion – see all those functional-looking gears and Technic axles? They’re not just for show, you know! There’s a great video showing off all the tractor’s functions, including an impressive differential steering mechanism – check it out!

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Drive back to the future at this space age auto showroom

Today’s cutting-edge cars can chop carrots, spontaneously combust, or embroil you in a culture war, but there was a time when the American automobile symbolized a big bright, beautiful tomorrow, and the showrooms for these atomic-age chariots were cathedrals of cinder blocks and glass. Architectural builder Andrew Tate takes us back to that swingin’ chapter of Americana in LEGO with the glorious Lunar Motors showroom. Andrew captures the playful geometric style of the era with the angular profile and the dramatic inclined window. I especially love the perforated facade on the sides of the entrance. Andrew demonstrates his usual flair for brick-built lettering on the sign.

Andrew’s showroom includes a fully detailed interior with lovely wood paneling, patterned walls, midcentury furniture, and a sleek ’60s roadster. I can practically smell the future.

Andrew is no stranger to Atomic Age architecture. We also loved his striking bowling alley and swell airport lobby.

Virtual pop star Hatsune Miku gets idolized by LEGO character stars

March 10th is MAR10 Day, and by now, we all know what May the 4th signifies, but did you know that March 9th is Miku Day? It’s the day when fans celebrate Hatsune Miku, the vocaloid virtual diva who has taken the world by storm since her debut in 2007, spawning concerts, anime, manga, games, and especially fan works. To celebrate the day, big names in the LEGO Bionicle and character building community came together for a synchronized drop of Miku tributes. Aside from the signature blue hair, the builds couldn’t be more different in style. Each model is inspired by a song featuring Miku’s vocaloid singing. Together they show why Miku has endured as a chameleon-like idol, open to interpretation by fans.

First up is “World is Mine” Miku from alex_mocs. For Miku’s azure hair, Alex blends curvy tubes with ninjago swords. What sets this build apart is the incredible staging on that impressive stack of speakers, evoking a futuristic platform on which the holographic singer can shine.

Keep reading for more vocaloid visions in LEGO

Bringing new life to old parts

Spring is swiftly approaching, and in celebration, Jonas Kramm and Martin Gebert built a sweet LEGO garden. It’s lovely enough on first glance, but take a closer look and you’ll be even more enamored! Fun parts usage abounds, including fences that only came in a couple 1987 Fabuland sets in this color (3659 Playground and 3675 General Store). More rare Fabuland parts make an appearance in the little gazebo (yellow decorative arches), and nestled in the cart (the earth-orange “carpet beater”). Speaking of the cart, a Duplo crossbow sneaks in as the tongue. Other notable rarities include the medium-blue barrel, only appearing in one set (4579 Ice Ramp Racers Freeze and Chill), the aspen/birch trunks, which only came in 41164 Disney Frozen Enchanted Treehouse, and the Series 13 Collectible Minifigure Carpenter’s saw. Scala even makes an appearance with the flowers centered in the Sonic rings at the top of the gazebo! The more you look, the more you find!

A trip to Mongolia, via north London

It’s funny what parts of your life LEGO creations can remind you of. Here, we have a Mongolian Ger (or yurt, as we in the Western world might call it), as built by qian yj. Now it’s a fine build: the barren landscape of the steppes contrasts nicely with the colourful tent that these minifigures call home. And yet, rather than being transported to Mongolia, my mind takes me to university accommodation somewhere north of London. For some reason, my flatmates and I had taken to loudly playing Mongolian throat singing outside each other’s doors at inconvenient times. This led to scenarios as hilarious as the music is enchanting. And it puts a smile on my face even now. Thanks for jogging my memory, Qian!

Growing as a builder

It’s been said that the purposes of bonsai are “primarily contemplation for the viewer, and the pleasant exercise of effort and ingenuity for the grower”, and when done properly results in an “artful miniature replica”. Remind you of any other hobby? In that context, the diminutive zen-influenced art form seems like a natural (though challenging) subject for a LEGO model, and a browse through The Brothers Bricks archives reveals that builder Louis of Nutwood was not alone in making the connection. Some builders would rather not repeat themselves, but I think building and improving on a subject is where true growth lies, and Louis has certainly cultivated better and better results with each revisit. Louis shares that “it stands in my living room, only to remind me to breathe and cherish the beauty in every moment.” Not to knock the official LEGO Bonsai set(s), but I would choose Louis’ rendition for my own mantle any day.

Boba Fett, electric horse man

The first time the world saw Boba Fett, he wasn’t in a starship but sitting in the saddle of an alien creature. With a dad named Jango and a TV series infused with Western tropes, of course the bounty hunter is at home on the range. Builder Red Impala captures Fett at his Old West best in this LEGO tribute to “Hunter’s Heart” from the Star Wars: Age of Rebellion comic. Fett’s droid horse almost looks like a creature from the world of Horizon: Forbidden West with its’s head limited to a single glowing eye. I like the use of battle droid arms and blasters in the mount’s legs, which give it an extra Star Wars touch.

This model is one of a trio of “Desert Hunters” from from Red Impala. Dino-riding Khalid is also quite impressive!

LEGO birds (some assembly required)

Do you remember those building kits that let you assemble your own airplane or bird? No, not LEGO. The kits made from balsa wood or Styrofoam that were a step up from paper airplanes. LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery alum ArzLan lets nostalgia take flight with a pair of easy-to-assemble bird planes that perfectly capture the 2D designs and die-cut slots of the classic toys. I can practically feel the disappointment as they inevitably nosedive, crack a wing, and end up in the waste-bin after a few good flights.

Charizard, I choose you (as my backup option)

I’m always going to be a fan of the Squirtle-Wartortle-Blastoise line from the Pokémon games. But even then, I can’t deny that the coolest of the final 3 evolutions has to be Charizard. Daniel BrickSon has recreated the fire-type ‘mon in LEGO form, performing its signature Flamethrower move. The fire looks excellent, the yellow and red a great approximation of the 2D anime styling. And Charizard itself is fab, too, making use of many arch pieces in orange and teal to craft its 3D form. It makes me want to pick up my Game Boy to play Pokémon Red all over again… Oh hey, Daniel built one of those, too! (I’m still picking Squirtle, though.)

A Hero (Factory) is only as good as its villains

From 2010 to 2014, LEGO replaced the Bionicle line with Hero Factory, a world of robot agents protecting the galaxy from villains bots like Thornraxx. Builder Magmafrost13 gives this B-tier adversary an S-Tier makeover that’s buzzing with clever techniques. The bug-bot’s curved gaster is made from interlocking feet elements. I especially like the shaping on the face, which uses paint rollers to connect the antennae and hides Hero Factory masks under the bulbous eyes. This version of Thornraxx might not shoot balls out of its mandibles, but with all those wicked blades around the carapace, the foe seems decidedly more lethal. Better call on Benjamin Anderson’s upgraded Stormer to swat this fearsome pest.

Warning: speed hump ahead

Camel crossing ahead. One hump means we’re in dromedary country, specifically a dustry stretch of desert highway en route to Pakistan. Dessis Bosman has built a LEGO truck that’s up for this rigorous road — a Scania LB141 in the livery of Dutch hauler Rynart. Bult at 1:13 scale, the truck is a beast. And at ~160 studs long, it also qualifies as a SHIP. Around 1000 2×4 tiles went into the tarpaulin alone.

Dennis had previously built a Scania LB141 in the yellow livery of British shipper Astran, and used the chasis as hte foundation for this new build. The truck takes advantage of an incrased range of parts in dark azure to match the Rynart livery.

Drive on for more pics of Dennis’ desert-ready truck

Jump in the cockpit of this fun LEGO model of the Z-95 headhunter

Most Star Wars fans know about the iconic X-Wing fighter made famous by Luke Skywalker’s trench run during the attack on the Death Star, but did you know about the sleek predecessor, the Z-95 Headhunter? swbuilds, who specializes in amazing LEGO Star Wars vehicles that are quite detailed, has turned their impressive skills to build this lesser-known starfighter in LEGO. The techniques used to craft the wings and fuselage with almost seamless connections is, to quote Darth Vader, “Impressive, most impressive.”