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.

Swole Lord of the Sith

LEGO’s buildable figures make great toys but, for many adult fans, they lack the detail and nostalgic appeal of models built from System bricks. Star Wars builder Shin Ichirau set about building a better Vader, keeping just the shins, shoulders, and head of the official buildable version and recreating the rest with System elements. The builder focused on capturing Vader’s power with a torso that is more ripped than the on-screen version, but gains aside, Shin’s version is a remarkable likeness. I appreciate the inner robes, often left out from toy depictions of the Sith Lord in favor of just the cape. Shin pairs his poseable Vader with a perfect stand that could be cut straight from the bridge of the Executor.

This isn’t the first Star Wars buildable glow-up we’ve featured on TBB. Pierthviv’s Boba Fett rebuild takes a similar approach with results worth their weight in beskar.

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Secret weapons of the TIEwaffe

Whether the mission calls for flushing fugitives out of hiding or reducing enemy bases to rubble, the imposing TIE-110 bomber will have the rebels on the run. Over the past two years, Jordan Fridal has been mashing up Star Wars vehicles with WWII aircraft in LEGO to brilliant effect. For his latest build, Jordan fuses the TIE Bomber with a Messerschmitt BF-110. The model captures the best of both sources, supplemented with custom stickering for the windshield and insignia. While I would hate to be on the receiving end of the TIE-110’s payload, I do wonder how that asymmetry would fly for in-atmosphere bombing runs.

The TIE-110 joins a growing roster of Imperial sky-fi craft: the TIE-109, TIE-190, and TIE-262. It’s quite a fearsome fleet! Thankfully Jordan made sure the Rebel Allies have equally awesome fighters.

Hi-ho, pinkie!

Not since the Mandalorian mounted a blurrg have we seen a lone gunslinger ride such an unusual steed across the plains. Terra Ender has been creating a different, amusing scene each day in October, and today’s build raises a few questions. Who is the cowboy peering down at the distant landscape below from his lofty perch? Does he have a fear of heights? And of course, where on earth (or beyond) did he get that awesome pink bifurcated-tailed lizard thing?

“You’ve got red on you.”

Monty Python may be the first thing you think of when someone says ‘British comedy’, but for sheer pop-culture points, I reckon Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy is not far behind. What makes me say that? Why, Trevor Pearson‘s LEGO Shaun of the Dead bust! This is, of course, the titular Shaun, the everyman appliance salesman turned zombie fighter played by Simon Pegg. Rather than realism, Trevor has gone for more of a caricature here, and it really works well. The hair is great, both the spiky rock-piece top and pointy beard, really emphasising the shape of Shaun’s head. All that’s missing is a bloody cricket bat… Or a red Strawberry Cornetto.

Trevor seems to have ghouls and giggles on his mind this Halloween season, as we also loved his Crypt Keeper tribute.

Corny builds as smooth as butter

Competition is cooking in a new Iron Builder duel between returning champ and prolific builder Duncan Lindbo and a fresh face on the scene, Ari “loafbuilds” Hytti. Per tradition, a challenger takes on one of four reigning Iron Builders to build models based around a surprise “seed part.” This time the seed part is the unikitty tail piece in bright light orange. “Allez Brick!”

Ari is a builder whose public LEGO creations have mostly focused on Bionicle and character builds, like his compelling entries in the 2024 Bio-Cup. You wouldn’t guess that from Ari’s first salvo, a brilliantly life-like pair of corn cobs that use 82 tails to create the truthy kernels, wrapped in complimentary sand green husks. It’s an ingenious use of the part that should serve Ari well in the competition.

It’s an iron builder tradition to respond to your competitor’s build with one that rhymes. Duncan ripostes with a playful scene of produce gone bad. Corn returns in miniature, with palm leaves making great husks at this scale. An appealing friend, perhaps resting his bones for a Fortnite, joins in the kitchen carnage. We can’t wait to see what these two builders cook up next!

The neighborhood is looking a little dead these days

We’ve all had weird neighbors, but chances are the people next door to you aren’t literal corpses with glowing red eyes. That’s the dilemma facing our nameless heroine in the pink puffy coat in this devilishly funny build by Ryan Wolf. It’s a simple build where most of the appeal comes from the inherent dark comedy of the subject matter, but that skull-baby’s stroller is adorable. I might almost say it’s. . . to die for.

A starfighter that’s hench

Star Wars Outlaws, the latest video big-budget video game in the Star Wars universe, released last August bringing with it great new ship designs for fans to turn into models! Sentinel_Brix built a spot-on LEGO version of the DF-11 Scourge used by pirates and gangs in the game. Brix made sure to add all the tubes and greebles you’d expect to find on a beat-to-hell fighter in the service of a criminal syndicate including a pair of hot rod exhaust pipes (like those on this Diesel Daredevil) venting out the back. It’s got everything you need to arm a bunch of henchmen, mooks, minions, stooges – goons even – and general flunkies to plunder the hyperspace lanes for profit!

Honk if you like big trucks with lots of detail

Semi, eighteen-wheeler, tractor-trailer, lorry—whatever you happen to call this mighty machine in your locale, Dennis Glaasker‘s Peterbuilt 389 Custom (at 1:13 scale) stands out. This isn’t the first Peterbilt Dennis (AKA Bricksonwheels) has built, but this chrome-plated titan differs from previous models in its smooth curves and angles and retro-style colors. Dennis also veered away from 24×43 wheels and added some modern rims. The truck also features some souped-up detail, which you can glimpse in the inner workings of the exposed engine. The chrome finish on the metallic parts is impressive, but the truck as a whole really shines.

Rocco’s capital LEGO build of Capitol Hill is a 36,800 piece marvel

“Here, sir, the people govern.” So said Alexander Hamilton as engraved in the US Capitol in Washington DC. Chances are you’ve seen the Capitol in LEGO before, perhaps in the official release from the LEGO Architecture line, but you’ve never seen it like this. Assembled here from over 36,800 LEGO bricks over four months, Rocco Buttliere‘s model of the Capitol is a masterclass in microscale landscaping and a breathtaking tribute to the heart of American democracy.

To differentiate from past builds of the landmark, Rocco chose to recreate the entire 100-acre grounds of the Capitol Campus, which includes the Capitol, Reflection Pool, Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, Botanic Garden, Capitol Steps, visitor center, and tree-lined paths. As with all of Rocco’s creations, the model is built at 1:650 scale, which posed unique challenges in capturing the appropriate detail. Some of Rocco’s solutions used delightfully surprising parts, such as fork facades, microphone lamps, and jewel fountains.

Take a stroll down the Capitol Steps with us to view the rest of Rocco’s jaw-dropping model!

A fantastic LEGO art piece, I’m not lion

LEGO art sets have inspired a whole new area of custom LEGO builds suitable to hang on the wall, like this creation from LEGO 7, who typically builds more character-focused models, featuring a lion holding a sword in his mouth. Bright colors and gold ornamental details capture the traditional lion dance vibe of the Lunar New Year celebrations. The sculptural aspect brings this creation to life over flatter mosaic styles.

A bull that only sees red

What kind of bull has 8 wheels, and can travel over 220 mph? The Eurosprinter Taurus, modeled in LEGO by Ties van Asseldonk (the designer of BDP Series 2’s Logging Railway)! I love LEGO locomotives and I gotta say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that looked this smooth before. With the sloping and curves around the cabins and the fine details by the logo, you – like me – may be wondering how on Earth Ties pulled this off. Luckily for all of us, Ties has graciously posted the instructions and digital model on the Open L-Gauge website; a great little space for sharing LEGO train designs. Ties has put on a masterclass, here, and given away his secrets for free. And that’s no bull!

LEGO Star Speeder 3000 is now ready for service to Endor

Star Wars fans in the LEGO community have created incredibly detailed and screen-accurate renditions of iconic ships like the X-Wing, B-Wing, and Y-Wing. But there’s one vehicle in the Star Wars universe that fans have a first-hand experience of riding in, and it’s one we don’t see as often in LEGO: the Starspeeder 3000, trusty transport used by infamous travel agency Star Tours! Japanese LEGO builder and Lucasfilm superfan Negipon fixes this with an incredible recreation of the Starspeeder, crewed and ready for a relaxing trip to Endor!

Not only does the build match the lines, colors, and greebling of the classic ride, but it is packed with play functions, including functional doors, retractable blasters and landing gear, custom lighting, and housing for an iPhone next to the pilot droid RX-24 (voiced by Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman, in the original ride) so that minifig passengers can get the full 4D movie experience. A video shows off all the details. Speaking of minifigs, Negipon booked quite a crew for his model’s maiden voyage.

This isn’t Negipon’s first Disneyland build. He recently built a motorized tribute to the Indiana Jones Adventure that brings the thrills home, and his LEGO Indiana Jones dioramas definitely belong in a museum (I’m partial to Negipon’s action-packed Club Obiwan scene).