Tag Archives: Airplanes

It will be hard to build a better, bigger bomber than this 6-foot LEGO B-36D

LEGO builder Jack Carleson is back with yet another model that shows why he goes by the screen name “Big Planes.” Following up on his incredible minifigure-scale Air Force One, Jack brings us a huge model of the Convair B-36D “Peacemaker” from the early cold war era.

Entering service in 1949 with a profile that fits right between the B-29 that preceded it and the B-52 that replaced it (which is still in service), the B-36 is nonetheless distinct with its six push-prop engines augmented with four jet engine nacelles. Jack’s model is massive with a wingspan of 6 feet. That’s all the more impressive when you look at how rigid the self-supporting wings are, which is an amazing feat of LEGO engineering. Continue reading →

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With a full interior, this 6ft long LEGO model of Air Force One looks fit for a President

We’ve featured LEGO aircraft models by Jack Carleson before, but his latest model of Air Force One completely dwarfs them. This stunning model is a whopping six feet long and has a wingspan of five-and-a-half feet.

The aircraft is a modified version of the classic Boeing 747 airliner, used as the US President’s personal aircraft. Its official designation is VC-25A, but “Air Force One” is its popular name. It is the radio call sign whenever the President is on board. Whatever you may think of its current occupant, this model of his aircraft simply oozes class.

Jack’s model isn’t just pretty from the outside. It has a full interior, including the President’s stateroom and meeting room, and also a galley, an operating theatre and space for Secret Service agents and the White House press corps that accompany the President on his trips. It also has working folding stairs, for direct access to the aircraft’s lower deck. Whether the model also features an escape pod, as depicted in the 1997 movie Air Force One, is, of course, classified.

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The Great War takes to the skies

This beast of a bomber is ready to spread its message of triumphant destruction among all those who oppose it. I love this digital dieselpunk design by Cagerrin, which is one of her many alternative history creations. The white and dark blue color scheme give the impression that this aircraft isn’t trying to hide. Its gold trim and eagle wings tell a tale of majesty, a symbol of the empire it flies for.

As far as aircraft made out of bricks go, this model is extremely well built. The wings are so smooth, with minimal studs exposed to give it a truly wooden appearance. Breaking from the vintage airplane norm, the engines utilize reverse propellers, pushing the lumbering bomber through the sky instead of pulling it along. The windows of the bomb bay is also another testament to Cagerrin’s sharp attention to detail. Even the barrels of the gun turrets have a World War I machine gun vibe.

A trio of big Boeing planes by BigPlanes

Sometimes a builder’s chosen name fits perfectly with what they like to build. My case in point, these three big Boeing 7-series passenger jets built by someone who goes by the name of…well, BigPlanes. On the far left we have a Lufthansa 737-500. Next to it in the center is a now bygone Pan Am 707-120. Finally, on the far right is my favorite, a Southwest Airlines 727-200. So far this builder has stayed true to his name but may have to change it to “Big-Planes-And-Also-Some-Other-Stuff” if he chooses to diversivy.

Here is a photo of the Pan-Am 707 with three minifigs to help appreciate just how big these big planes actually are.

Classic flight plan hanging around

If you love LEGO flying vehicles, chances are that you may have come across the models of Maelven. His ability to switch between slick renditions of Star Wars vehicles and classic planes is beautiful. It always makes me wonder what he’s going to come out with next. His Blind Man’s Bluff Hangar is full of fine elemental compositions. The plane by itself looks great, with one wing folded up and step ladder at the ready.

This is a new rendition of Maelven’s previous Hawler Sea Fury T.20, a LEGO plane he has been refining since 2012. Accompanying it are a host of other fine details, from his beasty Ratrod to the stripped fuselage and workshop fixtures. However, my eyes kept being drawn towards the top of this superb diorama to take in the roof trusses of this classic hanger. A seamless combination of Technic connectors, liftarms and Technic bricks achieving a specific form such as this always makes me happy. Between the truss and the rigid hose conduit, this fantastic scene is well-framed.

World War 1 German Fokker D.VII

World War I vehicles are a source of inspiration for lots of LEGO builders. Maybe it’s the challenge of the many unique shapes these vehicles use. Whatever the reason, this model of the German Fokker D.VII by Wesley does a top-notch job of capturing the look of this fighter plane, from the cross built into the tailfin to the engine with wooden propeller, to the wheel structure. Even the camouflage pattern under the wings (while not official LEGO) is quite a nice detail.

Massive 1/15-scale LEGO Vought F4U Corsair takes to the bright and terrifying Pacific skies

With its distinctive inverted gullwings and gorgeous dark blue color scheme, the Vought F4U Corsair is easily my all-time favorite fighter plane. Produced throughout both World War II and the Korean War, the warplane also has the distinction of having the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter. While James Cherry may not be the most prolific LEGO builder — he shared his amazing 1/15-scale LEGO F-14A Tomcat jet fighter exactly two years ago — but each of his creations is well worth the wait. Built to the same scale as the Tomcat, James’s Corsair is deceptively huge; for a better sense of the scale, notice that the palm trees are built from stacked washtubs! We’ve estimated that this LEGO Corsair has a wingspan of over one hundred studs (over 32 inches or 82 cm), and it’s over 80 studs long from nose to tail (over 26″ / 67 cm).

See more photos of this amazing LEGO Vought F4U Corsair

Trademark of the Blue Angels led by the F8F-1 Bearcat

In August 1946, the F8F-1 Bearcat led by Bob Clarke introduced the Diamond Formation, a formation of four or more aircraft where the elements of the group adopt the shape of a diamond, which is still considered the Blue Angels’ trademark formation today. Builder Greyson has a special place in his heart for the Angels after seeing them up close and wanted to honour and commemorate their historical significance.

This wonderfully 1/45 scale aircraft features a spinning propeller, a tailwheel, and folding wingtips. The blue elements used for the build are bright and stunning, and the clean shapes best represent the swift speed of the angles cutting right through the clouds.

B-24 Liberator Bomber from World War II recreated in LEGO

The B series bombers are certainty some of my favorite airplanes ever created. I can’t help but think of them as battleships of the sky, with the ability to drop tons of bombs while laying down machine gun fire in all directions from a multitude of manned turrets. Nelsoma84 has brought one of these planes to life in LEGO form: the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. Although the B-17 usually steals the show, as we’ve seen before with a B-17 from PlaneBricks and a chrome Flying Fortress by Orion Pax, the B-24 was actually the most-produced bomber and American military aircraft in history. This particular model is based on one of the B-24’s based in Benghazi, Libya, which explains the tan coloring.

These bombers were used in 2,400-mile round-trip bombing raids on oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania which supplied 30-50% of the Third Reich’s fuel. The model has excellent shaping all around, from the tips of the wings to the signature glass nose, and has room inside for pilots and gunners. Custom stickers complete the model’s look and add an additional level of detail.

Take Flight into the Winds of War with these Fantastic Aircraft

World War I (1914-1918) marked a turning point in military technology. While the age of aircraft was still quite young, it did not take military strategists long to recognize their advantage on the battlefield. The era produced legendary pilots like the Red Baron and Eddie Rickenbacker. 100 years later, we can add Wesley to the list of flying aces with his brilliant aircraft from the Great War.

By themselves, Wesley’s models look really slick, but his excellent photography really kicks things up a notch. He does an excellent job of setting the scenery, with believable landscaping and cloud laden skies. The muted colors used to present the images are reminiscent of turn-of-the-century hand-tinted color photographs. Wesley has created a number of planes for us to enjoy, including…

Check out the rest of Wesley’s amazing aircraft below

An endless dogfight delight with a motorised LEGO creation [Video]

Jason from JK Brickworks never ceases to impress us with his animated skills of using motors and moving parts to bring a build to life. This time he’s got a Sopwith Camel and Fokker Dr.1 all tuned up and ready for an endless chase.

Click to see it in action

Porco Rosso’s racing plane takes to the skies

We’ve featured half a dozen or so Savoia S.21 flying boat from Porco Rosso over the years, but it remains one of my favorite LEGO aircraft whenever I run across a new version. This latest incarnation of the racing plane from the 1992 Hayao Miyazaki film is brought to us by Volker Brodkorb. The airplane’s huge engine mounted forward of the cockpit makes this plane instantly recognizable, as do the striping on the angled wings.

Volker uses curved slopes attached studs out to achieve the sloping shape of the boat-plane’s hull, and the pop of yellow on the front of the propeller is a lovely touch.