Carter Baldwin ([Carter]) has chosen an especially apt name for his new aircraft. Even without the name, the shape of this craft immediately brings the dragon to mind. It’s a very unconventional shape for a helo, and it looks great. The inclusion of tilt-rotors is also a great way to make something futuristic.
Though not the sort of achievement that makes me proud to be human, the Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 “Drache” (Dragon) was the first helicopter to enter production, though Nazi Germany was only able to manufacture about 20 during World War II. I had no idea it even existed until Aleksander Stein built one from LEGO.
Here’s Aleksander’s Fa 223 in action over southern Bavaria:
Brian Williams posted two new Indiana Jones bignettes (big vignettes). As with his works, I’m really impressed by the presentation, both the photography and the creations themselves.
The Rocket Escape is composed of four standard 8X8 vignettes. The construction of the rocket is elegant for such a small scale. After staring at the large image, I still can’t figure out how it’s made. The Beersheba scene features great use of the Prince of Persia parts, but my favorite detail is the octagon base edged with rubber bumpers.
Justin Vaughn (Mainman) built a highly-original creation depicting an F-15 dogfight using forced perspective. Besides the editing of the HUD, everything else is 100% Lego. Click on the picture to read more about the setup.
Is there a contest going on that I’m not aware of? The recent crop of sky-fi fighters makes it seem as though dieselpulp may be replacing steampunk as the fan-created theme du jour.
Anyway, I couldn’t blog the more recent fighters by other builders and pass up my favorite, the P-79 Stratofighter “Steel Wind” by Jon Hall:
The judicious sticker usage and gorgeous presentation truly enhance what would be an awesome fighter regardless.
Fredo Houben (Fredoichi) seems to be taking a break from the tiny mecha we love so much to build a series of sky-fi fighters, which we also love.
Check out more of Fredo’s sky-fighters in his photoset on Flickr.
EJ Nichols (Gold_2) has combined the sky-fi aesthetic with the Vic Viper form, and the result is rather awesome.
(Coincidentally, the XP-55 Ascender was a World War II prototype that would fit right in to the fantastic world of sky-fi.)
In regards to the Technic builder Peer (Mahjqa) Kreuger, I’ve come to expect the unexpected in the functional creations that one can make out of Lego. His latest Stilzkin Bridge Launcher is a vehicle that carries and deploys its own bridge to cross a chasm. Check out this must-see video for the entire action footage.
How about build an awesome little mecha, with a foot for armor on the body? That’s what Fredo (Fredoichi) has done with his new Hayaku v3 – Gun Runner.
There aren’t many parts available in the sand green color of the Bionicle foot he’s used, so he’s found a novel solution. He’s gone ahead and ripped the legs off of some minifigs, and used their hips as a detail piece.
The landscaping in this military diorama by Infomaniac is superb — especially the rock formation under the sentry tower.
Don’t miss the muddy soldiers sneaking up on the tower, though I suspect their camouflage will wash off in the crystal-clear waters of the stream.
This mecha by Fradel Gonzales (Slice151) is fun and great by any standard. I particularly like the construction of the weapon on its left shoulder, and the way he posed it in a simultaneously brooding and challenging way. And the tan. I like the tan. It looks like it’s ready to take on the world.
It’s named after his childhood dog, Bronte, that he pines for and still loves. That also is a great contrast.
Real life, including spending time with my real life LEGO friends, have been part of why I haven’t been blogging, so I figured I’d transition back into it by blogging a couple locals.
