Tag Archives: Space

From giant space carriers to starfighters, moon bases to moon buggies, whether you love LEGO models inspired by real-world space programs or science-fiction, you’re in the right place.

‘Battle for District 18’ LEGO speeder bike roundup

Ever since Star Wars: Return of the Jedi hit theaters, hovering speeder bikes have been a very popular subject with LEGO builders captivated by that high-speed chase through the forest of Endor. There’s something enchanting about slapping a big engine on a spindly, thoroughly greebled contraption and crafting the perfect mini-fig character. You can almost feel the whining vibrations in your spine. The Flickr group LSB Lego Speeder Bikes has been running a contest for the month of February called the Battle for District 18.

During the contest, builders competed in 4 categories:

Rebels (criminals causing rampant destruction and mayhem)
Enforcers (law enforcement tasked with bringing these rebels in)
Abide (citizens just trying to survive the chaos)
District 18 (a scene that represents the daily struggle in District 18)

We here at TBB have already featured a few of these models over the last month, but now that we have reached the end of this popular competition I wanted to feature a round-up of some of my personal favorites.

Featured entries after the jump

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Disposable walls of Distrikt 18

With the recently concluded LEGO speeder bike contest, there have been hundreds of speeder bikes submitted, and I too have decided to join in at the last minute with a police chase diorama. The build started with the police speeder and its huge windscreen, which gave me the idea of a wall-smashing speeder in a future where buildings are so cheap to rebuild, a police officer may consider just breaking through a few walls to catch a criminal.

I have put a large majority of the effort on the speeder bikes themselves, with the somewhat simple diorama acting as a catalyst to join them together in a cohesive scene. The walls are literally broken up by the hole that the police speeder has punched in them, as well as a hole being repaired by a 3D-printing robot.

Since this diorama was built for a contest and it was limited by a deadline, I put emphasis on the speeder bikes themselves, but the concept of a crushed wall and a wall being printed are something I really want to revisit. While I do have a technique for both in mind, there are a lot of other things I want to build before I return to Distrikt 18.

Microscale multi-purpose cargo shuttle

LEGO dropships are a favorite subject for many sci-fi fans of both movies and video games. While this particular model by Oscar Cederwall is original, it does seem to take some inspiration from the dropship featured in Aliens, which also includes a deployable vehicle.

The craft features some heavy-duty thrusters, along with great color accents like the orange stripes. A mini-drone, cargo, and a vehicle with some nice details like steering, round out the scene. Some Modulex pieces make great stand-ins for cargo pods.

LEGO monorail returns...in microscale

LEGO’s infamous monorail system has been the source of many questions about it’s potential return over the years. In fact, when I spoke with ex-CEO Bali Padda last year he said one of the most common questions he faced from fans was “when will LEGO bring back the monorail?“. While the monorail system is increasingly expensive to buy on the secondary market, Julius von Brunk has created a microscale version that is both easier on the wallet and adorable. The introduction of curved tiles has made this type of build cleaner and perhaps a little easier, but there’s a lot to admire in this instantly recognisable mini version.

The coolest space fire truck you’ll ever see

Everyone loves a good LEGO fire truck, there’s just something about them; classic, timeless and a throwback to our childhood days. Builder Frost puts a new spin on the traditional rendition with his futuristic space fire truck fully staffed by robotic firefighters. I could easily see it serving a futuristic city right here on earth too, since it may not see much use in a low oxygen environment. Then again, it is the future we’re talking about here…

The build is packed with play features, including a detachable fire drone on the back, forward water blasters hidden under the grille, and of course an elevating water cannon. My favorite feature has to be the compartments on the sides of the truck where the robots sit, ready for action.

Speeder or spider?

I think Halfbeak has misread the contest rules for the annual LEGO Speeder Bike contest and built a spider instead of a speeder! In all seriousness, this is a very original design. The competition is looking tough though, but luckily this police speeder has more than just originality going for it.

A conservative colour scheme that is unmistakably police-like combined with some stickers and a compact, complex design are all great, but Halfbeak did not stop there; the little accompanying drone really adds a lot to the general idea of police control while the colourful base helps the build stand out more. A touch of digital editing at the engines rounds off the picture as quite a treat to look at.

A good Martian makes do with the LEGO parts he’s got

Proving once again that all LEGO pieces are created equal, F@bz constructed this stunning vehicle which showcases the packaging cannister from the old LEGO Creator Sets. But this time he’s built a lovely rover instead of a big rig truck.

F@bz’s grey and gold rover has just enough metallic accents and space-age apparatus to perfectly balance out its wide-set wheels and large canister body. And the use of two Super-Adaptoids (sans wings) as the futuristic Martians is simply genius. Not to mention, that dog-sized mini-rover is adorable.

Mining minerals on Mars in a mech

The Life on Mars theme seems to be mostly forgotten by most LEGO fans, its nostalgia overshadowed by the more memorable early Star Wars and Bionicle sets. Some people, including Henry F., still seem to remember this lost jewel and give it the publicity it deserves — because it really was an imaginative theme with a positive message, unlike the loose reboot known as Mars Mission.

I love how elegant and compact the exo-suit is, with just enough exotic Technic pieces to give some texture while keeping the build clean. A few splashes of orange help the build catch the eye, and the tan used for tool-hands is a nice touch. A Martian figure fits in snugly and the lazy-looking alien looks like he is quite comfortable. It should also be noted that the use of the reddish background really helps create the feel of the red planet.

Space squirrels take to the slopes

So this LEGO scene by Miro Dudas apparently depicts Space Squirrels competing in a bobsleigh event on the Neptunian moon of Triton. Nope, me neither. Genuinely no idea what’s going on here. But it’s still a fun little creation. Those Olympic rings are nicely done, and the surrounding scenery creates a good sense of a wider landscape. This isn’t the most complex model we’ve ever featured, but it made me smile. Swooshing down an ice track in a tin can at 70 kilometres an hour? Those squirrels must be nuts.

To the moon and back again

Giving a fresh new twist on the classic LEGO grey-and-blue space theme, this shuttle by Horcik Designs is a perfect example of what fans like to call Neo-Classic Space. Despite its relatively small size, the shuttle seats two minifigures abreast in the trans-yellow clad cockpit, and the addition of lots of stickers adds a bit of extra flair that makes this spacecraft feel more industrial.

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One small step for man, one giant leap for pug-kind

I’m starting to get suspicious that LEGO builders are creating pug-themed creations because they know I’ll feature just about every single one. Well, keep it coming! This pug astronaut by 鄭仲恆 appears to be surprised by something he sees off in the distance above him. The space suit is well-constructed and realistic, with a bubble helmet to encompass the pug’s bubble head and bubble eyes.

Here at The Brothers Brick, we can’t help ourselves sometimes — we hope the talented builder doesn’t mind — and we took it upon ourselves to give this lovely space-pooch some adventures. Here he is landing on the moon. Or was he already there and he’s been surprised by the Apollo 11 crew landing next to him?

See more of this adventurous space pug’s adventures in space!

The speediest way to travel the future

It doesn’t take a big model or a lot of pieces to be clever with LEGO. In fact, one of the best ways is to take take a piece and find a use for it so good that it looks like the element was purpose-made for it. Case in point: the hood of the tiny speeder by F@bz, which was originally the barding (blanket) of a Friends horse. It’s also worth pointing out the background made of brick anti-studs and spaced plates, with a Mars Mission aero tube in the foreground.