Tag Archives: Spaceships

This dinky destroyer takes to the skies in a big way

When I first set eyes on this dieselpunk-esque destroyer from Sunder_59, I assumed it was a 100-stud long LEGO brick-built behemoth. (‘Tis the season, after all.) In the end that’s wrong on two counts: this clocks in a fair bit short of 100 studs, and it’s built using virtual LEGO bricks, not real ones. But it’s no less a terrific design for it! The fact I thought it was bigger than it actually was tells me that Sunder has done a great job conveying the heft of a giant spaceship in microscale. That’s a result of both careful parts use, and a really clean design. I like the unconventional colour scheme as well. Always a bonus of working in the digital realm, without its pesky limitation of having to use bricks that actually exist!

In truth, I think the reason I fell for it is because I’m a sucker for dieselpunk. This won’t be the last time we feature some, and it’s certainly not the first. Have a look at the LEGO dieselpunk builds we’ve featured before.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Will we ever stop exploring LEGO’s Galaxy Explorer?

When it first debuted in 1978, this most infamous LEGO theme was known as Space. But after a while, factions later, we started referring to it as Classic Space. And after the shade of light gray changed and more curves became available, it morphed into Neo-Classic Space. But now, after the Galaxy Explorer set has hit store shelves, I think we’ve hit the start of the Neo-Neo-Classic Space age. That’s certainly what it feels like in Alec Hole‘s stellar (and interstellar) Explorer Mk 4. Bursting with all kinds of sci-fi textures, this blue and gray starship represents yet another point in Space’s evolutionary timeline. The double cockpit, done up in the traditional trans-yellow, is a superb choice. And I quite like all the light gray gear bits worked in throughout the wings.

Check out more of this Classic Space creation below

Star Wars, but make it Blacktron

A spacecraft with black wings and a bubble cockpit? Easy – that can only be a TIE fighter. But hang on, these were also defining features of LEGO’s Blacktron II theme… So what is it? Well, it’s both! Gerard Joosten AKA Elephant-Knight has a bit of a knack for builds within the Blacktron II aesthetic, and he’s turned to the Star Wars universe for his latest creation. The TIE Defender is one of the more outlandish TIE variants, and as a result it fits very nicely into the design language of my personal favourite LEGO space villains. Does this mean Darth Vader gets a neon-green lightsaber…?

Strap in for a long, torturous ride

This new LEGO creation by Rubblemaker is called Symbiosis. If you recall your grade school science classes, symbiosis is where two organisms share a mutually beneficial relationship. I’m not entirely sure if this is mutually beneficial; that poor clod in the cockpit may or may not be this ship’s pilot but it is most definitely its fuel source. If this ship moves as fast as Voyager II, it would take this suffering fool 9.5 years to get to Uranus. Plus you couldn’t even land there because science journals, as well as my grade school self, will tell us that Uranus is a gaseous, smelly giant. It’s likely you’d have to keep going for another few decades to reach a land-able rock and even then it’s no guarantee the locals will be friendly. Space travel sucks!

“Luke, you switched off your Power Functions! What’s wrong?”

LEGO Star Wars did have a brief flirtation with the Technic brand at its inception, but while we’ve seen everything from supercars to Unimogs in Technic since, we haven’t seen even a single starfighter. Rather a shame, don’t you think? Thankfully Dyens Creations is on hand to fill that hole. This X-wing is an impressive model in and of itself. But where can you find the parts to build one? Why, they all come from 42145 Airbus H175 Rescue Helicopter! That added parts limitation really makes this model impressive. And being a Technic creation, it naturally comes with some motorised functionality: the wings fold, the landing gear retracts, the canopy opens and the targeting computer can be adjusted. Most impressive.

Alternate builds are an art unto themselves – so why not see what else people have turned their LEGO sets into in our alternate builds archives?

A spaceship of a different color

Like the old saying, “a horse of a different color,” this LEGO spaceship by Dwalin Forkbeard is quite unique. Not only is it fairly uncommon for spaceships to be brown, most spaceships don’t have wings such as these either. With all the ships out there, it’s refreshing to see one that is distinctly different. The brown spaceman provides the perfect opportunity to build a ship that suits him, and this does it so well. The angles, landing gear, and barrel booster are all pleasing to the eye.

If you enjoy this model, check out other builds by Dwalin Forbeard. And while you’re at it, take a look at all of the space builds in our archives.

The Cascade Fighter fights for cascade freedom-or something

Oregonian LEGO builder Jason Ruff hits us in the nostalgic feels and takes us to a simpler, more innocent time before mortgage payments and restraining orders. He’s built the Cascade Fighter Mk II (Mk I allegedly lost in the ether) in a lovely Classic Space motif. It’s part manta ray, part F-14 Tomcat, and all Classic Space goodness. I particularly like the curved leading edge of the wings as well as the smaller stabilizing wings up front. The missiles are also charming but then again I’d say that about all missiles. If you like Classic Space as much as we do, then please check out our archives in which you can dork out about Classic Space ad nauseam. Which explains all the restraining orders, then.

Book your flight to another galaxy on this intergalactic wonder

There are many styles of LEGO spaceships, but there’s just something special about the classic LEGO Space theme. Builder Wynd adds an entry to the theme with this excellent spacefaring vessel. The colors are the tried and true yellow, blue, and grey with the hints of red from the theme. Given the size of the ship, there’s plenty of room to use all those wonderful smaller pieces to add textures and details to the spaceship. There’s not a bad angle to be found! The ship looks great from stem to stern. The ship is perfect for some galactic adventures!

A ship called Soulless from that galaxy far, far away

General Grievous’s ship from Star Wars gets some love in this great LEGO build from Fuku Saku. Known as Soulless One, the ship is a customized starfighter that features some slick lines. This build makes plentiful use of curved LEGO pieces and tiles to keep the shaping true to the ship’s design. The clean appearance allows our eyes to pass over the ship’s lines with ease. The orange and yellow details draw us to them, breaking up the overall grey of the ship. I particularly love the construction of the orange and yellow sections that join the wings to the main body. These are typically more muted, but in this build they’re brighter, making the ship feel a little bit like a hotrod. Looking at this build, the ship looks sleek and fast–I’d love to see this thing with some racing upgrades for a galactic contest.

Take a quick peek inside the cockpit to gander at Grievous’s controls. It’s a truly spectacular culmination of angles creating that cabin-sized cavity.

A micro look at some galactic vehicles

These micro vehicles by Fuku Saku really make me nostalgic for those mini kits in the classic LEGO Star Wars games! There’s just something about small Star Wars spaceships that brings so much joy. It’s probably how unique the ship designs are, especially from the Clone Wars era. Take for instance the Naboo starfighter (the bright yellow ship), with its sleek and shiny look. Then there’s the Wookie catamaran (the second ship in the top row) with its more natural appearance–quite unique! Now, not all of these are spaceships–some are planet-side machines like walkers and cannons, but they’re still standouts in designs. Their colors help with that! I’d love to see all of these vehicles set up in a big display or diorama.

A shapely ship soars through space

Sacrificing comfort for style, this LEGO spaceship from Jonas Jensen is easy on the eyes. It features some incredible shaping for a sleek look. The color blocking is well done, particularly those teal pieces. They help frame a few sections and add a pop of color amid the black, grey, and white. The orange pieces help with this too, but the teal stands out more in my eyes. You may be wondering about the sacrificial comfort–let’s look to the cockpit. It can house a minifigure, but one without arms given the narrow space in there. However, I’m sure a minifigure could use a remote or autopilot program to fly the ship. Such great shaping comes at a cost with any vehicle, and this spaceship is no exception.

Filling a void from 2005

Back when Youtube was founded and Hurricane Katrina was running amok in New Orleans, The Brothers Brick alum Nannan Zhang entered an Imperial Voidfighter spaceship into a LEGO contest of yore. The original entry was…modest to be sure but I’m certain, like fans of The Pussycat Dolls and Lifehouse, we were all quite thrilled at the time. Fast-forward more than seventeen years later and Nannan improved that design considerably. I like that it resembles a particularly mean crustacean with a badass Imperial color scheme.

Nannan goes on to tell us that the cockpit features a pilot minifig with an extremely rare dark bluish-gray Snowtrooper helmet from around 2010. (Only 2 known in existence!) That is as rare as fans of Lifehouse nowadays. Adversely, Don’t Cha by The Pussycat Dolls is still a thumpin’ jam and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on! Dontcha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me? I bet you do! While many of us are by now grayer, paunchier and hopelessly out-of-touch with what the kids are into these days, Nannan Zhang still remains a vital and highly influential builder. Click the little blue link to see what I mean.