A few months ago, I wrote three articles on how I built the E-1 Tracer aircraft model. I haven’t built much in the intervening months, but recently I have started on a new project: an MH-53M Pave Low helicopter. This is a somewhat different cup of tea. It’s not a fixed-wing aircraft and I am not starting from scratch. Instead, I am starting with an old model that I built ten years ago. This means that there is a lot less planning involved. The proportions of the old model were pretty much spot-on, but there are many parts and techniques that didn’t exist or weren’t possible ten years ago. As a result, the old model looked, well, old. In this and subsequent articles, I’ll go into how I am building this new version and how newer parts and techniques change how I approach the design. Until their retirement in 2008, Pave...

LEGO Technic is a fantastic system for creating functional models with working mechanisms. However, it’s less often that we see Technic parts (particularly panels) integrated brilliantly into a “regular bricks” creation. However, this fabulous model of a Landrover Defender by ianying616 goes to show that the best builders select the best pieces for the job, regardless of which branch of the LEGO parts family they may originally come from. The shaping here is excellent — a good combination of regular System bricks and Technic axles, joints, and panels — perfectly capturing the recognisable lines of the Defender. This thing is a BEAST — bulky and beautiful, with a striking black and red colour scheme. Beyond the overall styling, the details deserve appreciation: a rooftop lamp rack, a detailed interior, working suspension and steering, and opening doors, boot, and bonnet. And lurking beneath that bonnet? A gleaming engine block, ready to propel...

There’s one at every beach, looking just a bit decrepit, with ratty curtains in the windows and a pair of fuzzy dice hanging from the rearview mirror. The Volkswagen Van has been captured as LEGO sets a few times, including the hugely popular 10220 Volkswagen T1 Camper Van (still available after more than 7 years). David Liu has used 31079 Sunshine Surfer Van (not officially a VW, but who is LEGO kidding?) as the basis for a rather spectacular mecha. But this mech has a very important purpose! Equipped with a pail and shovel, this camper van mech is ready to build the most awesomeest, ultimate (ULTIMATE) sand castle ever! Naturally, the camper van can decamp from the mech so you can make a run to the local convenience store for Funyuns or whatever. When it’s out and about, the camper van itself can sport a lovely disguise as Elvis Presley....

A red 1958 Plymouth Fury triggers memories of the movie adaption of Stephen King’s book Christine, and the car has a cult following for that reason. I’m not sure you’d want to keep this tiny version around any more than you’d want the living car from the movie — you might just find it in pieces on the floor when you wake in the morning, there to torture you with the pain of stepping on LEGO pieces. We’re pretty sure that builder hachiroku24 made it safe for us by performing an exorcism in advance, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you’re willing to take the risk, here are the video instructions and parts list to build your very own tiny sinister vehicle. The post You can’t kill something that isn’t alive [Instructions] appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Edwinder

This lovely model of Harry Potter’s famous owl, Hedwig, is the work of DOGOD Brick Design. He does an exceptional job producing streamlined, organic shapes with LEGO. One of my favorite aspects of this model is the use of the automobile hoods to resemble chest feathers. I also love that she is posable, and that the handlebar used for the wink is easily replaced with a matching eye. If you like this, check out his adorable Niffler!  We also recently covered his excellent Frankenstein for Halloween. The post A little wink from the Wizarding World appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Bre Burns

The next wave of LEGO’s Speed Champions theme has been revealed on Amazon France. Though the products aren’t available to order yet, this is our first official look at the new lineup of cars, which spans the breadth of the automotive landscape from compacts and muscle cars to supercars. There’s no word on the precise price points for these sets yet, but they should be officially available January 1. However, we can expect to see them trickle into retailers in the final weeks of December. We’ll also be publishing reviews of these sets even earlier than that, so stay tuned in the coming weeks for our hands-on coverage. 75890 Ferrari F40 Competizione | 198 pieces | January 2019 75891 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Race Car | 198 pieces | January 1 75892 McLaren Senna | 219 pieces | January 2019 75893 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and 1970 Dodge Charger R/T | 478...

The latest creation from Quy Chau is an intense and visceral spaceship with an interesting backstory of a luxury cruiser redesigned into a military spaceship. While I do appreciate the imagination, this begs the question of why anyone would perform such a refit. There are so many insane angles on this vertical spaceship, achieved with slopes and wedge slopes oriented in all sorts of ways. The builder leaves many technic elements exposed, which feels very realistic and dirty, without a trace of a luxury cruiser design mentioned in the builder’s description. The vertical shape and cylindrical parts pointing in all directions are an especially welcome breath of fresh air in a world (in a universe?) full of needlesly aerodynamic spacecraft. The post Take a luxury cruise straight into the enemy fleet appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Luka

There are lots of microscale castles out there. Some just stand out. This one by Isaac Snyder caught our eye for how clean and picturesque it is. The colors and angles work nicely as the castle tucks neatly into the mountainside, with a lovely seaport scene in the water below. Isaac also built this lovely minifigure-scale watchtower. I’m a big fan of the scattered brickwork as well as the decoration and architecture on top of the tower. Both builds are entries in the Colossal Castle Contest XVI. If you love building under the castle theme, maybe you should check it out! The post A picturesque LEGO micro-castle appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Bre Burns

“Dashing through the snow, on a rocket powered board. O’er the slopes he’ll go, with his elven horde. Jingle build! Jingle build! Jingle all the way! LEGO 7‘s clever Santa makes us shout ‘Hooray!'” With the singing out of the way, I love this unconventional portrayal of old Saint Nick. Santa’s pose captures the spirit of snowboarding, right down to the jumper plate representing his mouth shouting “woo!” His white beard flowing in the wind conveys a sense of speed. Hidden underneath the snow-covered hillside is a workshop for Santa’s elves. They are hard at work while Santa’s having all the fun. The elves’ humble workshop may be tiny, but is cute and packed with plenty of detail. The post Snow’s up, dude! appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Matt Hocker

Building realistic-looking home decor is a niche that Heikki M has been a master of for years. The use of scale, colors, lighting and the absence of LEGO minifigures all factor into the illusion that you are looking at a real-world space. This latest model is directly inspired by furniture website photograph. LEGO bricks have never looked so comfortable. The post A splash of red appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel