This amazing orange behemoth is a Scania LK141, and it comes from truck-building extraordinaire (and TLCB Master MOCer) Dennis Bosman aka legotrucks.
With one of the finest chassis/engines we’ve ever seen created from LEGO bricks underneath its beautifully-detailed tilting cab, custom chrome pieces, and a fully-kitted interior, Dennis’ classic LK141 is a shining example how good Lego models can be.
Head over to Flickr to view the complete gallery of stunning images by clicking here, and to view an alternative image of something old ‘n orange click here (caution advised).
Some cars look good in any colour. The Jeep Wranger is not one of them. But it does look good in purple, as proved here by Eric Badis of Flickr. Click the link above to make the jump.
From one weird aircraft to another today, only this one was real (sort of). Built in the 1960s, the Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) XC-142 was an experimental tilt-rotor vertical take-off/landing aircraft, and it really did look as odd as it does here.
It worked too, with five prototypes performing successful test flights in the mid-1960s. However with four 2,850bhp engines the XC-142 probably wasn’t a particularly fuel efficient way to transport 4,000kgs of military stuff, and thus the project didn’t prove financially viable, being shelved in 1966.
Today just one prototype XC-142 survives, but Henrik Jensen has added another with his rather excellent recreation of the tilting oddity. There’s more to see at Henrik’s Flickr photostream and on MOCpages – click the links to tilt the table.
Not the 2001 thriller in which Halle Berry was paid extra to get her norks out, but this; the AR-31 Swordfish seaplane, so called because it looks precisely nothing like a swordfish.
Built from deep within the mind of previous bloggee Jon Hall there’s much more to see (and an intriguing backstory to read) at the Swordfish’s Flickr album. Click the link above to make the jump.
Looking like a cross between a hypermiling competition car and a coach, only with the addition of a few troll arms and mermaid tails, Vince_Toulouse‘s latest vehicular concept looks like a bugger to park. But then the coolest cars always are. See more of Vince’s ‘GR440 III’ at his photostream via the link above.
…in space! This enormous long range research vessel was apparently named via a public vote, with ‘Ugly Ducking’ garnering the most support. Unlike a recent public naming poll, the Government decided to honour the outcome, and thus the Ugly Duckling was launched into space.
This amazing creation comes from Blake Foster, and the techniques used throughout it are anything but ugly. With superb photography and lighting it’s one of the most impressive sci-fi builds of the year so far, and there’s loads more to see at the Ugly Duckling’s Flickr album or via MOCpages.
We’ve written about Italy’s disastrous North African campaign during the Second Wold War before, so we’re skipping the history today to get straight to the MOC, a Semovente da 75/18 self-propelled gun (tank?), as built by Rebla of Flickr. Rebla’s mini-figure scale model recreates the Semovente beautifully, and even includes (sort of) working suspension on its tracks. There’s more to see of Rebla’s wonderful World War 2 tank (including a rather debonaire-looking driver) on Flickr – click on the link above to self-propel your way there.
The iconic Spinner from the 1982 sci-fi epic ‘Blade Runner’ has appeared here in multiple forms over the years. From large scale brick-built versions to smaller mini-figure builds, there’s a spinner for everyone. Except Technic fans, who have – until now – been unrepresented.
Syd Mead’s infamous design has finally been Technic-ed, thanks to previous bloggee Jeroen Ottens who has created this utterly wonderful (and brilliantly motorised) version of the Spinner in Technic form.
With doors that open electrically and a motorised transformation from ground to flight modes, Jeroen’s design is more than a visual treat too. You can watch that transformation in action by clicking here and you can see more of the build on Flickr, where a link to instructions is also available.
*We haven’t had a title song in a while. Here’s today’s.
The Skytanic has floundered. After departing the Maersk Pier some weeks ago the great skyliner reached the treacherous Northern Floating Icefield and the welcoming navigation lights of Trusty Rusty. Only Trusty Rusty’s lights weren’t showing.
Unable to see the floating icebergs the Skytanic stood little chance, and the huge ship – now engulfed in flames – is doomed. With the evacuation underway the passengers and crew are hoping for a miracle, a miracle which which may arrive in the shape of the FRSS ‘Firefly’.
A mighty ‘Dipteria Class’ airship, the Firefly can stay airborne for a month at a time, travelling at up to 60 knots thanks to two massive ‘Brickerton’ engines powering a pair of enormous platinum-coated six-blade rotors. With a capacity of 400,000 litres of water, plus nine water cannons, sucking moisture-rich air out of the clouds and firing it up to 250 metres, the Firefly is the Skytanic’s only hope.
Only Markus Ronge knows if the Firefly will arrive in time. Until then you can check out his amazing Sky-Fi airship by clicking here, and you can catch up on the complete ‘Netbrix’ original story ‘Full Steam’ at Markus’ Flickr photostream here.
Founded in the late 1920s, mis-managed into administration, and then closed down in the last decade or so, Plymouth and Pontiac are best known in recent times as victims of the Big Three’s sorry tale of arrogance, greed and incompetence.
But before all that there were some good times. Really good times. In the late-’60s to early-’70s the muscle car was in a golden age, and both Plymouth and Pontiac were riding the crest of that wave.
Plymouth’s Barracuda (above) launched in the mid-’60s with a range of engines beginning at just 100bhp, yet by 1970 it was making up to 425bhp from an enormous Hemi V8. Unfortunately 425bhp didn’t sit really suit the market once the oil crisis hit in 1973, and production ended shortly afterwards, but if anything that short life has helped the ‘Cuda become one of most sought-after muscle cars in history.
General Motors were also in on the muscle car action in the 1960s, bringing – via their Pontiac brand – the GTO (below) to market in ’64. By the 1970s they too were making over 400bhp, with stock cars delivering 13.4 second 1/4 miles times straight from the forecourt. Like Plymouth the oil crisis put an end to that, but in its hay-day the Pontiac GTO sold almost 100,000 units annually, despite its slow steering and ‘amazingly inadequate’ brakes. The roads must have been a fun (if slightly terrifying) place!
The two superb Speed Champions versions of the Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda and Pontiac GTO pictured here are the work of Thomas Gion, who has faithfully recreated both cars in just 6-studs of width, capturing the styling cues of each brilliantly.
Today both brands are gone, but the legendary cars they created in the 1960s and ’70s mean they won’t be forgotten for some time yet.
Here’s a Fabuland bird riding a rocket launcher-equipped motorcycle. Because, well.. it’s a Fabuland bird riding a rocket launcher-equipped motorcycle, and no further reasons are required.
It’s the work of Flickr’s Andreas Lenander, and if you’re wondering what the hell ‘Fabuland‘ is, click here.
Another day in TLCB Office. It’s cold outside, there’s snow on the ground, and pictures of Margot Robbie won’t look at themselves. Sadly TLCB Elves care not for this writer’s quiet contemplation and a cacophony of noise smashed through the doorway from the corridor. Sigh. Considerable past experience meant this writer knew that a long morning was in store.
A weary trudge to the source of the commotion revealed a grey box on wheels spinning furiously atop several decidedly squashed Elves. Mr. Airhorn was deployed, the spinning box ceased its rotation, and an unseen Elf jumped down from a low shelf and ran off, cackling wildly.
With the box now stationary we could uncover what it was, and what it was was a small Technic version of the amphibious Russian oddity known as the ‘Sherp’, and it was ridiculously powerful.
Just how ridiculously powerful? Well take a look at the video below…
YouTube Video
With a separate and fully-suspended motor powering each of the four wheels, plus a BuWizz bluetooth battery brick providing up to eight times the power of LEGO’s own battery, there has probably never been a more capable Elf-smushing creation than this. Ever.
Technic-building legend Sariel is the evil genius behind the Technic Sherp ATV and he’s made a wealth of high-quality images available via Flickr. Click these words to take a look at the model in greater detail at Sariel’s photostream, whilst we spend a morning trying to get Elf blood out of the carpet, and maybe dispatch a few of the fallen to the ‘Elf Hospital‘…
Likely the first vehicle of many of our American readers, the Radio Flyer Wagon has been an icon of free-wheeling adventure for over 90 years, making it the cause of more broken bones than probably any other vehicular design in history.
Despite this legendary status the dangerous tub-on-wheels had so-far escaped the attention of Lego builders, today corrected wonderfully by 1saac W of Flickr. 1saac’s inspired choice of pieces have recreated the Radio Flyer Wagon to perfection, from its brake-less axles to its gloriously unstable draw-bar steering. Now let’s go and find a really big hill!
Since the Technic Car Chassis set back in 1980, LEGO have brought increasingly realistic ‘supercar’ sets to market, from the all-wheel-drive and directly-named 8880 ‘Supercar’ of ’94 and the beautifully styled 8448 ‘Super Street Sensation’ of ’99, to the latest Porsche and Bugatti partnership sets which include everything from W16 engines to working paddle-shift gearboxes.
The Lego Community has also got in on the action, building Technic Supercars that rival (and even eclipse) the official sets. To qualify for ‘supercar’ status a model must include a functioning drivetrain (engine, gearbox and driven wheels), working suspension, and functioning steering.
These days with the prevalence of Power Functions remote control components the lines have become a bit blurred, but we’re willing to overlook a few missing functions in today’s post because a) it does indeed replace a piston engine and gearbox with a suite of electric motors, and b) it’s all been squeezed into a model considerably smaller than we’re used to from Technic Supercars.
Designed by previous bloggee Kevin Moo, this Porsche-esque ‘supercar’ is powered by twin L Motors, with a Servo providing steering. All-wheel-suspension is taken care of independently up front and via a clever Watts multi-link system at the rear. Opening doors and hood also feature, and there’s a whole lot more to see on Flickr, where Kevin’s album also contains renders of the drive and suspension systems, and on Eurobricks, where a video of the model is also available to view. Take a look via the links.
