Sky Warrior

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Lego US Navy A-3B Skywarrior

This amazing aircraft is a 1950s US Navy Douglas A-3B Skywarrior carrier-based nuclear bomber and its purpose was… well, chillingly obvious. Thankfully the Skywarrior’s nuclear bombs were never used in combat, as – perhaps worryingly – the US and the other nuclear-armed nations managed to shrink their nuclear bombs so that they no longer needed to be carried on bombers like the A-3B, but could fit on conventional fighter aircraft. Yay progress!

Such advancement saw the A-3Bs re-fitted as air-to-air refusing tankers to service those fighters, a role they fulfilled right up until the early 1990s, last seeing action in the first Gulf War of 1991.

This spectacular recreation of Douglas A-3B Skywarrior comes from plane building extraordinaire Ralph Savelsberg aka Mad Physicist who has recreated the historic bomber in glorious detail. With folding wing-tips for carrier storage, working landing gear, and an accompanying aircraft tug there’s lots more to see. Head over to Ralph’s photostream via the link above for all the images, plus you can read Ralph’s interview here at The Lego Car Blog as part of the Master MOCers Series by clicking here.

Lego US Navy A-3B Skywarrior

White Lightning

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Lego Nissan 300ZX

White is strange automotive hue. Found on boring builders’ vans at one end of the spectrum and yet looking awesome on sports cars at the other. It’s the latter we have here for you today courtesy of Simon Przepiorka and his brilliant Speed Champions style Nissan 300ZX. So far dodging the ‘drift tax‘ the 300ZX makes a great classic Japanese buy at the moment too, especially in white. You can see more of this one on Flickr at the link above.

And Now for Something Completely Different

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Lego Starfighter

And now for something completely different…

This is a SHOK|AAHN Xylian Intercept Starfighter. What is a SHOK|AAHN and who are Xylians you ask? We have absolutely no idea. Best head over to Jeremy Williams‘ photostream to find out more.

Another sci-fi post nailed by TLCB!

Dirty Weekend (Part II)

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Lego Land Rover

Following today’s earlier Technic Land Rover Defender 110, here’s one little smaller. OK, a lot smaller, but it’s no less recognisable as a result. Recent serial bloggee de-marco has done a simply brilliant job recreating the original classic Land Rover in 5-wide mini-figure scale, shown here in roofless safari-spec. There are instructions available too and there’s more to see on Flickr via the link.

Dirty Weekend

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Lego Technic Land Rover Defender

First featured here back in 2014 as a Power Functions remote control model, Krzysztof Cytacki (aka Dirtzone)’s stunning Technic Land Rover Defender 110 has recently been updated and wonderfully re-photographed.

The model has had its Power Functions drivetrain removed since it was first featured here, and now features a full ‘Technic Supercar’ set-up, with working steering, an inline 4-cylinder engine connected to all four wheels, and live-axle suspension.

There are some fantastic shots of each of the working components, showing how the engine, suspension, chassis and bodywork are constructed, plus of course more brilliant on-location images of the complete model like those shown here.

Head over to Krzysztof’s Land Rover Defender Flickr album for the complete gallery and start your dirty weekend.

Lego Technic Land Rover Defender

LEGO Technic 42083 Bugatti Chiron – Set Preview

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Lego Technic Bugatti Chiron 42083 Review

LEGO’s new 42083 Technic Bugatti Chiron is finally here! Teased here earlier in the year, and joining the previously revealed Technic sets in the 2018 H2 line-up, LEGO’s officially licensed 3,599 piece 1:8 scale recreation of the world’s fastest production car will go on sale worldwide on August 1st priced at $350, and it looks incredible.

Following the 2016 42056 Technic Porsche GT3 RS set, LEGO’s new Bugatti flagship becomes the biggest, the most detailed and the most technically advanced supercar set to date.

Underneath the beautifully replicated bodywork in Bugatti’s signature blue sits a working W16 piston engine, the largest ever fitted to a Technic model and true to the real car’s quad-turbo 8.0 litre W16. Double wishbone suspension, working steering and an eight-speed paddle shift-operated gearbox all feature alongside it and, like the Porsche GT3 RS set, the build process mirrors the Chiron’s actual factory production process of marrying these components together once each is completed.

Lego Technic Bugatti Chiron 42083 Review

LEGO’s 42038 Technic Bugatti Chiron set also includes a brick-built ‘top speed’ key, which the real Bugatti Chiron features to enable the car to hit its electronically limited top speed of 261mph. The 42083 set uses this to adjust the Bugatti’s rear air-brake/spoiler between its three settings, including a locked position for high speed runs across the kitchen floor.

New wheels – authentically replicating those found on the real Bugatti Chiron, tyres, bespoke Bugatti decals, and a limited-edition numbered brick are all included in the set, plus 42083 features a beautifully designed box (pictured above) and a coffee-table style presentation book – as first debuted on the 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS set in 2016.

Lego Technic Bugatti Chiron 42083 Review

LEGO’s 42083 is available to buy today from LEGO.com (click here to visit the official 42083 Bugatti Chiron webpage) and will reach stores worldwide from August 1st. Start saving!

…

Official LEGO Press Release

Billund, 1st of June 2018. LEGO Group and Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. have today revealed the new LEGO® Technic™ Bugatti Chiron. The 1:8 scale super car will be available from June 1.

The LEGO® Technic™ Bugatti Chiron model brings together the iconic design heritage of the French ultra-luxury car brand and LEGO Technic™ elements, with a reimagined version of the latest cutting-edge super car from Molsheim.

The new model unveiled at LEGO House at the company’s headquarters in Billund by Neils B.Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group, and Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann. The 1:8 scale LEGO® Technic™ Bugatti Chiron will be available from June 1, only at all LEGO® stores and shop.LEGO.com, then all retailers globally from August 1, 2018.

The model encapsulates the magic, power and elegance of the Chiron, unveiled to the world two years ago and now brought to life in LEGO Technic™ form, offering a unique, authentic building experience for car enthusiasts and LEGO fans of all ages.

Lego Technic 42083 Bugatti Chiron Review

Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group: “I am very excited about this new model. Our LEGO designers have done an amazing job capturing the details of this iconic Bugatti design. It truly stands as testament that with LEGO bricks you can build anything you can imagine, and an example that with LEGO Technic™, you can build for real. It’s a huge model that I can’t wait to start building myself. I’ve always been passionate about engineering and this model’s details and design are truly fascinating.”

Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.: “Thanks to their proven design and technology expertise, the LEGO Group and Bugatti are the epitomes of their brand segments. The LEGO Technic™ model of the Bugatti Chiron is an expression of this perfect relationship. I am impressed at the precision and refinement with which our super sports car has been translated into the LEGO world and I am sure that fans of both LEGO bricks and Bugatti will love this product.”

Lego Technic Bugatti Chiron 42083 Set

Create-a-Crawler

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Lego Crawler Crane

OK, we can fit one more in! This top-notch old-school crawler crane comes from previous bloggee de-marco, and like his previous builds he’s made video instructions available too. Take a look via the link above and you can watch the ‘How To’ video to help you build your own crawler crane below.

YouTube Video

500 Tools

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Lego Fendt 500 Vario Tractor

We round out a small-scale day here at The Lego Car Blog (don’t worry, we’ll be back soon with something much bigger) with this neat Fendt 500 Vario. Built by Flickr’s Stefan it’s an excellent recreation of the German manufacturer’s infinitely variable transmission tractor, but as with real tractors it’s what attached to it that’s cool.

Stefan has built a variety of tools for his Fendt, including a Polterschild & Forstseilwinde forest blade and winch (shown above) allowing the tractor to handle some hefty wood,* and what is apparently a Mulchfräse forestry mulcher** (below) for… er, mulching it?

There’s more to see of Stefan’s Fendt 500 Vario and the various implements it can deploy at his photostream – click the link above and get mulching!

Lego Fendt 500 Vario Tractor

*Just like your Mom.

**Again, just like…

Bikers

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Lego Bikers

This wonderfully simple image comes from Luca Di Lazzaro of Flickr and it shows that a few bricks and well placed camera can create something rather lovely. See more at the link.

Insert Obscure Reference

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Lego Vintage Car

This is the 1927 Csikós Bismuth Sport Coupe, and it’s one of the strangest automotive stories of the 1920s.

Founded by a Hungarian monk in 1919, Csikós started by producing gear assemblies. A chance meeting with Giovanni Agnelli – the founder of FIAT – on a skiing trip in Italy saw the two bond over a mutual hatred of Communism and love of starfish, and an agreement was made to exchange FIAT engine technology for Csikós gears.

The result was Csikós’s first car, based loosely on a FIAT 501. Moderate success at home and in Italy gave the company the confidence to design their own car from scratch and the Bismuth was launched a few years later. Powered by a supercharged inline-4 of 3.7 litres, the Bismuth had a top speed in excess of 70mph and found fame with the Federation il Automobile Racing de Turin (FART).

Such success was short-lived though, as the company’s founder was killed in a freak land-yacht accident just four years later. Without leadership vehicle production slowed until the factory was requisitioned by the Nazis during the Second World War.

Today the factory is gone, replaced by Hungary’s national aquarium where – in memory of Csikós – the starfish tank still bares their company name.

1927 Csikós Bismuth

Except we made all of that up.

Flickr’s Chris Elliott is the inventor of the 1927 Csikós Bismuth Sport Coupe, and now that we’ve completely butchered whatever backstory there may have been you can see more at Chris’s photostream by clicking the link above! We’ve had a lot of sugar today.

Build-a-Classic

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Lego Taxi

The single most received message we get here at The Lego Car Blog (besides texts from your Mom of course) is ‘Can I have instructions for [insert model here]?’.

Normally the answer is no, but today we can answer with a yes. And then some. Because not only has Flickr’s de-marco made instructions available for his lovely 5-wide classic taxi and pick-up truck, he’s even written a parts list and made a video for each model showing the building steps!

Head over to de-marco’s photostream via the links above and fill your boots!

Lego Pick-Up Truck

Dispatched

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Lego Dispatch Rider Afrika Korps

If you’re a member of the NRA then everything can be improved with the addition of a gun. High school security? Add a gun. Patriotism? You’ll definitely need a gun. Motorbikes? Much cooler with a gun.

OK, we’ve made that last one up.* Still, Redfern1950s‘ previously featured Dispatch Bike has received a Second Amendment upgrade and even we** admit that it does look cool! Re-purposed in Africa Korps spec it also includes a serious looking cartoon rider, so it can now dispatch people instead of packages.

Click the link above to head over to Redfern’s photostream for all the pictures.

Lego Afrika Korps Bike

*Except we haven’t.

**There is an alternative.

Popsicle Express

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Lego Classic Ice Cream Van

It is baking hot here at TLCB Towers. Whilst on the positive that means mini-skirts and hot pants (on the pedestrians outside you understand, thankfully not on TLCB staff), it also means the office has become a miserable sweat-box. Fortunately Sven Franic has the answer with this gorgeous 1950s ice cream van. Complete with a giant popsicle on the roof, a fully kitted interior, and a pair of deckchairs plus a sunshade at a jaunty angle, it looks the perfect place to cool down. You can do just that at Sven’s photostream – click the link above to get licking.

Lego Classic Ice Cream Van

Elven Eviction

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Lego Caterpillar D11T Bulldozer RC

All was quite in The Lego Car Blog Towers this morning. The Elves were asleep in their cage room and we were quietly watching the Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, er… we mean working studiously in the office.

And then came the sound of several soft thuds, kind of like a series of bean-bags falling off a table, followed by great Elven rage. Sigh.

A wander down to the cage room revealed the cause, where an enterprising Elf had returned early in the morning whilst its colleagues were still asleep, and promptly driven a remote control bulldozer through the Elves’ cages – much to its own amusement – pushing them out and onto the floor below. Cue the Elven rage.

Unable to escape by riding atop the ‘dozer due to its limited speed, the unhappily awoken Elves had caught their attacker and were trying to feed him into the VHS machine. Mr. Airhorn was deployed to restore calm (which definitely awoke any Elves fortunate enough to avoid the original incident) and we’ve now taken control of the offending vehicle.

Lego Caterpillar D11T Bulldozer RC

And what a vehicle! Based on the Caterpillar D11t bulldozer, Piotr K‘s creation is a superb example of how to utilise both Power Functions and pneumatics.

Two Power Functions L Motors drive the tracks, which are suspended by a pendular equaliser bar, whilst three M Motors power the pneumatic systems, with one driving an on-board compressor (with an auto shut-off) and the other two activating the pneumatic valves. This gives Piotr’s model a continual supply of compressed air to power the huge front blade and the rear-mounted ripper which can be operated remotely via LEGO’s IR system.

It’s very neatly engineered set-up and one that works – as the Elves found out – really effectively. You can see more images and read about the build on MOCpages via the link above, plus you watch the model in action via the YouTube video below.

YouTube Video

Rock Blunts Scissors

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Lego Indiana Jones Tank

And tanks apparently. There was a point in time where tanks and horses fought side-by-side (and against one another) on the battlefield. At first it was definitely better to be on the horse, but so quick was the pace of development that just a few short years later the tank – and the various other machinery designed for us to kill one another more efficiently – had all but eradicated the horse from use in war. Which is good news for horses.

However that didn’t stop Indiana Jones who, in ‘The Last Crusade’ (which sadly proved not to be thanks to the dreadful 2008 return), used his hoofed companion to shove a rock down the barrel of a tank cannon.

In reality this would probably just mean you got killed by both a rock and a tank shell, but hey – this is the movies! This glorious recreation of the famous scene from 1989’s ‘Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade’ comes from Flickr’s Joshua Brooks aka JBIronworks who has recreated both the Nazi tank and the scene’s dynamism brilliantly in Lego form.

There’s more to see of mini-figure Indiana Jones’s rock-based sabotage on Flickr via the link above, and in case you want to see the real one doing just the same click here to watch the original scene on YouTube.