Finding time to build (or do anything) when you’re a new parent is tricky. Three years since he last uploaded a creation, Flickr’s Dvd has finally managed it, with the ‘help’ of his son, and in doing so allowed us to link to the greatest performance in Eurovision history. We might be biased. Anyway, TLCB’s blatant nationalism aside, even when it feels like trying you’re to reach the for moon, you can always build a rocket.
Bang! Zoom! Straight to the Moon! Yes, today we’re referencing a cartoon referencing a vintage sit-com to refer to a rocket that references a cartoon. No we don’t have to make sense. This marvellous whimsical Tintin-inspired rocket comes from Flickr’s Tobias Munzert, who has pictured it here landing on the lunar surface from the comic. Join Tobias (and Tintin) on Flickr via the link above.
The brave classic spacemen and spacewomen of, um… Classic Space, have been exploring the galaxy for four decades now. Forming the backbone of their exploratory equipment is the LL-928 Galaxy Explorer, recently updated some forty years after it first flew, and captured here in a maintenance hangar in a rarely-seen ‘off-duty’ image courtesy of Rob.
With the engines removed from the spacecraft for maintenance it would be rude not to climb aboard one for some static ‘testing’. Classic spaceman Shawn looks like he’s having a splendid time atop the disconnected propulsion system, but we suspect his colleagues are most unamused at the prospect of recalibrating the whole thing thanks to his bucking-bronco moment.
Rob’s wonderfully immersive images are a lovely homage to one of LEGO’s most fondly remembered themes, and you can join the mini-figures of Classic Space and the 10497 Galaxy Explorer set in the maintenance hangar at his photostream via the link above.
Today’s ice-based erection is brought to you by Markus19840420, whose hefty rocket is rising skywards ready for launch.
A 6×6 transport rover sits underneath the frosty phallus, whilst two mini-figures watch the action from the sidelines, and you can join them at Markus’ photostream via the link above.
TLCB debutant First Order Lego is taking coronavirus quarantining to the extreme with this vignette. Still, the bat-based biological agent is unlikely to be on Mars, so perhaps this jovial mini-figure has got the right idea. Join him on the red planet via the link, although that might scupper the whole point of his trip…
That might sound like a number from the spec sheet of any number of supercar start-ups that flare into existence only to burn out before they’ve made anything, but a 1,000mph car really might happen soon.
The Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car is due to continue high speed testing this year, after going into administration* in 2018, despite having some high profile sponsors including Jaguar. Now under new ownership, the Bloodhound will run again, and we can’t wait, particularly after it all looked to be over just a year ago.
Minh-Kha N. thinks so too, having created this neat Lego model of the Bloodhound LSR that was suggested to us by a reader. You can see more of Minh’s model at his photostream via the link above, where we’ll be crossing our fingers that the LSR hits the magic 1,000mph mark someday soon.
*Like all supercar start-ups that flare into existence only to burn out…
Fresh from Santa’s sleigh hover car hot rod, this neat vintage space rocket toy vignette caught our eye today, partly because it’s great, and partly so we can post this link. See more courtesy of barneius on Flickr.
The Elves are feeling spacey today, and thus we have two weird and wacky sci-fi builds to share with you. The first (above) comes from Shannon Sproule and is apparently an ‘American Zero-Length X-11 Launcher’ designed in The Battle for the Moon. In the words of its creator; “A space tank carrying a rocket… it looks so cool!”
Today’s second build (below) comes from TLCB favourite David Roberts, the ‘Green 23’. “Regarded as the Ford Transit van of space” it performed a variety of jobs across the galactic disc, probably with scant regard for space transportation laws, a library of tabloid newspapers on the dashboard, and a tailgating policy matched only by Audi drivers.
See more of both builds on Flickr via the links!
Surely reading out the countdown is the best job in the space industry? See more of Lia Chan‘s utterly brilliant ‘KSC Launch Complex 39B’ on Flickr. 10… 9… 8…
Back in the 1960s if you needed rescuing and didn’t mind your rescuers being supported by a few wires then the Thunderbirds were there to save the day! Equipped with three flying rescue vehicles, a space station, one submarine, and a seemingly endless range of land based paraphernalia, the Tracey brothers were prepared for any situation. Piloted by Scott, Thunderbird 1 was perhaps the vehicle deployed most frequently, being able to fly like a plane, take off like a rocket, and hover like a helicopter. Or more accurately a Harrier jump-jet. This amazing recreation of the first Thunderbird is the work of Gary Davis of Flickr who has used some serious skill and a lot of pieces to recreate the famous aircraft in an enormous scale. He’s also managed to get it signed by the actor who voiced Scott in the series, which is a nice addition. Take a trip to Tracey Island via the link above for all the photos of Gary’s incredible build!
We’re linking to that childish Austin Powers sketch today for good reason. Firstly because penis jokes are funny. Secondly because this Atlas-F inter-continental ballistic missile looks like one. And thirdly because it, and all the other fantastically pointless atomic weaponry developed during the Cold War, amounted to little more than chillingly dangerous willy waving.
The SM-65 Atlas was one of the USA’s numerous ‘my dick’s bigger than yours’ taunts, and being 85ft high and weighing 260,000 lbs it was admittedly pretty massive. But still completely pointless.
The Atlas-Fs were the first ICBM’s able to be deployed from underground silos, taking just ten minutes to launch. Six squadrons were armed with the F, with seventy-two of the things deployable at their peak (plus another fifty-seven of other variants), each armed with a warhead over a hundred times more powerful than the nuclear bomb dropped on Nagasaki in 1945.
This marvellous recreation of a horrendous machine comes from Flickr’s Ralph Savelsberg (aka Mad Physicist, who is perhaps living up to his name with this build), and is – somewhat unbelievably – mini-figure scale. A neat launch pad, silo, and two mini-figure missile boffins are included and there’s more to see at his photostream. Click the link above to wave your willy.
Today’s creation might look like something from that box your Mom has for when her ‘special friends’ visit, but it in fact comes from the mind of Dwalin Forkbeard.
Dwalin’s mind harbours some unusual designs it seems, as a throughly weird mix of pieces has been used to create his ‘T3 Phage’ which is apparently a spacecraft of biological make-up. Or of course, Dwalin could be just one of your Mom’s special friends.
Either way there’s more to see on Flickr – click the link above for more.
Poor Alan Tracy. Left alone in space to man the Thunderbird 5 space station, in love with the beautiful Tin-Tin who’s back on earth, and having given up a career as a championship-winner racing driver, the youngest of the Tracy brothers seems to have got the bum deal. Well, apart from John of course, who has to wear lilac.
Still, Alan does get one perk, and it’s a good one – for he gets to pilot the insane Thunderbird 3 space rocket. Pictured here blasting off from Tracy Island, it appears that Alan and his brothers are abandoning earth for good. Maybe they’ve had enough of Donald Trump. Whatever the reason, it’s a spectacular scene containing some absolutely stellar building techniques, both in the wonderful recreation of Thunderbird 3 and the superb Tracy Island buildings and scenery.
Monstrophonic of Flickr is the brains behind it and there’s more to see of his jaw-dropping creation at his photostream. Click the link above to start the famous countdown. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Thunderbirds are GO!
Entitled ‘1950s Rocket Ship’ this gloriously retro rocket by Flickr’s Jason Hlavenka looks exactly nothing like the early days of space travel. However it does look absolutely wonderful and thus we’ve stolen it from The Brothers Brick. They don’t know our identities so we’re safe. Plus they’re nerds so we’re doubly safe. Anyway there’s more to see of Jason’s brilliant rocket, which includes some genuinely ingenious building techniques, on Flickr. Click the link above to blast off.
With the news that reality-TV-host/Commander-in-Chief Donald Trump has decided that mining coal is more important than the literal continuation of the climate’s equilibrium, it’s getting tempting to do a Farnsworth, build a spaceship, and leave for a planet less stupid.
It appears as though the enterprising mini-figure pictured above has had the same idea, constructing as he has this magnificent steam punk space rocket, which is – in perfect irony – powered by coal…
Flickr’s Dwalin Forkbeard owns the mind behind this unique creation and there’s more to see at his photostream via the link above. Just please turn the lights out when you’re done. Even Fox News agree, and we never thought we’d type that…