Photo: LEGO
The Aerospatiale/BAC Concorde supersonic passenger transport jet hasn't flown since November 2003. To think mankind could fly from London to New York in roughly three hours 20 years ago, yet people today can't manage the same feat in seven hours, doesn't sit right with a great many av-geeks. But that doesn't mean we can't sit around and reminisce about the good old days or enshrine the historic airplane in LEGO, as you'll be able to do starting September 7th of this year.
That's right, folks, the world's fastest, coolest, and most desirable passenger airliner is coming to the buildable and collapsible world of LEGO with a super-authentic detailed replica of Concorde, complete with all the fixings that made it the most fascinating airliner from the 20th century. With dimensions of six inches (15 cm) tall and a width of 17 inches (43 cm) and 2,083 individual pieces, LEGO's tribute to Concorde is nearly as complex as the airplane itself is, at least as far as we civilians are concerned.
Everything from Concorde's four Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 afterburning turbojet engines, its complex multi-wheeled landing gear, and robust vertical and horizontal control surfaces are well-represented on this LEGO tribute piece. Even Concorde's iconic "droop snoot," designed to help pilots see the runway on landing, is fully functional and well-represented once the piece is completed. Of course, all this complexity in the LEGO Concorde's design is ultimately the builder's responsibility to make it work correctly. Hence, why LEGO recommends this particular build be reserved for experienced brick builders of at least 18 years or older.
Indeed, the level of detail integrated into every brick of the LEGO Concorde's plastic construction gives a fun yet accurate representation of what Concorde was like to operate in its glory years from the mid-1970s until the early 2000s. Heck, even the fully functional landing gear system, complete with a series of gears and levers, looks mighty intimidating for grown adults who haven't shoved two LEGO bricks together for the last couple of decades. But, looking at photographs of the LEGO Concorde when it's all complete and proper combines the thrill of seeing the jet in real life with the child-like whimsical fun that can only come from putting a LEGO set together without stepping on any wayward bricks.
But it must be clarified this upcoming Concorde LEGO set does not come cheap. Upon its release for early-access pre-orders on September 4th, three days before the official launch, folks will be expected to fork out $199.99 before taxes and shipping fees to see the set turn up on their front porch. But as a gift for a loved one who's an aviation enthusiast this upcoming Christmas sale, the LEGO Concorde might be the best of the bunch.
Everything from Concorde's four Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 afterburning turbojet engines, its complex multi-wheeled landing gear, and robust vertical and horizontal control surfaces are well-represented on this LEGO tribute piece. Even Concorde's iconic "droop snoot," designed to help pilots see the runway on landing, is fully functional and well-represented once the piece is completed. Of course, all this complexity in the LEGO Concorde's design is ultimately the builder's responsibility to make it work correctly. Hence, why LEGO recommends this particular build be reserved for experienced brick builders of at least 18 years or older.
Indeed, the level of detail integrated into every brick of the LEGO Concorde's plastic construction gives a fun yet accurate representation of what Concorde was like to operate in its glory years from the mid-1970s until the early 2000s. Heck, even the fully functional landing gear system, complete with a series of gears and levers, looks mighty intimidating for grown adults who haven't shoved two LEGO bricks together for the last couple of decades. But, looking at photographs of the LEGO Concorde when it's all complete and proper combines the thrill of seeing the jet in real life with the child-like whimsical fun that can only come from putting a LEGO set together without stepping on any wayward bricks.
But it must be clarified this upcoming Concorde LEGO set does not come cheap. Upon its release for early-access pre-orders on September 4th, three days before the official launch, folks will be expected to fork out $199.99 before taxes and shipping fees to see the set turn up on their front porch. But as a gift for a loved one who's an aviation enthusiast this upcoming Christmas sale, the LEGO Concorde might be the best of the bunch.
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