You have probably heard by now that this past week (May 23rd, 2013) the LEGO Group unveiled the World’s largest LEGO model with much fun-fare, and to delight LEGO Star Wars fans across the galaxy. The model, shrouded in mystery, turned out to be the 1:1 replica of the LEGO Star Wars X-Wing starfighter, and first displayed in New York’s Times Square. I was waiting for some good video-footage of the event before posting about it here, as pictures alone didn’t give justice to the massiveness of the LEGO X-wing. So let’s check it out! 🙂
Here are some details on the LEGO Star Wars life-size X-wing and also video-footage from our friends over at the BrickShow: To celebrate the upcoming premiere of The Yoda Chronicles on Cartoon Network on Wednesday, May 29 at 8:00 p.m. (ET, PT), the massive replica took 32 master builders, five million LEGO bricks and over 17,000 hours to complete. The model weighs nearly 46,000 pounds, stands 11 feet tall and 43 feet long, with a wingspan of 44 feet. After three days in New York City’s Times Square, the Model “takes off” for a summer landing at LEGOLAND California Resort where it will be installed through the remainder of the year.
An international team of designers, builders, engineers, mechanics and logistics experts spent over a year bringing this model from brainstorm to reality using the same LEGO bricks and elements featured in the general LEGO retail collection. “Just as kids love to test and hone their LEGO building skills and imaginative storytelling, our LEGO Master Builders are always testing their creative skills to top their last larger-than-life sized creations”, said Michael McNally, Brand Relations Director for LEGO Systems. “The size and structural complexity of a freestanding model 42 times the size of one our retail sets was a challenge they could not resist.”
Below are some fun facts about the life-size LEGO Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter model. It would be awesome if the building-instructions would be available so we can make our own! 🙄
- Contains 5,335,200 LEGO bricks
- Weighs 45,979.61 pounds (including bricks and steel infrastructure)
- Height: 11 feet / 3.35 meters
- Length: 43 feet / 13.1 meters
- Wingspan: 44 feet / 13.44 meters
- 32 builders spent 17,336 hours (about 4 months) to construct
- Built in the LEGO Model Shop in Kladno, Czech Republic
- Is a one-to-one replica of LEGO Star Wars set #9493; The model is 42x the size of the retail construction set
- The model was heavily engineered to withstand all the transportation, setup/break down and to ensure it was safe for Times Square given the subway system below and California’s seismic requirements for the LEGOLAND California Resort installation.
LEGO Star Wars is the original and most successful licensed product collection in the LEGO Group’s history and remains among the best-selling global toy-lines. The theme’s evergreen strength comes from its appeal across generations to fans of all ages and a steady introduction of digital content such as The Yoda Chronicles to compliment the building experience. To check out the currently available LEGO Star Wars sets, including the most detailed and realistic Ultimate Collector Series #10240 LEGO Star Wars Red Five X-Wing Starfighter, visit the Online LEGO Shop: LEGO Star Wars Sets at the Online LEGO Shop
As far as Cartoon Network special, the Jedi Master will return in LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles in a 30-minute special premiere on Wednesday, May 29 at 8:00 PM (ET, PT). Yes, that’s tomorrow! Two additional specials will air later in 2013. Here are some details:
LEGO Star Wars returns in epic style with The Yoda Chronicles, an exciting, funny and action-packed new LEGO Star Wars story told in three animated TV specials. “The Phantom Clone” will premiere on Wednesday, May 29 at 8:00 p.m. (ET, PT) on Cartoon Network with specials two and three airing later this year. In the first of three specials, a brand new character, Jek 14 will enter the Star Wars universe. Created by the LEGO Group, Jek 14 is a clone who has been ‘enhanced’ by the Force. Set in the prequel Star Wars era, The Yoda Chronicles features the one and only Yoda — the Jedi Master who has seen it all, done it all and taught generations of Jedi Knights. With help from a fresh class of Padawans, Yoda leads the Jedi in a desperate fight to stop Darth Sidious and his minions from creating a new super-weapon that could crush the Republic and win the war for the forces of evil. In “The Phantom Clone” under the orders of Darth Sidious, Count Dooku sets out to create the new ultimate weapon for the Sith. It is now up to Yoda and the Padawans to prevent Dooku from carrying out his plan but will they be too late? 😕
The LEGO Star Wars specials have quickly become fan favorites on Cartoon Network. Last year’s The Empire Strikes Out premiered as the #1 telecast of the week among boys 9-14, and the #1 telecast of the day among kids 6-11 and key boy demos, according to Nielsen Media Research. LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles is written by Michael Price (The Simpsons) and produced by Threshold Animation. This special marks the first time entirely new Star Wars characters and vehicles have been created specifically for LEGO Star Wars. Building sets related to The Yoda Chronicles and featuring Jek 14 will be available in August.
You can see more pictures of the unveiling of the life-size LEGO Star Wars X-wing at LEGO’s Facebook Page. So what do you think of the life-size X-wing? Were you there? Or wish you were there? And how about The Yoda Chronicles? Are you excited yet? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! 😉
You may also like to check out the LEGO Star Wars section for more news, reviews and discussions, or select from the following related posts:
- LEGO Star Wars Yoda Chronicles Promo Set
- LEGO Star Wars Red Five X-wing Starfighter
- 2013 LEGO Star Wars Summer Sets Pictures
- LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles
- LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles Update
- LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles Coming!
- LEGO Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Out
- LEGO Star Wars – The Padawan Menace
wow thats relly cool it would be fun to sit in it and i got the minifigures sky diver good minifig 🙂
Beautiful! Yoda Chronicles looks hilarious and I love the Yoda with the NY I Love t-shirt. Very Clever!
Yeah, there is actually a minifig version of that Yoda statue that was also limited edition for the event and is now selling for just around $150 on eBay. Not that bad. LOL! 🙄
Wait…Wasn’t the one in the Comic-con exclusive glued together?
Hm… I don’t think so. Unless the minifig is a magnet or keychain they are usually not glued. I had the exclusive Iron Man and Captain America and they were not glued. (I sold them for $350 each.) 🙄
when I watched the video I saw that the X-wing looks like the X-wing set that I have and when they said that people got to sit in it, I have to admit… I was acting a little immature and I grabbed my X-wing and pretended I was in it! I’m glad no one came in my room at that time! kind of embarrassing 🙁
LOL! 😆
That’s not embarrassing, that’s awesome! Only awesome people swoosh around their X-wings!
I know I swoosh mine! 🙂
And you also have to make swooshing noises, otherwise it doesn’t count. 😉
I actually make all sorts of noises so I guess I do more than just swooshing. 😉
LOL! Yeah, well of course they have to do more than just swoosh around. But, yes, sound-effects are important! 😀
Don’t forget one criteria that many veteran reviewers do: Swooshability! Naboo Starfighter? Swooshable. Stealth Hunter? Swooshable. Hayabusa? Not Swooshable. Palace Cinema? Not either. UCS Millenium Falcon? Swooshable…Not.
Yes, that’s a fact. Swooshability is an important criteria. Most LEGO models swoosh really well, but yeah, of course not the buildings. Although I think a flying Palace Cinema is an intersting concept. As far as the MF, you just have to be a giant. 😀
Yeah, you’d have to be the Hulk!
Hulk not fly! HULK SMASH!!!
So, what would that be?… “Larvelling” ?…
I actually don’t think that the Hulk would be good in a room full of Legos. He’d get mad about something and probably smash them all! 👿
I’m starting to regret sending that comment out. ops… I liked that yoda in the ”I love new York” shirt. I just really like star wars. End of story… haha
Notice that it’s not “I love new york”, but “New York, I love”.
Of course! It took me some time to get it.
So they decided to have the model based on the Lego set rather than the original film prop. That was unexpected.
Hakan, good notice. Yes, pretty interesting indeed! Actually, quite clever! 😀
One day until the Yoda Chronicles!!
Yep!
Yeah this is cool but when I am fifty they will be doing helms deep 100 times bigger then the original 😀 Also, it is neat that the model is just like the set but some of the pieces don’t look as good on it when it is so big…I think they should have made a complete new model.
A Helm’s Deep! 😮 Great idea! Or maybe a Minas Tirith would be better.
How about a 1:1 model of the Sun?
Or maybe a Barad-dur!
100 times bigger… 50 foot high walls and 200 foot high tower would be 5,000 feet high walls and 20,000 foot high tower! That’s nearly 4 miles high!! How many LEGO bricks would that take!
1,456,700,002…just kidding I have no idea. But what amount of Lego bricks does the Lego group NOT have?
LOL! 😆 Next to the giant brick made Yoda they have a tiny minifigure Yoda standing there! XD
Was wondering who will notice that! 😀
Ikr.
Very short comment…xD
Huh? 😕
Incredible Kangaroo Wrestler, International Kite Rewards, Intresting Kelp Robbers, Icky Korean Roads… I can’t think of any more, what does Ikr mean?
I know right. 😉
Icky Korean Roads? LOL. 🙂 I know exactly how icky Korean roads can be. 😉
Holy Brick! That thing is huge!!! Only one day left until Yoda Chronicles! 😀
I wonder how much that would cost… 😀
My guess is three thousand. 😉
The brick count is over 5 mio. bricks, with a retail value of approximately 500.000 US$. Notwithstanding costs of labor.
Awesome!
I saw that on the news the other day but only for a second or so.
Admin, PLEASE post the episodes here!? 🙂
I would love to, but unlikely it will show up on YouTube anytime soon. I can’t upload them directly as our website would be shut down. However if someone is brave enough to upload it to YouTube, I can post it here. Cartoon Network is very heavy on going after uploaders. 🙁
Don’t worry I saw it on the tv…….
It was 5:58 and I just happened to be browsing the channels when I came across Cartoon Network………it was coming on in 2 minuites!! Because I have sky I hit record and now have it on the planner! 🙂
I thought advertising laws prevented the uk from getting the lego tv series’ but obviously this was an exception!?
It rocked anyway- Jek 14 is AWESOME!! 🙂
Guess what? It’s pouring rain down here in Nassau. Some houses and areas are even flooded. They had to close schools today.
Stay safe! Don’t get washed away!
Thanks Admin. But I have a question. I’m planning on making a lego cruise ship. Any links or ideas for what parts I can use?
Have you looked into that gourgeous LEGO cruiseship in the LEGO Friends line? It should give you some ideas. 😉
I usually stay around the Ninjago section but… Holy Crap that is freaking amazing!!! I can’t believe they did that! If only I could see that now!!
They have taken it over to LEGOLAND California where it will stay permanently. So if you go that way you can still check it out. 😉