As we discussed at the beginning of the month, starting tomorrow, March 6th, you will get a free #40450 LEGO Amelia Earhart Tribute set with purchases of $100 or more, or while supplies last. This is one of the best freebies in recent history with a unique subject, nice model, and an exclusive minifigure. Below, we will talk about the set in more detail.
The #40450 LEGO Amelia Earhart Tribute comes in a fairly large box, featuring the famous aviator pioneer and her red Lockheed Vega 5B. This is the plane she used to make her nonstop solo transatlantic flight, becoming the first woman to achieve such a feat. The back of the box shows off some of the highlights of the set.
Inside, you will find two sets of numbered bags, with bags numbered #1 for building the plane, and bags numbered #2 for building the stand and the minifig. The set includes 203 pieces in total (including the sticker sheet), with 111 pieces used for the plane, and the rest for the display stand and minifig.
A sticker-sheet is also included with 12 stickers in total; 10 to decorate the plane, one for the nameplate, and one for the map.
The first couple of pages of the instructions booklet pay tribute to Amelia Earhart and her achievements, particularly her 1932 nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic. She took off from Harbor Grace, Newfoundland with the destination of Paris in mind. However due to strong winds, icy conditions, and mechanical problems, she was forced to land in a pasture near Londonderry, Ireland. Amelia Earhart was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross – the first ever given to a woman – by US Vice President Charles Curtis. I was a bit disappointed that there is no picture of her and her real plane on the tribute page, but otherwise it’s nicely done. If you would like to learn more about her, you can check out her Wikipedia page.
Photo by Underwood & Underwood (active 1880 – c. 1950)
As I mentioned above, the first set of bags include parts for the plane. It’s a fun build with the middle section constructed sideways to sandwich together two wedge shaped slopes. I was delighted to see that most of the yellow lines are brick-built, and stickers are used sparingly.
In fact, if you don’t want to use the stickers, you can replace the two red 1×2 bricks towards the front of the plane with 1×2 red and yellow plates. These will extend the lines to the front. And you can also replace the sideways section and 1×6 plates at the back with regular two stud wide plates to extend the line all the way to the tail.
I didn’t find any particularly interesting or unique pieces used for the plane. The whole aircraft is mostly made of plates, wedges, and some other common elements. The main colors are standard red and yellow, with a few additional colors hidden in the interior. The building techniques are also pretty standard. Still, it’s a satisfying experience to build this bright and spunky little plane.
I was actually surprised by the final size of the aircraft. With a 7-inch long body, and 8-inch wide wingspan, it’s quite large! Comparing to images of the real plane, the LEGO versions seems fairly accurate, although I feel that the wings could have been shorter and more rounded at the ends. But other than that, the LEGO version is a nice representation of the real plane. I especially like the teardrop shaped fairings covering the wheels. I recommend reading the Wikipedia page about the Lockheed Vega, as it became famous for its use by a number of record-breaking pilots who were attracted to the rugged and very long-range design.
Photo by Sergio Caltagirone
The second set of bags contains pieces to build the stand for displaying the plane and the Amelia Earhart minifig. The black oval shape is basic, but it does provide a stylish platform for displaying the plane. Personally, I prefer to hang it over my city. The sticker for the plaque has a silver-ish shine and looks nice.
Amelia’s minifig version comes with an exclusive torso that’s printed both front and back with her aviator jacket and scarf. Her legs are unprinted, her hands are light-tan (to imitate gloves), and she has one facial expression. She holds a 2×2 tile decorated with a sticker, showing the path of her transatlantic flight.
Overall, the #40450 LEGO Amelia Earhart Tribute set looks great even as a regular set, not to speak of as a freebie. I’m a little sad Amelia can’t sit inside her plane, even with the scale not exactly right. Still the plane is sturdy, so you can swoosh it around to your heart’s content.
If you would like to get this freebie, please note that there is already a lot of talk about it in the LEGO fan community. Anxious LEGO fans are ready to place a qualifying order as soon as the clock turns to March 6th. (This means midnight EST in the U.S. – I don’t know how it’s handled in other regions). Even though the promotion supposed to run until the 14th, judging by previous recent promotions, we can expect that stock will run out well before that date. So, if you don’t want to miss out, I would suggest that you place an order to qualify for the set as soon as possible. This offer is valid on all purchases at official LEGO stores and the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO Amelia Earhart Tribute set? Are you planning to get it? Would you like to see other sets like this commemorating historic people and events? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
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