Let Down by Airfix, LEGO to the Rescue!
Luckily I am Spoilt For Choice!
Unlucky start to my 2024 model making for January as my Airfix Quick Build Ford Mustang kit had a missing piece! (I've contacted Airfix for a replacement, so let's see how long that takes.)
Therefore, I've had to move on down my Christmas gifts of models to the next on the list - a bit annoying as I had made such a good start and was nearly finished the Mustang - and start a new project. My choice is the LEGO Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Fighter Chase Diorama Set.
So, Here We Go Again...
OK, no biggy, plus it's nice to get on with the models that were given to me as I'm anxious to show the family the presents in action, so to speak. This LEGO set was from my daughter - Stacey - and her boyfriend (Leo) and it's the first time I've touched a LEGO set since I was a kid.
Back in the late 1960s I was very lucky to receive a BIG LEGO construction set from my parents. Amusingly, I think my Dad was a bit disappointed as he was a staunch MECANNO enthusiast! I think he thought the change to the 'futuristic' plastic building toy was a novelty gimmick compared to his more 'manly' metal Meccano! (I jest!)
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| Above: An advert for the LEGO #810 'Town Planning' set of 1962. This must have cost my parents a small fortune at the time! I was a very lucky boy! |
Anyway, things have changed a LOT over the intervening decades and LEGO is a huge thing now, with some a lot of their sets being firmly aimed at the teenage/adult market now. This Indiana Jones set is definitely an example of how LEGO have bridged their hobby across all the age ranges now.
Edit: I Googled the old LEGO set I had in the 1960s and while I can't find the original price, this must have cost Mum & Dad a small fortune at the time as - in good condition - the set is now worth about £2,331 to collectors!!!!!!!
At 62 I'm an 'old skool' Indiana Jones fan and 'The Last Crusade' movie is one of my favourites, not least because of the brilliant part Sean Connery played as Jones Senior!
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| Above: Sean Connery and Harrison Ford in ‘Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade’. CREDIT: Murray Close/Getty Images |
Let's Get Building...Er, After Some Planning First!
One of my resolutions for 2024 is that I want to try and do a better job of my model build video projects. So, I'm trying to do a bit more planning of the project - both the actual build and the videoing of it - and it just happened that when chatting to Stace last night she mentioned an app that might be helpful.
She told me about the LEGO BUILDER APP which is available for Android and iPhone. It's a kinda interactive manual for the range of LEGO sets, and give you a bit clearer instructions about how to build whichever set you have. After my experiences with the AIRFIX Mustang - during which mistakes were made with my building - I thought anything that would make the process clearer would be a good idea.
The app does not just mimic the printed instructions provided in the set, but cleverly allows you to manipulate the various build stages in virtual 3D so that you can get a better look at how the parts go together. Neat!
Here's some screenshots of the app, I'll be studying this today before I start putting blocks together! Looking forward to this...
And here's a quick movie clip which shows how you can rotate the virtual model in 3D, very useful!
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