What was the worst B-model?

[Richard Dower]

I was just looking at the B of 8265 and my god, compare to the A...its pretty brutal!

load of unused parts and the model just looks pants imo.....there has to be worse ones?

Edited August 15, 2015 by Richard Dower

[JJ2]

B model to 42029!

[AOW]

oh yes there have been, both in the past as in current models .... just take a look at this list :

New:

42000

42035

Old

8853

8838

[Nick Barrett]

8842 wins this one hands down for me!

[Saberwing40k]

oh yes there have been, both in the past as in current models .... just take a look at this list :

New:

42000

42035

Old

8853

8838

42000:

42035:

8838:

8853:

8842 wins this one hands down for me!

Added pics, this thread is a lot more useful with them, you know. I just grabbed them off of Brickshelf, and do not claim any ownership of them.

Well, I have got to say, all of these models are kind of ugly, but I actually disagree with them being the worst. Most of these sets are old or small, which is a problem. And they all try to do something that has a cool idea in it. Sure, it may be badly executed, but at least they tried to do something different. Except 8842, but that is still more forgivable, at least in my eyes, then these. My candidates for the worst B model are the ones that don't even try to do something.

Like...

9398

Exact same chassis, no improvement in looks.

8288

Just pop off a couple of sub-assemblies, and swap them around.

42037

Almost the exact same thing as the A model, but with fake front suspension. Also, it looks like nothing, or maybe what a 4 year old would imagine an off road vehicle to look like.

Although, out of the 3, I say that 9398 takes the cake, as it is a flagship set, and should deliver an unparalleled building experience. I've seen plenty of ugly B models, but the worst are the ones that don't even try.

[SamS]

I usually build the B-models, but for the 8265 I never have because it looks so uninteresting compared to the main model. I actually don't mind the "minimalist" B-models so much, like 8288, 9398, 8110 (even 42043 reuses the cab and most of the crane) because it accomplishes something different-- I like the display of the versatility of the bases of those sets.

Also, though I don't own the 42030 Volvo, its dumper B-model looks rather weak. Something about front loader alternates seems to be the issue.

[tfcrafter]

42008's B model has a really ugly color scheme with a mix of red and green.

[GoldVillage]

With 8265 b-model they have taken too many shortcuts with the crane/arm... the operating controls is so lame and too simple, because with the 3 including actuators they could had design it alot better! but 42035 b-model has to be one of the worst, it looks so stupid and the blade rising/lowering mechanism is too lame. 8288 b-model seems like a waste, why build the very same model once again? so much lack of imagination.

on the other hand, 42037 b-model looks absolutely stunning... it should been the main model!

[Erik Leppen]

I liked the B of 8853. Not sure what's bad about it, given the parts in the set.

Anyhow. In the "bad B model" category, it's hard to beat this:

[Rockbrick]

8421 - no B model just a cherry picker!

that set has way more potential for B models than that

[JJ2]

I liked the B of 8853. Not sure what's bad about it, given the parts in the set.

Anyhow. In the "bad B model" category, it's hard to beat this:

I kind of like that B-model! The way they tipped the bed is cool.

[Brickthus]

I haven't found many 'B' models that I've wanted to build, maybe 8862 was a rare good one (Combine Harvester).

The Unimog idea of a different tool on the same chassis was better. I did add the snowplough from the parts of a second kit.

I don't do online instructions partly because there's no room in my office for a table to build on, so I've not built a 'B' model since they stopped making paper instructions for them.

If so many 'B' models are so badly thought of, the next competition should be to design a better 'C' model for a set where you hate the 'B' model, and to justify why your model is better than the 'B' model

Mark

[N-4K0]

Or TLG could make a competition where they designed a complete model and released the full parts list and people could compete in designing the official B-model.

Kinda like the 41999 competition except the winner would get his design as the official B-model.

[planetes]

8288

Just pop off a couple of sub-assemblies, and swap them around.

The best part, the 42042 has the same B-model.

[GoldVillage]

The best part, the 42042 has the same B-model.

Yah, lets build a crane... into a crane! instead we could have had an awesome blue bulldozer as the b-model ;)

[RohanBeckett]

8434 'aircraft'

atrocious A model, and even worse B model

[Boulderer]

8434 'aircraft'

atrocious A model, and even worse B model

I quite like the 8434. I can't recall the B model though.

[Chr.Maglekaer]

I quite like the 8434. I can't recall the B model though.

Let me help you

[Boulderer]

Ah now I remember. That really is awful!

[Chr.Maglekaer]

What about the B model from 8437?

[Rockbrick]

in the end I thnk LEgo does bad B models on purpose... "I can do better than that" will make us try more and then need extra parts so we buy more sets (in the pre-bricklink days) or more bricks nowadays

[JJ2]

in the end I thnk LEgo does bad B models on purpose... "I can do better than that" will make us try more and then need extra parts so we buy more sets (in the pre-bricklink days) or more bricks nowadays

hhhhhmmmmmm i guess that makes sense. Except 8880

[RohanBeckett]

I beg to differ... it comes and goes over the years.. some of the sets of days gone past have *awesome* B models... 8880..... and the 8480 Shuttle, for example, with the B model of Nuclear sub, complete with opening hatch, and 'drivable' RV that comes out the front (powered by the micromotor)

and even recent sets - although I don't own it.. 8053 crane has a pretty good B model Harbour crane that a lot of people seemed to enjoy

I have a feeling that often flagships have lacklustre B's, since they put SO much effort into the main model, ensuring it's as good as can be, they simply don't have the time/resources to make a decent B.

Other, lesser sets are surprising what they can do with the same parts.

I'm always impressed when a B model uses more than 95% of the parts! (same in the Creator series too!)

Edited August 20, 2015 by RohanBeckett

[Cumulonimbus]

The best part, the 42042 has the same B-model.

In my opinion, the 8288 B-model is even better than the A-model. In fact, I have a theory that it was originally meant as the A-model, but because it was more difficult to display attractively on the box (it would leave a lot of "empty"space on the box as you can see on the manual), the choice was made to make it the B-model and put something very similar on the box as an A-model.

As for the 42042B, I really like it. It might be a bit crude in design, but it instantly triggered a lot of ideas for MOCs and MODs. And to be fair, a crawler crane with a jib is something completely different as a tracked tower crane.

[Rockbrick]

hhhhhmmmmmm i guess that makes sense. Except 8880

8880 was the last great B model - model - they should bring it back in studless for an anniversary or something