10497 Galaxy Explorer 90th anniversary set

[Bornin1980something]

Bag 3 expands on the wing substructure, including the outer wings, and adds a second astronaut in white. And a preschool riot of red and yellow. 

 

Normally, substructural elements are in more subtle colours. The stated reason for this is that the colour pallet is restricted to that available in 1979 (except the grey, which is no longer manufactured). This rule certainly hasn't been applied to the design of the elements in the set.

Edited August 18, 2022 by Bornin1980something

[jonwil]

This set is my current top pick for the best set of 2022...

 

[Navy Trooper Fenson]

On 8/18/2022 at 2:38 PM, Bornin1980something said:

Normally, substructural elements are in more subtle colours.

Not since 2013. They always used parts of garish colors in sets where they clash, but around 2013 is when they went into overdrive with putting parts into sets that clash with the outer color scheme.

[CP5670]

Yes there are a lot of random colors on the inside, although I find it doesn't detract from the build. It's worse in Technic sets where the colors are visible from the outside.

Edited August 20, 2022 by CP5670

[AmperZand]

There's an article on Brickset with suggested mods to this set to make it look a bit more retro. With the mods, it looks like the love-child of the old and new Galaxy Explorers. 

@CP5670 A couple of the changes described in that article are parts (one yellow, another black) beneath the surface layer that you can catch glimpses of. They are replaced with light bluish grey parts. 

[AyeMatey]

I'm actually pleasantly surprised with the price of this set. Picked up 2 because of it.

[jodawill]

I saw this on Reddit today. I can't wait until I'm able to open mine and build something like this. (I'm waiting until Christmas.) It's crazy to think that something like this could have actually been the official set at a mere $200 price point.

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-120930/DaapMechEng/galaxy-transporter-from-2x-10497-galaxy-explorer/#details

[RichardGoring]

3 hours ago, jodawill said:

I saw this on Reddit today. I can't wait until I'm able to open mine and build something like this. (I'm waiting until Christmas.) It's crazy to think that something like this could have actually been the official set at a mere $200 price point.

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-120930/DaapMechEng/galaxy-transporter-from-2x-10497-galaxy-explorer/#details

I saw that too. Looks very cool.

[WaybackLegoman]

11 hours ago, jodawill said:

I saw this on Reddit today. I can't wait until I'm able to open mine and build something like this. (I'm waiting until Christmas.) It's crazy to think that something like this could have actually been the official set at a mere $200 price point.

https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-120930/DaapMechEng/galaxy-transporter-from-2x-10497-galaxy-explorer/#details

I was waiting/hoping for some more alternate builds. 

[Bornin1980something]

Not much in bag four, just the outer edges of the forward wings. Considering that this set harks back to an era before TLG did Star Wars, these wing edges look suspiciously similar to an Imperial Star Destroyer in another scale.

 

The unusual SNOT ribbons by which some of the edges so attached have been by far the hardest parts to assemble, especially with the unusual 'plate with shaft' attachment, which can take more than one try to get the length right in a very small space. Also, this is the last time we will see the 4x4 round brick which served as the capstone. It is surprisingly far forward in the model's nose. Normally, I would expect such a large model to be assembled from the back. But then, I have owned very few large Lego models.

[Bornin1980something]

Bag 5 contains the nose (with suspiciously large 'probes'), and completes the upper wing plating. Another red suited cosmonaut joins the crew.

I think the wings are more than 50% thicker than the original. Also, it still doesn't look quite right in the new bluish grey. That, and the thickness of the wings, produces a suspiciously 'warship' like aesthetic. I want peaceful exploration. 

[CP5670]

Classic Space was actually kind of militaristic after the initial wave with sets like 6950, 6940, 6983, etc. It was like Lego's interpretation of Star Wars.

Edited August 27, 2022 by CP5670

[Mandalorianknight]

53 minutes ago, CP5670 said:

Classic Space was actually kind of militaristic after the initial wave with sets like 6950, 6940, 6983, etc. It was like Lego's interpretation of Star Wars.

I'm a little confused here. 6950 you could see as militaristic, I guess. 6940 definately, it's very clearly an AT-AT. But 6983 is an Ice Planet base that doesn't seem to be either classic space or militaristic?

[CP5670]

Sorry, I meant 6980. Those cannons in the front look pretty menacing.

[Lyichir]

Personally I can reconcile the forward "cannons" as a defensive/utility measure. Even for a peaceful exploration mission, you never know when you'll need to break up some asteroids or other space debris in your path, or deter some unfamiliar hostile craft.

The wings are certainly thicker proportionally at the edges than the original craft, but less so near the center of the craft where they've merely gone from three to five studs thick. I feel like the added thickness is nice both in terms of structural rigidity and for allowing the retracting landing gear (as well as allowing the central "repulsors" to be recessed instead of protruding from the bottom like on the original).

[Aanchir]

5 hours ago, Lyichir said:

Personally I can reconcile the forward "cannons" as a defensive/utility measure. Even for a peaceful exploration mission, you never know when you'll need to break up some asteroids or other space debris in your path, or deter some unfamiliar hostile craft.

Yeah, even if designers from back then have stated that they intended those sorts of forward-facing antennas and stuff to be understood as guns, it's not too tricky to imagine them as lasers to clear away obstacles. And if you prefer to think of them as something OTHER than guns… well, even all these years later, it's not too hard to interpret them as some other high-tech gadgets like LIDAR scanners, wormhole generators, communication antennas, force field projectors, repulsors to clear away small space debris, or multi-spectrum cameras.

After all, this is sci-fi, and if you're willing to stretch your imagination, there's no limit to what different sorts of "beam"/"ray" can be used for!

[MaximillianRebo]

Pretty much all of the initial 1978/79 classic space sets used the 3839a element somewhere in the build - all the spacecraft had them at the front, giving the impression of 'guns', but the same piece was used on rockets and radar in a way that implied antenna. For the Galaxy Commander I always considered that equipment on the front to be a detailed sensor array, largely because I saw the 4360 element as some sort of camcorder/telescope/imaging device, but now I see Bricklink lists it in part as a 'space gun' ... 

[TeriXeri]

Since there's literally a screen with the ship shooting asteroids, the forward part being cannons make sense, for exploration.

That printed tile could of course mean multiple things, like a simulation, or video game, or easter egg etc. But Classic Space is open-ended enough to not be tied to a big pre-defined story.

Even the recent City 2022 Space Missions sets has 2 buildable comets/asteroids. (blue sparkly bits likely being water/ice so comets more then anything)

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by TeriXeri

[AmperZand]

8 hours ago, MaximillianRebo said:

Pretty much all of the initial 1978/79 classic space sets used the 3839a element somewhere in the build - all the spacecraft had them at the front, giving the impression of 'guns', but the same piece was used on rockets and radar in a way that implied antenna. For the Galaxy Commander I always considered that equipment on the front to be a detailed sensor array, largely because I saw the 4360 element as some sort of camcorder/telescope/imaging device, but now I see Bricklink lists it in part as a 'space gun' ... 

The modifications in the Brickset article include exactly that change: replacing the Technic parts at the front with 3839a (plate with two bars).

[RyanMe]

Anyone come up with a good way to hang this on a wall?  Would love to hang it beside the spaceman mosaic. 

[Bornin1980something]

The wings now almost complete, bag 6, along with a giant tile piece, completes the rear ramp. Then it is on to the central fuselage and interior, last touched in bag 2!

The famous space beds are added, each with a dip for the air tanks. The rear outer walls are begun, and the angled outer walls are anchored at the rear with long Technic pins. This is actually a difficult connection, as it is done blind, especially if, as per instructions, the beds are already in place. 

The two 'letterbox' outer storage compartments are basically the same since 1983 (apart from the hollow studs), and might be the only current pieces to still use the once common narrow hinges. While they are an improvement on the original 497/928's car doors leading nowhere, they do bring a new flaw; the slot on both sides means that they cannot be airtight. 

Finally, tailfins and masts are added to the wings, giving the spacecraft a curious mixed aero and nautical aesthetic. Quite authentic for the '70s look, but I wonder, could this thing actually be capable of atmospheric flight?

[lowlead]

Made a couple small mods that I believe make the back end look better, IMHO...

Image is link:

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by lowlead

[CP5670]

18 hours ago, MaximillianRebo said:

Pretty much all of the initial 1978/79 classic space sets used the 3839a element somewhere in the build - all the spacecraft had them at the front, giving the impression of 'guns', but the same piece was used on rockets and radar in a way that implied antenna. For the Galaxy Commander I always considered that equipment on the front to be a detailed sensor array, largely because I saw the 4360 element as some sort of camcorder/telescope/imaging device, but now I see Bricklink lists it in part as a 'space gun' ...  

I always thought of 4360 as a space bazooka as a kid. 3839a looked like a sensor or antenna to me on the classic space sets, but like guns on the Blacktron II cockpits and other sets later on.

[Bornin1980something]

1 hour ago, lowlead said:

Made a couple small mods that I believe make the back end look better, IMHO...

Image is link:

 

That lunar surface and star background, how did you do it?

[lowlead]

@Bornin1980something That's my kitchen countertop and a plastic cutting board I got at Target - propped up vertically to make backdrop.