The Blackbird SR-71 is a legendary Cold War spy plane, faithfully recreated here with Lego. Built by Lego Technic expert Paweł “Sariel” Kmiec, it features “motorised elevons, rotating and illuminated engines, motorised control mast and custom stickers.” Clocking in at 73.6 cm long, this is one badass and beautiful build. Plus, the video gets bonus points for using Daft Punk.
If you’re not familiar with the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird,” you’re in for a treat. The Lady in Black was developed as a long-range, strategic recon craft, capable of flying at Mach 3, at 85,000 feet (though theoretically it could also achieve speeds up to Mach 6). Not only was it the fastest plane ever built, it also carried the most advanced photographic tech available. It served the USAF from 1964-1998. If this spy plane looks familiar it’s because it was used in Call of Duty: Black Ops.
The model is mounted on a control mast and built on a simple technic frame that runs through the central hull. What’s probably most impressive (besides the engineering) is that this is Sariel’s first Lego aircraft build. There’s an incredible amount of features and such amazing attention to detail, from the brake flaps to rotating motors. You can read more about the intricacies of the build here. Overall, it’s a sleek, elegant and aeronautically-orgasmic piece of kit. [Sariel via MocPages]
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6 responses to “Amazing Lego SR-71 Blackbird Is Motorised, Controlled By Joystick”
Familiar because it was in Transformers 😛
familiar because i grew up in the 80s
Fun fact for the SR71! Fueling for it comes in 2 stages. Ground and Air. The seals for the fuel tank are too small initially but this is due to practicality of not wanting the plane to fall apart, due to the altitude it attains and the speeds it gets to, when the aircraft is flying, the frame is known to contract massively. While on the ground, you can literally see the fuel leak from the fuselage onto the runway. Once taken off, the plane will then refuel in mid air and continue on its merry way.
At full velocity, the airplane surface heats up to temperatures of 260°C+. Things inside of the cockpit would heat up to 120°C if the airplane didn’t have proper air conditioning system. Ouch.
THEN once done, the plane will land on the ground, the frame of the craft is too hot for anyone to touch, the pilot has to sit in the seat for potentially a fair while to get out once landed, so the frame would be cool enough to touch to get out.
The blackbird was never shot down by enemy fire, not one. Hundreds of missiles were launched at them but they never deployed countermeasures, all they did was hit the throttle and watch the missile disappear behind them… lol
Truly the coolest plane ever 😀
Agree that its the coolest plane ever, but a point of correction:
“when the aircraft is flying, the frame is known to contract massively” – its the reverse that’s true when in the air at speed the frame (and panels) expand massively (things expand when they are heated) and this closes up all the little gaps that it has when on the tarmac with fuel leaking out. The fact it’s designed like this is just amazing.
Always loved theat the crew of the SR-71a had to wear protective suits to protect them from the heat on the inside of the fuselage.
Wish I could find a copy of Sled Driver for a reasonable price (preferably an ebook).
nicely nerded up there Invid. (expanding/contracting)
Would be cooler with the X-Men cartoon theme.