Classic LEGO sets: airports, planes and air travel, part 2
Posted by Toymaker,
Part one of my article on airports, planes and air travel looked at sets released up to 1990. In this concluding part, I'll cover sets released between 1990 and 1996.
6375 TransAir Carrier, 6673 Solo Trainer & 6529 Ultra Lite
Rather than spreading out the second generation of air sets over a few years, LEGO went once again for a total relaunch in 1990 with 6396 and 6399 being joined by three additional sets. The most interesting of these was 6375 TransAir Carrier, a cargo plane with loading lift and trolley. Although similar to previous aircraft, this plane was the first to have its wings mounted on top of its fuselage in a similar manner to the Russian Antonov cargo plane. Like the real life version, this craft could also swing open to access the cargo hold, although the LEGO variant opened at the rear whilst the Antonov opened at the front. I’m sure someone who knows their aeronautical onions better than me will be able to correct, but I don’t believe that rear-opening has been executed on large jets to date. Although the set was on general release as a sort of successor to 6377, unfortunately it was a much diminished set, lacking in the freight terminal building and the accompanying vehicle.
Two other interesting little sets came out as part of the same overall sub-theme refreshment: 6673 Solo Trainer was virtually a clone of the previously-released 6687 Turbo prop and featured the only (to my recollection) incidence of the Shell brand featuring in an air set. Indeed it is somewhat strange that there was not more made of the partnership given the opportunities – and by this stage, the lack of Shell fuel tanker in the range.
6529 Ultra Lite was an even smaller craft that enabled the Air theme to really engage with the pocket money market. The latter was particularly interesting for having yet another ground crew from ‘LEGO Air’ but one that curiously resorted to the red livery
6440 Light & Sound Jetport Fire Squad
Ever since it launched, LEGO Air was forced to rely on the regular Classic Town fire service in the event of any emergencies: indeed, at least one consumer catalogue of the time depicted the standard red vehicles racing to the scene. In 1991, the sub theme got its own rescue vehicle with the arrival of 6440 Jetport Fire Squad from the Light & Sound range. This chunky set-up, unusually 6 studs wide, featured roof-mounted water jets, ingeniously made from Castle era flagons, an extendable hose plus two minifigures wearing a nice mixture of LEGO Air torso and black fireman hats.
1687 Midnight Transport
This was an interesting limited distribution set, produced in 1993 that took the cargo genre into an altogether more dynamic aesthetic with a plane, helicopter and van, all in black with sleek trans light blue windows and red and yellow detailing. The intention was clearly to ape the more strident UPS style vibe than the rather Postman Pat set-up offered by 6377. The design of this set was decidedly strange with the side doors of the plane opening onto a very tight space designed to hold briefcases only, whilst the hatch on the top of the fuselage opened to another hold.
6345 Air Show
The other interesting set from the same year was an airshow, a delightful scene featuring a single span prop-driven red plane, a blue biplane and a van with caravan ticket office, all set-off with yellow flags, a wind-sock and a fence behind which the minifigures enjoyed the action. In certain markets this set was badged “The Flying Eagles” as both planes featured the birds on their tails. The set boasted six minifigures: two stunt pilots, a ticket lady, a commentator and two spectators.
Three years later, the sub-sub-theme of aerial acrobatics was revisited with two further releases: 6331 Patriot Jet and 6615 Eagle Stunt Flyer. The former was a striking blue twin-tailed, more modern looking jet of unknown propulsion complete with Octan ‘pit crew' minifigure, whilst the latter was a splendid red biplane, complete with blue eagle on the tail and single red minifigure.
6597 Century Skyway
Prior to the final 1996 releases for LEGO Air outlined above, there was the launch of the ledgendary 6597 Century Skyway in 1994. This third airport represented the zenith of the Air sub-theme with a cool white and trans light blue terminal building being accompanied by a tall control tower, a white passenger jet with remodelled front, two cargo helicopters and a really impressive ground crew featuring luggage cart, airplane steps, Octan tanker and forklift. The setting was clearly designed to mimic a holiday destination complete with a palm tree. ‘LEGO Air’ was no more, with ‘Airoline’ branding featuring on the plane, the terminal and the access steps. Perhaps the best part of the set was the yellow tandem-rotor helicopter with side access panels to hold a range of ‘postboxes’ and briefcases containing their precious cargo. The set contained a very generous twelve minifigures, surpassed in Classic Town only by 6395 Victory Lap Raceway.
The popularity of the set was ultimately demonstrated when it was re-released in 2004 under the ‘LEGO Legends’ theme as 10159.
6341 Gas’n’Go Flyer
At the same time as Century Skyway, LEGO also released 6341 Gas ‘n’ Go Flyer. A particularly intriguing design of plane (whose tail arrangement is particularly prone to disintegrating) was accompanied by an identical Octan tanker to that in 6597. What is also interesting about this set is that in certain markets it was badged ‘Octan Explorer’, hinting at an oil discovery theme that was sadly never realised.
To avoid tedium – and in the interests of sanity – this review has not been comprehensive of all sets that could possibly be included under the ‘Air’ sub-theme. With the exception of 6356, I have excluded all emergency services sets including coastguard, plus ignored most of the small and fairly generic small plane sets. Also excluded are the increasingly large range of promotional releases that took place from the early 1990s, featuring some very intriguing and imaginatively rendered aircraft plus a unique (and unbadged) livery featuring a plane heading into the setting sun.
Such a range of exciting sets undoubtedly now remains out of reach to all but the most completist and avid of Ebay watchers but it is fascinating to see how the genre developed outside of the mainstream outlined above.
Classic Town Air allowed the inhabitants to realise their dreams beyond their little town of Northern European modernist architecture replete with police, firemen and Shell. As the town became more vacation-focussed during the 1990s, so too did the style of the air sets, culminating in the superlative 6597: Century Skyway, a must for any serious collector of Classic Town.
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14 comments on this article
Rear-opening cargo planes do exists, the modified B747 known as Dreamlifter is one of them.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Uc69Re0_-hQ/TCdU8T4CC1I/AAAAAAAAAKI/D6Gd074-7H0/s1600/dreamlifter_14_blog.jpg
"Century Skyway" is one of the possible highway exits in The LEGO Movie. I chuckled knowingly to myself.
Oh come on, 1687 Midnight Transport was all sorts of shady. It was either drug-smuggling, or illicit money transport. :)
Also, since when is UPS' boring brown livery considered "strident"? I do no think that word means what you think it means.
Yes, you could almost say that the dark and suspicious colour scheme was an 'extraordinary rendition' of an aeroplane...
I do love the Light & Sound Fire Tender, but one of my favourite sets ever is the simple but adorable yellow 7891 Airport Fire Truck, with it's extendable nozzle harking back to the designs of Matchbox's 'Mobile Action Command' rescue vehicles of the mid-70s.
Reissue Century Skyway is the best Lego bargain I've ever had - it was bundled free with 7237 at Argos!
Wow, I wonder where the designers of 2006's Airport Firetruck got their inspiration...
Always thought the Midnight Transport plane as in organ transport, secret info, etc.
@mzoli - thanks. I thought I'd seen one somewhere but couldn't find a reference when I searched.
Nice Artcle. Love the Skyway. one reason why I did not keep the 6392 Airport.
There also was the 1475 Airport Security Squad set, which is not common. Not sure if it was a promo or not, but a bit of a neat set IMO.
When was the last proper airport set and are we due another one soon?
Gotta love those older light and sound sets. I was lucky enough to get one from one of my cousins or something that was (mostly) complete. It also happened to be an early Ferrari set.
@PicnicBasketSam - I was made very happy when boarding a flight back from Billund (Legoland Denmark) around 2006 when I looked out the tunnel window and saw two parked bright yellow fire tenders that looked exactly like the 7891 set. I tried to find my camera in my bag but failed to get a decent picture in time.
My highest wish from Lego is to re-release the "Light & Sound" system. A proper light system for use in vehicles and buildings. -And a monorail... ahhh... :)