Random set of the day: Twin Spin Helicopter
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 31049 Twin Spin Helicopter, released during 2016. It's one of 19 Creator sets produced that year. It contains 326 pieces, and its retail price was US$29.99 / £19.99, which equates to about US$40 / £27 in today's money.
It's owned by 1,519 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you should find it for sale at Brick Owl, BrickLink, where new ones sell for around $40.90, or eBay.
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14 comments on this article
Gee 2016 was a good year for Creator sets. So many cool small-scale animals and vehicles, and some pretty great sets for minifigs and city landscapes, too.
Background music accompanying these sort of official videos from ten years ago https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ucIppL7BVgA feels rather nostalgic.
The helicopter seems a wildly different scale than the crawler.
The propellers don't look right. One of them needs to be inverted in order for it to actually look like it's spinning the correct direction because I just checked the instructions, and there is a mechanism that has them spin in opposite directions, but the propellers are built the exact same way, which would impact one of their performance. I think it's the front one the tile on the right side of the plate.
@MCLegoboy said:
"The propellers don't look right. One of them needs to be inverted in order for it to actually look like it's spinning the correct direction because I just checked the instructions, and there is a mechanism that has them spin in opposite directions, but the propellers are built the exact same way, which would impact one of their performance. I think it's the front one the tile on the right side of the plate."
If you're going to criticize the way they're built (a criticism that is entirely valid, by the way), then you should use the right word. Those are rotors, not propellers.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @MCLegoboy said:
"The propellers don't look right. One of them needs to be inverted in order for it to actually look like it's spinning the correct direction because I just checked the instructions, and there is a mechanism that has them spin in opposite directions, but the propellers are built the exact same way, which would impact one of their performance. I think it's the front one the tile on the right side of the plate."
If you're going to criticize the way they're built (a criticism that is entirely valid, by the way), then you should use the right word. Those are rotors, not propellers."
Spinny-lifty things?
I adore this set and all the other Creator Vehicle sets at that scale from that time.
Some of these Creator sets are more valuable to me as parts. This one is interesting though, with the crane and rotor mechanism and all.
Man, brick built rotors look weird when I’m so used to them using specialised pieces for them
Can't say I'm a fan of this scale, but these Creator-sets have some neat techniques. Even something as simple as using wheels rather than gears inside of these tracks, that's nice, I appreciate that.
This thing is … well … weird xD
"And it has a spinner!"
Artie Fol
It feels like a weird blend between smooth modern pieces and classic pieces. The front has a specialized window and the quarter domes. But the snowcrawler window is just two trans-clear 45 degree angle slopes.
I kind of miss this type of Creator set. It feels like the theme is now dominated by larger, more parts-intensive models of animals and static objects with decorative flowers on them. Oh, and one-off attempts to do themes that don't fit in the specific molds of City, Ninjago or Friends.
@MCLegoboy said:
"The propellers don't look right. One of them needs to be inverted in order for it to actually look like it's spinning the correct direction because I just checked the instructions, and there is a mechanism that has them spin in opposite directions, but the propellers are built the exact same way, which would impact one of their performance. I think it's the front one the tile on the right side of the plate."
I think every time I've seen a helicopter come up for RSotD, it's been accompanied by a comment on the physical plausibility (or lack thereof) of its rotors. It's comforting that some things never change.