Random set of the day: Fire Helicopter
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 8253 Fire Helicopter, released in 1999. It's one of 33 Technic sets produced that year. It contains 210 pieces and 1 minifig, and its retail price was US$16.5.
It's owned by 398 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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15 comments on this article
This dude takes firefighting so seriously that the entire inside of his helicopter is a siren.
We all need more flex tube in our lives.
PPP is good, especially with a Technic fig, but it's just not that strong of a set. Yeah, it's got a winch, but that's it. LEGO called this set a "Fire" helicopter. There's no bucket or tank represented on this thing to carry water. Maybe a scout helicopter for forest fires?
This is one of Technic's weakest helicopters, ever.
Remember those days when they showed imaginative alternate builds on the box?
I don't remember seeing this at all in any catalog I got in 1999. I remember Throwbots getting the biggest push from the theme, but there were other sets released.
Also, way ahead of its time with a totally Technic studless beam design. Perhaps that is why it is so simple a set; not enough beams yet to bulk up this chopper.
Those are some funky rotor blades
So is it a helicopter that puts out fires or a helicopter that's made of fire?
Okay, dumb joke but I saw an opportunity and took it.
Parts I like, the model not. If not for the Technic figure, I wouldn't think of buying this set.
Oh this was one of those weird modular sets they made that year you could simple pop&swap segments. The connectors used for that always looked interesting at the least.
That is a seriously unsafe helicopter: as well as the high risk of the pilot falling out if it tilts even slightly, if it gets near a fire the poor guy will get frazzled!
Is this technic or Znap?
Rather interesting that Technic had split into 33 cheap and cheerful sets under $15 and more detailed sets over $30 which included another helicopter 8444 (with upgrade to working rear rotor). ln practice, I think both of these were over-looked by most buyers at the time when everyone wanted the street sensation 8448, or Indy storm 8446.
Those trans yellow connectirs, and the associated modular build, are interesting. The instructions have a few suggestions for how to rearrange those modules in <30 seconds, and also how to mix and match with a couple of other sets.
LEGO really needs to bring back the Technic figures someday... I see no reason why they should’t do so. Technic is currently one of their best selling themes, after all.
As far as Technic goes, this is...well...
not that great.
Fifteen bucks isn't awful though, i guess.