Random set of the day: Cosmic Fleet Voyager
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 6985 Cosmic Fleet Voyager, released during 1986. It's one of 17 Space sets produced that year. It contains 413 pieces and 4 minifigs.
It's owned by 1,686 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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Who gave that ship landing clearance??? The area has not been cleared
Well, it's not Star Wars like we hoped, but it is Space, and Space is cooler than not Space.
I always liked the bulk and interior space on this one. Would love to see it remade like Galaxy Explorer
Ah, Cosmic Fleet Voyager. Another flagship set which had a 'back bit' and a 'front bit' but the back half looked more like a drop pod then previous and indeed later Lego ships.
Also had a very good distribution of Spacemen colours!
I remember the box having some truly out of this world alternate models...
In the process of piecing this together. It has a lot of trans yellow that could easily be used for Blacktron 1....
Wow. I love the windows on it. I like the small red and white accents on it, too.
Just got another one of these that I’ll probably end up parting out. I’d prefer to sell them whole, but the part out value is like double the full set value for just selling like 50 pieces.
This is my favorite of the 3 large Classic Space spaceships, being by far the tallest and bulkiest (there are two stacked canopy pieces at the front stacked on top of a windscreen piece!). There is a fully enclosed corridor leading from the pilot's seat at the front to the rear section, allowing minifigs to actually walk around inside the ship instead of being confined to seated positions (only the Space Police ships 6984 and 5974 have similar usable corridors although both of those ship’s front pilots are stuck sitting in their detachable mini-ships (though the transparent glass at the back of 6984’s front module may suggest an opening airlock)). This corridor is mostly empty (giving the minifigs some living room for long distance voyages or as cargo space, thus the alternate set name “Taurean Ore Carrier”), but there are plenty of windows through the ship allowing for great views. The end of the corridor right before opening to the detachable rear section contains an airlock that allows the front ship to stay airtight on its own should you choose to leave the rear section as a standalone base (though I wish the rear section also had a front airlock as it is now open).
The large rear lab section contains two computer terminals and a rather flat rover (which locks in place using two hinged plates that can be used as a bench/table when the rover is absent) that exits via a lowering ramp. The sides of the rover can hold two rather blocky equipment units that are otherwise stored outside the rear lab section. Each unit can clip 3 minifig accessories as well as seat a minifig on top (there are thus spots for all 4 minifigs to sit on the fully equipped rover)
The many window, glass, and canopy pieces allow for some very nice alternate models, as seen on both the back of the box (the base is really nice) and the inside flap (I love that space dragon/chicken!) as @maffyd has noted.
My favorite Space set from when I was a kid. Absolutely fantastic. And yeah, the alternate builds were epic as well!
So many nice pieces! The blue 6x6 radar dish, the opaque blue canopy, the two styles of engine piece in blue, (can you tell I like blue?) the white 4x4 cones and hoses, and window panes in trans-yellow and, again, opaque blue. Not to mention a minifig selection that will particularly appeal to fans of RWBY. (Of which I am one.)
Ah, a true Classic Space set, with a color scheme that is...not at all adherent to any established color scheme.
I feel that this would be a comfortable spaceship to live in, a little bit cozy and with good views of space with the ample windows.
Looking ou for it. Pops up now and then ond ebay, and turns out to become fairly expensive like anything in the 6983 - 6991 range.
Found this set slightly incomplete and very dirty at a flea market a couple years ago. $35 seemed a fair price. Sad that the black space man is missing.
There's one for sale in a local e-commerce, but the seller is asking an absurd price, and it is missing parts, all figs, the small vehicle and it is dirty as hell... It is sad to see.
EDIT: Bought it. Gonna find a way to restore it with the parts I already own. I also have a friend who can get me some parts for a low price, it will be possible.
Not my fave design, kinda' think it'd would've been improved by having the Space-logo 6x3 slope in the front...just a thought...also reminds me: I've gotta' schedule time to put G.E. V.2 together...sometime after the new bookcase...:)
After the sleek predecessors this was quite the departure. But ironically, probably the most realistic of the bunch. Back then, I thought those big corner pieces were the coolest thing ever, but unfortunately never had those myself. But so much other nice stuff too. To me this remains some of the best Lego ever made.
My breakthrough set! After 6603 and 6523, this was my third Lego set and the one that got me hooked on Lego as a kid. Superb parts and epic alternate models taught me that I can use my bricks to build anything, including some nice spaceship MOCs. I always liked the large inside space and the trans-yellow 4x10 plates that make the roof of the rear lab.
When I swooshed it around the house it happened way more than once that I held only the front section and the back section fell of and shattered to pieces. Back then, I fixed that by putting a blue 4x4 plate on top at the connection between front and rear section. That worked well but it took me about thirty years to realize that it just works as well to turn the existing 2x4 plates by 90 degrees. ;-)
Somehow I prefer it's UK name: 'Taurean Ore Carrier'.
Whatever that means...
Is the ore from Taurus or the ship? What ore is it actually?
With Taurus being a constellation, I assume it refers to a star system within it...
This was my first "capital" ship--this thing was amazing and huge for 9 year old me. Such a great set!
This ship might not be the prettiest one out there, what with the blue and white and tr yellow colorschene and general blockiness.
But boy, is it built to be a good playset. Some people seem to only consider the triangle ships from the first wave as classic space. But to me ships like this are truer to what classic space is about: vehicles and locations with no limits on the creativity of what they can do. It splits and leaves behind a base. It has an actual interior space. And as @LordDunsany has noted, an actually well thought out array of play features including modularity and split-off spaceships.
It's these reasons that I love my 5974 Galactic Enforcer so much.
With Space sets even the smaller sets have a lot of random space parts like boosters, wings and support parts to allow you to build truly bizarre alternate models. The aesthetics are not the standard sci-fi one with random greebling, but it's own thing with all sorts of useful-looking things sticking out like scanners, guns (?), extra thrusters etc.
To me Space as a theme has always been about the exciting versatility of the sets for in-universe usage. The alternate builds just increase the sense of creativity and versatility.
I love sets like these above all because they're just so inspiring!
First time I see this but it looks great. I feel like Lego would make a fortune just by redesigning every Classic Space set ever made like 10497.
@Binnekamp said:
"This ship might not be the prettiest one out there, what with the blue and white and tr yellow colorschene and general blockiness."
What a piece of junk!
Seriously, compared to the 70s sets, this is just a bunch of pieces thrown together. 'Ore carrier' sounds about right. Tubes, red nozzles, fins and extra wings sprouting all over it like a teen with zits. Looks like a part-shedding nightmare.
I would like to see the interior to get an idea what the hype is about. Otherwise, it looks like a kid designer trying to use classic space parts to copy SW and 'doing his bestest.'
EDIT: checked the BS 3d view and it looks incredibly spacious. I can see the possibilities for fun. Nevertheless, the outside is definitely a hot mess!
@ElephantKnight said:
"In the process of piecing this together. It has a lot of trans yellow that could easily be used for Blacktron 1...."
Alternatively, swap out the blue for black... https://i.redd.it/k152lrjsviy81.jpg
I'm also in the piecing together camp, and, that is a SLOW process: the parts that are left would each be well-priced at $5 a pop... and good luck finding them all together!
Using the wrong parts, I've mocked it up, and it's a fun playset and quite swooshible for its size. The size of the interior is positively decadent for an official LEGO set, if you grew up with the later 90s sets as your standard.
This was a set that my brother and I found very useful -- its large capacity meant it could haul cargo, troops, or smaller spaceships (such as 6822). We also used the dimensions of the docking port between the two halves as a template for other spaceships and modules, so the rear module could form part of a larger moonbase.
No Classic Space logo on the front : this is sad.
The design wasn't as graceful as the Galaxy Explorer 928 or the Galaxy Commander 6980. The nose was disappointing with 2 styles of windows from these 2 ships and this little front piece from small spaceships like the 6874 .
But at least, there was plenty of space inside, and the rover could fit on it.
It was a kind a massive cargo ship, like the upcoming Space Police 2 Galactic Mediator 6984.
Not Star Wars, but a more than adequate sideline into a proper classic Space set
@ dtobin123: Just make sure you don't open any of those windows. Although Classic Spacemen's helmets didn't have visors, so maybe they could breathe in space and the air tanks were just for the aesthetic.
My 10th birthday present, after having always been a Town kid, I decided late on that Space was the way forward. Great memories. Still got it dismantled in the box - will reassemble one rainy day!
*at Brickset towers late last night, a figure waves his hand in front of Huwbot, who is about to pick a SW set for third time in a row*
?: This is not the space theme you're looking for.
HBOT: This is not the space theme we're looking for
?: You don't need to pick a star wars set
HBOT: I don't need to pick a star wars set
?: Classic Space will do fine
HBOT: Classic Space will do fine
?: In fact, make it a SPACESHIP! ...Now, go about your business and forget I was ever here.
HBOT: *blinks* I think I'll pick a CS spaceship set for tomorrow. I feel like I'm forgetting to do something though. Oh look, Benny must've fallen out of my mini-fgures drawer... now how did that happen?
...the face only a mother could love.
While I appreciate its popularity, this ship looks like it had one too many botox injections.
@StyleCounselor:
Yes this thing does not have the nice aesthetics of 928 or 6980, but spaceships do not inherently need to look sleek when there is no atmosphere to consider. And this seemingly excessive and random assortment of pieces is a bonanza of Classic Space parts that leads to some truly great alternate models (https://www.backoftheboxbuilds.com/set-6985/) - check out the Inside A, Back A, and Back D models. The 'Alt. Builds' tab on Brickset's own set page links you to free pdf instructions on Rebrickable for these official alternate builds as well as some others (like an X-wing and a space shuttle). If second-hand prices for this set weren't so high, I would buy several more just to build some of these (I have already built both the Inside A and Back D models and really want to see the Back E model in person).
@Murdoch17:
'Benny' is the only color original Classic Space minifig that isn't in this set!
@Brickalili said:
"Not Star Wars, but a more than adequate sideline into a proper classic Space set"
Like it or not, this literally IS a proper Classic Space set. Yes, it's not the most beautiful in the aesthetics department, but that doesn't mean it's from the very same theme from the very same era.
I built an updated version of this earlier this year, but I’d still love to have the original set!
https://flic.kr/p/2n6fh7z
Love this set, desperately wanted it when I was a kid, but could never get it due to price point. Build two of them when piecing sets back together from eBay lots, then sold them at different times, and regretted it. Then found one in box that may or may not be complete and bought it. Now just have to confirm its all there (and if not I likely have the parts for it), but third time is the charm and not sure Ill be selling it again...
I have several of the large Classic Space ships, but not this one unfortunately.
As a kid this one looked ugly and too bulky to me, so I never put it on any of my birthday or Christmas wishlists.
In hindsight I should have appreciated its positive aspects more, but there you go.
I'm not too sad though, because I got several other awesome sets back in the day instead.
@Murdoch17: Are you suggesting that Huwbot is weak-minded? That could explain some things...
@Murdoch17: Are you suggesting that Huwbot is weak-minded? That might explain some things...
It's flying a bit low and at a funny angle in that box art.
This was one of those sets i always liked but never managed to get when I was a kid. Sure it looks like a great hulking unstreamlined tanker but I bet it was great fun to play with and you could cram a load of classic space minifigs in the back.
Got this and a bunch of other 80s and 90s sets in a bucket of “random” parts for $60. Incomplete, but I managed to get it to 90+% there. The kids loved it, and now it rests on my CS shelf next to my Galaxy Explorer. Also made a great YT video.
@Atuin:
Unlicensed Battlestar Galactica set?
As a kid I did not like the outer design of this ship. It was unwieldy and bulky. But the interior was really fun: all that space! If the designers just had managed to make it look not like a giant blue space carrot. Sadly they tried it with 6783 again and did not hit the mark either, making it into an even more jumbled ship...
Love this set, very nice looking to be fair, and there's a actually a lot of interior space.
Also the rear section being a modular drop-off base that comes with a ramp and a small rover is great.
I think this may be the biggest Classic Space ship, both in length and probably also by pieces, due to 6980 having several side builds.
I never liked this as a kid. I thought it looked confused and weird. Seeing it as an adult I understand the play possibilities, but that was not my first thought as a kid.
I definitely would’ve built this into something else if I’d had it as a kid.
In my Central Space fleet, after the initial fast scans and/or minimal sample collecting from the 6929 Starfleet Voyager (whose role is to plot efficient, resource rich, and safe hyperspace corridors), the 6985 C.F.V. follows up with an extensive ground based survey of the planets or moons deemed suitable for colonies or resource collection, along the route.
After thorough investigation, mapping, and deliberation (with advice from Command); the team marks on the surface the locations for initial structures, utilities, and paths to resources; or even directly constructs rudimentary infrastructures, appropriate for the immediate survival and vehicle accommodations for those who will follow.