Review: 42152 Firefighter Aircraft
Posted by Huw,
42152 Firefighter Aircraft is the largest fixed-wing aircraft that LEGO has released since the ill-fated 42113 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey in 2020. However, unlike that cancelled set, the bright colours and lack of licencing ensure that there's no mistaking this new one for anything other than a civilian craft.
It incorporates a very cool mechanism for spinning the rotors while swooshing it around the room, which I was not expecting.
Summary
42152 Firefighter Aircraft, 1,134 pieces.
£94.99 / $99.99 / €109.99 | 8.4p / 8.8c / 9.7c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
A surprisingly large aircraft with a cool mechanism for turning the rotor blades
- Substantial size
- Great red & yellow Technic parts pack
- Mechanisms work well
- None
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Parts and stickers
The sticker sheet is minimal for the size of the set and all could be left off if you wanted because the model is not dependent on them for aesthetics.
There are no new parts in the set but this double-curved panel is new in yellow, having been introduced in another March Technic release, 42154 2022 Ford GT, where it's used for the headlights.
Construction
Parts are divided across bags numbered one to four and construction begins with a mechanism that provides a means of spinning the rotors by pushing a sprung lever under the fuselage.
It's not easy to see, but the green gear is attached to the end of an arm. When the rack (a 60578 GEAR RACK 14X2M W/GROOVE inside a 18940 HOUSING 2X15X3M F/GEAR RACK) is pushed backwards the green gear is rotated which in turn rotates one of the perpendicular axles on the right that links to the engine rotors. When the rack springs back the green gear bounces up thus preventing the rotors from turning the wrong way. It's easier to use than explain!
The linear actuator above the rack is part of the retractable landing gear mechanism.
The remainder of the build involves covering all that up with the fuselage and, from bags #4, adding the wings and engines.
The completed model
It's about 60 cm long with a wingspan of 60 cm, so quite an impressive size.
What I particularly like about is that there are very few black and grey parts in it, which are all too common in Technic sets nowadays. This makes it a great parts pack if you're in need of brighter colours in your Technic spares boxes.
The whole gamut of Technic panels have been used to make the fuselage, which is virtually devoid of holes and quite a contrast from, say, 8434 Aircraft, released nearly 20 years ago. I know some people lament the old style skeletal models, but I much prefer the enclosed look of recent ones.
Functions
The main play feature is discharging ten 2x2 round bricks of 'water', which are loaded into an opening bay at the top of the body, and discharged by moving a lever on the side. The chute is spring-loaded so shuts tightly closed when you move the lever back again.
The lever for rotating the blades is positioned in just the right place for when you're holding the plane while swooshing it around the room.
When the lever is pushed back the blades spin, then when you let go it returns to the forward position, ready to be pushed back again. It works extremely well, and you can achieve quite a high rpm by giving it some welly!
The landing gear under the nose and engines can be retracted using the black gear you can see in the picture above. The wheels fit neatly inside the engine housing and under the nose.
That's it for mechanical features, although there are a couple of manual adjustments that can be made, to the wing flaps, and...
...to the angle of the small wing on top of the rear fin. I presume this is prototypical, but it looks a bit strange.
Verdict
Of the four March Technic releases I left this one until last to review because I was not expecting to enjoy building it, but I was pleasantly surprised by the implementation and effectiveness of the mechanisms and impressed by the size of it.
Its imposing stature helps make the price of $99.99 / £94.99 / €109.99 seem quite reasonable and while it's early days for a decent discount at Amazon I think we can be sure one will be forthcoming soon enough, as it usually the case for large Technic sets in the UK and Europe.
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29 comments on this article
I hope we can see the water release feature from this set used elsewhere!
Reminds me a lot of 8425 in terms of playfeatures.
70227 King Crominus' Rescue uses a similar mechanism to spin its intermeshing rotors.
No one can argue that technic sets are grey and boring! I'd have loved this as a kid. Not having to spin the propellors by hand would be a dream come true.
"largest fixed-wing aircraft that LEGO has released since the ill-fated 42113 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey in 2020."
The 2015 41109 Heartlake City Airport included a large fixed-wing aircraft. It might give this a run for it's size.
@560heliport said:
"70227 King Crominus' Rescue uses a similar mechanism to spin its intermeshing rotors."
The mechanism reminds me most of 4403 Air Blazers, an old Creator Expert set “avant la lettre”. It has a very cool landing mechanism too!
The propeller mechanism reminds me of the rotor mechanism in 8232, which I had a lot of fun with. And @Huw, I'd imagine the tailplane moving up and down is because separate elevators would have been too difficult.
@aosconman: Huw didn't say largest fixed-wing aircraft ever, he said largest since 2020. and last I checked, 2015 was before 2020.
@CCC said:
"Something looks a bit odd about this one. Doesn't this sort of plane usually have stabiliser floats on legs at the end of the wings , so that it can land on water to fill up without toppling to one side or the other. Or, they have a very low set of wings, essentially off the bottom of the fuselage instead of the top, so that it can again land on water without toppling over.
"
It looks like inspiration has been taken from e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadair_CL-415 , or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuLk5hXMRZY but as you say there are significant features missing compared to real firefighting aircraft.
Reminds me a lot of the Britten Norman Islander, although the tailplane is in the wrong place
@CCC said:
"Something looks a bit odd about this one. Doesn't this sort of plane usually have stabiliser floats on legs at the end of the wings , so that it can land on water to fill up without toppling to one side or the other. Or, they have a very low set of wings, essentially off the bottom of the fuselage instead of the top, so that it can again land on water without toppling over.
"
Not all firefighting aircraft are seaplanes.
@CCC said:
"Something looks a bit odd about this one. Doesn't this sort of plane usually have stabiliser floats on legs at the end of the wings , so that it can land on water to fill up without toppling to one side or the other. Or, they have a very low set of wings, essentially off the bottom of the fuselage instead of the top, so that it can again land on water without toppling over.
"
From what I can tell, firefighting aircraft can have both wing types but the hull is usually more rounded like a boat hull. This set seems to be very similar to a Canadian DHC-515 which does utilize wing floats. https://www.flyingmag.com/de-havilland-canada-launches-dhc-515-firefighting-aircraft/
Three Boeing 747s were converted to firefighters. Definitely not seaplanes!
Great review, thanks! Looks like a worthy successor to 8855 and shows off how far technic has come in the 35 years since. I like the look of the spring loaded prop mechanism - very nice to see something of this kind included.
While the colour scheme is designed to match the CL-415, the design of the airframe is meant represent a Q-400 modified for the job. See link below.
https://conair.ca/conair_fleet/q400-airtanker
@Scampi said:
"While the colour scheme is designed to match the CL-415, the design of the airframe is meant represent a Q-400 modified for the job. See link below.
https://conair.ca/conair_fleet/q400-airtanker"
You are right -- good spot!
Thanks, but I'll stick with 42025 Cargo Plane. Loads of functionality............
@CCC said:
" @560heliport said:
" @CCC said:
"Something looks a bit odd about this one. Doesn't this sort of plane usually have stabiliser floats on legs at the end of the wings , so that it can land on water to fill up without toppling to one side or the other. Or, they have a very low set of wings, essentially off the bottom of the fuselage instead of the top, so that it can again land on water without toppling over.
"
Not all firefighting aircraft are seaplanes."
I thought most were these days as they are significantly more fuel efficient for refilling the water as they swoop down and graze the surface at speed while filling before taking off again. Whereas a conventional plane needs to land, come to a complete stop, get filled by hose, get to take off velocity before taking off again. Of course, the former needs a decent sized lake or other body of water nearby whereas the latter needs a airstrip with a large water supply.
The shape and decoration of this one does make it look very much like the CL-415 just without the stabilising floats.
"
Out here in the USA, especially in the south western states, sea planes are a very rare sight. We just don’t have the water surfaces required for them. It’s very common to see fire fighting aircraft in the form of Air Tractors, old converted MD-80’s, DC-10’s, and of course various helicopters running a bucket. With the exception of the helicopters, every time they make a pass, they have to land. Very taxing and inefficient, but it’s what we have to deal with given the landscape.
In regards to the Lego set, I’m not a technic collector, but I really like this one. Proportions all seem pretty close to a real aircraft. Really looks like they packed a lot into it!
I recently built 31011. That one has the ratchet propellor mechanism as well, just not on the underside. And moving aerofolds. And folding landing gear. Ánd an opening cockpit.
Creator plane from 2014 - 1
Technic plane from 2023 - 0
And yes it's apples to oranges. Shudup
@TheOtherMike said:
"The propeller mechanism reminds me of the rotor mechanism in 8232, which I had a lot of fun with. And @Huw, I'd imagine the tailplane moving up and down is because separate elevators would have been too "
Chopper force! One of my favourite technic sets as a kid. A condensed package with a perfect brick-built (!) ratchet mechanism and a technic figure to boot!
I like reviews that focus more on the final model than on describing each step of the building process...
Does it have any sort of flywheel to keep the propellors spinning, or is it just the momentum of the props themselves?
This is a proper technic set. That rotor mechanism is the centrepiece of course, but this is pleasantly full of expected functions.
@Duq said:
"I like reviews that focus more on the final model than on describing each step of the building process...
Does it have any sort of flywheel to keep the propellors spinning, or is it just the momentum of the props themselves?"
Momentum.
This is just "plane" awesome!
@Binnekamp said:
"I recently built 31011. That one has the ratchet propellor mechanism as well, just not on the underside. And moving aerofolds. And folding landing gear. Ánd an opening cockpit.
Creator plane from 2014 - 1
Technic plane from 2023 - 0
And yes it's apples to oranges. Shudup"
I thought about the ratchet mechanism in 31011 too, though it doesn't have a snap-back mechanism, so it relies on repeated push-pull cycling by the operator.
I like this quite a lot more than I was expecting to! The ratcheted rotor mechanism looks very well thought out and implemented, and as Huw says, it's clearly a great parts pack. Might get it on a discount!
Anyone else getting TaleSpin vibes?
@jsutton said:
"Great review, thanks! Looks like a worthy successor to 8855 and shows off how far technic has come in the 35 years since."
Different folk, different tastes.
I am definitely one of "those who lament the old skeletal style" of Technic.
Just one of the reasons why I have stopped buying Technic sets, even though that used to be my second favorite theme right after Classic Space.
After all, what's the use of calling a theme "Technic" when you can't see the Technic in the end? Might just as well call it "Creator with panels over functions".
Reminds me of 42025 which also had clever features, like spinning propellers, retracting under carriage and a welcome break from cars and cranes. It should also make a great parts set with the three 3x19 frames proving useful, as well as all the beams and panels in yellow and red to expand previous same colour construction sets.
This set looks like 42025 without Power Functions…