Random set of the day: Helicopter
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 1469 Helicopter, released in 1987. It's one of 24 Town sets produced that year. It contains 40 pieces.
It's owned by 127 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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31 comments on this article
Talk about basics!
There is something absolutely ridiculous about this polybag, and yet because it's from 1987, I kind of feel like it has this wholesome charm about it, too.
So this is why gas prices are so high...
The gas companies are spending so much on a new fleet of copters!
It isn't Octan >:(
I like how the tail rotor is just a Shell logo
@Your_Future_President said:
"So this is why gas prices are so high...
The gas companies are spending so much on a new fleet of copters!"
Even worse where I am, $4.09 for regular! (NW Cali)
Isn’t that a... gas company?
Like our creator Taxi from this year, it's a 5-wide which allows some nice symmetry in the build.
It's one of the last sets to use 3462 2x3 plate with pin (1987 was the last year for that part in yellow).
Unique:
3002 2x3 brick in trans clear x1
Rare: None
I’m a sucker for anything Shell.
@Galaxy12_Import said:
"Like our creator Taxi from this year, it's a 5-wide which allows some nice symmetry in the build.
It's one of the last sets to use 3462 2x3 plate with pin (1987 was the last year for that part in yellow).
Unique:
3002 2x3 brick in trans clear x1
Rare: None"
So bizarre that this is the only set to ever have a trans clear 2x3 brick! I swear I had some in my collection as a kid. But no!
Well, at least it isn’t as blocky or oversized as those police copters we get now.
This is so strange it's cool.
Rostd has entered an aircraft era, and just look at this aerodynamic design!
This looks like a set from 1979, not 1987.
@natro220 said:
" @Galaxy12_Import said:
"Like our creator Taxi from this year, it's a 5-wide which allows some nice symmetry in the build.
It's one of the last sets to use 3462 2x3 plate with pin (1987 was the last year for that part in yellow).
Unique:
3002 2x3 brick in trans clear x1
Rare: None"
So bizarre that this is the only set to ever have a trans clear 2x3 brick! I swear I had some in my collection as a kid. But no!
"
It's because Bircklink has it listed under the 3002old entry in every other set it came in. Adding 3002 and 3002old together gives us 36 sets.
@Your_Future_President:
I kinda feel like they should have focused more on quality than quantity. This looks like you'd get about two seconds of flight time before it crashes and you need to buy a replacement.
Lol at being able to see the instructions through the polybag
It’s likely the color scheme, but I’m getting a very McDonald’s vibe from this helicopter.
Do, do do do do... I’m not lovin’ it.
Little logo on 1x1 at the back is so cute... I want one!
@Your_Future_President:
You know, I hadnt actually looked too closely at this previously. Now that I have, it’s even worse than I’d originally thought. This looks like they took a speedboat and gave it landing skids, a tail, and a rotor. Good luck seeing where the ground is in front of you with that long nose sticking out there. I’ve heard that a large freighter with the bridge located in the rear can have a blind spot that extends a mile past the bow. Once you factor in altitude, this doesn’t look much better.
@paulvdb said:
"It's because Bircklink has it listed under the 3002old entry in every other set it came in. Adding 3002 and 3002old together gives us 36 sets."
Thanks, something was bugging me about this earlier and I realized as I was sorting through some vintage this evening. I was contemplating an edit to the statistics but the older version of all the transparent parts used a different plastic that is distinct from this era, just as we seem to be entering a new era of transparent clear.
This Shell helicopter cannot save the man in the river.
@PDelahanty said:
"This looks like a set from 1979, not 1987."
Reminds me of the helicopter in set 653 (https://brickset.com/sets/653-1/Ambulance-and-Helicopter) from 1973.
It doesn't look like a set from 87'.
@PurpleDave said:
" @Your_Future_President:
I kinda feel like they should have focused more on quality than quantity. This looks like you'd get about two seconds of flight time before it crashes and you need to buy a replacement."
This was a promo made for Shell and handed out on gas stations in Denmark. I think this might explain why the quality is what it is.
@chefkaspa said:
" @PDelahanty said:
"This looks like a set from 1979, not 1987."
Reminds me of the helicopter in set 653 (https://brickset.com/sets/653-1/Ambulance-and-Helicopter) from 1973."
Yes! I have 653 and there were quite a few of these three stud wide helicopters from the 1970’s Legoland era. I don’t think the 2x3 trans clear slope is unique to this set at all
@CarolinaOnMyMind said:
"It’s likely the color scheme, but I’m getting a very McDonald’s vibe from this helicopter.
Do, do do do do... I’m not lovin’ it. "
Yeah, I thought it was a Happy Meal toy at first.
Does anyone know if the rotor and the pin it connected to could connect to anything else? Aside from the standard studded connection, obviously.
More helicopters with similar appearance:
618 ( 653 )
1548-2 ( 1469 )
1607 (2-wide)
@Ellum:
Ah, well, you see? You get a ride in a helicopter that was handed out for free with a full-up, you takes your chances...
It's a small set, and in 1987 most of the specialized parts for polybag-scale helicopters used today didn't exist.
Pretty good given the parts palate for the time.
Interestingly enough, while the 2x3 trans clear slope was used in 17 sets, 1987 was the last year. So, this helicopter was a sort of a throwback, even in its time.
https://rebrickable.com/parts/3038/slope-45-2-x-3/47/