This 20 kg Star Destroyer is leading a LEGO revolution
Popular Mechanics South Africa|Popular Mechanics January/February 2021 issue
Charles Anderson’s Star Destroyer stretches almost 1.5 m long, but opposite the enormity is an attention to detail – the filigree of LEGO figurine hands ringing the docking bay; the barnacle-like swath of pipes that make up the vents, pipes, and cannons – that makes the ship an artistic, architectural marvel.
WILLIAM HERKEWITZ
This 20 kg Star Destroyer is leading a LEGO revolution

It took Charles 15 months and more than 500 hours to design and build his LEGO version of the iconic Imperial Star Destroyer, first imprinted on the collective consciousness when it crawled across the opening shot of Star Wars in 1977. Like the ship in the movie, Charles’s destroyer intimidates with its size. Weighing 20 kg, the creation boasts almost 20 000 LEGO bricks, three times as many as the biggest set LEGO has ever published (the 2017 Star Wars: Millennium Falcon set, priced at R16 000).

But it’s not the mass, weight, or obsessive detail that make Charles’s starship so remarkable. ‘There are definitely bigger and more impressive LEGO Star Destroyers out there,’ says Charles, 43, a senior technical animator in Raleigh, North Carolina. ‘I’ve seen one over 10 feet long.’ His construction is distinct because it’s custom, the first such LEGO model he’s ever built.

Charles credits his Star Destroyer to a digital revolution transforming LEGO fandom. Throughout LEGO’s 62-year history, diehards have always built wild, imaginative models from their plastic scrap heaps, but a new wave of fan-made digital resources has given builders the tools to craft custom models that rival the detail and integrity of official LEGO sets. Whether you’re looking for cutting-edge software to design your next project or a site that can generate a piece-by-piece instruction booklet, it’s likely out there, free for download.

THE DIGITAL TOOLBOX

Like most new LEGO projects, Charles’s ship materialised on a computer before he started clicking bricks together.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Popular Mechanics January/February 2021 issue-Ausgabe von Popular Mechanics South Africa.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Popular Mechanics January/February 2021 issue-Ausgabe von Popular Mechanics South Africa.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS POPULAR MECHANICS SOUTH AFRICAAlle anzeigen
Can a retired rocket engine take us to Mars?
Popular Mechanics South Africa

Can a retired rocket engine take us to Mars?

The space shuttle's main engine was mothballed with the programme in 2011. Now NASA believes it's the future of interplanetary travel.

time-read
9 Minuten  |
January/February 2023
6 metre waves. All engines on fire. 1 500 Km from land.
Popular Mechanics South Africa

6 metre waves. All engines on fire. 1 500 Km from land.

How Flying Tiger 923 and its 'miracle pilot' made an impossible ocean landing.

time-read
10 Minuten  |
January/February 2023
Land Rover Discovery D300
Popular Mechanics South Africa

Land Rover Discovery D300

A FEW MONTHS ago a $2 billion lottery jackpot was won in the United States. It’s fun to sometimes ponder outrageous winnings like that, and how I’d spend it, even if it’s completely detached from reality.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
January/February 2023
Volkswagen Taigo R-Line 1.0 TSI
Popular Mechanics South Africa

Volkswagen Taigo R-Line 1.0 TSI

The compact proportions make this a delightful daily commuter.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
January/February 2023
Mazda CX-5 2.2 L De Akera AWD
Popular Mechanics South Africa

Mazda CX-5 2.2 L De Akera AWD

Floor the pedal and overtaking is achieved easily and safely.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
Making the most out of your grinder
Popular Mechanics South Africa

Making the most out of your grinder

THE HUMBLE BENCH GRINDER IS A STAPLE of the handyworker's home shop, largely due to its versatility. But, while you can employ one to remove metal from just about anything, the traditional kind may not provide the precision you need for every grinding operation. Here, we shed light on the best ways to use the different types of grinders, gleaned from our testing.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
January/February 2023
Unlock your devices' full potential with a USB-C hub
Popular Mechanics South Africa

Unlock your devices' full potential with a USB-C hub

AS NEW TECH SHRINKS EACH YEAR, essential ports such as USB-A, HDMI, and ethernet are being replaced by the slimmer USB-C.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
January/February 2023
WE BUILT THE WORLD'S FIRST V-8 TESLA
Popular Mechanics South Africa

WE BUILT THE WORLD'S FIRST V-8 TESLA

THE RICH REBUILDS TEAM HAD A DEAD MODEL S. THEY FIXED IT WITH A CAMARO ENGINE.

time-read
9 Minuten  |
January/February 2023
I bought a GHOST TOWN
Popular Mechanics South Africa

I bought a GHOST TOWN

This abandoned California mining village once had 400 buildings. Now I'm restoring the 20 that remain.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
January/February 2023
F1 taught me that speed starts with comfort
Popular Mechanics South Africa

F1 taught me that speed starts with comfort

AS A FAN OF MOTORSPORT, I'M ALWAYS fascinated with the finer details that go into Formula One racing. Piloting the fastest racing cars on the planet subjects drivers to savage forces - up to 6 G's under braking which has led to an almost endless pursuit of comfort.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
January/February 2023