greg3

Thanks! I really enjoyed researching the story behind the hut and finding out about all the little details. The Antarctic Heritage Trust website and app is a great resource for the various surviving huts and artefacts. I've got more Antarctic builds to come!

This build was inspired by Antarctica's oldest building, Borchgrevink's Hut. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The Inspiration On February 17th 1899, Norwegian explorer Carsten Borchgrevink and 9 men landed at Cape Adare on the coast of Antarctica. Representing a British funded enterprise known as the Southern Cross Expedition (after the name of their ship), their aim was to carry out scientific observations, investigate possible exploitable resources and find and map routes inland (perhaps even as far as the pole itself!). The expedition were the first to use dog sleds in Antarctica and although they found their route inland blocked by mountains, they traveled further South than anyone had ever been before. They were also the first people to spend a winter in Antarctica, living in a prefabricated hut they erected on the beach at Cape Adare. Incredibly, this hut (and a second one that held stores) still survive today. Despite being over 100 years old, the living hut and its contents are especially well preserved and provided the inspiration for this build. Sadly, one member of the expedition died of illness in Antarctica but the rest of the men returned to England in June 1900. Unfortunately, despite their achievements, the Southern Cross expedition was often overlooked in favour of later expeditions and explorers (Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton etc). However it's now recognised that the work of Borchgrevink and his men paved the way for these more famous journeys. The Build The model features many elements seen in the real building. Strings represent the cables that hold down the roof (in the real hut they are attached to ship's anchors dug into the ground). The struts on one side were designed to be be covered to extend the roof down to the ground to deflect wind over the hut. Beside the building are stacks of supply crates and equipment, a British Union Flag and also space for the sledge and dogs. The removable roof allows access to the detailed interior which features an entrance space with 2 doors to minimize heat loss. There's also a photography darkroom, storage area and the main living space with 8 bunks, dinning table and stove. Well stocked shelves line the walls and each bunk can fit a minifigure (as long as they don't have a big hats/hair!) I've also included a couple of little "Easter eggs" as nods to some of the things that happened during the expedition (The paint palette/brush is inspired by the artistic expedition member whose artwork can still be seen on the wall near his bunk, and the candle, by an incident when the hut nearly burnt down one night!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I've also included 4 minifigures, 2 penguins plus a chick (in reality there should be at least a million more penguins!) and plenty of accessories including: skis, snowshoes, a rifle, cooking utensils, a compass, a sextant, Primus stove and brickbuilt camera/tripod. Finally there's a fully loaded supply sledge with dog team (7 dogs) which can be placed on a separate display stand. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I've always been interested in the history of exploration and found the story of this small insignificant looking building, and the men who lived in it, fascinating. (I suppose a modern equivalent would be a base on The Moon or Mars!). I eventually hope to get around to building the supply hut (need to restock on my supply of dark tan masonry bricks first though!). For anyone interested, I've posted this to LEGO Ideas so any support/shares would be greatly appreciated! Thanks LEGO IDEAS Submission page

Loving the look of the Endurance glad to see it's nowhere near Titanic price!! (especially as I have a bit of a thing for Polar Exploration!) A definite day 1 purchase for me. The GWP is interesting to see as I've built a MOC of the same boat... think mine's better though, but then I'm biased! https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/199088-the-james-caird-moc/

Thanks for the comments (and adding the link... wasn't sure if that was allowed!) Cheers!

Finally got around to finishing this off.... it now has an interior which can be accessed by removing the deck or either side to create a "cutaway" effect. Also redesigned the rudder, added a display base and some name stickers. Finally I decided to post it to LEGO Ideas so any support would be very welcome! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Thanks for looking!

Typical…. You spend ages working on a MOC as part of a larger LEGO Ideas submission, and just as you get done, leaks appear suggesting LEGO are releasing the same set as a GWP later in the year! I mean, what are the chances!? Anyway for what it’s worth here’s a few pics of my version of The James Caird. Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrIn 1914, Ernest Shackleton led an expedition to attempt to cross Antarctica. Unfortunately his ship, Endurance, was crushed in the ice leaving the 28-man expedition stranded on a remote island. To get help, Shackleton and 5 of the men set off on an 800 mile journey across some of the world’s stormiest seas in the James Caird, a 22ft lifeboat.Before setting off they did their best to modify the open topped boat by adding extra ballast, masts/sails and a deck made of packing cases and waterproofed with oil paints and seal blood!After 17 days, they finally reached an inhabited island and a rescue mission was launched to recover the rest of the men. The skill of the 6 men and the toughness of the James Caird itself have made this one of the greatest small boat journeys of all time. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrMy build is based on photos and descriptions of the boat and features: positionable brickbuilt sails, a cockpit with space for 2 minifigs and a removable deck that allows access to an interior space (which will eventually feature supplies and space for a minifig to lie down)Obviously I’m going have to rethink my plans to submit the MOC to LEGO Ideas if the GWP rumors turn out to be true but it’ll still be interesting to see LEGO’s take on the subject. (And I have other Antarctic exploration themed MOCs on the go!)

It's been a while since I posted on EB but now I'm back starting with some recent sci-fi inspired builds. These MOCs are inspired by artwork from the book "Spacecraft 2000-2100AD" written by Stewart Cowley. The book was published in 1978 and was one of a series of "Terran Trade Authority Handbooks". It featured a number of Sci-Fi artworks by different artists (many of the images would feature on book/album covers). These unrelated images were linked together by the book's narrative which told a fictional "history" of a war pitting Earth (the Terrans) and their allies from Alpha Centauri against the inhabitants of Proxima Centauri. As a kid I loved this book and often tried to recreate the scenes using my LEGO. Now 40-odd years later and I'm still doing it! Hopefully I've got a bit better at it!First is the K13 Shark, from an image by Angus McKie. According to the book it was a Proximan mid-range interceptor which first appeared in 2056 and had an advanced hydrogen plasma drive system. It was lightly armoured but fast and manoeuvrable and was fitted with hydrogen collectors projecting back from each wing to extend its range.It was armed with 2 laserguns and 1 nuclear pellet gun and had an advanced navigation system (part of which was the prominent fin that gave it its codename). Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrNext is a K7 Piranha (based on artwork by Tony Roberts). This was a Proximan, single seat, atmospheric fighter which took part in the Invasion of Mars in 2052, operating from warp-equipped carriers. They also played a major role in defending the Proximan homeworlds later in the war. Armed with a single laser gun, particle accelerator or nuclear pellet gun, Piranhas were small, fast and manoeuvrable, often using their superior numbers to overwhelm their targets. After the war, many surviving Piranhas were stripped of their weapons and converted to private civilian use. IMG_6484 by g.nat, on Flickr IMG_6481 by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Finally it's the ACM 115 "Minnow". Based on artwork by Colin Hay, it was an Alpha Centauri ship designed as a long range interceptor/scoutship. it had a crew of 2 and was armed with various laserguns (this late war version also has a shield generator mounted on the upper hull). IMG_6542 by g.nat, on Flickr IMG_6541 by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I'm hoping to get around to making more of these but for now the free instructions for these 3 are on my Rebrickable page. Rebrickable Link

That's the one it's based on... minus the "authentic Viking smells"!

Even the most fearsome Viking warrior needs to take a break from raiding, pillaging, fighting and feasting in order to answer the call of nature…. and where better to do this than in the peace and privacy of the Viking Privy! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr“Protected from the worst of the elements but with plenty of ventilation, the facility incorporates a gravity operated waste transportation system leading to a subterranean storage facility. A comfortable seat and absorbent, biodegradable plant based wipes to deal with any “mess” complete the customer experience.” Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrThis build actually began as an experiment in fence designs for a historical themed MOC I have planned. I’ve previously used flex tube to create the woven hurdle type texture but these flexible hoses are far easier to use and look much better. The idea for turning it into a toilet come from a reconstruction of a Viking toilet I saw online and I thought why not? Some pics of it with custom Viking figures from United Bricks Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Instructions for the toilet are now on my Rebrickable page Rebrickable Link Thanks for looking!!

It's a while since I've posted on here but thought I'd share this. Not sure if this is the right theme for this MOC but it is a boat and it is from the 18th Century so I hope it's OK! The Turtle was a one man submarine/submersible used during the American Revolutionary War. While not the first submarine in history, it is believed to be the first used to attack an enemy ship and the first to bring together many features used in modern submarines. I've always been fascinated by this craft ever since seeing it in a book as a kid. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr American inventor David Bushnell had developed a type of underwater mine with a delayed action clockwork fuse and needed a way of attaching it to enemy ships. His solution was the Turtle - named after the shape of its wooden hull. It had 2 hand cranked propellers to provide horizontal and vertical movement. Buoyancy was controlled by flooding part of the vessel with water that could then be pumped back out. To surface in an emergency, a weight on the bottom could be released. A small conning tower with windows allowed the pilot to see where he was going while surfaced and 2 snorkel tubes provided fresh air. Once submerged, the Turtle held enough air for around 20 minutes. A rudder provided directional control and inside there was a compass and depth gauge for navigation. These were illuminated using a luminescent fungus called “fox fire” The craft carried a mine which could be attached to the hull of the target vessel using a hand cranked drill. Once released from the Turtle, a clockwork mechanism set off the explosives after a preset time allowing the turtle to escape. On Sep 6th 1775, the Turtle set off to attack the British ship HMS Eagle, the flagship of the forces attacking New York. Piloted by Ezra Lee (a last minute stand in after Bushnell’s own brother had fallen ill) the Turtle succeeded in getting under the Eagle’s stern but couldn’t attach the mine to its hull. (Probably due to the metal fixtures of the rudder) As Lee tried to manoeuvre into a better position, the Turtle was spotted and, running out of air, he had to abort. Pursued by British rowboats, Lee released the mine which detonated a short time later without causing any damage but allowing the Turtle to escape. Over the next few weeks, the Turtle attacked 2 more ships but without success and was finally lost when the ship it was being transported on was sunk. The build itself is based on written accounts from the time as there seems no modern agreement on what it actually looked like! (In fact some sources claim that it was a propaganda stunt and never used!) I think there's enough evidence to say that it probably was used (modern working reconstructions have shown that the technology would have worked). It does make a great MOC project though and I think it looks pretty good! Comments are always welcome.... thanks for looking!

That is so cool! Definitely has the feel of the castle sets of the 80's and I love the wizard hut! Nice work!

01 = 1 point 03 = 2 points

01 = 2 points 02 = 1 point

This is my MOC of the GAU-90, a fictional weapon featured in the Avatar movies. I built it after treating myself to LEGO set 75571 (Thanator vs AMP Suit) and deciding the AMP suit needed a bit more firepower! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrAccording to behind-the-scenes movie references, the GAU-90 is a 30mm auto cannon designed to be used by the RDA’s AMP suit operators. It can fire high explosive, armour piercing or incendiary rounds at a rate of 250 rounds per minute. It also has an under barrel bayonet for close quarter combat. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I wanted my version it to look like something LEGO could (should?) have made to accompany the set so I made the gun able to clip into the hands. I also added a stand to store the gun/ammo drum when not in use. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrThe build went together pretty quickly using the parts I had available and I think it came out looking OK (Although I do need to improve the bayonet attachment as it’s a bit wobbly!) I’m really liking the official LEGO Avatar sets and might look at doing more Avatar themed MOCs in the future. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Thanks for looking.

Using just non-powered hand tools and her own imagination, the "Ice Maiden" (name inspired by her favourite heavy metal band) turns blocks of ice into works of art. Today she's entertaining the crowds at the Winter Village Festival by creating an Ice Castle before their very eyes. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr This is my first EB post for some time so I thought I'd ease myself back in with a little festive competition build. The 6x6 limit made it quite a challenge but I managed to fit in the sculptor, the partly created ice castle (a little tribute to what I think was 2022's best Lego set the Lion Knight's Castle!), her tool bag, tools and a coffee cup (to keep her going and to collect tips from the audience when she's finished!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Thanks for looking and enjoy what's left of the holidays!