[MOC]: The Moon Rocket - from Tintin

[Videomajk]

Hello
I want to share my first MOC in many, many years. After building the official Saturn V set I was inspired to start building again. My first idea was to accompany my Saturn V with my childhood favourite rocket, the moon rocket from Tintin’s “Destination Moon”. I searched and found a lot of MOC’s of this rocket, but all of the were either too big or in the wrong proportions to fit my needs, so I ended up designing my own MOC. So here I present “The Moon Rocket”. It’s a pure digital build this far. I hope you like it.

About the model
In 1950, when space travel and journeys to the moon where still science fiction, Belgian cartoonist Hergé (Georges Remi) published the serialised version of what would become the two album Tintin adventure “Destination Moon”. Hergé was known for his sense of detail and perfection and put huge amounts of research behind this album to make it as accurate as possible. The adventure tells the story of a maned mission to the moon, something that was yet to be achieved in the 50´s.
The vehicle that transported Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock and professor Calculus to the moon was a bright red painted, cigar shaped rocket with three large fins and a white checkered pattern around the mid-section. This rocket has become famous for its elegant design and is now synonymous with Tintin. The design is instantly recognised by millions of people which has read and loved the Adventures of Tintin over the decades.
This model is a tribute to that rocket. The model is designed at a scale of 1:110, to match the official Lego Saturn V rocket. But scale is tricky with an imaginary rocket. Even if Hergé included a detailed drawing in the albums and built several scale models during the work with the album to get the pictures as accurate as possible, there is no official record of how tall the rocket is. To get a plausible length, I started out with the drawing in the album and concluded that it was possible that the drawing was made at a 1:300 scale. In combination with information from the book "Spaceship Handbook" (Jack Hagerty and Jon C. Rogers) and measurements from the album art, I ended up with a total length of 66 meters, including the antenna. At 1:110 scale, this makes the rocket model 60 cm (23.62 inches) tall. The model is made up of 1.575 Lego bricks.

A display model
This model is meant to be a display model only. The different sections of the rocket are held together by very few Lego pieces. The model will most likely hold together when standing upright but will very likely break apart if tilted or held horizontally.

 

 

Edited November 11, 2020 by Videomajk

[Rijkvv]

Yes, that's instantly recognizable. Great job in getting the shape that well on this scale. 

Time to read the moon albums of Tintin again.

[jimmynick]

It's wonderful - great job with such an iconic spaceship.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

I remember this white & red rocket from the tv series ...great MOC! 

[ukbajadave]

Great work capturing the elegant curves at the top of the original rocket

Thanks for the cutaway and insight into the design process. I find it interesting you set a scale first and built to that rather than choosing pieces that would give you the shape and then working out the scale after.

[Lucarex]

Very nice recreation, lot of thought gone into the build clearly.

Have been hoping for a Tintin IDEAS set to make it for some time now.

[Plenge53]

I really want to build this.

any chance you could share it with me

[Videomajk]

Sure.

Let me know how to contact you, and I'll send you the files.

 

/m

 

 

[Plenge53]

I somehow missed this reply

You can contact me by email

plengeovergaard@gmail.com

[Space_jaco]

Hi. I got the instructions from Videomajk. 

Has anybody built real?

I am starting to sort out the parts needed.

[Videomajk]

43 minutes ago, Space_jaco said:

Hi. I got the instructions from Videomajk. 

Has anybody built real?

I am starting to sort out the parts needed.

Yes, I'm aware of at least three people building this MOC. According to them, it holds together quite well. Here's one: https://www.facebook.com/groups/legospacebuilds/permalink/632193903852531

[Space_jaco]

Amazing 

It's on then. Will post a pic here when I am done. Need to purchase the parts first!

[arealhuman]

I would really like someone to do it. Though I don't really have enough pieces

[White Phoenix of the Crown]

What an impressive DIY!

[Space_jaco]

Parts ordered on PAB and bricklink. 

Now waiting for the delivery to start the build

[MAU]

Wow! It's so great! I would really like to build it. Would you share the files?

magmoeller@hotmail.com

[Videomajk]

15 hours ago, MAU said:

Wow! It's so great! I would really like to build it. Would you share the files?

magmoeller@hotmail.com

Hello

Thank you for your interest in my MOC. I have sent you an email.

[Torstenr]

Dear videomajk, is there an existing brickiest to this moc? if so, would you mind mailing it to me? torsten-torsten@t-online.de tak se myket...

[Videomajk]

8 hours ago, Torstenr said:

Dear videomajk, is there an existing brickiest to this moc? if so, would you mind mailing it to me? torsten-torsten@t-online.de tak se myket...

Hello

Sure, I would be happy to. Unfortunately, my mail is bouncing from your email address. Please submit a correct address and I’ll send you the files. 
 

[Space_jaco]

Hello

Rocket finished.

 

 

 

Amazing build with really nice and interesting techniques.

A bit tricky to assemble the upper part with the ball joint but it worked out well eventually.

I did have to add an extra plate thickness on the main axle before step 199 otherwise the lateral panel would not fit.

Anyway amazing build and it goes well with the 21309 set, same scale.

Thanks Videomajk!!!

Edited November 10, 2020 by Space_jaco

[Videomajk]

20 hours ago, Space_jaco said:

Hello

Rocket finished.

Amazing build with really nice and interesting techniques.

A bit tricky to assemble the upper part with the ball joint but it worked out well eventually.

I did have to add an extra plate thickness on the main axle before step 199 otherwise the lateral panel would not fit.

Anyway amazing build and it goes well with the 21309 set, same scale.

Thanks Videomajk!!!

You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed the build. 
I’m aware if the “missing” plate on the main axle. My idea was that the assembly of the panels were to be done a bit up on the axle and then the whole package would be pressed down as far as possible, but this is very hard to describe in the instructions. 
 

Great pics by the way!

[Space_jaco]

20 minutes ago, Videomajk said:

You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed the build. 
I’m aware if the “missing” plate on the main axle. My idea was that the assembly of the panels were to be done a bit up on the axle and then the whole package would be pressed down as far as possible, but this is very hard to describe in the instructions. 
 

Great pics by the way!

Ok. Didn't try that for this step. My go back and try it out.

For the upper part I did assemble it as a sub-assembly on the 16L axle before installing it on the main structure.

[Videomajk]

1 hour ago, Space_jaco said:

For the upper part I did assemble it as a sub-assembly on the 16L axle before installing it on the main structure.

That's a good idea. I shall consider updating the instructions if I ever get around to it.

[Flego]

Really love that rocket and your build! Any chance you could send me the files of this one?

florian1.griesel@gmail.com

[Videomajk]

4 minutes ago, Flego said:

Really love that rocket and your build! Any chance you could send me the files of this one?

florian1.griesel@gmail.com

Dear Flego

I have just sent you an email with the instructions. Please let me know if it doesn't work.