The Tragic loss of Nnenn brings this question to the forefront.....

[Omega 8]

With all the pics of Nate's creations and the subsquent tributes to his iconic style, it brings to mind something i've wondered for a LONG time... Who was the first to build "sideways" and use brick-built wings and fins as opposed to plate built ones?

For reference:

Classic style "vertical", plate built fighter:

Nnenn (among others) -esque "horizontal", bick built fighters:

RIP Nate. My thoughts and prayers are with your family .............

[Siegfried]

I think no one person. Regardless of all the SNOT talk that goes on, TLG have been building things sideways and upside down from the start; afterall they designed pieces to work that way. I'm often surprised when I look at old sets and see a "new" technique being used. I think the only reason why a set built this way hasn't been sold is for play-strength reasons. On a similar note, I think I was the first to use the hovercraft pieces to make a tugboat, but I doubt I was the first to think about it.

Classic style "vertical", plate built fighter:

That's hardly classic!

[prateek]

As Siggy said, you can't really point out one person who "invented" this. He might have been the first one to post pictures, but not necessarily the first one to do it.

[snefroe]

if you look at the old catalogues from Lego, let's say 70's, you'd be surprised how many different techniques they used back then. quite a few never reached the later sets.

the Lego community is pretty much like the world of music. nobody can claim the very first love song, but that doesn't mean there aren't a gazillion fantastic love songs around, created by people we now call legends... nnenn was such a legend, but it doens't mean he was the starting point of it all...

[Commander Tac]

I think Lego did. They started making 'SNOT' pieces and used them in sets ages ago! I think over time SNOT has become an easier way to get a smoother surface. Someone was probaly building a starfighter and decided to use a SNOT brick, then someone saw it and tried it out, then someone else saw it, etc...

[Forresto]

Probably some sleep deprived lego designer deep within the bowls of Legoland!

However Nnenn really did some beautiful things with it as have some rare others.

[Omega 8]

I think no one person. Regardless of all the SNOT talk that goes on, TLG have been building things sideways and upside down from the start; afterall they designed pieces to work that way. I'm often surprised when I look at old sets and see a "new" technique being used. I think the only reason why a set built this way hasn't been sold is for play-strength reasons. On a similar note, I think I was the first to use the hovercraft pieces to make a tugboat, but I doubt I was the first to think about it.

That's hardly classic!

While, I'll agre that it's not Classic Space or even Neo Classic. It IS built with classic priciples.

[SpiderSpaceman]

While, I'll agre that it's not Classic Space or even Neo Classic. It IS built with classic priciples.

but aren't we talking about the wing construction? they're technic panels on that little guy. i don't think that had happened until SPIII, and is really my only problem with SPIII. I guess I shouldn't like them any less than curved slopes, and they fill out the look, but it feels cheaty

btw i'm 100% in love with curve slopes

Edited April 23, 2010 by SpiderSpaceman