LEGO 92176 Ideas NASA Apollo Saturn V

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You see, the original LEGO Ideas set includes 26 dark grey 2×4 plates. The relaunched version, however, includes just 25. The missing piece has instead been swapped out for a 2×4 plate with Technic holes, which is put to use in the mini Lunar Lander that accompanies the main model. You can see the difference in the instructions for both sets below. A variant without Power Functions in the tower (manual operation) is being planned and will then be added to this MOC as an update.

Holy crap, this was an intense but so satisfying build! I have to admit that I was a bit overwhelmed at first by the size, not sure I would be able to finish this. But here we are! Total build time was around 18 hours, including part of the photography. This Lego Technic " Launch Umbilical Tower" for the Saturn V (21309 or 92176) was designed with the focus to have a cheap build. So I decided to make a Triple-Alternate: That´s also the reason why I didn´t focus on the details of the original LUT, but on the general concept. How did you get the idea of combining these 3 sets into this MOC? Did you see the sets first? Or the real life model? Three nanofigures are included to represent the three-man teams that the Saturn V transported into space from 1968 and to the moon from 1969 to 1972. Perhaps a decade ago the novelty of receiving LEGO representations of the astronauts in the form of plain white nanofigures would have been enough, but the fine prints that capture a great amount of detail from their suits is remarkable and truly elevates the quality, finish and authenticity of the entire set that much further.For example what I miss the most are the fuel pipes. Therefore I have recently released the update No.4 where I added the fuel pipes, and in my opinion this is the most important update. Other updates (No.1-3) improve the overall color scheme, such as more red parts on the tower. I am very happy about the elevator and how smooth it works. It took me a lot of time figuring out the correct setting of the wheels and pulleys, but in the end it worked really smoothly at my preferred speed. And since the finally selected Technic sets also contain a lot of gears and two motors, I got the idea to motorize as much functions as possible. Originally, I didn't really want to do that. I have bought most of my AFOL sets with the intention to make a cool MOC out of them. Because I first want to realize my own ideas, I have never even built the A model for several of my sets. If there is still some time after building some MOCs, I will (maybe ;-)) build the A-model.

Only the parts from the Lego Technic Sets 42055, 42082 and 42098 are required to build this LUT+Crawler. (except for the additional cord for crane operation, see below) I don´t have a large collection of parts such as a parts bank, I try to keep all sets strictly separated - either in assembled state or as individual parts. My name is Daniel and I work as a mechanical engineer for the automotive industry. I returned to Lego in 2014, when a colleague of mine was very excited about his 42009 mobile crane. It was my wife who finally gave the 42009 to me as birthday present, not knowing what she was activating in me… ;-) This MOC is not suitable for Lego Technic beginners. There are sometimes difficult steps that require a certain amount of experience. However, anyone who has already built a "big" model like 42055 or 42082 should also be able to handle this! ;-) The elevator is a great addition, but guiding the wire into place was not a fun experience for me. That will probably be a personal thing, but make sure you have a good supply of patience when you start here ;-). Seeing it work in the end makes it worth it.Having exactly 1969 parts is quite a clever achievement, I wonder how many iterations it took to add or remove just a few more parts to get to that magic number! Yes, there are some things which I could have done differently. Some of them I have added as optional updates to the LUT instructions. While the LEGO Group hasn’t called attention to the change, it appears to have been made for structural reasons. In the original model, a ‘fez’ element connects to the underside of the plate, representing the lander’s engine nozzle. The open hole of the Technic plate presumably has stronger clutch power to hold that piece in place – and, therefore, the entire lander, which is otherwise not connected to the 10×10 plate it rests on. To be honest, it is easier to say what´s my most hated part: the 15100 “Technic Pin Connector Hub with 1 Pin”. Although it is a very important part for technic models, my fingers hurt just thinking about it. ;-) Note from reviewer: This part has seen an update in 2021 as 65487, which is a lot easier to use However, other changes like for example an improved transmission with less friction would mean a significant redesign for big sections of the LUT. And this is not easily done with a simple update.