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The first airport in Lego Town is now open! Book your flights to your favorite destination and take-off from our facility-packed airport today! All flights will use the powerful 4 engined 'Red Streak' passenger plane'"
I finally got around to review is old set. My parents bought for me this set back in the late 80s and many of parts have survived till today. This set came out in the year 1985, which makes it 26 years old today. It is almost as old as me since I was born in the year 1984. Through the purchase of replacement parts I manage to build it up to a point it is almost complete. Thanks to those who helped me buy the replacement part. So which are the new parts? Let's say some are whiter than the other.
Set name: Airport
Year released : 1985
Number of parts : 530
Minifigures : 8
Box The front of the box shows the airport with a fly-by from the red passenger jet. Picture taken from Peeron.
At the back is something TLG has stopped doing; alternate models. The alternate models shown is amazing to say the least. From all the parts the designers came up with an emergency medical center with helicopter, hanger with a tire machine (to check tires), a house and many more. Makes you think "why didn't I thought of that???!@#". Picture taken from Brickshelf.
Open the flap and you can see the inserts for the set. This is something TLG has long abandon to do. Imagine the good old days when you can see all the special parts just by opening the flap. Picture from Brickshelf.
MinifiguresThis is the era with fully populated sets. There is a total of 8 minifigures; 4 of them responsible of running the airport while the other 4 are pilots and passengers. In charge of security is our lone police officer. The lady and her 2 male counterparts are airport staff which rotate the duty of running the control tower, in charge of baggage/guiding planes and the check in counter.
We get a pilot for the passenger plane and another for the helicopter. Beats me why the pilot need to wear such a large helmet when piloting the helicopter. We also get a lady passenger and a male passenger.
The complete setBelow is the picture of the complete set which is 95% fully built. What is missing you might say? Unfortunately I have lost the runway baseplates
and some other key pieces. Thankfully I can 'borrow' from my other sets, but the parts have to be returned when I want to build the other sets. The key builds are the airport, red passenger plane, baggage car and white helicopter.
Baggage carThe baggage car is a simple 4 stud wide vehicle which is connected by a towball piece at the center. Sets during this era features lots of towball joints to link up sections of vehicles. The wheels are of the old red rims type. There are 2 red clips on either side of the vehicle to hold the signal holder.
As demonstrated by our baggage handler here, he is using the signal holder to guide the plane into the airport.
The white helicopterThe white helicopter bears similarity to the Bell type of helicopter with the nose in front and boxy shape. It only has a seat for the pilot and a little cargo area at the back.
To access the cockpit, the pilot can open the doors on either side. The roof of the helicopter can be opened to place the minifigure inside.
A side view showing the tail rotor and exhaust pipes. The words on the tail is a sticker. Surprisingly the sticker has lasted to this day and have not peeled off!
The red passenger jetThe red passenger jet is the star of this set. It has 4 jet engines, making it one of the most powerful passenger jets produced by TLG. The passenger jets in the later Town airport sets only have 2 engines
The front wheel is on a turntable to enable the jet to turn around.
The plane can seat 4 passengers, 1 pilot and a little space for luggage in the rear. The passenger compartment is accessed by opening the large hinged window piece. These hinge pieces are no longer made by TLG anymore, hance finding replacements are hard. The tail piece features a printed airport logo. The pilot has a printed computer panel.
The airportThe airport is considered quite big during those days and is built brick by brick. No short cut pieces like 1x1x5 or 2x1x5 here, all the walls and columns are built using 1x1, 1x4 and 1x3 bricks. A round 2x2 tile clock is located at the center of the building. This piece is still found even in today's sets (there is also 1 in a Belvile set). At the left is the airport signboard made by using 3 no. of 1x4 brick and a transparent sticker. The control tower sits on top of the terminal building and has a radar dish on a turntable. Another printed piece is the white cone with red stripe pattern on the right.
As with all the sets from Classic Town, the rear of the airport is open to allow for play. The interior is very very basic compared to the latest airports sets. For example the check in desk is a made with 2 no. of 2x3x1 white brick and a red printed telephone piece. There is an X-ray machine manned by the resident police officer and 2 seats for passengers. Above is a simple lounge complete with glass table (a 2x4 transparent plate) and cups.
Leng Lui and Leng Chai goes to the airportLeng Lui and Leng Chai arrives early at the airport to check in. They don't want to miss the first flight out this morning. Both of them enter the front door located at the front of the airport. The red fencing keeps them within the public area.
The check-in lady: Welcome back Mr. Leng Chai and Ms. Leng Lui! It's been years since I last saw you!
Leng Chai: Stopped flying when the airport was falling into disarray. Thankfully the airport is now better since the renovation.
Check-in lady: Yes, it has been a long time since then. The renovation has gone smoothly. We managed to fix alot of missing pieces since the last time.
Leng Lui: That's great! Can't wait to see the airplane! Heard it has received new engines since the old ones fell out and was never found again!
Check-in lady: Yes of course! Now using the 2011 jet engines. Light years ahead from those used back in 85. Anyway, here are you tickets!
Leng Chai and Leng Lui then moved to check-in their bags at the X-ray machine. The police officer is still there.
Leng Chai: How is it now?
Police Officer: Better compared to last time. But still need some pieces for my X-ray. Luckily the guy from a camper set is willing to borrow is transparent panel for the time being.
Leng Chai: Are parts hard to come by?
Police officer: Yup, some of them. But anyway, as long as it works, I am fine with it.
Leng Lui: You realized that the airport lacks a runway now?
Leng Chai: I know. But I heard they still can take-off and land anyway. The airports in Lego City lack runways too, but they still can land minus all the lights and paintings on the tarmac.
Leng Lui: I miss those days when airports come with runways and tarmac.
Leng Chai: Me too......... anyway, it will be some time before the plane arrives. Have a seat first.
Meanwhile, the pilot is having a little drink in the lounge.
While the baggage handler is moving the luggage from the baggage conveyor to the tarmac.
Baggage handler: Those luggage still fits the red window after all those years!
When it is time to depart, Leng Chai and Leng Lui walks passed the door into the tarmac area. The baggage handler drives to the plane to load the luggage.
Pilot: Welcome aboard! Here, let me help you up the plane.
Leng Lui: Thank you! Just like old times, have to literally climb aboard. Heard you have new engines?
Pilot: Yes, yes. 2011 model, super fuel efficient and much more thrust. Waited years for it to arrive. The lost of the old engines can now be laid to rest!
Leng Lui: Say... some parts are of a different color... Different shapes of white I see.
Pilot: Hahaha... If I had known those white parts will turn yellow I will fly at night! Anyway the new and old parts all connect perfectly. Fully compatible. Amazing that pieces made years apart can still connect with each other. Rest assured, the plane will not break up when we are in the sky!
Leng Lui: errr.. right.
And so after a little chat, our passengers are on their way. The baggage handler helps the pilot to the 'runway' for take-off. Since there is no runway a little help on the tarmac is of great help.
ConclusionSince I used to play with this set when I was a child, I will not rate it according to points since I will rate everything at 10/10. But I do believe that this set is superior in some ways to the new airport set such as:
1) There is 8 minifigures compared to 5 in the latest one. The airport is well populated in this set. If you noticed the control tower in the latest one (3182), the is no one there!!!
2) Printed pieces such as the tail of the aircraft, the white cone with red stripes.
3) It comes with a proper runway and helipad
4) Alternate models at the rear of the box
5) Brick-built airplane and terminal. Compared to the giant nose piece of the new airplane....
All in all, this is one amazing set!!
