Ever since I was a kid I have been interested in building things. I would use anything to hand, building blocks, plasticine and of course Lego!
I think that for most people who are the same age as me and were also Lego fanatics, there are always a few kits that stick in your mind. For me, it was the Mega Core De-Magnetiser, part of Lego's space line up.
At the time, there was no way I could afford it myself, and I didn't have similar pieces to make my own version. Funnily enough, it was a recession then, just like it is now. However, I am older and we have EBay!
I got mine off Ebay, and for something that's almost fourteen years old, it is still in pretty good nick. It really brought my childhood back to me, the only difference is that it took me four and a half hours to build it! I am certain that I would have been able to do it much, much faster when I was small.
Anyway, it was a fun diversion, I even documented the build to prove to others I am not just spouting off.
Now that I think about it a little more, I am pretty sure this kit came out closer to twenty years ago, not fourteen... poor memory must be a sign of old age...>
The chassis:
You don't really get a good idea of how complex this thing actually is. It is essentially a real wheel steering vehicle using split axels - a bit like the current Batmobile, but with added six wheel drive.
There is also a clever crane mechanism that sits on top the thing when it is built. It is one of the rare occasions where a mainstream Lego kit gets to use pieces from Lego Technic. When the build is complete, it is about 17 cm long and about 15 cm high, if you take into account the crane mechanism as well, it ends up as a fairly stout model:
The canopy is a little different to most other Lego Space kits from then as it flips up from the front. If memory serves me correctly, most kits from that time had canopy's that swing upwards.
Either way, I am pleased as punch to finally get one of these kits, I think I waited long enough!!
