Taking its first flight on 2 March, 1969, the Concorde entered into commercial flight service officially in 1976. The supersonic passenger airplane quickly became an icon with its astonishingly high take-off speed of 400 km/h and cruising speed of 2,158 km/h, making trips on Concorde less than half the time of standard flights. While it ceased flying in 2003, its overall sleek silhouette is still something worth celebrating, and is now reminisced in the latest LEGO Icons Concorde set.

The brick model version of Concorde is one of LEGO’s most challenging sets for adults, consisting of 2,083 pieces, and measuring a whopping 105 cm long, 43 cm wide and 15 cm tall once completed. The shape of the streamlined aircraft is truthfully recreated, including the tillable droop nose and visor which allow the pilot to see the runway clearly when landing.

Other parts of the model are also moveable, such as the functioning landing gear and retractable tail bumper wheel enabled by the hinged upper and lower rudders, while the mechanism is cleverly housed inside the narrow fuselage. With a removable roof, the cabin of the plane featuring seats and toilets is completely accessible. The delta wings with movable elevons are built sideways, allowing for a smooth underside to the model. Even the display of the model is thoughtfully designed, as the thin, slightly curved stand with an elegant plaque is able to showcase the aircraft in flight, takeoff or landing modes.