If model airplanes are the gateway hobby to building your own experimental, then Thomas Lockwood’s Lego-based Flying Brix must be the contemporary version of Guillow’s balsa kits—or an alternative to conventional wooden display models.
Starting in “aviation” at 5 years of age with Legos, Thomas, who is now working the nuclear side of things at the Navy yards in Virginia, has developed a growing series of kits of Reno race planes. Among others there’s a Dago Red, Czech Mate, Dreadnought, and more to Kitplanes’ taste, One Moment Racing’s Stihl-sponsored Lancair Legacy.
The plastic block version of the Gold Sport racer is a natural for Thomas, as he’s now a crew member for the Andrew Findlay led team. Reno-goers can purchase any of the Flying Brix kits at the races in the Findlay pit, or on-line at www.flyingbrix.com.
Kit pricing varies between $90 and $105 due to the variance in Lego block pricing. The entire line is quite new, having gone on sale just three months ago, with more airplanes coming as Thomas can build them. He starts with Lego blocks purchased in bulk and says the most difficult part of him is writing the instructions.
As for us, we’re anticipating the upcoming Tsunami, which has to be the fastest and most successful homebuilts in Reno racing history.
