Lego Transforming Helicopter

As promised, here is my next transformer. I was thinking of what would be fun to make, and I thought of making a plane. But then I thought, transforming planes are so overdone! What can I build that still flies and is not really used as a transformer? This is it!

I actually came up with this idea a year ago and built the predecessor to this instructable. It was shorter in length and appeared more squat. The rotor blades also did not fold away as they do here. That was an improvement I made.

I apologize for the large amount of pictures; there's a lot of instructions.

Clarification: When I say "Attach to the top" I mean the side of a LEGO brick that has the protruding studs. When I say "Attach to the bottom" I mean the side that has the indents.

• 1: 1 x 2 clear orange plate
• 1: 1 x 2 plate with a horizontal bar
• 2: 1 x 1 studs (1 red, 1 green)
• 3: 1 x 2 plates
• 1: 2 x 2 turntable
• 4: 2 x 2 plates
• 4: 2 x 2 tiles
• 1: 2 x 4 brick
• 2: 1 x 3 tiles
• 5: 1 x 2 grilles
• 1: 2 x 3 plate
• 2: 2 x 2 windshields
• 2: 1 x 4 tiles
• 1: 2 x 8 plate
• 1: 2 x 4 left wing
• 1: 2 x 4 right wing
• 2: 1 x 4 plates
• 3: 2 x 4 plates
• 2: 2 x 6 plates
• 2: 1 x 2 jumper plates
• 4: 1 x 1 plates with horizontally facing clips
• 2: 1 x 2 plates with horizontally facing clips on the short end
• 2: 1 x 1 plates with horizontally facing studs
• 4: "T"-bars
• 4: 1 x 1 bricks with a stud on the side
• 6: 1 x 2 plates with bars on the short ends
• 8: 1 x 2 plates with horizontally facing clips
• 1: 1 x 2 brick
• 1: 1 x 2 brick with indents (check pictures)
• 2: 1 x 2 plates with Technic gripper (seriously, check the picture. I have no idea what to call it.)
• 2: 2 x 2 small wheel holder (again, check picture)
• 2: 1 x 2 tile with upward facing horizontal bar
• 1: 1 x 2 plate with hanging 2 x 2 plate

1. Place one of the wheel bases down
2. Place a 2 x 6 plate on top of it. Leave a one stud gap between it and the edge of the wheel base
3. Take the other wheel back and place a 1 x 2 plate on top of it parallel to the wheels
4. Place the unoccupied end of the 2 x 6 plate on to the gap created by the 1 x 2 plate
5. Place a 1 x 2 plate with a bar into the remaining gap
6. Clip two 1 x 2 clips on to the 1 x 2 plate
7. Place two 1 x 3 tiles on to the 1 x 2 clips
8. Put the 1 x 2 orange clear plate into the remaining gap

1. Place a 2 x 8 plate on top of the base
2. Attach a 1 x 2 brick on the end without the bar. It should be flush with the edge and cover the entire side.
3. Place two 1 x 1 bricks with outward facing studs next to the 1 x 2 brick. The studs should face outward
4. Attach a 2 x 4 brick next to the 1 x 1 bricks
5. Place a 1 x 2 plate in the gap that is left
6. Attach another 1 x 1 bricks with outward facing studs on top of the plate. The studs should face outward.
7. Place a 1 x 2 plate right next to the extrusion created by the 1 x 1 bricks
8. Attach a 2 x 2 plate next to the 1 x 2 plate
9. Place a 2 x 3 plate next to the 2 x 2 plate
10. Attach a 1 x 2 plate with hanging 2 x 2 plate in the remaining gap
11. Go to the opposite side and attach a 2 x 4 plate to the end
12. Place a 2 x 2 plate next to the 2 x 4 plate
13. Attach a 2 x 6 plate to the top of the two previous pieces
14. Place two 2 x 2 tiles to opposite sides of the plate. There should be a 2 x 2 gap left
15. Put a 2 x 2 turntable in the gap

1. Place one 2 x 2 windshield in the gap left on top of the body
2. Attach the other to the hanging plate. The widest side should face downward.

1. Insert the middle pin on a T-bar into the left 1 x 1 brick stud farthest from the cockpit
2. Clip on a 1 x 2 plate with clips with studs facing outward. Place another of them underneath the first
3. Clip on a 1 x 2 plate with a bar on the small end on to the upper clip of the bottom plate
4. Place a 1 x 4 plate underneath the previous piece
5. Attach a 1 x 1 plate with horizontally facing studs to the farthest side of the remaining gap.
6. Place the 1 x 1 red stud in the gap.
7. Place the 2 x 4 left wing on top of the pieces. Make sure the pointed side faces down

1. Insert the middle pin on a T-bar into the right 1 x 1 brick stud farthest from the cockpit
2. Clip on a 1 x 2 plate with clips with studs facing outward. Place another of them underneath the first
3. Clip on a 1 x 2 plate with a bar on the small end on to the upper clip of the bottom plate
4. Place a 1 x 4 plate underneath the previous piece
5. Attach a 1 x 1 plate with horizontally facing studs to the farthest side of the remaining gap.
6. Place the 1 x 1 green stud in the gap.
7. Place the 2 x 4 right wing on top of the pieces. Make sure the pointed side faces down
8. Adjust so that the two arms form a vague triangle.

Adjust the ramp as shown so that the arms grip it on its sides. It should fit neatly into place and look almost flush with the wings.

1. Insert the middle pin on a T-bar into the left 1 x 1 brick stud closest to the cockpit
2. Clip on a 1 x 2 plate with clips with studs facing inward
3. Attach a 2 x 4 plate to the bottom of the 1 x 2 plate
4. Place a 2 x 2 plate right next to the 1 x 2 plate
5. Place another 1 x 2 plate with clips in the remaining gap
6. Place two 1 x 2 grilles horizontally on the 2 x 2 section closest to the body
7. Place a 2 x 2 tile in the remaining area
8. Clip a 1 x 2 tile with an upward facing horizontal bar on to the remaining clip. The slope should be facing outward.
9. Attach a 1 x 2 plate with a Technic gripper to the bottom of the previous piece. The gripper should face down
10. Fold the leg inward toward the body as shown. The 1 x 2 tile with a vertical clip should rest on the left arm slightly, and the tiles/grilles should be touching the body

1. Insert the middle pin on a T-bar into the right 1 x 1 brick stud closest to the cockpit
2. Clip on a 1 x 2 plate with clips with studs facing inward
3. Attach a 2 x 4 plate to the bottom of the 1 x 2 plate
4. Place a 2 x 2 plate right next to the 1 x 2 plate
5. Place another 1 x 2 plate with clips in the remaining gap
6. Place two 1 x 2 grilles horizontally on the 2 x 2 section closest to the body
7. Place a 2 x 2 tile in the remaining area
8. Clip a 1 x 2 tile with an upward facing horizontal bar on to the remaining clip. The slope should be facing outward.
9. Attach a 1 x 2 plate with a Technic gripper to the bottom of the previous piece. The gripper should face down
10. Fold the leg inward toward the body as shown. The 1 x 2 tile with a vertical clip should rest on the right arm slightly, and the tiles/grilles should be touching the body

1. Place two 1 x 2 "jumper plates" on to the 2 x 2 turntable
2. Attach one 1 x 1 plate with clip to each plate, facing outward
3. Place a 1 x 2 grille on to the 1 x 1 plates
4. Clip on a 1 x 2 plate with a bar on the short end to one of the clips, studs facing down
5. Place a 1 x 4 tile on to the top of the plate
6. Attach another 1 x 2 plate with a bar to the remaining gap
7. Clip on a 1 x 1 plate with a clip, studs down, to the previous 1 x 2 plate
8. Repeat for other side
9. Make sure the rotors are fairly flat and can spin freely

1. Swivel the legs down so that the Technic grippers are facing you. The tiles should still face inward.
2. Adjust the feet so that they are flat with the surface you are on.
3. Turn the rotors so that they are horizontal and parallel to the surface the helicopter is standing on.
4. Fold them inward so the tiles are touching the sides of the body.
5. Fold the 1 x 1 plates in so that they make contact with the bottom of the helicopter. This should keep the rotors from moving.
6. Fold out the arms.
7. Fold down the ramp to make a head.
8. Rotate both arms in complete circles.
9. Fold them down/adjust.

Thank you for reading! Enjoy your model!

To all the other Instructable editors out there: If you have any pointers or tips, let me know! I'm open to constructive criticism.