The original set upon which that Blacktron Cruiser is based: Invader (6894) from 1987.
Tag: Blacktron
Blacktron Cruiser
LEGO definitely knows how to part me from my money. This is a remake of a 1987 Blacktron set, the Invader. Blacktron is one of my favorite Space factions (after Classic, naturally).
Space 1990
New Minfig and Color
M:Tron debuted a new minifigure design and a brand new color: transparent neon green. This bright color would be used widely across LEGO Space themes for a decade.
New Parts
- Antenna Whip 8H
- Minfigure, M:Tron
- Magnet Cylindrical
- Magnet Holder 2 x 3
- Magnet Holder Tile 2 x 2 – Short Arms
- Minifigure, Utensil Tool Chainsaw Body
- Wheel Hard Plastic Medium (35mm D. x 31mm)
New Prints
The M:Tron “M” was printed on a number of different parts. There was also a new pattern for computer tiles.
Meteor Monitor (1875)
Features: Small flyer with posable wings.
Thoughts: This small Blacktron flyer was part of a 3-set value pack. The color scheme differed from earlier Blacktron sets.
Pulsar Charger (6811)
Features: Small flyer with a retro steering wheel.
Thoughts: Uses the new whip antenna piece (securely held in place with a clip).
Beacon Tracer (6833)
Features: Small rover canted at an angle with a canopy that opens.
Thoughts: The new 1 x 2 printed computer tile serves as the controls. Again makes use of the new whip antenna.
Vector Detector (6877)
Features: Small spaceship that hauls a crate using magnets.
Thoughts: Clever locking mechanism for the canopy. Features the new magnet parts and a container with a printed door. First and smallest space set to use magnets.
Celestial Forager (6896)
Features: Space tow truck (magnetic) with a neat steering mechanism.
Thoughts: I like the way the tow arm is secured with magnets. The new medium-sized space wheels debut here. They are smaller than the wheels introduced in 1989’s Spy-Trak I (6895).
Steering mechanism
Magnetic tow arm action
Particle Ioniser (6923)
Features: Mid-sized spacehip with magnetic crane, cargo crate, storage compartments, one astronaut and a robot.
Thoughts: A space helicopter? First appearance of a slightly larger magnetic crate. Nice use of the printed hinges to form posable wings. The robot is a throwback to Futuron and Classic Space.
Stellar Recon Voyager (6956)
Features: M:Tron flagship carries three magnetic crates, a crane, a rover, and two astronauts.
Thoughts: Smaller than previous flagships such as 1989’s Mission Commander (6986). The rover is stored via a magnet at the nose of the spaceship. The larger magnetic crate with the printed hinged doors is neat.
Magnetic rover
Mega Core Magnetizer (6989)
Features: Large ground vehicle with crane that carries three crates, two rovers, a small flyer, and three astronauts.
Thoughts: Best Space ground vehicle ever! The crane can deploy and stow all items aboard. I love the use of the larger quarter dome part to form a huge windscreen.
Mega Core Magnetizer has a steering mechanism manipulated via a large radar dish.
Wrap-up
These are the 8 space sets (1 Blacktron + 7 M:Tron) from 1990.
Magnets are a great addition to LEGO Space. Even 30 years later these parts hold up well. M:Tron as a space theme centered on cargo and transport was a great addition to the LEGO Space line-up. My favorite set from 1990 is the Mega Core Magnetizer while second place goes to Celestial Forager.
Next up: Space 1991 and Blacktron gets a reboot.
Space 1988
New Parts
- Bar 1 x 8 x 2
- Panel 3 x 2 x 6
- Panel 3 x 3 x 6 Corner Convex
- Panel 4 x 4 x 6 Corner Concave
Lunar Transporter Patroller (6770)
Features: Articulated truck with flashing lights and siren sounds powered by the big 9V battery box in the rear. Came with one astronaut.
Thoughts: OK, but not great.
Twin-Winged Spoiler (6828)
Features: Small craft with a single astronaut.
Thoughts: Is it a walker or a flyer? Either way this small Futuron set came with plenty of cool parts.
Space Patroller (6830)
Features: Small swing-wing space plane with boosters that double as twin robot companions!
Thoughts: The detachable robots are neat. The new panel piece forms the ship’s windscreen.
Strategic Pursuer (6848)
Features: Single pilot mecha with a transparent blue windscreen.
Thoughts: Primitive mech with arms jointed only at the elbows and legs only at the ankles. Still, it looked cool.
Hovercraft (6875)
Features: Single pilot spacecraft with two deployable satellites/drones.
Thoughts: Two of the new panels in transparent blue form a wider windscreen than in Space Patroller (6830).
Alienator (6876)
Features: Menacing walker with tool storage in the rear and detachable cockpit.
Thoughts: I really like the looks of this model. The new panel piece in transparent yellow forms the windscreen. It seems like the rear cargo area could have held more than just a pair of tools…
Crater Crawler (6885)
Features: Articulated vehicle hauling a small scooter and a robot in the trailer.
Thoughts: First black-suited Futuron astronaut. A pair of the new convex corner parts in transparent blue form the cover on the trailer while a pair of the new concave corner parts in white form the wheel arches.
Interplanetary Rover (6925)
Features: Articulated vehicle with independent suspension, a small scooter stored in the rear, two robots, and two astronauts.
Thoughts: Feels like a rehash of the Uranium Search Vehicle (6928) from 1984. I do like the headlights and the robots look like they could work for Blacktron.
Message Intercept Base (6987)
Features: Large Blacktron base features opening hangar doors, moving comm dome, spaceship, rover, and five astronauts.
Thoughts: My vote for best space base ever. All three types of new panel pieces are used in this base, especially to form the S-shaped corridor. Like the Futuron Monorail Transport System (6990), this base has two moving functions. I love all the little details in this set.
The opening wall function (courtesy of a Technic rack winder) is similar to that of Cosmic Laser Launcher (6953) from 1987.
The moving dome function is also implemented by a Technic rack winder.
This set is so good I ended up with 3 copies of it!
Wrap-Up
So that’s the 9 LEGO Space sets from 1988 (7 Futuron + 2 Blacktron).
Futuron had a decent second year with these 7 sets. Nothing stands out like the previous year’s monorail, but it’s nice to see more smaller sets in the theme.
Blacktron only had the 2 sets in 1988 (shown above together with the 3 sets from 1987), but both were excellent.
If only there was someone or something to combat the spread of this Blacktron plague! (Hint: stay tuned for Space 1989)
Space 1987
New Parts
- Panel 10 x 6 x 11
- Panel 10 x 10 x 12 Quarter Dome
- Plate, Modified 10 x 10 without Corner
- Tile, Modified 1 x 2 with Handle
- Wedge, Plate 3 x 6 Cut Corners
- Windscreen 6 x 6 Octagonal Canopy
Spy-Bot (1498)
Features: Brick-built robot with rotating head and movable arms and legs.
Thoughts: Dorky-looking retro sci-fi robot. Nice articulation on the arms; the legs, not so much.
Twin Starfire (1499)
Features: Smallish spaceship with canards, dual octagonal cockpits, and twin yellow astronauts.
Thoughts: First use of the new octagonal canopies. (Also first use of the new tile with handle, shown here in blue.) Nice selection of printed parts.
Galaxy Trekkor (6808)
Features: Small flyer with posable wings and a blue astronaut.
Thoughts: Handsome little ship.
XT-5 and Droid (6809)
Features: Blue astronaut in a small hover chair plus a robot companion.
Thoughts: Super cute! The black control levers used to control the chair are also new this year. I’m not sure why the hover chair’s headrest has a computer panel though…
Strata Scooter (6827)
Features: Small ground vehicle with posable wings and antennae driven by a blue astronaut.
Thoughts: Cute little rover
Satellite Patroller (6849)
Features: Articulated ground vehicle carrying a small satellite on its trailer. Comes with a yellow astronaut.
Thoughts: Another variant on the satellite launcher archetype. The new wedge plates form the octagonal shape of the trailer.
Terrestrial Rover (6883)
Features: Articulated ground vehicle with a satellite to launch plus a small drone and a white astronaut.
Thoughts: Yet another satellite launcher. Looks a little rickety. I like the drone and the tail piece printed with the Classic Space logo.
Aero Module (6884)
Features: Sleek spacecraft with astronaut, rover, and robot tightly packed beneath a large blue windscreen.
Thoughts: The rover fits so securely when the windscreen is locked in place that it doesn’t even rattle if you shake it or fly it upside down. The new large panel part forms the windscreen. Similar to the Star Defender 200 (6932) without the side pods.
Orion II Hyperspace (6893)
Features: Three-part modular vehicle: front cockpit, mid scooter, and rear trailer holding a robot-driven rover. Comes with blue and yellow Futuron astronauts and a brick-built robot.
Thoughts: I especially like the scooter and its control scheme. The new octagonal windscreens are used here in white to form the walls of the trailer.
Invader (6894)
Features: Blacktron mid-sized ship. Modular with front cockpit, mid cargo container, and rear engine sections. Comes with one astronaut and a brick-built robot.
Thoughts: 4 of the new wedge plates in transparent red form the fins at the rear. It seems like the middle cargo section could have held more than just the robot and a few tools.
Stardefender 200 (6932)
Features: The Futuron flagship comes with large central windscreen, twin side pods, two yellow astronauts, and a small rover.
Thoughts: The center section looks sleek and fierce but the side pods are a little blocky. The new large panel (printed with 200) forms the central windscreen while the new octagonal canopies are used for the side pods. Inexplicably the pilots sit in the side pods and not the central craft.
Battrax (6941)
Features: Modular ground vehicle that splits into three parts. Comes with one astronaut.
Thoughts: A space hot rod / dragster! Kudos to whoever dreamed up this one. A canopy extender (also new this year) in transparent yellow is used to elongate the cockpit’s canopy and give it that dragster feel. (Another canopy extender in transparent blue is used on the train in Monorail Transport System.) I like the big wheels and the heavily armed tail section.
Cosmic Laser Launcher (6953)
Features: Futuron base features walls that open up to launch a rocket. Includes three astronauts and a truck to transport the rocket.
Thoughts: The rocket is chunky, but I love how the walls open while the rocket is raised up. The clever moving function is enabled by a Technic rack winder.
Renegade (6954)
Features: Asymmetrical large spaceship that separates into nine components! Comes with two astronauts.
Thoughts: The Blacktron flagship does not disappoint. I love the hyper-modularity and unusual appearance. 2 of the new 10 x 10 plate without corner in black help form the shape of the ship.
Polaris I Space Lab (6972)
Features: Rocket-launching base featuring twin monorails leading to scooter launch pads. Comes with three blue astronauts.
Thoughts: I 💙 the diagonal bilateral symmetry. This could easily have been a Futuron set.
Monorail Transport System (6990)
Features: Two bases, a monorail with vertical ramps, cargo crates, loader vehicle, five astronauts, a small scooter, etc.
Thoughts: A working electric cogwheel monorail! There’s so much going on here. I love the larger base with the two transparent blue quarter domes that move.
Freight elevator function implemented using a Technic rack winder.
Sliding/rotating loading dock, implemented via another Technic rack winder. The loading dock uses two of the new quarter dome panels in transparent blue. (The quarter dome’s footprint perfectly matches the new 10 x 10 plate without corner.)
Wrap-Up
At sixteen sets, this is once again the largest year yet (for the third year in a row). This was the final year for new Classic Space sets. Two new Space themes were introduced as replacements for Classic Space. Futuron seem to be the successors to Classic Space with the first redesign to the astronaut minifig since its debut in 1978. Blacktron was something new altogether: alien and menacing in their black suits and opaque black visors.
This was not the strongest year for Classic Space (8 sets) although Polaris I Space Lab was a highlight. There certainly were a lot of blue astronauts used in this year’s Classic Space sets.
Futuron (5 sets) made a strong debut. Of course the monorail was the crowning achievement of LEGO Space for 1987. It’s hard to top a working electric monorail, and it was also the largest Space set for the 20 year span I’m covering. Aero-Module is also quite good for a small set.
Blacktron (3 sets) also made an excellent debut. These sets were visually and stylistically different from all previous space sets.
My favorite feature of the early Blacktron sets was their modularity. Parts from the three different sets could be recombined to form new vehicles.
Next stop: Space 1988, beyond Classic Space!
Walkers, 1986-97
Walkers, 1986-97
Other Color Domes
Space sets with quarter domes in yellow, neon green, and neon orange from 1987-93. Nice parts use as a gigantic windscreen in the Mega Core Magnetizer.
The quarter dome made one final appearance in 1998 (in a new color) but not in a Space set! (More on that later)
Space bases 1987-94
Space bases 1987-94
Space bases 1987-93
Space bases 1987-93
Large ground vehicles 1987-92
Large ground vehicles 1987-92
