Random set of the day: Police Helicopter
Posted by Huwbot,Today's random set is 3658 Police Helicopter, released in 2011. It's one of 29 City sets produced that year. It contains 237 pieces and 4 minifigs, and its retail price was US$34.99/£26.99.
It's owned by 2427 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
Help me come to life! If you like the set I've chosen for you today, please pledge your support for me on LEGO Ideas so I have a chance of becoming an official LEGO set!
48 likes
24 comments on this article
April fools this is actually a Clikets set you just don’t realize it.
I love Lego helicopters as much as the next guy, but these larger police choppers ... is it me or do they all just sort of blur together after a while?
That is a hilariously inadequate truck
meh
@Zordboy said:
"I love Lego helicopters as much as the next guy, but these larger police choppers ... is it me or do they all just sort of blur together after a while?"
I genuinely thought that I owned this set but didn't remember the little truck. Turns out the one I have is 7741. Yep they're all the same.
@Mr__Thrawn said:
"That is a hilariously inadequate truck"
It looks like a Kei truck! Except the wheels are pathetically small. I almost feel bad for the crook driving.
@brickengineeringdude said:
" @Mr__Thrawn said:
"That is a hilariously inadequate truck"
It looks like a Kei truck! Except the wheels are pathetically small. I almost feel bad for the crook driving. "
At least it's not a tire/tyre!
Seems like an elaborate operation just to give this guy a parking ticket
The little truck is...awful.
@Mr__Thrawn:
I’m pretty sure it’s powered by a lantern battery, and comes with a warning not to let your kids leave the driveway with it.
Hard to believe that, a year later, we got 4439, which I regard as one of the best helicopters LEGO has ever done.
LEGO helicopters need more creativity. Aside from the colors (obviously), it's a little too similar to the fire helicopter released a year prior. At least that set, 7206 has a nice-looking truck, which stayed built LONG after the helicopter.
@Zordboy said:
"I love Lego helicopters as much as the next guy, but these larger police choppers ... is it me or do they all just sort of blur together after a while?"
I have an almost-3-year-old who LOVES helicopters. He flips through my old Shop @ Home catalogs from the last 20 years and points out ALL the helicopters. In the late 1990s and early 2000s there were A LOT more helicopters than there are these days.
I convinced myself that I needed this truck, and that's why I own this set.
Having flashbacks, to a man falling into the river--in lego city.......
@Rimefang :
That sounds like something they’d tell you in the Pit of Despair because the dial was already maxed out.
I like this helicopter design but yes, it's all too same with others. That has always been the case with helicopters. I remember, around 1990's all the single cockipt helicopters were all variation of each other. I have a few of them and love to set them side by side and appreciate the little nuances wtihin each of them. 6531 and 6642 are fine examples to what I mean.
Okay, maybe I'm weird, but I'm utterly fascinated with the set numbering for the City sets of this era. Within the 2011 Police range, the limited-release sets (like this one) were 36xx, the station was 7498, and the rest of the normal range was 72xx. Other City sets that year had 33xx and 46xx. The last few years of 4-digit numbers were bizarre.
I actually have this one ... I think
I actually own this set along with a lot of the older style city police sets. I kind of prefer the older police sets as opposed to the ones that are out now that are based on the Lego City Adventures tv show. I don’t watch that show, so I don’t feel any connection to the current line of sets or characters in the sets. This set was a fun build for me despite the shortcomings in the style of helicopter and truck.
I love this set.
@phi13:
Way back in the 3-digit era, they played really fast and loose with set numbers. Sets got different numbers based on where they were sold, and “retired” numbers sometimes got reused for completely unrelated sets. By the end of the 4-digit era, they had mostly stopped this. There were still instances of dual-numbered sets (8525 for boxed, 8530 for bagged), but set numbers were single-use. They had number ranges carved out for specific themes, which worked great until they started running out of number ranges, and then numbers, and then they were probably having to hunt for unassigned numbers wherever they could find them before switching over to the 5-digit system. Eventually they’ll either have to chase down any stray numbers in that range, or leave them permanently unassigned when they switch over to 6-digit numbers.
Only get this set at Toys r Us ed. almost got it but another set was better.
Unique: None
Rare:
4212 4x10 vehicle base in dark bluish grey x1
87611 6x10 fuselage base nose in blue x1
87616 6x10 fuselage base tail in blue x1
That's funny I bought this on bricklink last month as the cheapest method of getting a Police helicopter.