It has never been easier to build a complete Great Ball Contraption (GBC) loop yourself! The GBC 52 Flight Fair features 3 modules which brings GBC Balls from one side to the other. The GBC can be used as a self contained loop or participate in a GBC layout.
This GBC is entirely built using only parts from the LEGO 42152 Firefighter Aircraft set and can be referred to as Alternate Build of the 42152. This GBC makes sure you master the GBC building techniques and tricks so that you eventually also can build your own GBCs. By default the whole machine is powered by hand but it can easily be upgraded with any LEGO motor (more information in the building instructions).
Flying through the air!
The LEGO 42152 Firefighter Aircraft set has a rubber band, a spring and 6 wings in the box. What do to with this? Oh wait, we know! Shoot GBC Balls through the air of course! The GBC 52 Flight Fair does just this and more!
The GBC Balls queue up in line for the Shooter Module. This module takes one GBC Ball at a time and than shoots them off to the catch tray. Crossing a gap of over 16 cm (6 inch) where the catch tray eventually stops them. This LEGO set features many new gears which gain improvement in the overall drivetrain. A compact gearbox uses the blue gears which are replacements for the normal black and beige gears (same tooth count). These new gears have less friction which makes every mechanism work better. The downside? They are not bevel gears, missing some functionality, but that is not needed here. The module is powerful enough to shoot GBC Balls over a larger distance but we have to control ourselves. A tunings mechanism at the bottom allows you to control the shooting power very precisely using a linear actuator and a lever. Next you can also adjust the catch tray position slightly to go for that 100% success rate. Shooting GBC Balls always perfect! A security mechanism is in place to prevent turning the rotating handle in the wrong direction. This is also called a ratched mechanism.
Once the GBC Balls a have been cached in the catch tray they are being directed to the left where they line up for the Double Wing Lift Module. 6 wing blades all line up in sync to travel the GBC Balls up the hill. 2 slip gears (Green and Red) are in place to take up the shocks that the Shooter Module adds to the drive train. On top of the hill is the GBC Funnel Gravity Well – Left. As always this is an optional part which will enhance the fun even more. GBC Balls will roll for a few seconds before they drop through the center hole. After the GBC Funnel the GBC Balls will roll back to the beginning via the Zig Zag return path where the loop starts all over again.
A neat feature of the GBC 52 Flight Fair is its ability to convert with ease into a GBC Layout Module. You can simply add your other GBC Modules to the side of the Shooter Module and drop the GBC Balls in the beginning of the Shooter Module. Remove the path underneath the GBC Funnel and the GBC Balls will drop into the next module. In this way you can easily connect this GBC to all our other GBCs to make the loop even bigger. More information in the building instructions. Clean and simple: Convert with ease.
Be default the GBC is powered by hand but you can motorize it. In the building instructions we have carefully explained how to do this.
Fun Fact
We knew from the beginning that this GBC had to stay into the theme of flying as the set almost screams this out of the box. So for those builders who got the LEGO set because they love aircrafts, they will most likely also enjoy this build. Although there are no planes flying, GBC Balls will! In development we started with the double wing lifts module. But as the set also adds a spring and rubber band into the mix, there was no way around the fact that GBC Balls should and will fly. The thing with shooting GBC Balls is that it can be very unpredictable, even if you have calibrated everything very carefully. That is by we incorporated 2 tunings mechanisms to control the shooting power and the catch tray. This results in a very user friendly and reliable shooting module, as per description.
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- LEGO 42152 Firefighter Aircraft
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- GBC 52 Flight Fair – 42152 Alternate Build
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- GBC 52 Flight Fair
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- GBC 52 Flight Fair
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- GBC 52 Flight Fair
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- GBC 52 Flight Fair
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- GBC 52 Flight Fair
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- GBC 52 Flight Fair
Building Instructions Preview
Preview
Try before you buy. We completely understand. See the building instructions previews on the left or try one of our free building instructions.
Upgrade your GBC 52 Flight Fair
In the building instructions is explained how to easily upgrade the GBC 52 Flight Fair with various parts.
GBC Funnels
Learn more!
Power & Automate
How cool is that!
Learn more!
The GBC 52 Flight Fair all over the world
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N. O. –
I am sending a picture of a letter my son wrote to you. It says:
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To: PV Productions
I like your GBCs!
I am also happy that Flight Fair is finally finished! Thank you!
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See here the GBC 52 Flight Fair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qwoo7QJJfE
Those GBCs made our holiday much more fun.
Thank you for all those products and services, and we wish you all a Happy New Year.
Szilard Gyalay –
GBC 52 is a new twist on moving the balls. The catapult mechanism is a new and simple one. I loved the incorporation of the propellers to “propel the balls” so all can yet again line up for being deployed. All in all a solid build, some fine tooling required. Motor speed needs to be experimented with. Because of the lunching mechanism design, used a stronger engine.
Simple . low cost and efficient.
See also my video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is51lucMWIw