World’s Largest Lego Sculpture: A Life-Size X-Wing Fighter (Photos)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

Thousands of people gathered in New York City’s Times Square on May 22 to watch the unveiling of the world’s largest LEGO model, a 1:1 replica of the LEGO Star Wars X-wing Starfighter.

It took 32 model builders, 5.3 million LEGO bricks and over 17,000 hours to complete the life-size X-wing fighter.

The X-wing fighter stands at 11 feet tall, with a wingspan of 43 feet and weighing nearly 46,000 pounds.

The engines have lights and speakers, and so they light up and cycle through a pre-programmed series of launch and battle sounds.

LEGO even has the droid, the cute R2-D2 built for the project.

R2-D2. (Photo by Dan Bracaglia credit to POPSCI)

The X-wing is strong enough for a person to sit in the cockpit or perch atop one of the engines and the designers use computer to plan an intricate steel infrastructure that will ensure the X-wing won’t shatter in an earthquake.

After its time in New York City, the X-wing will travel to Legoland in California.

The life-size X-wing fighter is really awesome and I think LEGO made X-wing to promote this coming Star Wars movie.

Thousands gather in New York City’s Times Square to watch the unveiling of the world’s largest LEGO Model, a 1:1 replica of the LEGO Star Wars X-wing Starfighter that took 32 Model Builders, 5.3 million LEGO bricks and over 17,000 hours to complete, Thursday May 23, 2013. (Amy Sussman/AP Images for The LEGO Group)

LEGO Master Builder Erik Varszegi and members of the 501st inspect the thrusters of the largest LEGO model ever built, an X-wing Starfighter made from 5.3 million LEGO bricks, upon its reveal in New York City’s Times Square, Thursday May 23, 2013. (Amy Sussman/ AP Images for the Lego Group)

The world’s largest Lego modelled after the Star Wars X-wing starfighter is seen at Times Square after being unveiled in New York May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton(UNITED STATES – Tags: SOCIETY)

The world’s largest Lego modelled after the Star Wars X-wing starfighter is seen at Times Square after being unveiled in New York May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton(UNITED STATES – Tags: SOCIETY)

People look at a video billboard during the unveiling of the world’s largest Lego modelled after the Star Wars X-wing starfighter at Times Square in New York May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton(UNITED STATES – Tags: SOCIETY)

The world’s largest Lego modelled after the Star Wars X-wing starfighter is seen in Times Square after being unveiled in New York May 23, 2013. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton(UNITED STATES – Tags: SOCIETY)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

The cute R2-D2 in the X-wing fighter. (Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)

(Photo by Dan Bracaglia, credit to POPSCI)