Element analysis: Wing 1 1/2 x 1 x 1 (8193)

New moulds are appearing at a dizzying rate these days, and yet, most seem to just be variations on existing parts; prime example being the never-ending supply of curved slopes in every size and shape imaginable. Every now and then, however, there's a newbie that feels distinctly... well... distinct! Enter the baby fin: adorable, unique and oozing with potential. Let's take a closer look.

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Set 77260 on LEGO.com
Set 77264 on LEGO.com

An invention of the Speed Champions line, Wing 1 1/2 x 1 x 1 (8193) made its debut in 77260 The Fast and The Furious Toyota Supra MK4 which contains x2 in orange (6605115) and x2 in light bluish gray (6611672). Much to the delight of neo classic space builders, it's now available in blue (6636365) thanks to 77264 Jaguar Project 7 & Land Rover Defender that was released 1st August - full review of that set coming soon!

The baby fin seems to have been chiefly introduced as a one-piece solution for a car spoiler's vertical supports. It's a clear upgrade in aesthetic compared to the 1x1 modified round plate with bar (79194) and tile with clip (15712, 44842) combination seen on many SC cars previously. For example the McLaren F1 LM (above left) from set 76918, reviewed for us by Thomas Jenkins.

It's encouraging to see the element has already proven its versatility for other uses though. See the nose of the Toyota where two have been employed sideways as horizontal air splitters.

So, we know it's definitely not a one-trick pony, but what makes it tick? Time to analyse.

The baby fin's geometry is pretty standard in two dimensions: 1 brick tall (nice, all good so far). 1 module wide (yep, makes sense). Then there's the length: 1 1/2 modules long? Now that's interesting. Side note: anyone else love how it looks like a reinforced steel joist when viewed head-on?

The half module offset makes it an unlikely member of the jumper family - and a potentially useful one at that. A half module offset typically involves the aptly named jumper plate which requires a (relatively) large amount of real estate of two modules. 

Granted, two modules isn't much, but with sets and MOCs becoming ever more intricate, I wouldn't be surprised to see the baby fin, with its petite footprint and slender profile, hidden away in the guts of a model to enable some nifty offsets like in the example above.

Another fun quirk of the half-module offset is the resultant angle:

Fans have often questioned the puzzling name of Slope Double 45° 1 x 1 (35464) (Shown above, centre and right in yellow) because its incline is 40°, not 45°. The fact this is a perfect match with the baby fin doesn't make the slope's name any less silly, but at least it now has some friends to hide behind while everyone continues to gaze upon it sceptically. Unfortunately, getting the two parts to align legally is tricky; regular SNOT techniques won't work (above centre), but I did find success with the infinite adjustability of a clip and bar connection (above, right).  

The obvious ancestor of the baby fin is Wing, Tail 4 x 1 x 3 (2340), released in 1997

Visual synergy is less pronounced with this, non-exhaustive, selection of other tail fin designs, but there's no doubt the baby fin has a spot at the table - though it may need a booster seat!

For some less tangible kinship, consider the 'jumper arch' (38583) and its cornery counterpart (38585). Both feature a half module offset just like the baby fin, except in their case the top stud remains in-line with the anti-stud. Nevertheless, it's a fun, albeit distant, similarly.

An even more distant relation is the 1x1 bracket (36840). Their functionality couldn't be more different, but there's still some passing similarity with the half-plate section and open stud.

Here are a few experiments with multiples. The above centre arrangement highlights the element's pleasing interlocking quality while the simple line-up shown on the right is an exploration of texture more than anything. It's safe to assume that the element will have a home on all things sci-fi but I'd wager it'll be pretty popular for furniture building too. 

Hopefully this neat little element will continue to appear in more sets and colours. I'm excited to see how it'll be used outside of the Speed Champions line. If nothing else, surely it's only a matter of time before they're used on a poly bag-sized Galaxy Explorer right? 

Set 77260 on LEGO.com
Set 77264 on LEGO.com

READ MORE:   Review: 42233 Mighty Machines Series 1 from LEGO® Technic

 

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