Beyond the Skies: 23 Inspiring Alternate Builds for LEGO Technic Race Plane (42117-1)

From sleek marine vessels to fantastical creatures, the LEGO Technic 42117-1 Race Plane kit offers more than just high-speed aerial thrills. With its versatile assortment of beams, connectors, and aerodynamic panels, this set serves as a launchpad for creativity, challenging builders to look beyond the cockpit and reimagine its components in novel configurations. Whether you’re drawn to wildlife, watercraft, or futuristic starships, the Race Plane’s parts palette provides surprising flexibility for crafting everything from aquatic beasts to robotic companions.

In the world of alternate builds—often called MOCs (My Own Creations)—constraint breeds innovation. By limiting yourself to the exact inventory of the official set, you unlock a puzzle-like design process where each model must cleverly repurpose existing elements. Perhaps the plane’s propeller becomes the dorsal fin of a mechanical whale, or its wing struts transform into the neck of a majestic dragon. This spirit of resourcefulness mirrors real-world engineering, where optimizing limited materials yields elegant solutions.

Engaging with these alternate builds not only sharpens your construction skills but also deepens your understanding of Technic engineering principles—gearing, structural integrity, and motion mechanisms. Many of the featured designs animate moving parts, from flapping wings to rolling carriages, demonstrating that playfulness and functionality go hand in hand. Moreover, exploring others’ MOCs fosters a vibrant community dialogue: you can remix ideas, combine techniques, and spark collaborative projects that transcend the original model’s intent.

Below, you’ll find a curated gallery of remarkable alternate builds—all crafted using only the pieces from set 42117-1. 

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Alternate Builds Gallery

Kingfisher

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-60831/grohl/kingfisher-lego-technic-42117-c-model/

Whale

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-62507/grohl/whale-lego-technic-42117-d-model/

Jet

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-63484/grohl/jet-lego-technic-42117-e-model/

Catamaran

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-84592/grohl/catamaran-lego-technic-42117-m-model/

Perry The Platypus

Designed by Dadudi_Technic_Creations
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-66827/Dadudi_Technic_Creations/42117-perry-the-platypus/

Flamingo

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-66368/grohl/flamingo-lego-technic-42117-f-model/

Cobra

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-79181/grohl/cobra-lego-technic-42117-k-model/

A-Wing

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-75749/grohl/a-wing-lego-technic-42117-i-model/

Chameleon

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-77972/grohl/chameleon-lego-technic-42117-j-model/

Baby Dragon

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-72416/grohl/baby-dragon-lego-technic-42117-g-model/

Helicopter (Keep On Bricking)

Designed by Keep On Bricking
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-60289/Keep%20On%20Bricking/42117-helicopter/

Klingon Bird Of Prey

Designed by 13neat8
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-83720/13neat8/42117-star-trek-klingon-bird-of-prey/

TIE Fighter

Designed by Keep On Bricking
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-60790/Keep%20On%20Bricking/42117-tie-fighter/

Hovercraft

Designed by Dadudi_Technic_Creations
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-64907/Dadudi_Technic_Creations/42117-hovercraft/

Pigeon

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-87802/grohl/pigeon-lego-technic-42117-p-model/

Helicopter (grohl)

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-80172/grohl/helicopter-lego-technic-42117-l-model/

Scorpio

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-91239/grohl/scorpio-lego-technic-42117-s-model/

Hydroplane

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-93691/grohl/hydroplane-lego-technic-42117-t-model/

Kangaroo

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-85184/grohl/kangaroo-lego-technic-42117-n-model/

Naboo N1 Starfighter

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-136779/grohl/42117-naboo-n1-starfighter-lego-technic-42117-alternate-build-no28/

Frog

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-100357/grohl/frog-lego-technic-42117-v-model/

Stegosaurus

Designed by grohl
Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-75161/grohl/stegosaurus-lego-technic-42117-h-model/

 

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