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Rainbow hot-air balloon

61 pieces · 18 steps

A bright rounded balloon rises above a small brown basket. Two visible white supports hold the sculpture together, ready for an imaginary journey.

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Rainbow hot-air balloon

Before you build

Find the right shape

Match the shape, size and colour to the parts pictures. A stud is a round bump on top. Count rows and columns from one edge.

Follow the pictures

New pieces keep their full colour. Earlier pieces are lighter. Keep the front of the model facing you unless a step says to turn it.

Build and play together

Gather all the pieces first, then take each step at your own pace. Help your child press pieces together and lift removable parts gently.

The balloon and basket form one fixed sculpture. The white supports are part of the model.

It does not float or fly. Carry it underneath the basket and upper body together.

The basket is for a small paper passenger; compatibility with other brick figures is not assumed.

Gather pieces

Everything you need

Colours show the pictured version. Brown represents Reddish Brown. Match shapes and quantities first; other colour choices have not been checked for this edition.

Shape-only checklist
  • 8 × 2 × 3 curved brick
  • 2 × 2 × 4 double-curved brick
  • 8 × 2 × 3 curved-bottom brick
  • 4 × 2 × 4 brick
  • 6 × 2 × 6 plate
  • 1 × 4 × 4 round plate
  • 10 × 2 × 2 sloping brick
  • 12 × 2 × 2 brick
  • 2 × 4 × 4 plate
  • 8 × 1 × 2 double-height wall brick

Total: 61 pieces

Build

One step at a time

New pieces are in colour. Earlier pieces are lighter.

Step 2 of 18

Add: 4 × brown 1 × 2 double-height wall brick

Step 2: Stand two brown narrow wall bricks down each side of the basket, end to end.

Stand two brown narrow wall bricks down each side of the basket, end to end.

Step 3 of 18

Add: 2 × brown 1 × 2 double-height wall brick

Step 3: Close the back and front gaps with one brown wall brick across each end.

Close the back and front gaps with one brown wall brick across each end.

Step 4 of 18

Add: 2 × white 1 × 2 double-height wall brick

Step 4: Stand a white narrow wall brick in the middle of each side wall. These are the visible supports for the balloon.

Stand a white narrow wall brick in the middle of each side wall. These are the visible supports for the balloon.

Step 5 of 18

Add: 1 × yellow 4 × 4 plate

Step 5: Lay a yellow 4 × 4 plate over the supports, lined up with the basket floor.

Lay a yellow 4 × 4 plate over the supports, lined up with the basket floor.

Step 6 of 18

Add: 3 × yellow 2 × 6 plate

Step 6: Put three yellow 2 × 6 plates side by side over the yellow square. They project one row or column beyond it on every side.

Put three yellow 2 × 6 plates side by side over the yellow square. They project one row or column beyond it on every side.

Step 7 of 18

Add: 4 × red 2 × 2 brick

Step 7: Put a red square at each corner of an eight-column-wide balloon. Each square overlaps just one corner stud of the yellow platform.

Put a red square at each corner of an eight-column-wide balloon. Each square overlaps just one corner stud of the yellow platform.

Step 8 of 18

Add: 4 × red 2 × 3 curved-bottom brick

Step 8: Add two red curved-bottom bricks along the back and two along the front, rounded ends pointing outwards.

Add two red curved-bottom bricks along the back and two along the front, rounded ends pointing outwards.

Step 9 of 18

Add: 4 × red 2 × 3 curved-bottom brick

Step 9: Add two red curved-bottom bricks along each remaining side, rounded ends pointing outwards. Keep the middle empty.

Add two red curved-bottom bricks along each remaining side, rounded ends pointing outwards. Keep the middle empty.

Step 10 of 18

Add: 4 × blue 2 × 2 brick

Step 10: Put a blue square above each red corner.

Put a blue square above each red corner.

Step 11 of 18

Add: 4 × blue 2 × 4 brick

Step 11: Join the blue corners with a blue 2 × 4 brick along each side. Keep the middle empty.

Join the blue corners with a blue 2 × 4 brick along each side. Keep the middle empty.

Step 12 of 18

Add: 4 × yellow 2 × 2 brick

Step 12: Put a yellow square above each blue corner.

Put a yellow square above each blue corner.

Step 13 of 18

Add: 4 × yellow 2 × 3 curved brick

Step 13: Add two yellow curved-top bricks along the back and two along the front, rounded ends pointing outwards.

Add two yellow curved-top bricks along the back and two along the front, rounded ends pointing outwards.

Step 14 of 18

Add: 4 × yellow 2 × 3 curved brick

Step 14: Add two yellow curved-top bricks along each remaining side, rounded ends pointing outwards.

Add two yellow curved-top bricks along each remaining side, rounded ends pointing outwards.

Step 15 of 18

Add: 6 × blue 2 × 2 sloping brick

Step 15: Put three blue slopes down each side, high edges facing the middle. Start one row in from the back edge.

Put three blue slopes down each side, high edges facing the middle. Start one row in from the back edge.

Step 16 of 18

Add: 4 × blue 2 × 2 sloping brick

Step 16: Add two blue slopes across the back and two across the front, high edges facing the middle.

Add two blue slopes across the back and two across the front, high edges facing the middle.

Step 17 of 18

Add: 3 × red 2 × 6 plate

Step 17: Close the opening with three red 2 × 6 plates across the balloon, side by side.

Close the opening with three red 2 × 6 plates across the balloon, side by side.

Step 18 of 18

Add: 1 × yellow 4 × 4 round plate; 2 × yellow 2 × 4 double-curved brick

Step 18: Centre a yellow round plate over the three red plates. Finish with two yellow double-curved bricks side by side, running back to front.

Centre a yellow round plate over the three red plates. Finish with two yellow double-curved bricks side by side, running back to front.

Ready to play

Make a little story

  1. Choose three places your balloon could visit.
  2. Draw a tiny paper passenger for the basket.
  3. Find the matching colour bands around the balloon.
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Sources and credits

Geometry: LDraw Parts Library. Part sources · Model and inventory · Render record

Revision c3e445e82b96f1dc4e6c7e911914c051da3d78a596e558e3627d63e69eae4355

Part and colour evidence.

These new revisions have digital checks. They do not carry a new physical-test claim.