The Great Escape: A LEGO® creation by Ryan Durant : MOCpages.com

The Great Escape

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Happy early Remembrance Day! For those who aren't aware "The Great Escape" was an event that took place during World War II. A group of prisoners made a tunnel to escape from a Luftwaffe Stalag. More can be explained in the below photos.

About this creation

Above the tunnel (which was 30 ft., this isn't exactly to scale), the entrance was concealed using a moveable stove. You'll see more of that later.

Fact: There were three tunnels in total. Their code names were "Tom, Dick, and Harry". This MOC demonstrates the progress on Harry, the tunnel that was used to escape the POW camp.

The main tunnel below, and an undiscovered cavern above.

Down below, a workshop was built for someone to craft the materials to support the earth in the tunnel. The materials used were made from the bunk beds that are placed in all Barracks of POW camps. The cone hanging from the string is a reference to the can of beans used to rattle in case of approaching German guards.

You may be wondering why there are tan bricks used in this location. Well, under the earth there was a load of delicate sand and needed to be collected. This was dangerous for people who were tunneling, and if the sand collapsed, they would have to be dug out. Carts were used for easy transport during the tunneling. However, the space was very claustrophobic, and whoever was tunneling could only lie on their backs or stomachs.

A man would be posted to move the cart back and forth for the tunnelers, and in case of an emergency could pull the man out quickly.

Hey, don't some of those artifacts seem a little familiar? Well, let's just say that the German soldier chose poorly.

I couldn't make a slide-action stove because of the trap door LEGO piece, but instead made a removable piece that could attach to the stove below.

Upon removing the stove, the concealed trap door is revealed, but I only made it to be opened from the underside.

The stove. Unfortunately, the light didn't show up very well for this photo.

Fourth Roof Commentary:

After a lengthy amount of disactivity, The Great Escape creation is complete. Well, semi-complete, because an important piece of history is missing. A contraption was built to supply air from above, but let's avoid some details like that. I think my favorite part to build was the tunnel and the secret cavern. I love the effect used to show the interior of each. What's your opinion?

~Ryan

Comments

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I like it

the bourbonbrick

December 27, 2011

My dad was just talking about this the other day!Brilliant build.

I like it

Ben The Lego Builder

December 10, 2011

This is awesome! The tunnels look really realistic and the story behind the MOC is really interesting.

I like it

RC 1710 "Deff"

December 4, 2011

Amazing! The tunnel is awesome! Great building!

I like it

A minute ago ...

November 19, 2011

Nice work, its great! Well detailed and it's very accurate!

Andrew AKA Hump-Free

November 5, 2011

Yeah, I figured that the issue with the red smear was related to having to taking it all apart, so it's understandable, just like the parts issue with making a cabin. I have to remind myself of these things as I review Physical brick builds, In LDD such things are never an issue.

I made it

Ryan Durant

November 5, 2011

Quoting Andrew AKA Hump-Free Hey Man, I must say, this was fairly though out and well made, there's a lot of detail work put into this MOC. It's quite accurate to the event. The only issues I have with the MOC is that it would be pretty sick if you could make a house around the stove, just to add to the scene, but that may present some structure issues. And the other issue is by far the biggest I have ever seen in my entire career as the admin of HFR!!! and as a fellow builder I must say that I am deeply disappointed in you.... Okay, it's really not that big of deal, I'm just leading you on, I'm in that kind of mood right now. The only other issue I could see was that you used the grey brick with the red smear on it, I would have placed in a manner so the red would have not been seen. Other than that, this is a very nice historical MOC, nice work.

Thanks you! About the red smear, yes, sorry about that. I hadn't noticed it very well, but I also didn't want to take half of the workshop apart to turn that piece around, so I'll watch for things like that next time. About the Barracks room to go along with the stove, I almost used all of my brown bricks just on the tunnel and underground soil, and I didn't possess enough brown bricks to finish the job. But once again, thanks for pointing these out and reviewing this creation! ~Ryan

I like it

Andrew AKA Hump-Free

November 4, 2011

Hey Man, I must say, this was fairly though out and well made, there's a lot of detail work put into this MOC. It's quite accurate to the event. The only issues I have with the MOC is that it would be pretty sick if you could make a house around the stove, just to add to the scene, but that may present some structure issues. And the other issue is by far the biggest I have ever seen in my entire career as the admin of HFR!!! and as a fellow builder I must say that I am deeply disappointed in you.... Okay, it's really not that big of deal, I'm just leading you on, I'm in that kind of mood right now. The only other issue I could see was that you used the grey brick with the red smear on it, I would have placed in a manner so the red would have not been seen. Other than that, this is a very nice historical MOC, nice work.

I like it

Ape Fight

November 4, 2011

This is a really original piece or work - and built very well too. I think there could be more going on up on the surface, but it's a very likeable build. Deserves more attention. 8/10 : )

I made it

Ryan Durant

November 1, 2011

Quoting Matthew Mann Awesome job, Ryan! Well done. I liked the skeleton in the cavern... I didn't know that part of the history. Congratulations!

Thank you!