The 40501 The Wooden Duck set was the first in a new series of limited edition sets that are available exclusively at LEGO House in Billund, Denmark.

Almost 3 years after its release, I'm amazed that it's still easily available, either at LEGO House or at places like Bricklink.
This set is a representation of an old wooden toy, made by LEGO (yes, for those who didn't know, the LEGO creator started his story making wooden toys).

I found it interesting that in my research on this duck, I discovered that it already had several models, just changing the tones. Some hand painted, others sprayed. The chosen color, dark red, was chosen because it is the most iconic color of this toy.

A quick look at the model



A very interesting building. I thought it was the set that passed through my hands with the most variety of colors inside the construction. From what I was able to ascertain, it was an option of the LEGO designer, so that the construction was easier and more fun to build. And it worked.

Some techniques used are interesting, as is the mechanism that allows the duck's beak to open and close as the duck moves.

The head fits into the body of the set via a Technic system. The wings are also attached to the body using Technic parts. The truth is that the system works very well, as we have the feeling that everything is pretty safe.

Something I noticed, which unfortunately remains very common, are different tones in the Dark Red pieces. A problem from the past and one that continues.

There are some new parts in this set. The duck's eyes, the part used for the wheels, the duck's name plate and finally a Technic 1x2 part.

Something that I really liked and that should be used more by LEGO in some sets is the support. This support allows you to place the duck on top and has two tiles, one saying “Wooden Duck” and the other “LEGO House”. This support allows you to place the duck or remove it very easily.

Undoubtedly, an excellent final appearance, reproducing the original wooden duck very faithfully. And not even the movement of the wheels that allows the nozzle to move has been forgotten. This is one of those sets that looks good anywhere. If you want to reserve space for him, tell him that he is 22 cm long and 18 cm high.

Value and parts
This set has 621 pieces, costing around US$103 (approx. €80 or £93). A reasonable value for what it offers.

Remember that the set is exclusive to LEGO House, so another good excuse to visit it. Alternatively, you may have to do as I did and ask a friend to go there and remember you and bring one or look on sites like Bricklink where there are several available for sale, but at a higher price.