LEGO Technic 42045 Hydroplane Racer

LEGO Technic set 42045 Hydroplane Racer depicts a racing hydroplane, using the mechanical building style associated with the Technic theme.

Set 42045 belongs to LEGO Technic and focuses on a water racing subject rather than a road vehicle. Its hydroplane form gives it a distinct place within the theme, where many sets explore machines, vehicles and visible construction techniques. The model is best understood as a compact Technic interpretation of a fast racing boat.

Its build uses Technic parts to establish the hull, cockpit area and low racing profile associated with the subject.

Hydroplane Racer suits builders who want a smaller Technic model with a nautical racing theme. As a display piece, it offers a compact vehicle shape. In a Technic collection, it adds variety by representing water speed rather than land transport, while still fitting the theme’s emphasis on structure and mechanical presentation.

Inventory of set 42045

The inventory of set 42045 lists 180 pieces, spare parts excluded: 60 different lots (one shape in one color) for 59 part shapes. The box also contains 4 spare parts, for small elements that are easy to lose.

Colors of set 42045

Main color: black, making up 29% of the parts, followed by light bluish gray (21%) and white (16%).

Part types

Most common parts in set 42045

58 of the 59 part shapes in this set have their own page on Setopedia, with their colors, element numbers and the other sets that use them. See all LEGO parts

Exclusive parts in set 42045

One part shape in set 42045 appears in no other set in the catalog, most often a printed element, a sticker or a mold specific to the model. If it gets lost, you will need to look for it individually, for example on BrickLink, rather than in another set. Counting colors, 2 lots in the set are not found in any other set.

Rebuilding set 42045 from another set

Share of the parts of set 42045 found in each of these similarly sized sets, counting shape, colour and quantity:

Set 42040 Fire Plane supplies 65% of them: enough to build a good part of the model before filling in the rest piece by piece.

Size of set 42045 within its line

With 180 pieces, set 42045 ranks #308 out of 443 Technic sets in our database, which have an average of 658 parts. Among the 459 sets released in 2016, it ranks #208. That is less than half the average Technic set size.