X-Wing unveiled in Times Square is the world’s largest assembled LEGO structure

Star Wars and LEGO fans got a big surprise in New York City on Thursday when the Danish toy company unveiled a massive X-Wing made of LEGO bricks to promote their new animated television special, The Yoda Chronicles.

The massive sculpture is actually a 1:1 scale model of the X-Wing fighter, the craft that Luke Skywalker flew in the original Star Wars films. Gizmodo reports that it measures an amazing 43 feet long, stands 11 feet high and has a 44-foot wingspan.

[ Related: Amazing video: Who would win a Star Wars vs. Star Trek battle? ]

If that isn’t enough to impress you, it’s the largest LEGO structure ever assembled, and uses 5,335,200 pieces. Just in case you need a comparison, the original $60 LEGO set this is based on uses 560 pieces. The 1:1 model also weighs 45,000 pounds, and requires an internal metal structure to keep it from falling apart under its own weight.

The official Times Square Twitter account grabbed some up-close pics of the X-Wing in its new home:

And to give you an idea of the scale:

Fansite Yoda News got a behind-the-scenes look at the assembled X-Wing as it waited for shipment in an airplane hangar. Here’s their detailed look at the build:

It took 32 people builders 17,336 hours (about four months) to put together the X-Wing. What’s even more remarkable is that it wasn’t even built in the U.S.: the whole thing was actually built in the Czech Republic, Popular Mechanics reports, and has been designed to come apart into 34 pieces so it can be easily transported. Next stop on the X-Wing’s journey is Legoland California, where it will stay until the end of the year.

[ More Buzz: Photos show a teenage Barack Obama before his high school prom ]

Want the latest buzz before it goes viral? Follow @ydailybuzz on Twitter!