Black Falcons

Black Falcons

Release years:	1984 - 1992, 2003
Main theme:	Castle
Concurrent factions:	Crusaders Forestmen Black Knights Wolfpack

The Black Falcons were an early faction of LEGO's Castle theme. Neither the name for their faction nor the faction itself is official; the name comes from the set 6074 Black Falcon's Fortress. Sets including the Black Falcons first appeared in 1984. The last regular appearance was in 1992.

In Canada and Australia, they were known as the Eagle Crests.^[1] A US catalog from 1989 makes reference to the "Forestmen", "Black Knights", and "Guardians of the Gray Castles". At the time, no Crusaders castles were being made, but Black Falcon's Fortress was, suggesting that the faction should be called "Guardians" and the Black Falcon was a character (like the Black Monarch) who led them. An assumably high ranking Black Falcon knight appears in a Kingdoms set in 2012, as an opponent of the Lion Knights. This may suggest that Black falcons existed in the same timeframe as the Kingdoms line.

History[edit | edit source]

The Black Falcons were introduced together with the Crusaders in 1984 when LEGO relaunched their Castle theme after the discontinuation of the first knights faction that started in 1978. One of the first sets of the Falcons included a castle (6073 Knight's Castle), which was considerably smaller than its counterpart from the Crusaders (6080 King's Castle). This initial difference in strength was never overcome as the Black Falcons always had fewer releases than the Crusaders.

1986 saw the release of 6074 Black Falcon's Fortress, which is still considered one of the most elegant castles ever released. It was later reissued as part of LEGO's Legends line. The fortress was also the last new building of the Black Falcons and marked the beginning of the steady decline of this faction which then merely appeared as side characters in sets of other factions.

The last two Black Falcon soldiers were included in 6057 Sea Serpent from 1992, a set of the Black Knights, that still appeared in catalogs from 1994. Thus, the Black Falcons can be considered the longest-lived (eight years) faction of the Castle theme.

In 2005, two Black Falcon shields were included in one of the Harry Potter sets, 4768 The Durmstrang Ship, and although unconfirmed by LEGO in 2012, a Black Falcon Knight appears in the set Kingdoms set 10223 Joust.

Details[edit | edit source]

Soldiers of the Black Falcons were quite strictly uniformed. Most of them had black helmets, legs and arms and a blue torso piece adorned with their crest, a black/white falcon on inverted background. Knights usually wore a fixed-face grill helmet and a breastplate torso piece in either blue or black.

They owned two castles in total, as well as a small wall segment with a tower that was under siege by the Crusaders in 6062 Battering Ram. The Falcon's complement of siege engines was rather small, comprising only two catapults from 6030 Catapult and 6059 Knight's Stronghold. There was also a small cart (6011 Black Knight's Treasure) and a small boat (6018 Battle Dragon).

Sets[edit | edit source]

top • bottom

Image	#	Set	Pieces	Figures	Price	Released
	10039	Black Falcon's Fortress	426	2 Knights, 2 Archers, 2 Guardsmen	$40.00	2002
	6011	Black Knight's Treasure	25	Black Falcon Soldier		1985
	6018	Battle Dragon	49	2	$4.50	1990
	6030	Catapult	80	2	$6.00	1984
	6035	Castle Guard	49	Black Falcon, Knight (Black Falcons)	$5.75	1987
	6073	Knight's Castle	408	6	$27.00	1984
	6074	Black Falcon's Fortress	435	6	$34.99	1986
	6102	Castle Minifigures	30	6		1985

Minor appearances

10223 Kingdoms Joust (2012), redesigned slightly and unconfirmed by The LEGO Group
6041 Armor Shop (1986), contains a Black Falcons shield
6067 Guarded Inn (1986), contains a Black Falcons shield
4768 The Durmstrang Ship (2005), contains two Black Falcon shields