6074 Black Falcon's Fortress

6074 Black Falcon's Fortress is a Castle set designed by Daniel August KrentzSets Designed by Daniel August Krentz [Unofficial | Brickset: LEGO set guide and database] and released in 1986. It contains a small castle of the Black Falcons, two guards, two archers and two knights with horses. This was the second castle of this faction, succeeding the 6073 Knight's Castle from 1984.
In Canada and Australia, this was known as 6074 Eagle Crest Castle. In the UK, it was Castle Draco and the Black Knight.
This set was reissued in 2002 as 10039 Black Falcon's Fortress in LEGO's Legends line.
== Description ==
The Black Falcon's Fortress has a rectangular layout featuring a gate with a drawbridge at the front, flanked by two semi-octagonal towers, and a residence building on the rear wall, making it the first LEGO castle ever that contained a distinguished living area. The residence or chapel featured a half-timbered wall panel and a small integrated tower with hip roof and a small balcony.
As its predecessor, the Knight's Castle, the fortress was built on green plate-pieces rather than on flat baseplates. It also utilized hinge-bricks that allowed to open the castle. There are no stairs nor a ladder to connect the different levels. The drawbridge is manually raised or lowered as there is no winch unlike the earlier Knight's Castle.
The rear side of the set box shows off an alternate build of the model. It is smaller, with different features. Similarly to the main build, it contains a living quarters, indicated by the Tudor-style wall panel. On the other side is a small overhang providing shade to resting knights. There is no drawbridge, but the front tower is taller with multiple levels.
The set comes with six minifigures. Each minifigure's job is identified by it's helmet. There are two archers, identified by their helmets with the chin-guard, Part 3896. Two of the Black Falcons are spearmen, whose helmets are Part 3844. Lastly, there are two knights, that are both different in horse colour, saddle colour, plume colour, helmet colour, and torso colour, but their helmets are both Part x167. There is a spare weapon which is a battle axe (perhaps a bardiche) mounted just inside the gate.
== Background ==
As shown in several sets and catalogue dioramas, the Black Falcons were at war with the Crusaders and Forestmen. During the Forestmens' siege of both the Black Falcon's Fortress and 6085 Black Monarch's Castle, the Falcons perhaps had a truce or alliance with the Black Knights, although later the Black Falcons and Black Knights came in conflict.
== Notes ==
* The blue flag with the falcon crest was only available in this set. Even the 2002 reissue contained a slightly different piece.
* This was the first set that included a yellow timber frame wall panel also known as the "Dutch Wall". The only other set (beside the 2002 rerelease) that contained this element was 6086 Black Knight's Castle (1992). A red version was included in 6067 Guarded Inn.
* Albeit for some color differences, the minifigures are the same as in the preceding 6073 Knight's Castle, though the spearmen lack shields. There are only two shields in the entire set of Black Falcon's Fortress, intended for the mounted knights, while its fore-bearer had six. 
==Minifigures Included==
== Gallery ==
Black falcon fortress back.jpg|The back of the box
6074 Bafck.jpg|The back
6074 Front.jpg|The front
6074 Top.jpg|A top view
6074 Minifigures.jpg|The Minifigures
== See also ==
* 6073 Knight's Castle
== References ==
== External links ==
* Set Review at Eurobricks Forums
* Set Review at The Lego Brick Guy
* Set Review at Promo Bricks
* Set Review at Brickset
Category:1986 sets
Category:6000 sets
Category:Black Falcons
Category:Castle