LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton Model Unveiled

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set, available exclusively at the LEGO Store, is a visually stunning and ambitious build that captures the awe-inspiring presence of this prehistoric giant. Upon first glance, you'll be struck by its impressive size; this set is a 1:12 scale model of a real T-Rex, ensuring an authentic and commanding presence in any space.

LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus rex

Priced at $249.99, the set's detail is immediately apparent. The ribs are meticulously crafted at varying lengths to form a realistic rib "cage," while the interplay of dark and light-colored bricks creates a striking contrast that mimics the shadows and highlights on actual fossilized bones. Despite its intricate appearance, the set is surprisingly user-friendly to assemble, adding to its appeal.

We Build LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex

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As a lifelong dinosaur enthusiast, my fascination with the T-Rex was cemented during visits to the American Museum of Natural History, where the towering skeleton always captured my imagination. This fascination was further fueled by Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," a sci-fi tale that vividly describes the T-Rex:

"It came on great oiled, resilient, striding legs. It towered thirty feet above half of the trees, a great evil god, folding its delicate watchmaker's claws close to its oily reptilian chest. Each lower leg was a piston, a thousand pounds of white bone, sunk in thick ropes of muscle, sheathed over in a gleam of pebbled skin like the mail of a terrible warrior."

For many of us, the iconic image of the T-Rex was that of an upright stance with a dragging tail:

However, scientific understanding has evolved, revealing that the T-Rex actually stood with its spine parallel to the ground, using its tail as a counterbalance:

This revised understanding is exemplified by "Sue," the most complete T-Rex skeleton ever discovered, at 90% completeness. Sue's discovery by paleontologist Sue Hendrickson in 1990 reshaped our knowledge of the T-Rex, including the revelation of gastralia, small bones that supported the dinosaur's breathing and gave it a fuller body shape:

This new understanding also affected perceptions of the T-Rex's physical traits. The T-Rex depicted in the 1993 film Jurassic Park reflects an outdated view, but it's more horizontally positioned than earlier depictions. However, it's leaner than the actual T-Rex, which, thanks to the gastralia, is now known to have weighed between nine to ten tons, with a significantly larger belly:

This updated, life-sized model of a T-Rex, based on Sue's bones, showcases a chubbier and more accurate depiction.

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set reflects this scientific accuracy, adopting a horizontal posture based on the latest research. While it doesn't include the gastralia, the rib positioning suggests a "barrel-chested" build, contrasting with the lean depictions of popular culture. The set's arms are positioned forward, consistent with the updated display of Sue at the Field Museum in Chicago.

The set comprises 25 sealed plastic bags, guiding you through the construction process. You start by building the black stand, then attach the backbone to vertical supports, followed by the neck, legs, hips, ribs, arms, tail, and finally, the head. The legs and torso are fixed, but the arms, head, and tail are posable, allowing for personalized display.

At nearly three-and-a-half feet long, the model requires ample space. It's best suited for a wide, flat surface like a dresser or coffee table, where it can dominate without being cramped.

The set is part of the LEGO Jurassic Park franchise, evident in the inclusion of minifigures of Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler from the original film, along with a Jurassic Park logo placard. However, this tie-in feels somewhat forced, as the set's name and instruction manual even offer an option to remove the minifigures and placard, emphasizing the model's standalone appeal.

The inclusion of these elements feels unnecessary for a set of this caliber, much like the LEGO Titanic set, which stands on its own merit without needing movie tie-ins. At $269.99, with 3011 pieces, the LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set, number 10335, is available exclusively at the LEGO Store and is a testament to the beauty and complexity of LEGO's offerings.

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