LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Building the Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton Model News - Latest Updates and Information

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set, available exclusively at the LEGO Store, is a visually stunning and ambitious build that captures the imagination. You're immediately struck by its size; this is a 1:12 scale model of a real T-Rex, which is both impressive and awe-inspiring.

LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex

Priced at $249.99, this set is not just large but also intricately detailed. Upon closer inspection, you'll notice how the ribs are crafted at varying lengths to form a realistic rib "cage." The use of dark-colored bricks creates shadows that highlight the light-colored "bone" bricks, adding depth and realism. Despite its complexity, the set is surprisingly straightforward to assemble, making the final product even more remarkable.

We Build LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex

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As a child, my fascination with dinosaurs was sparked during visits to the American Museum of Natural History, where the towering T-Rex skeleton always captivated me. Years later, Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder" further fueled my interest with its vivid depiction of 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."

Growing up, many of us were taught that the T-Rex stood upright with its tail dragging on the ground:

Source: American Museum of Natural History

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

Source: Field Museum

The photo above shows "Sue," the most complete T-Rex skeleton discovered, with 90% of its bones intact. When Sue Hendrickson found it in 1990, it changed our understanding of the T-Rex's anatomy. The tiny bones near the belly, known as *gastralia*, were initially omitted from public displays due to uncertainty about their placement. Now, we know they supported the T-Rex's breathing and contributed to its bulk.

Source: Universal Pictures

The T-Rex from the 1993 film *Jurassic Park* reflects the outdated view of dinosaurs. While the body positioning is more horizontal, it's leaner than the real T-Rex, which we now know weighed nine to ten tons, not five to seven, thanks to the gastralia.

This life-sized model, based on Sue's bones, provides our most accurate depiction of a T-Rex:

Source: Blue Rhino Studio

It's chubbier and perhaps even cuter than previously thought!

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set reflects this updated scientific understanding with its horizontal positioning. Although it doesn't include the gastralia, the rib placement suggests a "barrel-chested" creature, not the lean, efficient predator often depicted in fiction. The model's arms are forward, mirroring the updated display of Sue at the Field Museum in Chicago.

The set comes in 25 sealed plastic bags. You start by building the black stand, then the T-Rex's backbone, attaching it to vertical supports. The rest of the model, including the neck, legs, hips, ribs, arms, tail, and head, are built and connected sequentially. The legs and torso are fixed, but the arms, head, and tail are adjustable, allowing for posing.

Measuring nearly three-and-a-half feet from tip to tail, this model may pose space challenges. It demands a wide, flat surface like a dresser or coffee table to truly showcase its magnificence.

While technically part of LEGO's Jurassic Park franchise, the set includes minifigures of Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler from the original film, along with a Jurassic Park logo placard. However, this franchise tie-in feels somewhat forced. The set's name, 'Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex,' lacks any direct movie reference, and the instructions even offer an option to remove the minifigures and placard, allowing the skeleton to stand alone. This suggests the T-Rex model's appeal lies in its own grandeur, much like the LEGO Titanic set, which doesn't rely on movie tie-ins to captivate.

A T-Rex of this size, scope, and price sells itself, not because of brand synergy but due to its inherent class and appeal. The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Set #10335, retails for $269.99 and consists of 3011 pieces, available exclusively at the LEGO Store.