We Build LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex, The Most Impressive Skeleton Model in 68 Million Years

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set, available exclusively at the LEGO Store, is a visually stunning and ambitious build. You're immediately struck by its size; this model is crafted at a 1:12 scale, replicating a real T-Rex's grandeur.

LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex

Price: $249.99 at LEGO Store

Upon closer inspection, the level of detail is breathtaking. The ribs are constructed at varying lengths to form a realistic rib "cage," and the strategic use of dark-colored bricks enhances the shadowing, making the light-colored "bone" bricks stand out vividly. Despite its complex appearance, the set is surprisingly straightforward to assemble, adding to the awe of its intricate design.

We Build LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex

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As a child, my fascination with dinosaurs was ignited by visits to the American Museum of Natural History, where the towering T-Rex skeleton left an indelible impression. Later, Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder" further fueled my imagination with its vivid description 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."

For many of us, the image of the T-Rex standing upright with its tail dragging was the norm:

However, scientific understanding has evolved. It's now known that the T-Rex stood with its spine parallel to the ground, using its tail as a counterbalance:

The above image features "Sue," the most complete T-Rex skeleton discovered, at 90% completeness. Sue's discovery by paleontologist Sue Hendrickson in 1990 reshaped our understanding of the T-Rex. The small bones in the belly area, known as gastralia, were initially omitted from public displays due to uncertainty about their placement. We now know they supported the T-Rex's breathing and contributed to its bulk.

The T-Rex from the 1993 film Jurassic Park reflects an outdated view, showing a leaner body than what we now understand. Thanks to the gastralia, we know the T-Rex weighed between nine to ten tons, with a significant belly close to the ground.

This life-sized model, based on Sue's bones, offers the most accurate depiction of a T-Rex to date:

It's a chubbier and perhaps more endearing image than previously thought.

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set reflects this updated scientific understanding, maintaining the T-Rex's horizontal posture. While it doesn't include the gastralia, the rib positioning suggests a "barrel-chested" build, contrasting with the lean, efficient killer often portrayed in media. The set's arms are positioned forward, aligning with 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, followed by the T-Rex's backbone, which attaches to vertical supports. The rest of the model, including the neck, legs, hips, ribs, arms, tail, and head, is then assembled. The legs and torso are fixed, but the arms, head, and tail are adjustable and posable.

At nearly three-and-a-half feet long, this model demands a significant display space. A wide, flat surface like a dresser or coffee table is ideal, rather than a shelf between other shelves. Choose a location that showcases its magnificence.

The set is part of LEGO's Jurassic Park franchise, including minifigures of Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler from the original film, along with a Jurassic Park-branded placard. However, the inclusion feels somewhat forced, as the set's name and instructions offer an option to display the T-Rex without these elements. This disconnect highlights that the T-Rex's appeal lies in its impressive size, scope, and price, not in its movie tie-ins. Like the LEGO Titanic build, this set stands on its own merit, transcending mere movie memorabilia.

LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Set #10335, retails for $269.99 and comprises 3011 pieces. It is available exclusively at the LEGO Store.

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