The Great Sphinx of Giza lies on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile River. Representing the mythological creature with the head of a human and body of a lion, the Sphinx was created circa 2550 BC during the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt. The Great Sphinx is approximately 240’ long, 66’ high and is the oldest monumental sculpture in Egypt.
On July 20, 1969, Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon. Their NASA space suits allowed these astronauts to explore the lunar surface for over two hours in temperatures ranging from -183 to 106 degrees Celsius. Armstrong and Aldrin then boarded the lunar module, rejoined fellow astronaut Michael Collins aboard their command module, and returned safely to Earth.
The PBY Catalina was one of the most widely flown amphibious aircraft during WWII. During the war, it was used in anti-submarine warfare and as a long-range patrol bomber, a convoy escort, and a cargo transport. Our model is based on the airworthy Catalina, Miss Pick Up, which is located in the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, UK. It represents a U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft lost to enemy action in Europe at the end of March 1945.
To learn more about her, go to catalina.org.uk
The Golden Gate is an art deco suspension bridge that stretches across San Francisco Bay and is one of the most enduring symbols of the city. Its construction arose from the need to get from San Francisco to Marin County, California and the ferry traffic in San Francisco Bay had become just too heavy. Construction on the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933, and was completed in 1937.
Dragons are magical creatures from myth and legend. European Dragons are featured as having large, reptilian bodies with bat-like wings. Steel Dragons are said to embody the traits of nobility and justice.
The Mitsubishi Zero was considered to be the most capable carrier-based fighter aircraft in the world when it first entered combat in 1940. Its superior capabilities were in part due to its amazingly light weight that made it one of the fastest, most maneuverable and one of the longest-ranged single-engine fighter aircraft of World War II. However, that tradeoff in weight was at the price of not having self-sealing fuel tanks which made it prone to catching fire and exploding when struck by enemy fire, and no armor protection for either the pilot or the engine.
The name from Greek means 3 horned face. This dinosaur was about 30 feet long, 10 feet tall and weighed 4 to 6 tons. Stout limbs supported its girth but it was unlikely the dinosaur could move very quickly. Like a modern-day rhinoceros, it probably spent much of its time grazing on plant matter.
The Tyrannosaurus rex lived throughout what is now western North America around 68 to 66 million years ago. It was by far the largest carnivore in its environment measuring 40 feet in length and 13 feet tall with a weight of more than 7 tons. It was among the last non-avian dinosaurs to exist before a sudden mass extinction wiped out three-quarters of the plant and animal species on Earth.
The Hughes H-4 Hercules nicknamed the Spruce Goose by critics, was designed as a transatlantic transport plane for use during World War II though it was not completed until after the war. Due to restrictions during the war on the use of aluminum and also concerns about weight, the plane was built almost entirely of birch wood. It was the largest amphibious plane to ever fly though that was only one brief flight on November 2, 1947. The aircraft remains in good condition and is currently on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, USA.
The London Tower Bridge, built in 1886-1894 over the River Thames, is both a suspension and a drawbridge. It has become an iconic symbol of London and was featured in many films such as the 2009 Sherlock Holmes movie. This 244 meter bridge consists of two towers (65 meters high) tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways.
B-17 Flying Fortress was a World War II heavy bomber. Its turbo-supercharged radial engines gave it the necessary high-altitude performance to fly above the effective range of antiaircraft artillery.
The Great White Shark is perhaps the most feared apex predator of the seas. Measuring around 16’ long and capable of weighing over two tons, this shark boasts rows of serrated teeth that can measure over 3” in length. The Great White Shark can swim up to 35 mph and has been featured in motion pictures, television and literature.
The most widely produced and strategically important British single-seat fighter of World War II. The Spitfire, renowned for winning victory laurels in the Battle of Britain (1940-41), served in every theatre of the war and was produced in more variants than any other British aircraft.
Dedicated on October 28, 1886, “The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World”, was a gift from the people of France to the United States. This copper statue reaches over 305’ from ground level and has become a symbol of freedom and democracy.
A symbol of Americana, Ford trucks have outsold every other vehicle in US history with the F-150 model reigning as king. The 1982 Ford F-150 was the first model to feature the now iconic blue Ford oval emblem on the grille. This model year also introduced a stronger frame, which would underpin this series for about 15 years.
The James Webb Space Telescope, launched December 25, 2021, is the largest and most powerful telescope ever deployed. This $10 billion telescope was designed to collect light in the near-infrared spectrum which is the optimum wavelength to allow for the detection of very distant objects. In fact, the telescope allows astronomers to peer back in time to within 180 million years after the Big Bang which is even before the first galaxies formed!