Wooden Model Kits
See a video showing assembly of the da Vinci Catapult Kit below.
These educational kits provide a unique and engaging activity for woodworkers kids of all ages.
Please Note: These kits have small parts that constitute a choking hazard and should not be used by children under 3 years.
da Vinci Kits
We love the ingenuity that Leonardo da Vinci bestowed on the world. We honor that by offering these high quality building kits based on his designs. These educational kits provide a unique and engaging activity for kids of all ages.
You might expect that Leonardo would study, conceptualize and then improve upon the design of mechanical things. Whether he was contemplating objects that had been around for centuries, like siege engines, or things that hadn’t even been invented yet, like flying machines, he applied his inventiveness and his artistry to create wondrous designs that powered the human imagination for centuries.
Swing Bridge — suitable for ages 7 and up.
Swing Bridge
This kit is based on the historic Swing Bridge over the Tyne River in the United Kingdom. It isn't just fun to make. It moves and you'll get hours of fun from it after it's complete.
This kit measures 8" tall, 21" long and 3-1/2" wide. All pieces are pre-cut and drilled for pegging so the model is incredibly strong. All you need is scissors and a ruler. It can be made by beginning siege builders in under an hour by following the clear instructions provided.
| Model |
HW # |
Price |
|
| Swing Bridge |
302011 |
|
|
Leonardo da Vinci Armored Tank — suitable for ages 8 and up.
da Vinci Armored Tank
This may be the most intriuging of da Vinci's millitary designs. It is likely the first armored vehicle equipped with cannons ever designed. He designed it in the late 1400's,
but it was probably never built. Imagine how impressive this would have been on the field of battle!
This kit measures 6-3/4" tall by 7-7/8" wide. All pieces are pre-cut and drilled for pegging so the model is incredibly strong. All you need is scissors and a ruler. It can be
made by beginning siege builders in about an hour by following the clear instructions provided.
| Model |
HW # |
Price |
|
| Armored Tank |
302009 |
|
|
Leonardo da Vinci Catapult — suitable for ages 12 and up.
da Vinci Catapult
This catapult is one of da Vinci's redesigns of the medieval catapults of 400 or so years earlier. Based on his historical Codex Atlanticus sketches from the 1480s, this model uses the tension stored in bent wood rather than the force of twisted rope to hurl a soft modeling clay ball over 12 feet. No telling how far a green grape or a marshmallow will fly—try it out!
This kit measures 16" tall, 10" long and 5-1/2" wide. All pieces are pre-cut and drilled for pegging so the model is incredibly strong. All you need is scissors and a ruler. It can be made by beginning siege builders in under an hour by following the clear instructions provided.
| Model |
HW # |
Price |
|
| Catapult |
302001 |
|
|
Leonardo da Vinci Helicopter — suitable for ages 9 and up.
da Vinci Helicopter
The classic rendering of the Aerial Screw remains one of Leonardo's most iconic images. This predictor of the helicopter illustrates the ingenuity of da Vinci, and indicates his obsession with flying. His revolutionary idea provides insight into the different ways in which Leonardo considered the challenge of human-powered flight and defines him as an inventor well ahead of his time.
Rather than utilize rotary wings like the helicopter of today, this design to create lift drew upon a capability inspired by Archimedes’ screw, an ancient device employed to draw water upward. Our model uses one of the bevel gears he drew in his Codex and creates an impressive 2 to 1 increase in speed of the crankshaft to spin the mast quickly, illustrating the manner in which this machine would have worked.
All pieces are drilled and pegged for strength. All you need is scissors and a ruler. The model when completed measures 15" tall by 9" across. The canopy and support structure can be removed for experimenting and discovering information about the way it might have worked.
| Model |
HW # |
Price |
|
| Helicopter |
302003 |
|
|
Videos
To have an idea of what's involved with constructing these Wooden Model kits, watch this father and son video assembling the da Vinci Catapult kit.