Pteranodon (Happinet)

Of all the vertebrates on earth, only three in the history of life have achieved powered flight. Two, the birds and bats, are still amongst us today, but the third, the pterosaurs, have long since become extinct. This makes them an intriguing group, especially given that some reached incredible sizes. One of these, perhaps the most famous of all, is Pteranodon, a North American pterosaur with a wingspan reaching seven metres wide. There are many models of this species and here we see one from Happinet. Let’s see how they did!

Here it is, and what a specimen! Largely black, with a beige beak and an oddly green crest. Perhaps it’s nearing the mating season, who knows. The pose is a classic flighted one, perfect for a pterosaur, and making it one of the only Happinet models to omit poseability, but given the thin frame of the animal, this makes a lot of sense. It is quite a large figure, measuring 6″ from beak to feet, 2.5″ high and has a wingspan of 10.2″, so a reasonably sized model. It is a vinyl model, making it light, but meaning there are a few obvious seams, mainly where the wings attach to the body, but it isn’t the worst.

With so many specimens available, this should be a very accurate model, and it is. Toothless beak, large wingspan, no tail, it is all here (or not here, as the case may be). The skull could potentially be longer, but it seems pretty good. Nothing much more to say on that.

This is a good model of a classic prehistoric animal, with good sculpting, a great colour pattern and top notch accuracy. It may not be for everyone, but I certainly enjoyed it. Happinet models are discontinued, so eBay is your best bet, but do watch out for some sellers, as they overly inflate prices. If you see it for a reasonably price, definitely get it.