Gastornis

Diagrams by Bill Bankwitz

The Gastornis skeleton is based on Kawahata's Brachiosaurus Skeleton and the Skeleton of the
Tyrannosaurus Rex. in fact only a few of the pieces are used from both those models. Unfortunately to get
the diagrams for the Brachiosaurus you need to buy the book Origami Dinosaurs 2and the . SKELETON
OF TYRANNOSAURUS REX book. If you already have them, have fun folding this Bird Skeleton! If
you don't have, please don't ask me for the diagrams because I'm not allowed to give you.

NOTE: These are my recreation notes and will probliably will need size, shape, and construction
modifications by you

Feet – 2 each - 3” inch Square

Start with bird base Open sink all sides Fold and unfold Reverse fold three flaps
Open sink top Cut out For Detail

Shape feet
Crimp all flaps
Feet Fin
 Head - 1 each – 3 inch square

Start at Step 34 of the Tyrannosaurus Head diagrams in the Tyrannosaurus skeleton book

Start Inverse fold both ends Blown

As Shown up Detail

Crimp for bottom of Jaw Shape Eyes and jaw

Fin
 Ribs - 5 each – 4 inch square,
2 each – 3 inch square,
1 each – 1 1/2 inch
square

Fold the ribs as shown from the Kawahata's Brachiosaurus Skeleton book, then perform the following
modifications to the 7 larger ribs.

Fold ends in and meet Shape and fin

Legs - 2 each – 4 inch square

Fold the legs as shown from the Kawahata's Brachiosaurus Skeleton book, One right and one left.
 Pelvis - 1 each – 3 or 4 inch square
depending on what size you want

Start with frog base Bring top end Narrow both

Extend both ends up down sides

90°

Valley fold the front narrow face to front

Mountain fold the back face away This is what you finish with Valley fold
Flap over

Outside reverse fold center Valley fold top flap back over. Inside reverse
Flap up Fold top flap
Mountain fold top and bottom flaps in
To narrow flaps - repeat behind. Crimp 3 times top flap to form tail bone. Fold back flaps into
Center of model.

Valley fold ends in to hold legs.

Mountain fold both rear flap
edges in to narrow and Shape

Neck - 1 each – 2 inch by 6 inch

Fold the Neck as shown in the Skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus Rex book, except use a 2” by 6” piece of
paper and only crimp ½ the crimps as shown below.

Crimp ½ the crimps done in

the tran neck
 Breast plate - 1 each – 3 inch square

Start with frog base Valley fold the flap over Inside reverse fold the
Extend both ends up Repeat behind flap up – repeat behind

Outside reverse fold flaps Mountian fold flap into center –

Repeat behind Mountain fold bottom flap into
(allows breast to hook into ribs) model
Repeat behind

Mountain fold edges in to shape

breast – repeat behind Shape and make 3D

Fin
 Wings – 2 Pieces – 11/2 inch by 4 inch

90°

Rotate

Valley Fold and unfold Valley Fold both ends Valley fold again

Inside Reverse fold Inside Reverse fold

Mountain fold end for Shape more- Fin

rib attachment - Shape
 Back Bone – 1 Pieces – 11/2 inch square

Form a primary base Fold all flaps in Reverse fold flap up

As you do this valley fold
the two halve flaps up next
to top flap – see next step

Fin
Valley fold flap
Outside reverse fold under and reverse
last flap up and fold bones to shape
rotate 90°

Construction

I always use florist wire and glue. And I always use a wood base and wooden dowels to support the
models. The crackle finish that I apply will also give the model stability.

See the finished model picture for assembly details. One point I will make is on that the back bone is
instead into the tail cleft so the bones stick up and the ribs are ordered as follows 11/2 inch piece, 3 inch
piece, all 4 inch pieces, finally the last 3 inch piece then the neck. The winds attach to the first or second
ribs toward the top and a bird wing would be found. Finally the breast plate is attached under the ribs using
the two flaps that were folded into the model to anchor it. You will have to shape the bottom of the ribs to
get a good fit.

This model is wet folded so the more shaping you do the better the model looks. You can get the bird
skeleton sketch that I used on the inter net it is apart of the walking with dinosaurs pages, just do a search.