World's Largest Model Airport Is Ready For Take Off

Six years and a staggering 4.8mm USD later, Hamburg's Miniatur Wunderland has finally opened its latest attraction - The world's largest model airport. And, judging from the photos, it was worth every penny.

Dubbed Knuffingen, it was modeled after Hamburg's International airport and features 40 plane models ranging from Airbus A380's to Cessna's. Like Miniatur Wunderland's other attractions, they are as close to real airplanes as possible, and even appear to be taking off and landing, thanks to miniature wires that drag them across the runaway. In addition, 90 model computer-controlled vehicles, complete with flashing lights and indicators, autonomously bustle around the runaways, just like they would in a normal busy airport.

'Walking' around the airport terminals are about 15,000 figurines posing as passengers (complete with luggage carts), airport workers and airplane personnel. Rounding off this perfect scene, are 300 buildings, 1000 wagons, 50 trains, 500 parked cars and 10,000 miniature trees.

Miniature Wundurland is one of Germany's most popular tourist destinations. Centered around the world's largest model railway, it comprises of 39,370ft. of track and is divided into seven sections - The fictitious city of Knuffingen, the Alps, Austria, Hamburg, Americas, Scandinavia and Switzerland.

And, they are not done yet! Next up, are the models cities of Italy, France and later on possibly England and even Africa. To read more about this partly fictitious, partly real world, click on www.miniatur-wunderland.com.

Resources: Wikipedia.org,news.com.au, miniatur-wunderland.com