From the Manufacturer The scientific genius of Leonardo da Vinci is brought to life in this easy to assemble snap-together plastic ship's cannon and shield. Taken from the pages of da Vinci’s priceless and awe-inspiring notebooks, this model is made of plastic and requires no special tools. The manual is very educational and teach how these inventions have evolved into what they are today. A wooden shield protects the prow of the ship and the cannon. Leonardo da Vinci studied this subject closely, identified the weak points and invented his own version with many functions. He concentrated on the structure of the vessel, which needed to be reinforced and keep the cannon firmly in the middle.