I recently viewed a PBS program on Admiral Rickover and have been doing a web search for a kit in 1:350 of the SS-571 Nautilus but without any positive results.
.
I did pick up a re-pop of the old Revell kit as a sort of nostalgia build but, even after deleting the awful topside clutter, I do not expect an accurate model.
.
Considering the importance of the sub, I am surprised no major model company has issued an accurate model of the submarine.
.
Anyone know if an accurate plastic model of the SS-571 Nautilus was ever produced?
Thanks for the recommendation.[:D]
Per one website, I thought that kit was OOP.[^o)]
I will also check on the book by the captain of the Nautilus.[H][Y]
The 1/350 kit of SSN 571 USS Nautilus by Micro Mir is quite nice. I just received mine a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality. I took the kit down to the USS Nautilus Museum in Groton, CT (I live nearby) and compared the kit visually against the real ship. It compares quite well in detail and proportion. Plus, it is a fraction of the cost of a resin kit.
On a similar note, I also received my order for all of their USN nuclear boats. These include the Thresher, Permit, Sturgeon, Sturgeon-class long hull, Skipjack, Skate, and the SSBN 598 USS George Washington. Don’t pass these kits by if you are a modern-era submarine enthusiast!
I found it on the Freetime Hobbies website. The price is about $25.
What an ironic commentary on the weird state of the plastic kit industry. American modelers have to rely on a Russian company for a plastic kit of the most famous American Cold War submarine. Admiral Rickover must be turning in his grave.
I noticed that…
.
It is ironic that the Russians would offer a kit of our subs…just as I notice how many of the USA’s modern fleet are offered in kit form by companies on the Chinese mainland…[^o)]
I have the impression that virtually all the major manufacturers nowadays actually have their kits molded in Asia. Even the Eduard 1/48 Spitfire was (according to the box) molded in South Korea.
In real life I’m actually a Naval Architect, & Marine Engineer and to be honest in the past I’ve actually bought a couple model kits that were made in China to help demonstrate some ideas and also do a little reverse engineering. I realize that the models may not be 100% accurate, but on many of them you can tell that the company has gone to great lengths to try and make them look accurate, and taking rough measurements off a model alot of times is a bit handier than trying to take measurements off photos from the internet or other sources.
I would not be surprised if the CADD files are also created in Asia due to labor cost.
At worst, the CADD files would be created in the corporate HQ and sent overseas via VPN ( Virtual Private Network ) for the molds to be created and kits produced.
Oh, well. I can now build most classes of USN nuclear boats. I forgot to mention that Micro-Mir also makes the L. Mendel Rivers, another Sturgeon variant. Now, if they would only manufacture a kit of my first boat . . . USS Ethan Allen SSBN/SSN 608 and the other classes of the original “42 For Freedom”. Given their recent release of the USS George Washington, I have no doubt that they will do so.
I forgot to add that these kits come with some photo etch parts. In the case of the Skipjack and later, the propeller is the only photo etch part. But, five-bladed and seven-bladed propellers are included. The Nautilus and the Skate, however, comes with very well-detailed photo etch decks, propellers, hand rails, radars, and other miscellaneous parts. I just dry-fitted the Nautilus parts; the fit is very good. Masts and antennae seem somewhat simplistic at first glance until a cursory check of the instructions revealed that those miscellaneous photo etch parts are to detail them. There are also parts for the hydraulic struts to the bow planes. The photo etch anchors are realistically depicted and are actually in several parts.
The only negatives that I can find are that there is some minor flash to deal with, and that the lower hull detailing is too lightly engraved. Other than that, these are very nice kits of previously unavailable submarines. And, Micro-Mir has also released some early Soviet-era boats. I also got the Whiskey for my collection.
Micro Mir is in Ukraine. Ukraine is NOT a part of Russia. At least not this morning.
It does sound like they are in the business of selling other peoples kits, so I don’t know the provenance of those US boats. Good to hear that they look good.
My personal wish list is USS Triton SSRN-586*, USS John C. Calhoun* SSBN-630 and USS Simon Bolivar SSBN-641.
The refinement of detail and general finish of the Blue Ridge Nautilus is easily several orders of magnitude higher that that of these kits, which have pretty overstated recessed lines.
Interesting. The photos might be of a prototype model because the recessed lines are somewhat understated on my kit. But, I’m sure that the Blue Ridge kit is as nice as their other kits. I have several submarine kits by the old Yankee Models, which were the now Blue Ridge kits. The detail is nice but I question their accuracy of scale.
For example, I have the Yankee Models USS George Washington, which is a good three inches smaller than the Micro-Mir variant. The Micro-Mir kit seems much more accurate in scale than the resin kit. I also have the Yankee Models Soviet Akula, Alfa, and the German Type XXI, all of which are significantly smaller that than their Hobby Boss, and Bronco counterparts. Also, the Yankee G.W. does not appear to fit in the same scale as the Dragon Ohio class submarines, but the Micro-Mir kit does. However, I haven’t done any math to determine scale accuracy; I am just going by general appearances.
Anyway, since it seems that the Micro-Mir and the Blue Ridge kits of the Nautilus are the only games in town, whichever one pleases the individual modeler is the one to go with.
Belay my last! I just physically compared both the Yankee Models USS George Washington with that by Micro-Mir. The Micro-Mir model is one inch longer, slightly bigger around, and has finely engraved hull opening and penetration detail both above and below the waterline. The Yankee Models kit has better upper hull details but nothing below the waterline except the torpedo tubes. Neither has overstated engraved hull details.
Therefore, I believe that the primary difference between the kits rests in the medium in which the kit is modeled. If the builder prefers injection-molded plastic over resin, go with Micro-Mir. If he prefers resin over injection-molded plastic, go with the resin kit. Both present decent models. Each requires a different set of skills.