The Nautilus Part 1: Getting Started
The Nautilus from Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” is one of those iconic ships of fiction, up there with the star ship Enterprise and the Millenium Falcon. The Nautilus has been rendered many ways, the most recognizable the Disney version from their movie. This is a new interpretation from artist Greg deSantis, which to me is more in line with the vision in the original novel, and the mid-19th century experimental submarines — especially those of the American Civil War — that Verne would have seen, both in person and depicted in the French press.
The plan with this kit is for a quick build. But, isn’t that always the way at the outset? Several of us in the New Jersey IPMS club are building this model for a group display on the contest circuit 2014, particularly the Nationals in Hampton, Virginia, in August. I’ve already done the preliminary cleaning to remove any residue on the kit parts (Simple Green, warm water, and an old tooth brush), and have purchased the Para Grafix photo-etch for the model. I’ve covered what’s in the box and my initial impressions of the kit in an out of box review on the NJIPMS website.
And away we go…
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- I’ve taped the parts together to get an idea of fit and internal clearances. I have the crazy idea that I may put a light or two in this build.
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- The main interior “lounge”. Can you find the book shelves?
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- The photo-etch set comes with grills for the ceiling, to facilitate lighting. My Dremel tool, on a medium speed setting, made quick work of the rough cuts. Final edging and clean-up wsa done with a metal hand file.
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- Photo-etch grills and support beams added. The brass is some of the thickest I’ve ever worked with. Great for assembly, but a bear to cut from the etching sheet.
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- Two external flood vent grills are included as well. The top piece is “as-is” from the kit. The bottom piece shows my cut.
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- Flood vent installed.
Devin: I much enjoyed your newsletter, and especially your website. Your lovely wedding in Napa reminded me of our own, mainly because they were so different! Linda and I were married twice (civil and base chapel) in Germany fifty-two years ago this month, during the Berlin Wall Crisis. (That was when Nikita Khrushchev BUILT the wall.) That makes it one hundred four years of wedded bliss.
You mentioned missile duty in the Navy; what type missiles and ship? I always enjoy swapping stories with fellow servicemen; present, past, and retired.
Stay warm
Fred: Thanks very much. Yes, we wanted something unique and memorable for our wedding, and we both love the Sonoma and Napa region. It was a great time.
I started out in the Navy on the USS Barney (DDG-6) and Adams class destroyer, and worked on the Tarter missile system, specifically the SPG-51 illuminators and associated gear. I then moved over to AEGIS and USS Normandy (CG-60) and worked also on the illuminators, ORTS systems, and missile system supervisor console watches.