Published in 1869, this science fiction story by Jules Verne has become a true classic. It has had countless book editions and been adapted into other media, including movies. Probably the best known movie is the 1954 Disney production that starred Kirk Douglas as Ned Land and James Mason as Captain Nemo. Of course, the iconic invention in the novel is the submarine "Nautilus" in which the underwater voyage is made.
The Nautilus is my oldest surviving model. I built it while I was stationed in Italy in the mid-1970's. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
The model is completely scratchbuilt, mostly from Plastruc sheet plastic. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
(this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
My original intent was to build a model of the most famous version of the "Nautilus," that seen in the Disney movie. But at the time and place that I built this model, there were very few references available. Basically, I had my memories of the movie and a couple of pictures of the ship that had been published in a magazine. Of course, I also had the novel as reference. As a result, my model is sort of a hybrid of the movie and the book in that it incorporates many details and the overall look of the ship as seen in the movie, but it has the proportions of the submarine described in the novel. So it is longer in proportion to its beam than is the movie vessel. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
Details like the hatches were made from basic plastic construction materials, mostly sheet and tubing. The domed hatch covers were heat formed from sheet plastic over a suitably shaped plug. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
I used figures from a 1/96 Revell "Cutty Sark" kit to make the figures of Captain Nemo and the helmsman. Thus the model was built to the length and beam given in the novel scaled to 1/96. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
The boat cover looks like the movie model but it could have been more detailed. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
The propeller, rudder and fins were all completely scratchbuilt. I believe the ring-shaped prop guard was cut from a plastic egg.
There is a fully detailed salon inside the model that can barely be seen through the large domed ports on the side of the ship. The salon includes Nemo's display cases and even the pipe organ which was seen several times in the movie. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
All of the transparent domes were heat formed from thin, clear plastic over variously sized round plugs (like plastic bobbers or pearls). (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
All of the "teeth" on the midship's fin and on the bow were individually made from sheet plastic. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
One thing I might do differently if I were building the model today is to try to simulate the rivets that covered the Disney model. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
The bridge also has a detailed interior. The ship's wheel came from the "Cutty Sark" kit. (this model of the Nautilus is based on Jules Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea")
