By Bill Engar
​

UPDATE 11 AUGUST 2021:  WE REVIEW THE NEW ATLANTIS NAUTILUS 571, KIT#L750, WHICH ADDS AN IMPORTANT CHAPTER TO THE NAUTILUS KITS HISTORY

In October 2020, Atlantis Models' Facebook page posted a partial list of their new kits expected to be released in 2021.  Among them was "1/300 USS Nautilus Submarine."  We were very excited about this announcement.  Prior to this, after seeing our Nautilus history page, Peter Vetri, President of Atlantis, reached out to me and we discussed the development of a new Nautilus model kit using the tooling previously owned by the erstwhile Lindberg Models.

PART 1:  ATLANTIS USS NAUTILUS-571 KIT REVIEW

REVIEW SUMMARY:  ATLANTIS SOLIDIFIES THEIR REPUTATION AS A MODEL COMPANY THAT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND IN RE-RELEASING BELOVED CLASSIC MODEL KITS WITH EXTRAS AND ENHANCEMENTS THAT THEY NEVER HAD BEFORE.  THE VINTAGE 1/300 NAUTILUS RETURNS LOOKING BETTER THAN EVER!  IT'S A VINTAGE-BUILD THAT WILL BE EASY AND FUN

Atlantis' USS Nautilus utilizes tooling from the former Lindberg Models.  Atlantis commissioned brand-new box art for this release, which first became available during the summer of 2021.

In July of 2020, Peter Vetri reached out to me regarding this Nautilus models history page and we discussed the former Lindberg kit, in particular, instructions, the clear piece, and decals.  At that time, he indicated an interest in re-issuing the Lindberg Nautilus as an Atlantis kit.  Peter didn't have any instruction artwork, so I offered my copy from the actual kit discussed in our history section as you'll see later in this article.  

The plastic from the Atlantis kit.  Parts look great.  As always, Atlantis does test shots, adjusting and cleaning up tooling as needed so the builder can count on quality parts.  Atlantis used to farm out their molding, but they've actually acquired their own injection molding equipment which economizes and expedites the process of bringing you a new, first-rate model kit.  We really couldn't detect flash or sinkholes.  Presentation is amazing considering this is a model kit that first appeared in 1954.  As of its 2021 release date , that's 67 years--2/3 of a century!

Peter asked me if I used the clear piece that goes at the front of the sail.  I told him that I did use the clear part, but it was buried under a layer of paint and putty and I suggested simply molding it in the same color plastic as the rest of the sub, which would save on costs.  This wasn't good enough for Atlantis--they wished to keep the vintage flavor of the previous releases and they took the costlier route, which supplies the clear part.  I hadn't really thought about it much until later, when Joel Tavera sent me pictures of his Nautilus using the clear part (pictures further in this article).  The clear piece gives you the option of leaving it clear  like the original kit, you can add spectacular lighting like Joel, or you can always paint over it!

Here's a closeup view of the small parts.  Props are nicely done; best of the three kits discussed later in this article.  The deck gun and missile are there, too!

Atlantis kept the Lindberg name on the bottom of the stand as a vintage reminder of the kit's origins.  This view also shows the engraved deck details.

To me, the feature that makes the Atlantis Nautilus truly stand out are the decals.  I recommended that they not use the Lindberg decal art, which was composed of large white numbers with a red outline that looked nothing like markings the Nautilus ever carried.  Atlantis included artwork for the lettering closer to the Revell version (read more about this later in this article).  Small white numbers are draft marks to be placed at the ends of the hull.  Check out our photos of the real Nautilus further on where we'll provide specific information regarding decal placement.

The decal sheet is small--but it is outstanding in its accuracy and composition.

In addition to the best decal sheet by far of any of the Nautilus model kits discussed in this article, Atlantis adds a very cool 8-page book to their Nautilus kit!  We're not going to show you the inside.  You'll have to buy the kit to see it!

Another thing we discussed was the letters representing awards for excellence earned by the Nautilus during active duty.  These are the small letters E, A, and E that go on the sail (we have pictures further on in this article of these letters on the real sub).  I was ecstatic that Atlantis included these.  They are a tribute to diligent crews who sailed an experimental prototype boat as the world's first fully operational nuclear powered submarine.  Much more than just a research vessel, Nautilus 571 served as an active duty deterrent against aggression for over 25 years during the Cold War.  In addition to her role as the trailblazer for nuclear propulsion, the sub received a U.S. Navy award for excellent engineering represented by the red "E."  The "A" is the award for excellence in anti-submarine warfare and the white "E" represents the Battle Efficiency E for excellence in combat readiness.  Kudos to Atlantis for including these important markings that make this kit a great tribute to Nautilus and her former crews.

The instruction sheet is a 1-page, 2-sided piece of glossy, high-grade paper.  Note that specific decal placement is included in a text-box (this was not on the original Lindberg instructions!).  We'll include some photo references with this web page.  We should note that the markings included by Atlantis represent the Nautilus as she was at the conclusion of her military career and as she reposes today as museum and monument.

A few model kits in the early days of the hobby included a supplementary book.  The best example on our website is the Monogram U.S. Air Force Air Power Set, which included a book about the planes in the set.  For the first time, a Nautilus kit has a bonus book thanks to Atlantis' models diligence to make sure this release is the best-ever.  The book is done in a classic style and has includes a history of submarines starting in the 1800's through the Lafayette class.  Maps are included of the Nautilus' historic trek under the North Pole and also the USS Triton's amazing underwater "orbit" of earth.  We're not going to show you the contents of the book here--you're just going to have to buy the kit to see it!  However, at Atlantis' crazy-low retail price of only $18.99 for this model, you get a lot of "bang" for your buck.

The scrap-views are the same Nautilus model you'll see in our History section.  As usual, Atlantis includes plenty of information on their boxes.

This model will be easy to build.  See details later in this article regarding construction; I detected no discernible differences in the plastic between the Atlantis version and the previous Lindberg version.  We also provide specific decal locating information in a later section as well.

Of course the excellence award markings aren't present on the built-up model since we discussed their creation long after this model was actually built.

Dem Brudders were thrilled to have some involvement in the creation of this kit.  Between good "bones" to begin with, an all-new, accurate decal sheet, and bonus book, this kit has never looked better.  Even if you have older versions of the kit in your stash, you are going to want to build or collect one of these thanks to the significant new additions that Atlantis has made.  We give it four enthusiastic thumbs up!

SPECIAL THANKS TO ATLANTIS MODELS FOR PROVIDING THIS KIT TO REVIEW AND ENJOY!


PART II:  HISTORY OF USS NAUTILUS PLASTIC MODEL KITS

Welcome to our continuing series documenting the history of classic model kits.  It’s now been well over a half-century since the U.S. Navy’s first atomic submarine Nautilus began her amazing quarter century of service in the defense of freedom.  We’ll discuss Nautilus history and the interesting development of the Nautilus model kits.  We’ll also weigh in on Classic Modeling.

SSN Nautilus 571 as shown in a famous U.S. Navy photo which has been rotated and cropped to match Aurora’s box art.

What goes into—or onto—a model kit box?  Aurora’s artwork from the 1960’s release of the Nautilus model kit demonstrates the similarities to the Navy photograph

There’s no denying that modeling has changed a lot in 50 years or so.  For one thing, we modelers have grown to become a picky bunch.  Nowadays, when a model kit of a revolutionary new type of vehicle is introduced, one of the first things we do, besides tearing off the venerable shrink-wrap and enjoying that wonderful new-plastic smell, is to ruthlessly pick apart the accuracy of the model.  Remember a few years back when the first models of the new X-35 Joint Strike Fighter were released?  I recall lots of grousing.  The nose is the wrong shape!  The canopy is missing its framing!  The tail is too broad!  These doors open the wrong way!  The markings are wrong!  The kits are too expensive!  I lost parts in my carpet!  Picky, picky, picky!  I wonder if the model kit manufacturers are sitting back thinking, see if we give you any more new kits, you ingrates!  Of course, they realize that they have to keep feeding their families, so they do give us new kits in spite of our whining.  I, for one, think they do a pretty darned good job.  

​Way back in the good old days, model manufacturers reasoned that the best way to sell the most kits was to get them to market as soon as possible.  Perhaps this still happens today, but many early models traded accuracy for haste in the race to reach hobby shops first.  A great example of this is the trio of Nautilus SSN-571 submarine kits released by Aurora, Revell, and Lindberg.  Dem Brudders invite you on a journey back in time.  Grab a ride in your time machine of choice.  Our destination is the early 1950’s.
 
The Nautilus (SSN 571), represented the biggest breakthrough in submarine technology since reciprocating engines.  Her new atomic reactor allowed the sub to remain submerged for weeks and months, not hours or days.  Any submarine could be detected once it reached the ocean’s surface, and prior to Nautilus, submarines had to surface fairly often to run their air-thirsty diesel motors required for charging batteries.    These batteries had a relatively limited capacity to run the power-hungry aspects of underwater operations such as propulsion, air handling, lights, instrumentation, and weaponry.  Atomic power for vehicular propulsion was a new concept—in fact, the non-destructive use of atomic energy for anything was still quite revolutionary when the Nautilus was being designed.  As the superpower Cold War was likewise in its early stages, The United States Navy closely guarded information about the development of the Nautilus.

Three classic kits from the 1950's and boxes from the 1960’s, 1980’s, and 2000’s

​The Nautilus’ revolutionary reactor used only a handful of uranium—less than ten pounds according to some sources.  A development version of this reactor was built and tested at a secure facility in Southeastern Idaho’s high desert.  A mock-up of the Nautilus’ propulsion section was built there, hundreds of miles from any ocean, and all aspects of real-life operations were carefully tested before the real Nautilus would take to sea.  This facility was used into the 1990’s.  Many naval submariners trained there.   Visitors report that it was a fascinating sight to see scores of Navy personnel dressed in submarine garb learning their jobs on nuclear submarines—in the middle of landlocked Idaho.

Of course, the general public was quite enthralled with the technological breakthroughs of the early 1950s, and early model kit manufacturers wanted a piece of the Nautilus action.  The U.S. Navy wasn’t especially interested in giving them even the most rudimentary drawings of the new defensive system citing the need to protect national security.  Paranoid?  Maybe, but remember how protective the U.S. was about stealth aircraft technology in the 1970s.  An attack submarine that could remain hidden for weeks and months at a time was seen as a valuable strategic asset, and our nation wasn’t about to give up one shred of data that might benefit the wily Soviets, who were actively pursuing the same goals.

​The Navy finally decided to share some information with the public through Collier’s Magazine, a popular weekly news and culture publication of the period.  

From this profile view, the three models are quite consistent in shape.  Aurora kit is at the top, Revell in the middle, and Lindberg below.

​In the December 20, 1952 issue, an article with drawings appeared, and the public saw for the first time just what the Nautilus would look like and learned some aspects of its operation.  The engineering departments at Revell, Lindberg and Aurora hopped into action, using the information from the article to create kits of the new submarine.
 
The models began to show up in stores in 1953 and 1954.  All of them were fairly simple kits as were most models of the period.  Each ended up with a deck missile not present in the art from Collier’s Magazine.  Later versions of Aurora’s and Revell’s kit had a missile storage chamber, and the Lindberg kit even included a deck gun, reminiscent of many World War II submarines, and certainly not present (or necessary) on the real Nautilus.

From the top, the kit differences become apparent.  This demonstrates the benefit of a good three-view drawing for designing a model kit (Top:  Aurora, Revell in the middle, and Lindberg at bottom).

When looking at the three models from the side, it is quite apparent that the model companies got the profile generally right.  Of course, the profile drawing in the Colliers article was fairly accurate and is quite representative of the real Nautilus.  When one looks at the models from the top, however, it becomes obvious that the model companies were pretty much on their own when extrapolating hull shape and horizontal tailplane configuration from an overhead angle.  ​Granted, the Nautilus’ blunt nose shape may have thrown them off a little.  When looking at these three models from above, it is almost hard to believe that they are supposed to represent the same vehicle!  At that time, however, many aspects of the Nautilus were still complete unknowns to the public at large, and the model companies certainly deserve credit for their efforts.

Each kit has its strengths and weaknesses, and each one seemed to capture certain aspects of the sub quite well from the article.  There are variations in certain details of the Collier’s Magazine artwork, and some of these are reflected in the three models.

The bow of the Lindberg kit closely resembles the cover art of the December 20, 1952 issue of Collier’s Magazine.  Perhaps Lindberg's interpretation of this image is responsible for the decision to give the hull its bulbous shape.

This view from the Collier’s article seems to have most greatly influenced the shape of Revell’s kit.  The shading on the hull artwork may be responsible for the decision to make the bow section more tapered than it should have been.

For example, Lindberg’s kit captures the open torpedo doors as featured on the magazine’s cover, and Aurora’s depiction uses the profile drawing in the body of the article that seems to show twelve doors.  Revell’s six open ports appeared to have come from an additional three-quarter view picture. 

Aurora’s model was quite faithful to this Collier’s side view, especially the sail and its details

Of the three models, the shape of Revell’s tailplanes was the closest to the Nautilus’ actual configuration.  This detail is probably what netted them a visit from some stern government officials who were curious about the sources used to design their kit.  Lindberg got the rear hull shape quite close.  At the rear, the Aurora kit depicts the hull as being way too wide, and the tailplanes are too broad.
 
One interesting problem emerged in two of the three kits—the instructions tell you to install the bow planes upside down!  Both instruction sheets from Revell and Aurora show the bow plane strut on the bottom, not the top as it was on the real submarine, and in the Collier’s article!  Lindberg got that detail right in their kit instructions, and the new Atlantis version utilizes these correct instructions, so your Atlantis model will be accurate if you follow the instructions regarding this detail!  All three kits represent the thin cylindrical bow plane deployment strut as a blocky triangle that connects each plane to the hull.

​Aurora’s kit was one of their most popular and sold through the 1970s, prior to their demise.  They also released it as the Seawolf (SSN 575), although the Seawolf was quite a different submarine with its longer, raised nose profile and stepped conning tower.  The Revell and Lindberg kits have been more recently available through reissues.  All three of the vintage kits can be found with varying availability and prices on EBay, but in the summer of 2021, Atlantis Models re-released a kit from the Lindberg tooling!

BUILDING THE MODELS:
 
All three Nautilus kits are engineered with two hull halves providing a centerline seam which will need to be filled to varying degrees.  Flash, sinkholes, mold mismatch, and poor fit are present across the board.  Ah, the joys of vintage kits!  I built each model without the inaccurate missile and gun features.

​AURORA KIT:  Aurora’s Nautilus in 1/242 scale appears to have been engineered for beginning modelers.  Its few parts are heavily rendered, making a durable, easy-to-build model.  While building it, I wondered just how many youngsters first experienced the pleasures of modeling with this kit.  Filling the center seam around the top hatches requires sanding prowess.  The gap around the periscope/antennae installation is considerable.  

Note the thinned Aurora propeller blades.  The end of the hull is way too broad.

​Repeated sanding and priming is recommended until the remnants of these seams are gone.  The shaft side of each propeller is completely flat.  I decided to thin the blades a little, providing them with more realistic pitch on the front-facing shaft side.  The decals from my 1970’s vintage edition silvered badly.  Luckily, I had copied them before cutting the sheet; this copy was cut into a mask exposing the clear, silvered areas.  A quick shot of base color covered up the silvering; the taped-on mask preserved the markings.  Just be sure you don’t get the tape near the decal, or it is likely to pull the decal up when the mask is removed.

What happened to the Aurora Nautilus?  We assume that Atlantis Models obtained it with their acquisition of the Aurora tooling library that Monogram Models obtained when Aurora was liquidated in the late 1970's.  The Aurora Nautilus was one of their most popular kits for over 20 years and we hope Atlantis will make the decision to re-release this model one day.

Revell’s sail profile is very similar to Aurora’s.  Raised Lettering on the stand was first airbrushed with a fairly thick coat of white paint and then overcoated with black.  Simply sanding off the top layer of black until the white shows through gives the lettering a more consistent appearance than hand-brushing.

Lindberg’s multi-row mast complex adds a sense of realism.   The kit’s engraved deck detail is also well done.  Holes for the deleted missile and gun were easily hidden with Cyanacrylate filler.

LINDBERG KIT:  The center seam atop Lindberg’s 1/300 scale Nautilus isn’t a problem as it is covered by two flat parts representing the sub’s teakwood deck.  These parts have their own issues, however, with gaps around the sail.  After gluing the hull halves together, it was apparent that the rear horizontal tailplane mounts didn’t line up.  I shaved one of them off with a razor blade and simply moved it over a little until its location better matched the other side.  The petite periscopes and antennae comprise nine individual parts which is one of the virtues of this kit.

These masts more closely resemble the actual configuration than those on the other kits which only give a two-dimensional representation.  Although they suffer a little from mold mismatch, once they are cleaned up, they are easy to paint individually and install once the rest of the model is complete.  Lindberg’s decal from the kit’s most recent releases consists of large, white numerals outlined in red.  I’ll be darned if I can find references supporting this decal artwork.  I used a spare Revell sheet.  The 1982 vintage “History Makers” decals went on like a breeze.

As mentioned, in 2021, Atlantis Models re-released this version of the Nautilus.  They made the decision to release the kit retaining the clear sail piece as well as the deck missile and gun for those modelers who wish to incorporate it in their builds.  It's easy to delete these items and fill over the mounting holes--Atlantis gives you the option!
 
REVELL KIT:  This 1/305-scale model seemed to go together much like the Aurora kit.  A few issues caused me to divert somewhat from the IPMS/USA definition of building the model out-of-the-box.  First of all, the propellers were hardly recognizable as such.  At some point, Revell replaced the original issue three-blade props with five-blade versions which didn’t look so good in my 1982 issue of the kit.  I decided to scratchbuild replacements. 

Props on the left were scratchbuilt.  Compare them to the "Flower-Power" ones that came with Revell’s 1982 “History Makers” version. Stay tuned to dembrudders.com in the future to learn a nifty method of creating your own props.

​The next problem was covering up the holes added for the bogus missile components.  Revell’s representation of the teakwood deck is molded into the hull half, and consists of a series of light steps to avoid mold undercutting which recessed lines would create.  Filling a square hole in this structure requires duplicating the stepped profile.  To cover the other hole, I decided to scratchbuild an extra hatch.  Cutting a circular piece of sheet styrene was easy; it was a little more difficult to create the hexagonal rivets or bolt heads, or whatever they’re supposed to be.  I shaped a piece of sprue to hexagonal cross-section, cut off thin slices, glued them to the circle, and sanded the rivets to the right thickness after the glue was fully dry.  

There’s something that seems perverse (in a modeling sense) about replicating an inaccurate item, but at least it was fun.  Those rivets would have to be close to a foot across if scaled to full-size.  Oh well!  They looked consistent with the rest of the kit.  Revell’s centerline  antenna/periscope complex required the same procedures to clean up seams as Aurora’s.

Another modification to Revell’s kit was performed on radar mast number four (counting from the front).  My kit had an affair which looked like a tuna can on its side.  I simply created a ring by drilling a hole in the center, and then cut off the forward half to create the arc-like radar reflector present on older releases of the kit.  The "tuna can" probably came about from a lazy effort to repair some mold damage that occurred between kit releases.
 
The Nautilus wore different color schemes through her career, but I remember her best in ominous black.  That’s how I decided to render my three models.  In the future, we'll discuss how to fancy-up "basic black."

So there you have it; these kits have numerous issues with accuracy.  But I had a lot of fun building them anyway.  Some modelers that open a kit and see inaccuracies have conniptions, and put the model at the back of the closet or get rid of it.  Some see it as an irresistible challenge to produce a presentable model by making the needed corrections. 

CLASSIC MODELING:  Generally, as modelers, striving for accuracy is one of our primary goals, but sometimes Brudder Dick and I enjoy the Classic Modeling approach.  To us, this means rendering the model straight up from the box in all of its inaccurate, vintage glory as a historical tribute to those who did the best they could to render the kit with what they had.  It’s a lot easier, and also helps one appreciate the model kit in its own historical context.  Say what you will, but I had a lot of fun!
 
Sure, there are better submarine kits out there, and I like building them, but Dick and I enjoy these old kits on several levels.  Dem Brudders endorse and recommend old, now-obscure kits!  Those who’ve met my brother Dick know that he really likes Airfix 1/72 aircraft kits.  

I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for anything old and Revell.  It’s been nice to see these companies and others reissue the really old stuff, and they are awfully fun to collect and build.  I, for one, hope to see more of these old kits reissued with their original box art.  ​

Three boxes, three models, a magazine and a photo.  Collier's, which ceased operation in 1957, was known for its investigative journalism and introducing the general public to concepts that were fanciful at the time such as space travel. 

I, for one, hope to see more of these old kits reissued with their original box art.  For the modeling companies, there isn’t a whole lot of investment, other than cleaning up an old mold, and duplicating an existing version of box art.  Many of them even have copies of the original instructions.  Perhaps their market analysts question whether or not anyone will want to buy them, but in today’s world, nostalgia is always a popular product.  Who can resist that classic box art in fresh, new shrinkwrap? 

We were delighted when Revell and others created their Selected Subjects Program where a few vintage kits would be re-released every year with their original box art.  Some of these models hadn't been offered in decades.  However, in 2009, Atlantis Models was created by Peter Vetri and Rick DelFavero with input from Andy Yanchus, an Aurora veteran.  In 2018, they purchased a significant amount of legacy tooling including many beloved kit subjects from the likes of Revell, Monogram, Aurora, Renwal, and others and have been in the process of returning these models to store shelves with breakneck speed.  We're excited about what they're doing and have appreciated the opportunities we've had to review their models and provide input ourselves for some of their kits.
 
I wasn’t even near being born when the Nautilus kits came out, and brudder Dick was pretty darned young, probably not eating solid food yet during that period of history. However, researching the history behind these early kits and the real prototypes is something that gives me lots of satisfaction.  Finding and building these old kits is awfully rewarding, too.  Whether I get these models from modeling pals, swap meets, model shows, online auctions, or hobby shops makes no difference.  If you’re the type of modeler who has to have the latest technology kits from the crispest molds, try an old kit for a change.  Research the history behind the manufacturer, and the model.  Go to your hobby shop, and pick up this stuff called “Modeling Putty.”  You may want to buy the big tube.  Correct all the model’s glaring inaccuracies, or just slap the darned thing together!  It’s fun—certified guaranteed from Dem Brudders! ​

BONUS MATERIAL

SPECIAL GUEST MODELER:  JOEL TAVERA

Joel said he used this website article while researching his own Nautilus build.  He came to the same conclusion as me regarding the decals that came with the previous Lindberg version--they weren't worth using!  Fortunately, Atlantis Models has created a brand new set of accurate decals that will go on easily and look great on your finished model!

UPDATE 20 MAY 2021:  Joel Tavera has provided more pictures and a build description of his USS Nautilus.  I'll let him take it from here!

LINDBERG USS NAUTILUS 

By Joel Tavera

This is actually not in the vein of Sci-Fi per se, but the subject is a tip of the hat to the stories of Jules Verne.  Lindberg Models produced a kit of the USS Nautilus 571 that has been on the market off and on for a number of years.  It is a nice kit for a young modeler to assemble but it is not accurate to the boat's true configuration.  In any case it is a good model to work on.

Assembly was straightforward using Testors Liquid Cement and Contour Putty.  One glaring but cool inaccuracy is that the sail had a clear plastic piece that was on its top fore front portion which allowed the placement of illumination. 

Since it was going to be illuminated the two side sail lamps were drilled out and green and red Plastruct florescent-plastic rods were inserted in each opening.  A single LED would be just right for the rods to collect the light as it was focused up toward the clear piece.

The sub was overall sprayed a Krylon primer grey, followed by a Krylon Matte Black for the bottom half of the hull.  Tamiya Dark Grey acrylic was airbrushed for the center hull band.  Tamiya Flat Black was airbrushed on the top deck.  Krylon Red was sprayed on the Missile and the periscope pieces were sprayed Krylon Metallic Aluminum.  The two propellers and the stand base were sprayed Krylon Metallic Gold, however the base was accented with some airbrushing of Tamiya Copper and highlighting the relief name of the sub with a 1mm Molotow Chrome pen.  A spray of Model Masters Glosscoat was lastly applied to protect the finish and allow for better decal adhesion.

The six torpedo domes were painted Florescent Green to mimic some magazine covers that had publication illustrations of the sub and Elmer’s white glue was used to attach them.

A single LED illuminates the navigation lights and clear dome!  This view also provides a good look at the detailed masts supplied with the kit.

This view allows a good look at the deck gun and missile.  You can also see his navigation LED installation with "lights out."

The downside of this kit was the decals.  Each broke apart when they left the paper backing so a substitute was used from another company's Nautilus kit. That didn't go on well either, but it was much better than the Lindberg set.

To get an idea of the size of the Lindberg Nautilus, the finished model is set by two other models that many are familiar with.  This is a splendid kit to do some enhancements and it doesn't have to reflect the subject it is to portray.  Enjoy! 

Dem Brudders would like to express our thanks to Joel for sharing the pictures and information for this article.  Be sure to check out his other work in our guest gallery!

EXPERIENCE IT

The Nautilus SSN-571 has been preserved as the premier attraction of the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, CT, USA.  It is well worth a visit!  Walking the topside deck and boarding the real Nautilus for a self-guided tour is an unforgettable experience!  You can see the torpedo room, command center, living quarters, and other parts of the boat.
​
As of our posting date, admission to the museum and the Nautilus is FREE!  Check www.ussnautilus.org for details.
​

DECAL PLACEMENT REFERENCE

The Nautilus as she appeared during my last visit in 2014.  The submarine is moored on the east bank of the Thames River near Groton, CT, USA.  Note position of the sail markings including letters representing awards for excellence.  At rear of the hull, left of the flag, you can see the location for the aft draft marks.

This view of the sub's sail shows location for hull number and award markings.

Forward draft marks can be seen below the flag.

Interestingly, the Nautilus, as seen in these photos from late 2014, appeared to have no hull ID number at the forward end of the hull.  That would be the smaller "571" marking on the decal sheet.  Check online for photos that show location of this number.  Joel Tavera's model pictured above has the forward "571" marking and Nautilus script in the correct location.