1/35th, 66" long Disney Nautilus

[RCjetdude]

It was a kit produced by Custom Replicas. There were somewhere around 200 kits sold over about a 10 year period. The detail of them is insane!! I can't imagine what went into producing the kits. Unfortunately they have been out of production for awhile now and very rare. I have been told by Bob Martin of The Nautilus Drydocks who was the main distributor back then that most are probably in a box waiting to be built or for the owner to pass away. Earlier this year he got one back he had built for a customer that fell into the later category that had not been touched. It was completely finished and ready to run. I remember watching his YouTube video of that particular boat. He went though it and tested it out to make sure everything worked and listed it on his website. It sold in less than 24 hrs. for $6K! I am the second owner of mine and got it as is without running gear for a fraction of the price. I don't think it was on his website for an hour so they do occasionally show up for sale but you gotta keep an eye out for them. Bob is in the process of producing a 1/48th kit of the Nautilus which I believe is close to being available. That scale puts it around 50" if I recall. I was holding out for one of them before this monster became available. From what I can tell of Bob's work it will be top notch. He currently sells a 1/77th scale which is about 31" long and very nice. The radio equipment is the biggest issue right now for the RC Sub captains and I hope a solution can be found. Bob may still have some stock of VEX radios that would be more than enough for your typical sub such as the Nautilus.

[OV10]

I do a lot of Disney Imagineering modeling and you hit the jackpot with the 66". I also have one of these tucked away, waiting to be finished. I'm looking forward to finishing mine, but in the mean time, I look forward to your build.

Czonio Now that is another interesting aspect about you that I'll bet even TJ wasn't aware of. This Binghamton area is loaded with modeling talent too

[Merry Boozer RC]

RCjetdude the green looks great especially with the helm interior. Is this a kit I should have asked you from the start but where did this actually come from.... and is it possible for a fellow crazy modeler to acquire one.

[RCjetdude]

Some lighting progress.

[Prowler901]

So very impressive!

[RCjetdude]

Working on the running gear now. I designed and 3D printed a motor mount, bracket for the ESC/Cap and mounts and standoffs for the ballast tanks which are 140mm fillable ornaments. I will also be using two water tight boxes to house some of the electronics. In the end the motor, ESC and breather/hatch servo will be in the wet. The Rx, Air pump, gas backup servo, pitch and rudder servos, AD2, BLM and remote on/off module will be in the boxes. Carbon fiber plates are epoxied to the hull to mount the motor and both boxes. The boxes are held in place with Velcro straps.

[RRHandy]

Looks good Steve, can't wait to see it in the water. R.

[RCjetdude]

I do a lot of Disney Imagineering modeling and you hit the jackpot with the 66". I also have one of these tucked away, waiting to be finished. I'm looking forward to finishing mine, but in the mean time, I look forward to your build.

Oh man! You have one of the Custom Replicas kits?

[Czonio]

I do a lot of Disney Imagineering modeling and you hit the jackpot with the 66". I also have one of these tucked away, waiting to be finished. I'm looking forward to finishing mine, but in the mean time, I look forward to your build.

[RCjetdude]

So after looking at it for a couple days I decided to tone down the sheen a bit but even with a clear coat of matte over the Modern Masters Metal Effects paint it looked too contrasting between the bronzy base paint and the rust effects so I dusted the entire model with some Vallejo old rust powder pigment and then gave it another very light coat of clear matte. It was just what it needed. I couldn't be more pleased now with how it looks. The thing looks friggin' awesome now so on to the running gear.

[RCjetdude]

Paint work is basically done. Applied a light coat of Krylon clear Satin acrylic.

[Merry Boozer RC]

Yep that stuff looks fantastic no joke I’m going to get some of that

[RCjetdude]

It is almost mesmerizing to watch it change....

[RCjetdude]

This is fantastic!!!! Dang it I’m going to need a bottle of that stuff. Steve that is looking fantastic although I new it would your work is always fantastic. Are you going to add green lights to the inside of the model to show through the windows?

Yellow Green LED's have been ordered for the wheel house. There is some debate about the lights under the edges of the boat like in the scenes where it attacks the warships. I am still thinking on that one. Would definitely add to the "cool" factor.

[Merry Boozer RC]

This is fantastic!!!! Dang it I’m going to need a bottle of that stuff. Steve that is looking fantastic although I new it would your work is always fantastic. Are you going to add green lights to the inside of the model to show through the windows?

[RCjetdude]

This is a Rustoleum product called Modern Masters Metal Effects Oxidizing Iron paint. It is thick. I diluted it down at least 50/50 with some water and brushed it on. It says to apply two coats then spritz on the accelerator it comes with. I found a pump cap that fit the bottle but they also sell one for it. Wait 5 minutes and spritz again then let it sit. In about an hour it will start to show rust. It gets heavier as it dries. Maybe apply additional paint as needed and accelerator until desired effect is achieved. Once dry I then wiped it off with a cloth and downward motions to expose some of the base paint. Creates a very realistic look. It takes time but very effective. I ordered it from Amazon.

[Alpha]

It looks great, Steve! No surprise, coming from you!

What product are you using for the rust?

Back when I used to build large scale warships, I used the following recipe to make my own rusting solution. Like your product, it too ended up being "real rust", with chunks and other bits that concentrated particles and hues into a convincing glop that I'd work into crevices and panel lines:

1) Glass jar, "standard" size for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Eat all jelly and sandwiches first.
2) Fill 1/4 of the jar with #00 steel wool that you have crinkled into small spheres.
3) Fill 1/8 of the jar with #0000 steel wool. It is best if you intertwine the #00 steel wool with the #0000 steel wool.
4) Fill 1/4 of the jar with hydrogen peroxide
5) Add a capful or two of vinegar
6) Add in a tablespoon of dirt or muddy clay
7) Avoid filling the bottle more than 2/3 full
8) Leave the bottle in the sun for an afternoon. If you're impatient, add more vinegar and a pinch of table salt and stir the mixture up well.
9) Unscrew the cap and don't inhale too deeply. Stir and gently mash with a blunt chop stick to further break down the rusted steel wool into smaller particles
10) You've essentially created a bottle of self-contained all-natural oxidation. Tint with food coloring as desired. Apply like a thick paint, a little goes a long way. Most importantly, let it fully dry and SEAL IT before touching it.

Tinting with colored potato flour, [expensive] modeler dry pigments, natural dirt, or food coloring results in an infinite range of colors.

Best of all, it's cheap.



If your rust is on the lighter (fresher) side of the tonal spectrum, try applying it over a darker rust painted layer that was applied with the hairspray technique or gauze technique. Real rust layered over darker simulated rust is next level.

[RCjetdude]

One quarter has now been rusted and wiped down. The clear coat will darken it a bit when applied. This rusting product works really well. It is real rust. In the first photo you can definitely see a before and after.

[RCjetdude]

OK, you're crazy! The rusting process has begun. This is just after the second application. It is going to look really good when finished. Much of this will get wiped off after it dries completely. It will likely take several days to complete because of drying time.

[Merry Boozer RC]

Steve call me crazy but I just love the testers clear satin it’s always been my favorite although it’s a tad expensive