MikroMir's Nautilus submarine in 1:350 scale
![](/albums/img/0/6/6/731066-28845-45-p.jpg "I was lucky enough to get to use my smallest Trumpeter chisel tool, to clean up the "holes" on the side. Width matches nicely. :) Tail section needs even more fixing. | View full picture")
![](/albums/img/4/2/0/746420-28845-13-p.jpg "Tricky stuff. Certainly not something I am used to. :O I think it will look ok, but I have to add more glue to the handrails, currently fixed at just two points. Also will "open" the rail, to allow door to "open". | View full picture")
![](/albums/img/7/7/6/801776-28845-50-p.jpg "I was reading a book, and I guess I started thinking "This book is a little boring, what can I do that is more boring?" :) I will go around the bits of masking tape, with a thin tipped cotton bud and make sure the masking tape doesn't lift anywhere. Next up. Airbrushing on gray paint to fix the nasty overspray issues. | View full picture")
![](/albums/img/3/0/2/807302-28845-37-p.jpg "I am fairly happy with the result, but it isn't accurate. I imagined the prop blades to be variable, but by looking at the prop photos I have, the blades sort of look "stuck", and with the tips being angled differently. But, ok for me. Hopefully I will get to build the Nautilus sub in 1:144 scale later if anybody produces a new mold kit of this in plastic. | View full picture")
Comments
12 21 March 2020, 09:12
TreehuggerHeh, somehow I find the covid-19 stuff fascinating, I have several models prepared for airbrushing on primer paint. 🙂 Hopefully I will get my ass going on this, and start priming this next.
This kit is ok, but isn't entirely clean, so although I could just glue things together, I want to try clean up the detailing. Mostly ok, but need a little bit of work imo. For example, the starboard plane by the props, isn't symmetrical with the left side one, easy fix.
26 March 2020, 20:06
TreehuggerI listened to a documentary on youtube about this particular submarine (went to the north pole) while finishing the work on the tail this evening.
6 April 2020, 18:19
TreehuggerI wish there had been a kit of this sub in 1:144 scale. I have really come to like the looks of it. 🙂
16 April 2020, 08:16
TreehuggerWhat 21 sub did you have in mind? I know there is the German Type XXI sub, but is that the one you meant?
17 April 2020, 12:20
David TaylorYes.A lot of design cues were taken off the type 21 by both western and warsaw pact designers.
17 April 2020, 14:44
TreehuggerI am very happy how the modified deck worked out. I added styrene front and aft, to make the photo etch deck look more flat. I should be able to take some good photos later on.
11 June 2020, 03:31
TreehuggerHrm, I will have to work on my photos. Anyway, the last three photos of the black sub, shows the glossy black with Vallejo Air Black airbrushed over it all. I will now let this dry and seal it all before I create any blemish on the nice paintwork, and then airbrush on the gray.
11 June 2020, 08:10
TreehuggerRe. photo 25, showing Vallejo Air Black over the black primer, I think I do not dare putting masking tape on the large photo etch deck, in case the tape rips off paint from it. I think I will mask the black area on the sail and then airbrush the gray on sides AND over the deck, then mask the sides and airbrush the deck black again.
11 June 2020, 20:49
TreehuggerMiserable painting result. The masking tape lifted here and there and overspray is everywhere. Crap! I should have used much thinner strips of masking tape.
14 June 2020, 16:11
TreehuggerI already have a layer of paint + gloss coat + more paint on top of that large piece of photo etch deck so hopefully I can add some masking tape here and just airbrush on gray to fix this. 🙂
21 June 2020, 12:04
Slavo HazuchaReally like the propellers & the idea of just welding the plastic parts over the PE blades! 👍 Much better solution than filling & sanding the gaps - hope the paint will not reveal any evil surprises. In bare material, the result looks very good!
@overspray - I did 3 extensive passes for removing imperfections of all kinds on my current project - tedious, but had to be done... Maybe you can use the repair-passes for some experimentation with +1 white/black tone into the paint to create interesting light fading effects around the masked line... unless you want to keep it absolutely clean & pristine of course.
11 July 2020, 17:53
TreehuggerI haven't shown the result of my clean up, except for this somewhat blurry photo in photo 29, but I managed to clean it up nicely, the masking for that clean up is seen in photo 27. I also airbrushed on two patches of gray on the bow, very nicely.
I worry that the spinner for the propeller thingy will fall off, but I think I will just try be super careful and not think too much about it, once the props go onto the model, the diving planes or whatever sort of protects the prop spinners from bumbing into anything. I didn't manage to re-create the prop blades, but a this point I am not going for museum type of accuracy. Nice training though.
I bent the PE blades straight on, but it is proably a very good idea to add some pads or something to the tweezer tips, to make the bending action more gentle to avoid making hard dents in the PE.
11 July 2020, 19:34
TreehuggerI will have a new and better digital camera in a few days. 🙂 My photos should be better then.
13 July 2020, 11:53
TreehuggerFun things I learned:
1) I can use two tweezers and very gently bend photo etch prop blad to make it look curved. I can also probably sand the edges sharper with some later project to get more detailing onto the propellers.
2) I have to be very careful when airbrushing smaller parts, and especially when airbrushing on metal color. Not good once things starts to become runny. :|
3) Again, it was fun adding detailing to the sail (tower).
4) I have to be more careful when cluing on large pieces of photo etch, like handrails. Tricky stuff.
5) Adding photo etch onto a curved surface is tricky, when it isn't easy for me to bend small photo etch parts properly.
6) Using chisel tools is really nice. You can both carve/slice but also turn it around and use it as a scrape. 🙂
15 September 2020, 19:59
Marc SchnitzlerLooking really nice!
You can remove the flakes with the appropriate thinner of the clearcoat, but be careful not to remove the paint underneath.
15 September 2020, 20:06
Ingmar StöhrGreat result with this very special submarine. I build the same kit in January and know what you went through.
16 September 2020, 01:44
Jim JWonderful work. I really appreciate your attention to detail on the deck, sail and props. Well done. As a former submariner, I'm a big fan of the Nautilus and you've certainly done it justice. Congrats. 👍
17 September 2020, 16:51
