32nd Parallel's Disney Nautilus

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  • Buellman1
    Lieutenant
    • Mar 2013
    • 93

    32nd Parallel's Disney Nautilus

    My dad has had this Nautilus for over thirty years now. It was crudely molded and the shape was no where close to symmetrical. It sat on a mantel for years and I tinkered with RC'ing around high school. I accomplished getting the rudder linkage and drive prop setup and we stopped after trying to figure out the best way to make it run. I've since in the last three months dove head first into submarines. I know I can make it run but its in need of serious help.

    Has anyone ever seen one built and running?
  • He Who Shall Not Be Named
    Moderator
    • Aug 2008
    • 12256

    #2
    Nope. I thought I knew of the entire 32nd Parallel line of sub kits. Neve knew they did a Disney Nautilus. Learn somth'n new each day!

    David
    Who is John Galt?

    Comment

    • Buellman1
      Lieutenant
      • Mar 2013
      • 93

      #3
      We are pretty certain it's from 32nd parallel. He bought it in 1978 or 79' for $120. First impressions of it were mixed. It was split in half vertically. It had hardly any details in it. The big side windows had a pyramid type frame filled with smaller windows. The skin appeared to look like one inch masking tape reversed to hold the rivet heads on. There were gaps under some the "tape". The glass work is very uneven. Some was paper thin and other spots were close to half inch thick. There were concave sections of about 3/8" deep in one side. So over the years my dad has tried to true the shape up and all the rivets have been removed. After seeing my Kilo and Gato, we came across two Neptunes for less than the price of one. So he now wants to finish the Nautilus.

      This thing is massively heavy on the top end. I've got a 4" by 26" tube I'm hoping can lift it.

      Comment

      • He Who Shall Not Be Named
        Moderator
        • Aug 2008
        • 12256

        #4
        Oh!!! ... I know this kit. Not Simon's work. Some whack-job I met at an early SubRegatta. Religious nut. We had, how do I put this delicately ... words.

        David
        Who is John Galt?

        Comment

        • Warpatroller
          Lieutenant
          • Dec 2012
          • 90

          #5
          David must be correct. There is no way the model you're describing could have been made by 32nd Parallel.. The two points below make it impossible for your model to be a 32P item.

          A) 32nd Parallel did not yet exist at the time you claimed your father obtained the model. 32nd Parallel was founded in 1980, by Simon Smith, Chris Anderson and Lew Morris. Their first submarine model kit was a Type VIIC U-Boat, not released until 1981. In my research of the history of 32nd Parallel, I have not found any evidence of them ever producing a Disney Nautilus hull kit.

          B) 32nd Parallel did not produce fiberglass hulls of the poor quality that you are describing.. The lousy glass work alone indicates it was not produced by 32P.
          "Wir kommen ihnen unbekannt."

          Comment

          • RCSubGuy
            Welcome to my underwater realm!
            • Aug 2009
            • 1768

            #6
            I'm a self-proclaimed Nautilus nut and would love to see pics of this beastie... just for interest's sake!

            Comment

            • Buellman1
              Lieutenant
              • Mar 2013
              • 93

              #7
              I'll get some photos next time I get over there. He has the prints to it still somewhere also.

              Comment

              • Buellman1
                Lieutenant
                • Mar 2013
                • 93

                #8
                Ok, we were wrong. It's from Scale Model Ships Unlimited 1978. Click image for larger version

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                Attached Files

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                • He Who Shall Not Be Named
                  Moderator
                  • Aug 2008
                  • 12256

                  #9
                  Thanks for the follow-through here, Buellman1.
                  Who is John Galt?

                  Comment

                  • Buellman1
                    Lieutenant
                    • Mar 2013
                    • 93

                    #10
                    And here it is with the 4" lexan tube I think will support it.
                    Attached Files

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