Fellow Modelers,
The 1966 American sci-fi adventure film Fantastic Voyage tells the story of a submarine crew who is shrunk to microscopic size and ventures into the body of an injured scientist to repair damage to his brain. The operation must be done in one-hour, as the shrinking process only last that long before an object returns to its original size. The main action of the movie deals with the submarine crew overcoming the challenges of reaching the brain, performing the experimental surgery and being able to leave the body before being destroyed by the body’s natural defenses. Fantastic Voyage is an outstanding movie that is entertaining and impressive even when viewed today. It received five nominations at the 39th Academy Awards mostly in technical departments, winning for Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction in Color. One of the film’s most enduring stars is the Proteus submarine (a.k.a. U-91035), described as an experimental U.S. Navy vessel designed to research the spawning habits of deep sea marine life. This elegant and believable vehicle was designed by Harper Goff, who also designed the Nautilus submarine for the 1954 Disney movie 20,000 Leagues under the Sea.
Below are photos of Moebius’ 1/32 scale (16” length) Proteus submarine built in 2024. The only aftermarket item used was the ParaGrafix photo-etched set. Some minor scratch-building was also done. According to modeling experts on the Internet, this kit has multiple minor inaccuracies (inside and out) but I was fine with not correcting many of those inaccuracies. My main goal was to make the build neat and attractive, like it comes across in the movie. The kit supplied interior was really detailed but about 75% of it would not be seen if it was sealed up inside the hull halves. However, I wanted the best of both worlds-a completely viewable interior and a completely assembled exterior. To get this I built the interior and exterior as two separate models, so they could be displayed side-by-side. I hope you enjoy the photos!
Phillip1
. But now I’m jealous, 
, I wish I’d bought one when they were first released, but now, in the UK, you can’t get one for love nor money, 
.