# Was there ever a styrene kit of the Alvin submersible?



## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

*A styrene kit of the Alvin submersible?*

Am I mis-remembering my youth? Or was there actually a styrene model of the research sub "Alvin." I could swear I had a model of that sub as a kid. In fact, that's one model I wish I could get again - assuming I ever had it. It would sure be nice if someone made affordable models of research submersibles.

Does anyone here remember that model? And does anyone know of affordable research sub models out there now?

Thanks,

Brad.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I've seen a resin one. Not sure about a plastic one.


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

Yeah, I knew about the resin kit. But I was SURE there used to be a styrene kit. Still, you'd think there would be reference to it somewhere on the net...


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## 1bluegtx (Aug 13, 2004)

Might have been from Fujimi (japan) as they have issued the following styrene kits:

sb-1 deep sea sub 1/60
sb-2 bathyscape 1/100
sb-3 usn deep sea sub 1/80
sb-4 us research sub 1/36

BRIAN


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## Rebel Rocker (Jan 26, 2000)

A submersible chipmunk!?!? 



Sorry, I just had to! :lol: 

Wayne


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

1bluegtx said:


> Might have been from Fujimi (japan) as they have issued the following styrene kits:
> 
> sb-1 deep sea sub 1/60
> sb-2 bathyscape 1/100
> ...


Thanks for that info. Do you know where I can find more info on them? I've scoured the web to no avail. Of course, that could say something about my scouring techniques.... 

Brad


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

Rebel Rocker said:


> A submersible chipmunk!?!?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Heh. Should've seen that one coming...


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## flyingfrets (Oct 19, 2001)

Only kit of Alvin I've ever seen was a high tech (and high priced  ) multi-media kit. The pressure cabin was an aluminum sphere with LOTS of photo-etch parts along with the plastic or resin hull pieces. Had Jason Junior on a wire tether. IIRC the scale was listed as 1/48 and they were asking about $130 for it (2 years ago). I believe the manufacturer was one of the ones that does RC boats because there was an RC kit of Atlantis II (Alvin's launch vessel on the '86 Titanic dives) in the same scale (Alvin was NOT an RC kit though).

Might check with the RC guys anyway...


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

I had a plastic one. It was light blue, and I later saw it was very inaccurate. It had a rubber band to spin the propeller. I think it was from the Lindberg Line.


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

terryr said:


> I had a plastic one. It was light blue, and I later saw it was very inaccurate. It had a rubber band to spin the propeller. I think it was from the Lindberg Line.


Yes! Thank you! That's it! I'd forgotten about the rubber band to spin the prop. Nice to know I'm not going nuts (yet). Still can't find a reference to it on the web, but at least I know one other person has heard about it.


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## MangoMan (Jul 29, 1999)

I've got the resin kit from Viking models. The hull is one big, heavy, solid block of resin!

Found a nice article on building this beast. It was really my first resin kit, which I probably should have waited to build until my skills were much improved.

http://www.parmaq.com/kitbuilding/AlvinArticle.htm


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

MangoMan said:


> I've got the resin kit from Viking models. The hull is one big, heavy, solid block of resin!
> 
> Found a nice article on building this beast. It was really my first resin kit, which I probably should have waited to build until my skills were much improved.
> 
> http://www.parmaq.com/kitbuilding/AlvinArticle.htm


Thanks for the reference. Looks like a nice kit, though it must weigh a ton!

Anyone have any more info on the Fujimi subs?


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## ModelMike (Apr 20, 2017)

Hello,
I have a vintage plastic model of the Alvin from Pramount industries in 1/36. Its listed on ebay. You can message me trough ebay. Cheers


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## Xenodyssey (Aug 27, 2008)

The only submersible kits I have been able to buy recently were the 1/72 Trumpeter Jiaolong and the Haseagawa 1/72 Shinkai. Bandai also do a 1/48 lighted Shinkai.


















I've been looking around for a while for models of the US Alvin or the Cousteau submersibles without any luck.

But I just did another search and discovered the 1/48 Triton submersible done by Aoshima.


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## finaprint (Jan 29, 2006)

Squadron now doing a reduced price sale on the Chinese one..........

https://www.squadron.com/Trumpeter-1-72-Chinese-Jiaolong-Manned-Submersible-p/tr07303.htm


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

Wow. It's kinda cool to see pics of that old kit again!


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## terryr (Feb 11, 2001)

Yeah, that's the one I had. I later converted it into a Joe 90-ish sub.


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