# My Big Seaview with ocean floor base



## nautilusnut (Jul 9, 2008)

I'm an occasional poster, but rarely contribute photos of models as I'm so dang slow! I just finished the big 1/128th Moebius Seaview and I was really pleased with my base. Simple to make and very effective. (I think) The model just won both 1st place and "Best of" in Sci-Fi and Hypothetical Models at the Memphis "IPMS King Con" last Saturday.

The base was a scrap of plywood, cut to an irregular shape with scrap foam pieces glued to it. I then covered the foam with Drywall Compound left over from a home renovations project. I used a rough paint brush dragged along the edges of the "rock" to get striations and layers. I painted it with acrylics.
The kit's two bases were attached and covered with the compound as well. After a test fit of the Seaview I decided to add a few more "rocks" to help hide the model supports. The Flying sub got it's own "Rock" which allows it to be removed from the base for transport. The FS rock also hides the battery for the lights.
Took only an afternoon to build and the results were great!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

That's a very nice diorama! Nice to see the judges recognized what a fine job you did. Love the staining on the sides of the Seaview. Is the control room lit too? More pics would be nice if you have them.
:thumbsup::thumbsup:


P.S. I am a card carrying member of Slow Model Builders Anonymous so I feel your pain brother.


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## nautilusnut (Jul 9, 2008)

Yes the interior is lit. This was my first time for this sort of thing. I used the JAI lighting kit for the running lights, spots, and control room ceiling. Then I added fiber optics to the control panels. The Flying sub is lit by a single LED with fiber optics running to the spots, engine exhaust and various control panels. The two 9-volt batteries that run the sub' lights are in the tail under the "fins" section. I use a tiny microscrew to hold the tail down. 

I used a pencil against tape wrapped around the hull to mark sections where the hull was assembled. I then oversprayed lightly with a darker gray over the pencil and then again with the hull color slightly. The result is faint hull color variations that look as if the sub was assembled from sections like a real ship is. Very faint streaking was added from the limber holes and down the sail sides. I also added subtle shading as per the filming miniature. I really need to take better photos and will in the future. Thanks for your comments.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Wonderful job with the preshading. It's nicely understated. And the instrument panels look awesome! Did you do anything with lighting the flying sub bay ? I love the fact you mounted the sub battery internally under the tailfin too. Working on a kit of this size makes things like that a little easier to do. When I built my 1/350 Seaview I went with an external battery box due to the small size.


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## Seaview (Feb 18, 2004)

That is REALLY beautiful, NautilusNut! I'm very much impressed!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Gorgeous! 
looks like it takes up a lotta room!


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## miniature sun (May 1, 2005)

Fantastic work,especially on the lighting, and the base really sets it off. Can't wait to get started on mine....


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## jbond (Aug 29, 2002)

I love the paint job--that's the kind of effect I want to go for.


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## nautilusnut (Jul 9, 2008)

Thank you all for your kind comments. John P.- you're right, it takes up some space. At the moment it lives at my wife's office atop a bookshelf! Trekkriffic- the JAI kit comes with a frosted front bulkhead for the FS bay, but I didn't use it. I found that there was adequate light from the back of the spots coming through the holes in the bay walls. I did add a small white led to the back wall. Many times you see the bay lit very brightly on models, but I kept mine subdued like the TV version. I painted the kit parts black-then white to both block and reflect the light. Here's a shot of the interior before I added a light-sheet ceiling.


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## dazzo (May 13, 2009)

Really nice work,very effective:thumbsup:


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## BronzeGiant (Jun 8, 2007)

Great job. Leave it to the IPMS to come up with a silly and overly technical category name....Sci-Fi and Hypothetical Models....sheesh.


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## Tim Nolan (Jul 9, 2008)

Beautiful work. The custom base really accentuates the masterful paintwork on the sub itself. Fine job!


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

Wow - that's very nice!


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## AJ-1701 (May 10, 2008)

Nicely done :thumbsup: And congrats on the win too :woohoo:

It is the sort of model that cries out for a base. I like yours nautilusnut. It is a testimont to less is more. When I did mine I went to town on it :tongue: but I still pulled off a prize for my entry at a hobby expo a couple of years back. Now I can't wait for the movie version because I already have a dio base in mind...


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## dklange (Apr 25, 2009)

Very nice, nautilusnut!!:thumbsup: Really beautiful results!! - Denis


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## cbear (Aug 15, 2000)

Very nice work and congratulations on the win! I was at that show and, believe me, the model is even more impressive in person. 

Chuck

ps--nautilusnut...do you live in the Memphis area? I live about 90 miles NE of there. I look forward to King Con every year, cause it makes for a nice day trip and model shopping spree.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Yes, terrific shading! Subtle but effective.


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## nautilusnut (Jul 9, 2008)

Cbear- King Con is the only IPMS show I go to each year. Regarding the strange catagory, they used to have a TV and Movies division. Guess they had to trim some down. Next year I hope to have a big Disney Nautilus.

I live in Tupelo, MS.


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## kdaracal (Jan 24, 2009)

Super nice job. I really like the base. looks just like the show (or better)


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## Gilusions (Apr 25, 2006)

Very Nice!


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## sgariepy (Jun 20, 2003)

Slendid! And you also painted the darker strip on the side which for some reasons many modelers choose to omit. Most curious since there's been so many discussions on this board about accuracy and yet this detail along with the hatches and the top of the diving planes are ignored. Well done again.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

I went and got the little Moebius Seaview last week end and was wondering is there an after market set for what's behind the windows like on the big kit?????? Thanks in advance.


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## PF Flyer (Jun 24, 2008)

Inspiring! Beautiful shading and really nice lighting. Congratulations!


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## nautilusnut (Jul 9, 2008)

Once again, thank you all for the wonderful compliments. Nice to know your work is appreciated. Sgariepy, The strip across the top of the sail planes is there too and the undersides of the sail planes are white as shown in some clips. The missile hatches are also darker along with the "Strip" down the center of the deck and the doors on the sail. The interior of the sail well is also white- a detail many miss. I tried to be faithful to the series, just giving it an "upgrade" in painting details as the low-rez of old TV sets hid a multitude of sins that show very plainly today. My Seaview is a little more realistic to today's Hi-def" eyes.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

irishtrek said:


> I went and got the little Moebius Seaview last week end and was wondering is there an after market set for what's behind the windows like on the big kit?????? Thanks in advance.


Yes indeed! ParaGrafix makes a very nice PE set. I used it on my 1/350 Seaview build. You even get tiny little crewmen in various poses.:

http://www.paragrafix.biz/product_detail.asp?MainCat=Photoetch&SubCat=blank&PPartNum=PGX118

Here's a closeup thru the windows of my sub. I did my own lighting:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r259/Trekriffic/Seaview/011.jpg


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Simply Beautiful work Sir! I enjoy looking at the pics very much...well done!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

nautilusnut said:


> Cbear- King Con is the only IPMS show I go to each year. Regarding the strange catagory, they used to have a TV and Movies division. Guess they had to trim some down. Next year I hope to have a big Disney Nautilus.
> 
> I live in Tupelo, MS.


Birth place of the "King"!!

Love Elvis!

Great work Sir!


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## nautilusnut (Jul 9, 2008)

Last week was the Elvis festival. We had "Elvi" everywhere!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

nautilusnut said:


> Last week was the Elvis festival. We had "Elvi" everywhere!


COOL!


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