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Forum 18
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Topic starter
25/05/2023 3:14 pm
I always loved submarines for their various designs and capabilities. In the mid-fifties, the big deal was the first atomic submarine, the Nautilus. I had 2 models of it - a small one that surfaced and raised using baking soda - the larger was a wind up. In 1959, the first nuclear ballistic missile sub,the SSBN George Washington went into service. Shortly after, Renwal came out with a model kit in 1/200 where the starboard side of the body hinged down to reveal a full interior. It created quite a furor, even from some politicians. Were we giving away classified info to the Soviets? The Navy brass said not to worry. They had made sure that there was nothing the 'Red Menace' could use against us. Flash forward to 2023 when our good friends in the CCP authorized this diecast heavyweight in the identical scale of their very own SSBM PLA-Navy Xia Class 092 Daqingyu 'Changzheng 6'. Built in 1981 and finally seaworthy in 1987, it stored 12 SLBMs and 6 bow tubes for torpedoes. The PLA Navy certainly are not giving anything away here. The Xia Class pretty much ended with this one submarine. It was the loudest 'boomer' of all fleets which meant it would never survive if hostilities broke out. Its reactor was unreliable. It made one single patrol within its own territorial waters and then has stayed moored at the pier in Quingdao City, but could still fire its missile from there with Japan and South Korea in its crosshairs.
This rather heavy diecast model is about 2' long and sits on a beautiful stand on golden pylons, The feet on the plinth are golden PLA-N ensigns. The dive planes and rudders articulate, missile hatches open and I imagine the Cuisinart-style propeller is probably accurate considering the design was never used again. Anyway, I posted these pics on Forum 18 because I figure at least Chris would get a kick out of it. And, after all, it IS a diecast.
25/05/2023 4:21 pm
Interesting Rich and a contender for the most unlikely item posted on this website.
I thoroughly enjoyed this post.
25/05/2023 5:15 pm
Pretty neat ! Although I wouldn't want to be aboard the real death tra.... I mean submarine. Both it and the Russian Kursk and Moskva make fine underwater command post/submarines.
I had the Renwal model, a big Remco submarine (which I still have), a real diving air-powered Skipjack sub and I still have my uncle's metal diving submarine from the 1930's.
25/05/2023 7:07 pm
@mikedetorrice I think it’s a very cool and interesting post. I too had the big Remco Atomic sub as a kid. It had a whole crew of tiny little men, and would roll across the room shooting missiles and torpedos at our cat. I’m thinking it was called Barracuda. (The sub, not the cat.)
This post was modified 2 weeks ago by kevins
100Ford2003 reacted
Topic starter
25/05/2023 7:17 pm
@mikedetorrice My favorite submersible is Captain Nemo's steampunk "Nautilus" from "20000 Leagues Under the Sea". For years it was impossible to get a model as Disney's legal battalions went after everyone who tried to market one. Finally, about 20 years ago, Disney sold a beautiful model themselves and it sold out before I could lay my hands on one. Prior to that, in the early days of resin casting (meaning lots of bubbles). I had a guy cast a body sans empennage and I scratchbuilt the rest and replicated that metallic finish. It rest on old school dolphin figures of that era.
25/05/2023 7:58 pm
Rich, that's a great looking 20,000 leagues submarine ! There also was the Seaview TV/film sub, too. That was cool.
Kevins, I sure agree the big Remco sub was exceptionally cool with all the missiles, light-up reactor and torpedoes ! The crew was great for manning the huge toy ship. Remco made some really interesting products and, like you, I also happily had a few when I was a kid !
Rich Sufficool reacted
Topic starter
25/05/2023 8:05 pm
@mikedetorrice I have one Remco left. It's a mobile satellite launcher.
Mike DeTorrice reacted
Topic starter
25/05/2023 8:08 pm
Never mind... it's an Ideal
25/05/2023 8:25 pm
@mikedetorrice Remco was King when I was a kid growing up in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. I could usually get one of the bigger toys for Christmas, for Birthday’s it was Matchbox and Mad magazine subscriptions. Another really great company was Ideal. If I remember correctly, they had all the dangerous electrical toys like Incredible Edibles, Vacuform, and Easy Bake Oven.
Mike DeTorrice reacted
25/05/2023 9:37 pm
Lol, Rich ! That is a cool Ideal toy. I had many of their toys .... they were really neat !
Kevins, you are right about Remco ... they had many great items. And Ideal sometimes had a few that now days would be probably re-done in a more reliable manner ! One of my sisters had the Easy Bake Oven.
I had the Remco large scale pom-pom guns and mount. Pretty nice item !
26/05/2023 12:00 am
A heavy, 2' long diecast submarine..... heck yeah! That IS pretty cool. Once again, you've managed to post yet another obscure diecast model. The visible internals along with those opening missile hatches are a nice touch. It appears that those "windows" could be covered up with separate "sub-skin" pieces, but I think if that was a feature of this model you would've pointed it out.
It displays very nicely, that stand is perfect. I think I'd be tempted to enhance all that detail further by adding at least a few figures.....it's almost impossible for me to leave "well enough alone." 🙄 🙄
Very cool Rich. 😎 😎 I can EASILY see why you'd be attracted to this one, thanks for sharing. You remain "The king of the obscure!"
Rich Sufficool and 100Ford2003 reacted
26/05/2023 8:24 am
That's impressive, thanks for sharing. Now where's my model of the Seaview ?
Steve
Topic starter
26/05/2023 8:59 am
@100ford2003 I loved the organic shape of the Seaview and, somehow, I never bought the model. I watched that series though. It's still running on MeTV.
100Ford2003 reacted
26/05/2023 12:19 pm
I tried to watch every episode. It was one of my favorite tv series along with 'The Invaders' and 'FBI'.
Rich Sufficool reacted
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