If your looking for something different to build this is it. The detail of this kit is excellent with little to no trimming necessary. The lines on the submarine are sharp and clean with an exterior that is highly detailed. The main lounge visible from both sides of vessel is also highly detailed down to the numerous books on the book shelves. The giant squid and rock base provided with this kit and used as a mount to display the Nautilus is also highly detailed and could have been sold as a separate kit. The plastic used for the Nautilus seems soft, so care should be used when trimming. A lighting kit or simple LED lights are recommended to view the lounge once the kit has been closed up. Overall this kit is a must no matter what your building preference and at Hobbylincs price, there's room in your building stash for this kit.

This kit is something the world has been waiting on for a long time. Note that it is not the movie version (Any movie), but it looks true to the Jules Verne vision. Pegasus farmed out their molding to Trumpeter, and the molding is first-rate, right down to molded anchor chains! Lots of steampunk-style detailing, and a fantastic base that is a project in it's own right. The kit is also very well packaged, with foam padding to protect the fragile and clear parts. It comes with a large photoetch sheet containing railings, cables, grab handles, and stairs. The kit also comes with a masking sheet for the large, high quality salon windows. Assembly is without a hitch and the fit is near-perfect, although the front ram is a bit finicky. I didn't like the look of the photoetch cables and handles, since they're flat and fragile, so I replaced the handles with music wire, and the rigging cables with thread. I kept the cable ends from the PE sheet, which also fit the slots in the hull perfectly. The etched stairs and rails are, not surprisingly, very fragile and fussy. I replaced the molded anchor chain with model ship chain. There are 2 extra capstans included in the kit that are not mentioned in the instructions, and they are perfect for using real chain. I also bought the Paragrafics accessory photoetch set, which comes with a lot of detail parts for the salon, keel louvers, and also has a wheelhouse. I did not use the wheelhouse, because the windows are way too small to see much in that area. I did use the PE nameplate, which I like better than the vinyl one with the kit. This model is just begging to be illuminated. I lit the salon, wheelhouse windows, side portholes, and the keel vents with LEDs. Without lights, most interior detail will never be seen. The squid that makes up the stand, and the kit nameplate, are vinyl, not styrene. They go together well with super glue, and the ten tentacles are keyed so they'll go in the right place. I made the mistake of priming the squid with enamel primer. Enamel and vinyl are chemically incompatible, and the primer never dried. Fortunately, it wasn't hard to remove the enamel primer and repaint with acrylic. If you are prepared to give this kit the attention it deserves, you'll have a stunning addition to your collection. Pros: Fantastic molding, perfect fit Included window masks PE parts included Great packaging Beautiful stand Easy to light if desired Minor Cons: (Nothing that can't be fixed) Interior very dark without lighting Front ram is fussy and fragile PE cables fussy and not a very good fit Vinyl stand needs different techniques

I enjoyed building this kit very much, the parts fit well with very little trimming required. I also added the photoetch kit from Paragrafix and lite it with L.E.D.s from the same company. All in all I would recommend this kit to anyone interested in building something different from the Disney version of the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues under the sea by Jules Vern, as this model reminds me of the illustrations from the book.