The USS Scorpion (SSN-589) was one of the most distinctive American submarines of the early nuclear era. A member of the Skipjack class, Scorpion embodied a major change in submarine design: the combination of nuclear propulsion with the highly streamlined Albacore-inspired hull form. This hydrodynamically refined shape, together with a single-shaft nuclear propulsion system, produced a submarine optimized for high submerged speed and maneuverability. Scorpion was laid down in 1958, launched in 1959 and commissioned in 1960, entering a period when the U.S. Navy was rapidly exploring what nuclear propulsion could make possible beneath the surface. The Skipjack class consisted of six submarines: USS Skipjack (SSN-585), USS Scamp (SSN-588), USS Scorpion (SSN-589), USS Sculpin (SSN-590), USS Shark (SSN-591), and USS Snook (SSN-592). These boats shared the characteristic streamlined hull and general configuration that became strongly associated with this generation of American nuclear submarines. Scorpion is also remembered for the tragedy of May 1968, when she was lost with all 99 crew members while returning from a Mediterranean deployment. Her wreck was located later that year in more than 10,000 feet of water southwest of the Azores, and the exact cause of her loss was never conclusively established. For model builders, however, the boat is also an especially interesting example of the dramatic transformation taking place in submarine design during the early Cold War.

3D printing settingsThis 3D printable USS Scorpion model has been developed as a detailed representation of the SSN-589, while its subject also makes it an attractive starting point for builders interested in the wider Skipjack-class family. The characteristic hull form, sail, control surfaces and external arrangement make the model immediately recognizable as one of the six Skipjack boats, and builders interested in creating USS Skipjack, USS Scamp, USS Sculpin, USS Shark, or USS Snook can use the model as a starting point for their own interpretation by adapting the appropriate external details, markings and fittings. The model is divided into manageable printable sections, making it suitable for production on a standard desktop FDM printer while allowing the completed submarine to reach a substantial scale. Its modular construction also makes it easier to finish individual sections, experiment with different colors and markings, or replace individual components without rebuilding the entire model. Whether your interest is in the history of nuclear submarines, Cold War naval technology, the development of the Albacore hull form, or simply the unusual appearance of these exceptionally streamlined boats, this project provides an opportunity to recreate an important piece of submarine history in physical form.

The same model can also serve as a starting point for:

USS Skipjack (SSN-585)USS Scamp (SSN-588)USS Scorpion (SSN-589)USS Sculpin (SSN-590)USS Shark (SSN-591)USS Snook (SSN-592)