The hunt for Red October is over.

If the 1980s Soviet Navy is still after this country’s rogue Russian Typhoon-class submarine, it will have to follow their prey to Powell, Wyoming. One of those Russian submarines already followed him there.

Red October and a Soviet attack submarine are two of the large model submarines built for the 1990 blockbuster movie “The Hunt for Red October,” based on John Clancy’s 1984 novel.

They are now temporarily located in the office of Daniel Catone, an investment manager who fulfilled his lifelong ambition by purchasing three scenes from the film during an online auction.

“I failed Algebra in ninth grade because all I did was read Tom Clancy novels,” Cowboy told State Daily. “Winning the auction was a childhood dream come true.”

Small (Relatively) Submarines

In Clancy’s novel, Red October was a 175-meter-long Typhoon-class ballistic missile submarine that cost the Soviet Union more than $5 billion to develop and build. Catone paid $15,000 for the 8-foot-tall replica of the Soviet submarine and two other props from the 1990 film.

“My brother-in-law designs amusement parks around the world and likes that kind of thing,” he said. “He sent me a text message saying Planet Hollywood was auctioning off all their memorabilia, and it was Red October.”

The 10-foot model Catone purchased was built by Boss Film Studio, the special effects company that contributed to films such as “Ghostbusters,” “Die Hard” and “Batman Returns.” One of the last films the company worked on before it closed in 1997 was “Starship Troopers,” which was shot partly on location at Hell’s Half-Acre near Casper.

The Red October model was designed for underwater exterior shots of the entire submarine. This was before CGI became more common and affordable for special effects in the industry.

Boss Films Studio created large models of the Red October and the VK Konovalov, a fictional Soviet Alpha-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sent to pursue Red October and eventually sunk by the Red October.

After being used in the film, the Red October and Konovalov models entered Planet Hollywood’s extensive collection of movie memorabilia. When the franchise decided to auction off some of its collection, model bases and the artwork used for Red Octopus’ interior sets were placed on the block.

Catone was reading and waiting. He was determined to capture Red October once and for all.

Sold!

Although he never dreamed of owning Red October, Catone’s life story parallels that of the book’s protagonist, Jack Ryan.

He remembers seeing the same model of submarine he bought when his parents took him to Planet Hollywood near Fullerton, California, as a child.

Catone worked as a speechwriter at the United Nations before changing careers to investment manager. He and his family moved to Wyoming, “the best state in the union,” seven years ago.

“We were living in Northern California and looking for a state that would suit us culturally,” he said. “Wyoming was a great fit for us. We love it here.”

Catone already had a passion for building 1/700th scale models of famous battleships, so purchasing the Red October model was an opportunity he could not pass up.

“I went to the auction site and waited all day for the auction to start,” he said. “It was nice to bid for five minutes with another guy who is a professional accessory collector. “Then he messaged me on Twitter and said, ‘Oh, I get it, you get it.'”

During the same auction, Catone also purchased the drawing painting of Konovalov and Red October. He was “very excited” when he secured winning bids for three props.

“I texted pictures of Red October to all my friends,” he said. “One of my business partners thought I was purchasing a real operational submarine. “It took them a while to realize it was just a pattern.”

Family Repairs a Soviet Submarine

The 10-foot Red October model, along with Konovalov’s 3-foot model, was shipped from Texas to Powell in a 600-pound crate. Red October sits on an unused desk in Catone’s Powell office, while Konovalov stands on some horns for now.

Catone said his subs aren’t in perfect condition, but they still look good considering their age.

“The model is made mostly of balsa wood and styrofoam and painted really beautifully,” he said. “There is wear and tear from the actual production of the films, but they can be fixed.”

Catone plans to use its model-building experience to make necessary repairs to its submarines. His 17-year-old son Thomas offered to become Executive Officer Vasily Borodin to his father’s Commander Marko Ramius (portrayed in the film by Sam Neill and Sean Connery, respectively).

“We will work together to rebuild Red October,” he said.

Once the repairs are finished, Catone plans to hang the submarines from the ceiling of the conference room where they are temporarily located. He wants to pay homage to the film by dramatically recreating the climax of the story.

“I think I’ll hang Red October from the ceiling as if it’s spinning and leave Konovalov in the background as if I’m hunting him,” he said. “I have no immediate plans to use that office, so it’s the perfect place to showcase them.”

An exciting project and acquisition for Catone. For someone who calls Tom Clancy’s novels “life-changing,” the Red October model is as much a monument to his life and passion as it is a fun piece of movie memorabilia.

“The hunt for Red October is over,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Andrew Rossi can be reached at [email protected].