As seen in The Making Of Superman II, This elaborate, handmade and intricately detailed model set was commissioned by Producer Ilya Salkind to accommodate the visual effects shots deemed too impractical to shoot full-scale of the devastation caused by the Super-Villians throughout the climactic Metropolis battle.
From the top; Derek Meddings surveys the set while showering it with oil to simulate rainfall, Genuine set-used street sign props, One Way lamp-Post sign (measuring approx. 3 x 8 1/2cm) Bus Stop sign (measuring approx. 7 1/2 x 5 1/2cm), and a group shot of the talented British Model Unit with their creation.
This sequence, (eventually filmed by Richard Lester) ranks amongst some of the finest miniature work from the Superman series and indeed, of the era being practically undetectable to this day…
Superb! Check out the photos of the same model here:
http://www.capedwonder.com/newwebsite/pages/Meddings.html
Thanks Jim!!