Revell 1:600 USS Starship Enterprise NCC-1701

[scubadave]

Hello XA, In my extensive research for my upcoming TOS Enterprise build, I came across your blog & it was like hearing my own story. Very much into modelling at a young age, got out of it to live a life & now (after injuring my right foot to keep me off the pitch for football) have returned to modelling as a stress relief.

How is your build going?

I noticed you were using some pretty heavy duty wire for your lighting. I searched for weeks for lighting & found 2 different kits. One is from a German outlet that has some very nice details (such as a plastic ring to go inside the saucer with adhesive LED strips to light the interior.

I bought a nacelle spinner kit from Madman lighting that is so small & easy to use it takes hardly any room in the model (I noticed your set-up is larger)

I am curious how the silver paint on the interior is working out? My old-school instincts were to paint the interior flat black to stop light leakage through the plastic, but the silver intrigued me. Does it give off more reflected light? I am just picking your brain, if you do not mind. I also have the Para Grafix Photoetched set, and can not wait to try out the bridge insert.

I will start my build in a few weeks (once I finish my 1/72 NASA Shuttle Orbiter - making custom decals to show all the heat tile lines and flight deck details - time consuming.

Anyway, I hope to hear from you and would love to see how it is going....

PS - I just ordered the JJ Abrams Enterprise, nacelle light kit & PE sheet. That will be a winter build for sure.. Dave Smith

[XitanAhmar]

As you have noticed I haven’t posted in this blog for quite some time, I still plan to continue with this project in the near future now that summer holidays are just round the corner and I may find the time.This built was more of an experiment, I tried all sort of techniques, some for the first time.

The impression I have from the silver interior is that it really reflects more light. I had read somewhere that I should paint the interior first flat black then white but looking at all sorts of reflectors I noticed that these are always silver so I tried silver.

If you plan to illuminate your model forget about the Paragrafix bridge insert, there is simply no space it’s either the bridge or the LED. I went for the LED.

Word of warning if you plan to construct this model be ready for new challenges in every part of the process. Good luck with your built hopefully I will continue with mine soon.

[XitanAhmar]

Its been a while since I posted in this thread, life had caught up with me again. Here I am, two years and two new jobs later, geared up to continue with this construction.
Most of the construction and lights on the model have been finalised. The clear parts have been attached, except for the Bussard Collector covers.
I am going to start with the engine section.
I gave the Bussard Collectors a coat of Revell Red Clear. I mixed the Revell Red clear with a ratio of 1 part paint to 2 parts thinner.
It is advisable to test the paint on scrap clear parts, in my case an empty Dr Pepper plastic bottle did the trick. 2 coatings of Red Clear were required until I got the desired effect. I masked the Bussard Collectors to airbrush the ribs in aluminium. This is a very time consuming and tedious job. A coat of aluminium was airbrushed and I have to say I was pleased with the result, even though I did it myself.
I masked the Bussard Collectors again, another tedious job. All the masking on the engines has been finalised and the engines are set for painting. Now starts the fun part, hopefully.
Next job on the agenda mix and prepare paints for airbrushing.
Until the next time, I hope it will not be another two years.

Edited September 2, 2015 by XitanAhmar

[whitestar12chris]

Cracking build so far, thought you might like to know for reference, the panel lines on the Revell Enterprise are correct, as the kit is modelled on the Enterprise as it appeared in the Deep Space Nine episode Trials & Tribble-ations in series 5, as theyve done the same for the Klingon cruiser, with raised panel lines similar to the motion picture Klingon Cruiser but toned down. Revell failed to alert modellers to the fact, even today they dont mention this on their website.

I only found this out after buying the Klingon cruiser and opening it, having built the Aurora original many many moons ago in my youth LOL

Have seen some model shots of the newer enterprise model for this episode which clears everything up.

But this does not detract from your excellent build to replicate the original, nicely done.

All the best Chris

[XitanAhmar]

You may have noticed that contrary to the istructions sheet, I have painted the Bussard Collectors Red Clear when the instruction sheet advise to paint these in Orange Clear. I did this on purpose and not by mistake as I have running lights underneath the Bussard Collectors covers. The instruction sheet also advice to paint the outer covers of the Bussard Collectors Red Clear. I plan to keep mine clear as the dry run I had before masking the covers was fantastic and I don't want to ruin that effect.

Not much work today I have mixed the paint. I am using Revell Paint and have mixed paints as instructed. Word of advice, I have marked some of the bottles with the code letter as per instruction sheet this not to create a confusion and to pick the right color for the right job.

[Gimme Shelter]

Smashing build you have on the bench - I missed your original start up threads but have caught up with you now and look forward to watching the Enterprise develop.

Hats off to your electrical work, and I love the row of "Enterprise" specific mixes - how quaint !