star trek the original series 3 ships scale 1:2500 amt 763

[jeff1200]

amt 763 star trek cadet the original series 3 ships scale 1:2500
The 3 ships comprise: USS Enterprise, Romulan bird of prey, Klingon D7 battle cruiser

Scale
The photos include that unit of measurement of miniatures: a one pound coin.

Is there a "bottom" in space? anyway here is the underside view:

Comments on the Kit:
Cute little models. Comprehensive decals are included. Display stand(s) are NOT included.

Problems
Poor fit: the tightness of the "snap-fit" parts is very variable. The Enterprise pods were sloppy and very difficult to align, the "V" shaped support was a very poor fit and needed lots of filler. The Klingon upper wing surface needed so much force to "snap" it into position that I popped the seams on the "neck" of the ship.
The decals "grabbed" and needed lots of micro-set to allow them to be manouvred into position. Some of them were slightly too large for the surfaces and needed to be trimmed to fit.

My Build notes
This is my first sci-fi kit and I (foolishly) rushed into the build.
With the benefit of hindsight I should have test fit and measured everything and carefully worked out how to locate the parts and how to align them. In most cases I think it would be best to drill out the locating holes and glue the parts rather than "snap-fitting".
The Enterprise pods are not properly aligned, do do so would have required me to trim the mating surfaces of the left pod and the "V" strut more than I did.
I didn't follow the painting instructions exactly, in the case of the Klingon ship I used part join lines as my painting demarcation lines, rather than masking off as directed (so sue me!).

Stands
I bought a set of clear Airfix stands and bodged up little "Y" shaped holders on top to support the craft.

Conclusion
With care this can build to a nice model.
If I could figure out how to do it a "tree" stand supporting all three models in formation would be nice. (However I seem to be in a junior league compared to most of the posts on this site, some sort of levitation device would be better?)

[smyfe]

Very nice, but one small thing, the Romulan Bird of Prey is upside down.

Mick

[Kallisti]

Very neat little models but I'm sorry to have to tell you that you are displaying the Bird of Prey upside down - the bird is actually on the underside...

[BWP]

amt 763 star trek cadet the original series 3 ships scale 1:2500

If I could figure out how to do it a "tree" stand supporting all three models in formation would be nice. (However I seem to be in a junior league compared to most of the posts on this site, some sort of levitation device would be better?)

Is this a Round2 re-issue? It appears that they have done some work to improve the accuracy of the Romulan Warbird -- in fact it looks a completely new tool. The decals look pretty good too. However, the original issue of this set included a three-ship stand, as you can see in my build (the decals were 3rd-party):

(The original stand was the triangular bit -- the round base it's mounted on is wooden.)

What you could do is purchase an Airfix "5-plane" display stand and omit two of the stands?

Edited August 13, 2013 by BWP

[jeff1200]

Thanks for letting me know that my Romulans are inverted! Oops! I don't suppose that in space it makes too much difference....

Thanks also for the image of the original AMT kits. As you say the Round2 re-issue is changed.

The Airfix multiple stand would be a better solution. I'm afraid that as a kit looks more and more complete I tend to speed up and just grab at anything to "finish it off", I will have to learn patience. (But I am Homer Simpson's alter-ego after all!)

[BWP]

Actually now that I look closer I don't think this is a re-issue of the original AMT set. That set was scaled at 1/1600, whereas this is supposed to be 1/2500 (and your photos do indicate that the new kits are a lot smaller than the ones in my set). Round2 claims that not only the Romulan ship is new-tool, but so is the Klingon one, both "never before available at this scale" (the Enterprise has previously been released in a 1/2500 Cadet set with the Enterprise-A and Enterprise-B ). So it seems this is a "reboot" of the original AMT set but not a re-issue.

Well now I have to get hold of it for myself! But not including any sort of stand is a bummer -- it's not like the Enterprise can balance on its secondary hull!

Edited August 14, 2013 by BWP