USS Ampere NCC-0516 1/650

[Thom216]

For some reason, right now it seems that each kit I put on the table is a bid to restore the old mojo. Quite a few have been put down on the table only to be taken off again a day later. So, struggling to find something that'll catch my attention.

Just the other day I made a pilgrimage to the local hobby shop, about two hours away, and came away with a few kits, one of them being the 1/1000 Kelvin from Mobius.

 

 

I didn't buy it thinking I was going to built it right away, but as I was looking fondly at the new haul, I decided that that was the one! But I don't want to do the Kelvin, so a little searching of a similar kind of name gave me Ampere. She'll be NCC-0516, a few ships just down the line from the Kelvin and, as opposed to the scale on the box, she'll be considered 1/650, the same as the old TOS Enterprise kit. Which is itself just about the same size as the new 1/1000 Pikerprise which, when I get around to building it, will also be 1/650!

It'll be pretty much OOB, except for removing the odd panels on the upper starboard of the saucer. Not all, but most and I'll be adding a few to the other side just to balance them out a bit.

 

 

So out came some sanding sticks and tape to protect the surrounding area from any deep gouges.

 

 

After a little bit, they did come off pretty quick, I was left with a mostly smooth surface that I'm happy with.

 

 

I did have to fix a few panel lines as some of the panels did bridge them, but I think they look okay. I'll see how they look under a coat of primer.

 

Then it was onto the saucer side walls. I really wish they had molded these integral to either of the saucer halves, as the fit was not the best.

 

 

You can just barely see the gaps here....🙄

 

 

But that can be fixed. I took a file and widened the gap some, and then took some styrene strip for a ladder kit and pressed that in to fill the space.

 

 

No bad! I'll let those dry and move onto the phaser covers and the lower hull.

More to come.

 

Model on!

[Thom216]

Got a little more done after work today. Finished up the saucer blending the top edge and placing some styrene squares up top top match the ones I didn't sand off.

 

 

Then I loaded up some paint in the airbrush. Clear red/blue and dark copper.

 

 

Now I can move forward with closing up the ship!

 

More to come.