The Ambassador Class

jimpeachey · Dec 29, 2014

Well I finally got back to doing something with the 'C'. I think this ship has to be the most divisive of them all in terms of colour schemes. I wanted to keep the Blue in there somewhere but i dont like the Light Blue, classic scheme. This is a darker Blue that may not go as well as i wanted with the base colour. I may darken the base a little but im going to crack on as is and see how it comes out for now. Typically today was a couple of hours masking for a couple of minutes airbrushing. I must get the hang of detail with airbrush and save me some time and masking tape. But here she is anyway, all comments greatly appreciated!

Angelus Lupus · Dec 29, 2014

I think the colour scheme divides opinion because it's one of those where what you see on the model is quite different to how it appears on screen. Something about the way they shot the VFX for the ships on TNG means that just about every paint scheme has way more blue than you'd expect. I couldn't believe it when my Vor'cha instructions told me a duck-egg blue was the colour for what I clearly saw as vivid light (Klingon) green on my TV. I think (where a physical miniature exists for the ship) every modeller has to decide if they want true-to-model, or as-seen-on-screen in their finished work.

Ruddigger · Dec 29, 2014

I'm glad to see you back at it, Peach. I was starting to worry about ya.

jimpeachey · Dec 30, 2014

Thanks Rudd, nothing to worry about, i just havent had the time lately, its going to be a long build

jimpeachey · Feb 22, 2015

OK, i finally managed to get back to this but had to redo some of the work. Just leaving it on a bench doesnt work for long periods. You can see the masking and airbrushing efforst, i often wonder if masking is hell personified or theraputic! I had to take the dremel to the nacellepylon section as there is just no room in there for any cabling.

I intend to use copper tape used in dolls houses to get the connections but wanted to make some space in there anyway. You can also see the small LED (1mm) i have for the external lights and a first light test for the nacelles. All in all not a bad days work but a long way to go yet. Just got to work out what flashes and what doesnt so that i can sort the circuits out!

Angelus Lupus · Feb 22, 2015

Glad to see this one back on the bench, looking great!

Pedro · Feb 23, 2015

Nice work on the windows! I'm not sure if I'm sold on the darker colors (not that the original is great), but I know how these things tend to come together in the final moments, I expect it will come out nicely. The nacelles look really good! And very cool idea with the copper tape, I think that will work well.

Interesting timing on this, the Ambassador is one of my all time favorites (a lot of the CG pics you see out there are the 3d model I built about 15 years ago), and I just spent all weekend staring at these kit parts trying to convince myself to fill in all those horrendous grid lines.

I admire your tenacity on the windows and humbly ask that you come over to my house and get to work on mine.

Are you drilling those with a pin vise, maybe 2 or 3 holes then finish with a knife, or...? Also, what did you use to tint the nacelle clear parts? Tamiya clears?

jimpeachey · Feb 28, 2015

Pedro, the colours are just because i really don't like the the 'original' colour scheme and wanted to do something different, i have no idea what it will look like finished but lets wait and see. The windows were drilled with a dremel and a .5mm bit. I tend to drag the bit very carefully after having drilled top and bottom. I'm sure there is a more effective way of doing it but it works for me. I still have the secondary hull to do yet but ill leave that until i have done more of the primary hull, gives me a break from drilling the damn things out. Clear Tamiya is correct and once i get the LED in i may give them a coating of the same colour just to dim them down a bit. As for the copper tape, it will be interesting to see if it actually works. Thanks for following the build and the comments.

MKWJTC · Feb 28, 2015

Looking good!
I don't remember where I saw a dark blue EntC model, but it hit me how registry and name decals blends with dark blue. Although I plan to use dark blue someday on my Ambassador-Miranda configuration ship, as the Pegasus was to be presented.

jimpeachey · Mar 1, 2015

Well i actually got some paint on the girl today, just to see what my overall colour scheme might be able to achieve. She doesn't look too bad i don't think but it seems that as soon as one lot of masking is finished the next lot starts TBH i think i am just putting off having to drill more windows out on the primary hull. I think she is going to look OK.

jimpeachey · Mar 5, 2015

More masking today but im sure it will end soon! I also remembered what we do when we have masked but dont really have enough time to airbrush any colour; we get the Dremel out and drill some more really tiny windows out. Remind me again why we do this to ourselves?
I have pretty much everything masked and done except the primary hull so i am definitely getting there I am on holiday next week so hope to really get to grips with this while the wife is at work. I may even get some lights in.

I want to get the spines on the Nacelles a deep grey to provide some contrast.

once this is done i can start to think about putting some lights in here for the nacelles and the Nav/Anti collison lights. I need to provide cable for two circuits, solid on and flashers.

Final masking for the panels on the Nacelle Struts and rear end of the ship.

I needed to redo one area due to some leakage under the previous masking session. I also masked up the phaser strips under this layer to save time and masking again later.

Oh those windows, there bloody hundreds of the damn things.

Pedro · Mar 6, 2015

This really has me wanting to pull mine out. Nice work!

jimpeachey · Mar 6, 2015

Thank you, much appreciated

jimpeachey · Mar 7, 2015

ust some bits n pieces today. I airbrushed some of the bits i needed to and they look poretty good if i say so myself. Then of course the windows................. I guess now i had best get on with the lighting bits so i can start closing her up , puttying, touching up and see how it all works out. Lets see how tomorrow goes!

I like the way these ribs came out, looks kind of nice.

Simple but effective i think

All done, ready to light, close up and put some detail on.

The trusty Dremel and extension, makes those windows easier i can tell you and i never snapped a single bit!

jimpeachey · Mar 8, 2015

Today has been all about trying to get the lighting sorted out and some basic circuits in there. Im using Addressable LEds which means that you can solder a whole load together and deal with them as individual LED, some success as the video later will show. Tomorrow should be fun as i try to get both nacelles and the impulse drive up and running. Adding the Nav lights on a different circuit should be fun.

These are WS2812B Addressable Neo Pixel . Just string them together and address them individually or in groups (with the correct code of course).

So here is one Nacelles worth

Temporarily in place with some Blue Tack. Ill hot glue the wires down to separate them properly.

Test lighting, i would post a short vid if i knew how to!

Getting some tracks inside this section where there is very little space. Im trying out this Copper tape, just remember to solder to it before you stick it inside the model, soldering irons and plastic really do not mix! Ive also got to get the wiring in for some tiny LED for the Nav lights, that will be fun!

Ive got to get the wiring correct to be able to address the LED so one string between the two nacelles and one for the impulse engine later!

jimpeachey · Mar 10, 2015

Well i got there sort of, still aload of work to do on this back section, more than i had hoped and certainly more than i wanted. Getting the code for this start up effect was the aim and i did get everything i wanted to into the nacelles (just). I have no intention of showing you the mess in there, just enjoy the effect lol. The problem i have is the 'deck' section has no space inside, routing cables is a nightmare and i may have to either fill it out with putty or get some really thin wire and hope it doesnt cross and short out. Im sure i will get there in the end. Vid to follow as i cant add a vid to an album, thats a real pain. Tomorrow ill take a break from this and do some work on the secondary and primary hulls for a change. Whew, im sure it will all be fine in the end.

jimpeachey · Mar 12, 2015

Ill hold off on posting any more for a while, lots of little bits going on but just takes so long to post all the updates lol. If anyone specifically wants an update let me know and ill post some more.

Randy13 · Mar 12, 2015

I'll be looking forward to your future posts. The lighting looks excellent and the paint job is so clean.

jimpeachey · Mar 14, 2015

Thanks Randy, there will be more posts i'm just not going to do them every step of the way

jimpeachey · Mar 21, 2015

Just filling space as i get on with do stuff and wait bits. I have now glued, filled and sanded the saucer section, its not perfect but it looks OK. I did the same to the drive section but haven't yet secured the nacelles, i may have to play around with the LED and wiring in there yet (Again). I cut that section out to relieve some of the pressure from those wires but that all goes inside the secondary hull so it wont be seen. That may also be where i put the circuit board in the end, it should fit nicely in there. I made a right royal cock up of the secondary hull and now need to sand it down and repaint sections. I managed to get paint everywhere and then remove a few of the lifeboats when i tried to scrape off some of the excess paint. Luckily there are additional lifeboats supplied for the other version of this build. They will come in very useful. You can see the tools i use to fill as well, they come in very handed to push filler into very small gaps, once all of that section is sanded down it shouldn't look too bad at all really. Got some more coding to do to include the other lighting elements but i can do that while stuff dries. That's it for now, more to follow later. Just some progress pics so you can see how she is coming along.