Sapper's NX-01 Build - Time it with a slooow calendar!

I've liked this ship ever since I watched Steve's build. Now Ill watch this one.
I need to do one my own self!

I'm gonna try to make it worth your while.

So what have I learned? I started with the 4th season disks and lucked into watching the episode where trip travereses the 50 meters between Enterprise and Columbia at Warp 5 - The episode has great shots looking straight into the shuttle bays. Just what I needed! So what have I learned aboutthe shuttle bays?

1 - I don't think they ever showed the front two bays. I suspect the story point of Enterprise launching short 2 of her 4 shuttlepods was to cover that they only built half the shuttlrebay set.

2 - The doors have two layers - An exterior sliding garage door and two interior hinged doors that swing out. This necessitates a space between the hanger floor and the garage doors. Good for me because now I'll have space for the fiber optics for the spotlights.

3 - The pods launch facing forward

4 - There is a wall or half wall between the forward & aft parking spaces. There seems to be some kind of observation window on the upper deck. THere seem to be ceiling lights on the ceiling of that passageway.

5 - The pods wings retract for storage, launching & retreival

6 - There are 4 or 5 rectangular light fixtures along the inboard side of each pod door on the ceiling. There seem to be 2 more rectangular fixtures on the ouboard side one fore one aft. Plus multiple small track lighing can fixtures.

Trying to get my blueprints done & will post more as get some done. I found some nice phototch to do the walkways - hat should get here next week!

Plus I think I am going to upen up one of the cargo bays two - The extra photo etch should make for some good detailing opportunities there!

OK I'm changing my mind on #3. They never showed shuttles in the two forward berths so on Todd's NX-01 the forward shuttles wil launch facing aft & the rear shuttles will launch facing forward. I think this will work better due to keeping some symmetry in the catwalks & endwalls. If anybody has evidence to the contrary speak now...

So started my deck plans for the shuttlebay. I'll use these to generate cutounts for floor, walls & ceiling & catwalks plus decals!




Plus got my Photoetch today - Any suggestions on houw to paint this micro mesh without clogging the openings?



BTW the photo etch came from freetimehobbies.com. it's 1:350 Lion Roar perforated Navy Floor. Not the correct grid pattern but close enough at this scale. And 1:350 KA Models Royal Navy Railing Set - Again - Not perfect but close enough.

With any luck, I'll be doing a 1/1000 very soon. But an open shuttle bay? I'll leave that to you pros...
Lots of NX action!!

Your welcome to use my graphics if you want - You could cut out the hatches & build a little box to represent the bay insides. The shuttlepods would be about the size of a grain of rice!

sapper36 said:

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Your welcome to use my graphics if you want - You could cut out the hatches & build a little box to represent the bay insides. The shuttlepods would be about the size of a grain of rice!

I SO appreciate the offer, but I just want a nice little NX-01.
I'll enjoy the bay vicariously through YOUR build!

BTW I opned up the shuttlebay doors sunday night - Man that plastic was nearly 1/4" thick there! Pics to follow.

sapper36 said:

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BTW Man that plastic was nearly 1/4" thick there!

I eat that for breakfast.

Shuttlebay in place




View with Shuttlepods from above




Shot of lights through the catwalk mesh


Been doing the graphics work on the shuttlepod bay. Got the port & starboard walls done. Fore & aft & ceiling next. Finally the control booth on the 2nd floor between the fore & aft bays. I cut out the cardboard version to do some test fitting & it looks goo so far. The final shuttlebay will be made from clear plastic then paintd except for lighted areas & decal applied from my graphics. It's nice to se something should be visible through the ports!

This will be so amazing when finished....

Finaly done with the graphics forthe shuttlebay - Now to build the actual walls etc for them to go on.

Anybody know somebody who can print good decals from a JPEG?

Hey Sapper,
Man, that is looking great! keep up the excellent work.

Jason

Thanks! - Mannaged to pring decals on Micro-mark decal paper today & installed the shuttlebay floor & trap the fiber optics for the searchlights on the middle rib between the port & starboard bays - pics tomorrow!

I'm Baaack!

Took Forever! to get cutting the parts relatively square for the shuttle bay - but finally got it manufactured in styrene! Next I need to locate & drill the holes for the umbillical lines for the shuttles & then painting & decaling the shuttle bay which then get put aside while I go back to major assemblies!

Awesome build. I have a NX-01 on the way and can't wait to get started. Your build will serve as an inspiration. Can't wait to see it finished so I will be following along.

Slowly working my way along - I'm stuck as can be on the electronics - specifically the power supply. The diagram above is what I want to install & I was trying to power it with a 6V 300 amp source (The easy-LEDs run on 6V to 12V) but just plugging in resistors for the monsters in motion kit doesn't work. The MIM kit runs on 6V but not properly.

So I guess I'm going to need a 12V source and then convert it to 4.5 for the lighting kit & leds.

That's where i'm stuck so any electronics wizards got some hints on how to get 4.5 V out of 12V & how to connect all this up?

opal1970 said:

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Speaking of Doug, here are some CG images of the shuttlepod...
https://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009...et-shuttlepod/

And some great hangerbay shots...
NX Hangar Bay «

and as for retractable wings, looks like I am going to have to eat my hat... seems as if even the refit-era shuttle had retractable wings, that were lost in the evolution...

"The shuttles also had a small, stub wings on the craft's center line.... By the 2370s, two side windows had been added just forward of the side doors, and the wings had been removed." - Memory Alpha

Great shots!
I'm referring to Steve's build and this one as I get my stuff together to start on mine.

I'm seriously considering borrowing your shuttlebay idea for my rebuild.
Have you made any recent progress? (wants to see how this has turned out)