Correcting the Lunar Models 41" Excelsior

The graphic for the top of the saucer.

First experiment was scaling the Round 2 graphic to 222%. The fit wasn't too bad, requiring a few tweaks, but I hated it. The R2 decal depicted the later re-paint of the graphic. The NX version had subtle differences.

So, I've decided to paint a scaled master myself using my references as a guide.
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First thing I needed was a template based of my superstructure master to ensure a good fit of the decal.
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The shape was transferred over to a piece of sheet styrene after priming it with flat white. Due to the graphic detail differences, the NX version was a tad wider than the re-paint.
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The NX Excelsior had a 16-degree grid pattern on the top. (15 degree has always been the bottom grid pattern).
Here, I've lightly penciled in the 16-degree radii due to these details aligning with the grid pattern at the forward section of the graphic.
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This is a shot of the Melbourne sporting the new impulse domes and bridge, but still featured the NX graphic at this time. You can determine the 16-degree radii due to no 90-degree radii port and starboard. The big difference in the NX graphic is the dual pin striping at the base of the superstructure, and the slightly darker blue boarder on the outer edge of the entire graphic.

The tan will be shot first, then masked off. Before shooting the blue, the guide maskings will be removed to reveal the dual pinstriping seen here.
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Masking complete, you can see the light pencil scribbles to denote the tan partitions to be shot first.
More to come as I shoot this. Tan first, then blue, followed by a very light tan stenciling of random paneling over the entire graphic as seen in the reference above.

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When finished, I will scan this into my PC where I can do some touch ups where needed. Then it can be laser printed onto white decal paper.

Tracy
 
After extensively testing paint mixtures, I came up with something I like. They do look a tad darker than the studio model images, but that's because the images are a bit overexposed due to the studio model being photographed outside on a sunny day.

Here part of the tan panels has been masked off with low tack Post-It Notes. I didn't want too much tape and risk pulling off the tiny pinstriping I spent a whole day putting down.
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Masking removed.
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Here the spacer maskings were removed revealing the original double pinstripe characteristic on the NX Excelsior. After the tan cures, it will be masked off to shoot the Blue.
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More to come.

Tracy
 
The Tan panels as well as the superstructure's template area are masked off.
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The Blue paneling is shot...
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Masks removed; some cleanup is needed before starting the layered detail painting. Detailing will involve scribing fine details into the paint and hand cutting paper paneling templates for the light surface details.
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Spent the day cleaning up overspray under the tape. I did some touch up painting, then scribed in all the other details too small to use masking tape.
I have to cut a bunch of various paper painting templates (about a dozen) out to do the final layer of off-white with a Tan hue paneling layer to wrap this up.

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There was an error pointed out to me by Sean Sides. The paneling on the port side was missing a patrician. It has since been remedied.

I mapped out the over-lying paneling as accurately as I could as per my references and cut them into strips of Tamiya tape. The masks are in place here.
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A lightened shade of the tan paneling color was sprayed to reproduce the effect.
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Masks removed and touch ups are complete.
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The painting is complete after adding the slightly darker blue framing edge.
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I scanned the painting into my PC and digitally tweaked the graphic before test printing it onto printer paper for a test fit to the masters.
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Here is a print laid down over one of my reference photos.
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The same print on the left compared to the Round 2 scaled up decal I started with.
I think I've got something here... My eyes and my head hurt. I'll need to look at the horizon for the next few days to recalibrate my brain.
1694140998705.png


I purposely lengthened the artwork at the bottom here to ensure it reaches the outer-most radius of the deflector grid on the saucer's dome. The plan is to put Scotch Tape right to the outer edge of that last radius and allow the decal to extend out onto the tape. Once the decal sets, I'll trim the decal at the radius and remove the tape with the excess.

The plan is to print this graphic on white laser printer decal paper for the build.

Tracy
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the kind words folks...

Since I've done the hard part, I've decided to continue hand painting more hull panels as decals for the superstructure/bridge.

The NX bridge master sits on its template.
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NX version of the bridge reference.
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All the hand cut styrene templates cut and shaped to the masters sit in their respective positions.
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One of the reference photos of the superstructures paneling and pinstriping.
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I'll prime the styrene templates flat white tonight and start taping them out tomorrow.
 
Holy crap, I love this thread!!! :love:

This might have been asked before, but what is that guide you're cutting the masking tape on? I've been trying to find something like that to cut thin strips of masking tape, but the search terms I use don't yield anything remotely like that (usually variations of Tamiya's cutting mat).
 
The cutting matt is from Infini Models. They have 4 different matts.

With the masking complete, it's time to paint the two shades of blue.
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I pulled all the masks off and placed them on the masters to see if everything lined up. I'm pretty happy with the results. I do have a LOT of clean up, and some touch ups to do due to some leaked masks. Once that's done, I'll scan them into my PC for further digital clean up and test printing.
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All the primary hull decal masters together.
1695007145196.png
 
Sorry to say that I've come to a screaming halt on this for a bit. I'm spending a lot of time away from home learning to fly the Boeing 777. When training is completed, I'll start back in on it. The latest paint work needs a lot of clean up, and it's bugging me to have it sit around the way it is now.

I may have received a hint on the source on the "railroad tracks" paneling details that are not just on these blue panels, but repeatedly used on the secondary hull as well.

Bill George says they were left over friskets for the Death Star II in "Return of the Jedi". John Eaves is also looking into it for me.

I'm showing this image again, because I've made a discovery. If you look closely, the blue field is framed in a thin silver lining all the way around the bridge dome.

Note the "Railroad Tracks" paneling.
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Tracy
 
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Calling the master's for the top surfaces done. There were sections where the fine pinstripes were completely out of scale, so they were re-done. Note earlier images.

I'm still trying to resolve the "Railroad Track" details that go on the blue panels.

Work on the blue triangles that go on the sides of the superstructure has already been started. Pics to come.
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Very good.

As it happens, there were other Excelsior ideas:

archive.frogland.co.uk

Excelsior

Excelsior Archive of Star Trek Set Blueprints
archive.frogland.co.uk
archive.frogland.co.uk

Concept Art

Concept Art Archive of Star Trek Set Blueprints
archive.frogland.co.uk
www.trekbbs.com

The Excelsior - uncovering the design

According to Ex Astris, it was initially built for VOY's "Flashback" episode (retrofitting the E-B back to its original Excelsior configuration was...
www.trekbbs.com www.trekbbs.com

Misc

Movies & Games: Jim Martin Design - Picard

Starship Troopers Deadlock
www.jimmartindesign.co www.jimmartindesign.co
 
I discovered a repeating pattern used in the Excelsior's trench (blackened in). The bottom of the saucer's deflector grid is in 15deg pie wedges, but this little pattern is only 10deg wide. This causes the pattern to vary in position from one wedge to the next. Furthermore, a copy of this pattern is cut in half width-wise to fill in under it for the inner half of the trench.

The plan is to draw this pattern by hand in my scale so it can be scanned and cleaned up digitally. This will allow me to make paint templates using a cutting machine like a criqut.

I've also discovered that the underlying aztec pattern on the saucer does not go positive and negative like other ships in that era. The pattern is the same on every deflector wedge. What ILM did differently on Excelsior was alter blue and grey paneling over the off-white base color. They then layered about two colors (one of which is white) with random paneling templates over the top to break up the altering blue and grey aztecing.

Well... at least I only get to make one aztec pattern. :)

Tracy

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