USS Enterprise (2009) (Revell) review and build

Jastor00, thanks! I can't wait, too!

But first I need to finish the disc modifications and filling work. Did some progress during the last two days. The spotlights are almost ready for primer. Then I drilled out some additional windows behind the bridge:
Ent_STID_Rev_build_028.JPG
Since these are never lighted in the movie, I already glued a piece of styrene behind them. I will give them a dark wash after painting and let some gloss clear run into them afterwards.
I also discovered another minor inaccuracy on the bottom saucer. The outer surfaces of the cross-like part that goes into the middle miss some holes, and the sidewalls are straight on the model but should be angled a bit. So I first drilled out the holes and gave them the correct shape. Pieces of styrene were glued behind them, and a small strip of 0.5 mm sheet was added in the middle. Afterwards, the sidewalls were sanded to the correct angle. Now the engraved detail on the bottom surface doesn't follow the edge anymore, but I'm not sure if I'll try to correct this, too. It's really a minor problem.
Ent_STID_Rev_build_029.JPG

When the glue and filler is dry, I will have a last sanding session, then I'll might be able to spray the primer on for the first time.

Thorsten
 
I spent the remaining day with some more sanding until the saucer parts were finished for the primer. I used a layer of the grey Tamiya primer on each side, followed by a second coat of Revell primer which comes out white for easier painting afterwards. Unfortunately it left me with a very grainy surface, so I had the joy of more sanding.

Then the hour came to get out the soldering iron. I grouped the LEDs to sets of two, which were connected to resistors of 680 Ohms in series. This is required for the power source which will be a 9V battery. After some nerve-wracking moments caused by bad connections I'm proud to finally show you the results:

At room light:
Ent_STID_Rev_build_030.JPGEnt_STID_Rev_build_031.JPG

In the darkness:
Ent_STID_Rev_build_032.JPGEnt_STID_Rev_build_033.JPG

Thorsten
 
For everyone in a panic over the painting of the Aztec pattern on this ship, Thomas models/pnt models and acreation models are both doing a full Aztec decal set for this ship. Only have a pic of the prototype pnt ones which will be uploaded shortly but they look awesome. No idea on dates for either set yet though, but will keep an eye out as I'll be snapping up a set of which ever turn out the most accurate as I have two of these kits on the go (one unlit for me, one lit for a friend).

Also, found a really nice effect in tests, if you seal the bussard assembly and put a 1mm hole in the back plate, you can inject white or grey smoke into the bussards then seal the hole. Looks stunning with a blue led poked through and lit. If a way can be done to apply it to a ncc-1701-e kit it would get the bussards on that ship spot on with the fluxuations in the smoke.
 
For the aztec sheme I will try the following:
I'll do all the masking work on my own and do it in a basic two-tone sheme (and the blueish areas respectively).
Then the fun starts. I'll try to replicate the interference effects using the PearlEX-pigments highly thinned with clear paints of various glossiness. I read good reviews about those pigments on a Refit thread, and as the effect is also present on the JJPrise, I'll give them a go here.

I didn't do a lot of research yet about the engine nacelles, but this is my preliminary plan (left hand side):
Bussard_lighting_layout_01.jpg
Around the rotor drive shaft the hole will be a bit wider to allow some diffuse blue light to enter into the Bussard dome behind the rotor. If you look at screenshots of the movie (or the virtual tour, right hand side), you see that the light is very dim and no direct light source is noticeable, in contrast to some builds which place a bright blue LED directly into the dome. I hope that my idea will replicate this effect closely. Of course I will give the clear part some layers of clear blue color with the airbrush.

Thorsten
 
Near as I can tell, in the 2009 movie, the blue light in the domes is from a ring of light on the walls of the inside of the nacelle tube. Just imagine a ring of blue light sitting behind the blades. This light then bounces around in the blades and dome to create the lighting effect. I have a CG model of the JJprise, and can test this theory if you guys would like by simulating it with CG (but physically accurate) lights.
 
Would tackle the Aztec myself but this model is my first venture into spraying and airbrushing so the Aztecs might be running before I can walk. Besides which I can't find many of the pearl colours needed in the uk.

Using humbrol sprays for the large areas with non mixed colour callouts in the kit, i.e. the stand and deflector. Also putting a motor in the lit bussards on my friends one. Might use the humbrol multi effect red on the unlit to give the impulse engines the nice red/orange shift illusion that shows up in the film.

The lit one is being done with multi electrical systems, to allow it to go to warp and drop to impulse. So with the flick of a switch the impulse will fade off, the deflector light will brighten, the bussards will light up with the motor driven blades and the light at the nacelle exhaust will brighten. Reverse for dropping to impulse.

Anyone solved the nacelle droop yet? Metal frame or other solution?
 
Also, have already back painted the windows on the unlit with black and for a select few on the secondary hull, light blue. Looks really nice. Will post photos when I'm not on mobile.

Will be tackling one of the 1/350 kits after this, anyone have a recommendation as to which? Ent refit, TOS connie or nx-01?

- - - Updated - - -
thorst. Really love the work so far. Are you altering the extending bits of the fins on the nacelles? If so are you having them extended and lit as if at warp?

Gareth.
 
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Hi folks,
Just wanted to let you all know, my aztec paint mask set will be available Monday June 23rd.
I'm putting the finishing touches on the nacelles now & working on the instructions.
This will be another in my line of "complete masking solutions" with aztecs, windows, & a lot of the accent colors.
Here are a couple of teaser pics! Ignore the color issues, I don't have the best camera.
20130621_145901.jpg20130615_062543.jpg20130615_062556.jpg20130620_161907.jpg
 
Wow Orbital Drydock, this looks really great! If I didn't already put so much money in this kit (and have to spend more for the stand...), I'd buy one of this masking sets immediately! I hope you get a lot of customers!

captainreynolds, yes, I will alter them as to correct the shape, but I won't depict them in warp mode. My ship will have no engines on except a very distinct glare in the impulse engines.

DanielB, thanks for the offer! I almost did a CG model of the Bussard collector on my own for this but decided that I have enough confidence that my plan works. And there's not too much room for different approaches to depict it in the model. It seems that in the original model there is a light source in the middle of the rotor which extends into a flower-like stucture to the front, but as with most lights on the ship it seems as if the CGI-people did some tricks to get the look we see on the screen (there are more spot light cones on the ship than it has lights). There is also a mirror at the front cap of the collector which reflects the light back. But I don't see a way to replicate this as it would require a hollow drive shaft for the rotor and a sliding contact for the LED's power. This is clearly above my ability.

Thorsten
 
Are these masks done out of vinyl or the stuff that you put tape over to transfer them to the model?

Both, the mask materials are vinyl & kabuki tape, & transfer tape is provided with the kits. Transfer tape can be used on any type of masking.

Wow Orbital Drydock, this looks really great! If I didn't already put so much money in this kit (and have to spend more for the stand...), I'd buy one of this masking sets immediately! I hope you get a lot of customers!

Thorsten

Thanks T.
I have a good feeling!

Looking really good on this build! Those micro leds turned out amazing, you've inspired me to use them as well... whenever I get to build it.
 
Would tackle the Aztec myself but this model is my first venture into spraying and airbrushing so the Aztecs might be running before I can walk. Besides which I can't find many of the pearl colours needed in the uk.

Using humbrol sprays for the large areas with non mixed colour callouts in the kit, i.e. the stand and deflector. Also putting a motor in the lit bussards on my friends one. Might use the humbrol multi effect red on the unlit to give the impulse engines the nice red/orange shift illusion that shows up in the film.

The lit one is being done with multi electrical systems, to allow it to go to warp and drop to impulse. So with the flick of a switch the impulse will fade off, the deflector light will brighten, the bussards will light up with the motor driven blades and the light at the nacelle exhaust will brighten. Reverse for dropping to impulse.

Anyone solved the nacelle droop yet? Metal frame or other solution?

If you go onto Etsy, you will find Pearl Ex pigment powders at a very reasonable price. I ordered micropearl, Interference red, green, blue, violet and gold which is, I believe, the entire range in the interference colours.
 
Hi folks,
Just wanted to let you all know, my aztec paint mask set will be available Monday June 23rd.
I'm putting the finishing touches on the nacelles now & working on the instructions.
This will be another in my line of "complete masking solutions" with aztecs, windows, & a lot of the accent colors.
Here are a couple of teaser pics! Ignore the color issues, I don't have the best camera.
View attachment 200327View attachment 200324View attachment 200325View attachment 200326

Looking forward to a set landing on my doorstep :-D.
 
Aries2
Thanks, just found them. Can they be mixed into clear acrylics? Namely revell aqua colour gloss clear. Won't be using them on this as I really don't have the confidence with airbrushing yet. However now that I have a source for the pearl colours it might sway me towards the 1/350 refit as my next model. Have a can or two of tamiya pearl white lying around from my 1/1000 build so will be a good base on the 1/350.

Also, for anyone who is using revell paints, sm314 is a much more accurate colour to screen than the white/yellow mix given for colour callout J. An 85% sm371 and 15% 49 gives a much more subtle and less garish colour than than the callout F. Matt 9 also gives a better colour on parts B 74, 75, 76, 77, part J 63 and part K 51.
 
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Some of the colour mixes and callouts by revell are shockingly inaccurate. They have bits that are meant to be black with a hint of blue light painted yellow. Areas that are meant to be mainly copper/bronze they have in completely clear blue.

The problem with following the refit colour callouts is that the JJ prise uses a very light grey base rather than the white of the old filming model from tmp. And the Aztec pattern is so much more complex on this ship, lot more overlapping pearl areas, lot more variations in shades of grey between panels and a secondary Aztec pattern created over all that by using gloss, satin and matt clearcoats.

That's why I don't want this ship as my first venture into Aztec airbrushing. I would rather tackle the dreaded refit pattern.
 
Also, just managed to take some pics of bits I've mentioned like the window effects and progress I've made. Will upload them today, 12:25am here, so in about 9-10 hours.
 
Right, first up the PNT decals:

nudecals.jpg

No idea of release date or price for these yet.


Window effect:

DSC_0061-1.jpg

DSC_0070-1.jpg

DSC_0068-1.jpg

Was achieved by back painting the clear parts with gloss black and light blue,

DSC_0062-1.jpg

Same effect was used on the lower sensor dome,

DSC_0067-1.jpg

The effect has been used on the vents under the nacelles but the piece needs masking and spraying dark grey from the outside,

DSC_0069-1.jpg

The bridge dome and bay windows have been back painted with gloss black and a bright teal colour, though not sure what to do about the central bay window that looks into the bridge,

DSC_0063-1.jpg

DSC_0065-1.jpg

DSC_0064-1.jpg

The base and deflector primed and ready for colour coats:

DSC_0057-1.jpg

DSC_0060-1.jpg

Some of the paints mentioned in my last post, from top left ((matt 55)the teal used for the bridge dome, (50)gloss light blue for windows and sensor dome, (sm314)the beige to replace colour callout J, (91)the steel for base and back painting the bussards, (matt 9)the dark grey to replace the semi-matt black, (7)gloss black used for windows, (sm371)semi-matt light grey for callout A, (sm301)semi-matt white for most callouts, (49)the better colour for callout K):

DSC_0057-2.jpg

Finally a quick dry test with comparison to polar lights 1/1000 refit and amt 1/1400 ent-e:

DSC_0042-1.jpg

And showing the nacelle droop issue:

DSC_0040-1.jpg

DSC_0046-1.jpg

Had the pylons taped together pretty tightly and the nacelles secured well but still would not stop drooping and angling away from each other at the back. Has anyone found a solution to this yet as I had an old tos amt kit with a similar issue but never managed to fix it (though that was 10 years ago)?
 
Aries2
Thanks, just found them. Can they be mixed into clear acrylics? Namely revell aqua colour gloss clear. Won't be using them on this as I really don't have the confidence with airbrushing yet. However now that I have a source for the pearl colours it might sway me towards the 1/350 refit as my next model. Have a can or two of tamiya pearl white lying around from my 1/1000 build so will be a good base on the 1/350.

Also, for anyone who is using revell paints, sm314 is a much more accurate colour to screen than the white/yellow mix given for colour callout J. An 85% sm371 and 15% 49 gives a much more subtle and less garish colour than than the callout F. Matt 9 also gives a better colour on parts B 74, 75, 76, 77, part J 63 and part K 51.

As far as I am aware they can be used in any clear medium. Have fun. Can't wait to try mine out :D.
 
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