1st Pilot Enterprise

Why, oh why do I look at these threads and end up drooling over a huge model I have no room for, but must have!

Nice work. I had no idea that the interconnecting dorsal was blue in the pilot.
 
Absolutely love it - that's my favourite version of the TOS Enterprise. I especially like the blue neck. What colour did you use for that? Nice work on the weathering, too. Are the markings painted on or decal?

I'm working on a 1/1000 blue neck, myself,but the winter's here and it's too cold for painting. (Plus I messed up and put the impulse engine on at a slight angle, and I can't face fixing that just now.)
 
What colour did you use for (the neck)?

It's a custom mix. One of the fellows who participated in the Smithsonian restoration of the 11-foot FX miniature was kind enough to forward a set of paint swatches based on the original Pilot paint scheme, so the colors should be fairly accurate (or as accurate as it's possible to get at this point).

Are the markings painted on or decal?

They're actually dark grey Dry Transfers. I wanted to simulate the painted-on look of the original 1st Pilot miniature. Most of the hull markings are painted on using vinyl masks (I generally try not to use decals if I can avoid it). Weathering is oils, lightly applied with make-up brushes. The surface is finished off with a satin top-coat.

I had no idea that the interconnecting dorsal was blue in the pilot.

Yeah, I think that took a lot of us by surprise, lol. Here’s a “roll-out” shot of the 11-footer, taken the day it was delivered to the production from Production Models in Burbank. As you can see, the dorsal is clearly blue.

11147011_1399633503698873_3150239761910290459_n by Carson Dyle, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
One other possibility is some sort of attempt bare metal, methinks. But opinions about this no doubt abound!
 
Very nice build. Regarding the registry markings, I noticed you used the pilot version(s) of the "7" a "1", but used the series version of the "R" in "ENTERPRISE". Was that a choice, or is that a limitation of the decal sheet for the Cage and / or MWMHGB version?
 
Very nice build. Regarding the registry markings, I noticed you used the pilot version(s) of the "7" a "1", but used the series version of the "R" in "ENTERPRISE". Was that a choice, or is that a limitation of the decal sheet for the Cage and / or MWMHGB version?

Once I made the choice to go with painted-on hull markings (as opposed to decals) I knew I'd have to live with the incorrect "R." The only aftermarket vinyl stencils I could find were for the Production version, and although the "7" and "1" were easy to modify, the "R" was impossible.

One goof I made, which has since been corrected: As seen above, I originally neglected to flip one of the registration numbers on the lower saucer. I also failed to get the proper slant at the trailing edge of the red nacelle stripes. Fortunately, these were easy fixes.

Something I still need to correct is the paint scheme on the deflector "antenna." It should be a single shade of polished aluminum (not a combination of aluminum and copper).

Generally speaking, I attempted to recreate the 1st Pilot 11-footer as closely as possible, but with the inclusion of weathering. The only intentional variations were to the shuttle bay doors (I mimicked the Production version instead of the smooth Pilot version) and the nacelle end-caps (I opted for the 3-footer end-caps as seen in "The Cage" instead of the featureless end-caps found on the 1st Pilot 11-footer).

One other possibility is some sort of attempt bare metal, methinks. But opinions about this no doubt abound!

My first thought, based on the vintage pix of the 11-footer, was that the dorsal had originally been painted a metallic "Pontiac Engine Blue" (a very popular shade with sci-fi movies and TV series of the 60's). Based on the painted "footprint" of the dorsal uncovered during the most recent Smithsonian restoration, we now know the dorsal was originally painted a glossy shade of non-metallic blue.

I'd love to know what Matt Jefferies was thinking here, but we'll never know for certain. Both Pilot versions of the 11-footer were very much works-in-progress, and the blue neck may simply have been an experiment to see what might be accomplished with a glossy blue surface from a photographic standpoint.
 
Last edited:
Ah, you did mention that you used stencils vs decals, missed that. One thought on the "R"s is you could have perhaps made a custom stencil, using a whole "P" and part of another "P" or a series "R" (the pilot version's lower right leg looks like a flipped very top portion of either letter). Just a thought, not suggesting you change your lovely model in any way.

My focus on the "R" stems from my desire to have a replica of the Galileo 7 FX miniature, which used the pilot Enterprise's "R" (though the series "1" and "7"). If Round2 ever comes out with their aborted Galileo model, and assuming they only offer the font used on the mockup, I will likely try to mimic the FX miniature markings by acquiring / using a spare decal sheet.
 
Well, I'm not waiting for that, am having a custom Galileo built out of (mostly) maple by a talented CNC woodworker. But if you do end up having to eat your hat, I will be happy to have a second Galileo to build myself. :)
 
It's a custom mix. One of the fellows who participated in the Smithsonian restoration of the 11-foot FX miniature was kind enough to forward a set of paint swatches based on the original Pilot paint scheme, so the colors should be fairly accurate (or as accurate as it's possible to get at this point).



They're actually dark grey Dry Transfers. I wanted to simulate the painted-on look of the original 1st Pilot miniature. Most of the hull markings are painted on using vinyl masks (I generally try not to use decals if I can avoid it). Weathering is oils, lightly applied with make-up brushes. The surface is finished off with a satin top-coat.



Yeah, I think that took a lot of us by surprise, lol. Here’s a “roll-out” shot of the 11-footer, taken the day it was delivered to the production from Production Models in Burbank. As you can see, the dorsal is clearly blue.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4279/34878239004_b1c4ef6286_b.jpg11147011_1399633503698873_3150239761910290459_n by Carson Dyle, on Flickr

For a split second I thought the mailbox was the shuttle! :)
 
This thread is more than 6 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top