Best Favorite Scale in General and Trek Models?

[Skippy2k]

Hello, I'm not really a modeler but I've always thought it would be cool to have a representation display of all the Enterprises and possibly "hero ships" like the Defiant and Voyager and have an idea of how I want to display them but I was curious about a couple of things. I have some of the DST/Art Asylum toy ships, the three versions of the classic, refit and E but thought I might try models that might look better as part of a display...not sure. I like the IDEA of modeling and painting them I'm just not sure I would be able to do them justice...

What I wondered mostly about was scale, I had years ago the 1400 scale Enterprise D that as a kid was only painted very little (nacelles and such) and decals slapped on and seem to remember that being a pretty nice scaled ship but looking it seems that 2500 is a popular scale? A few post seemed surprised about models in the 1400? Is there better reasons to go this route?

I also always thought all the ships in scale to each other would be cool BUT given that I really love the classic/movie refit Enterprises I wonder if one could really appreciate them as small as they would be if done in scale to say the D?

Just a couple of random questions...the easiest would probably just be to pick up the couple of DST Enterprises I don't have yet but figured I would look at the best options. Thanks!

 

[Cadeus]

A modeler years back did a really nice build-up of both the Enterprises D and E at 1/650 scale, and I have seen some great models of the original enterprises at something near that scale. The trouble is finding model kits at that scale... especially the D and E since they are no longer available. Look at this list to see all other kits made at 1/650 scale. This list also has every other model ever made and its respective scale, too: http://www.starshipmodeler.com/trek/trekscales.cfm ( this list is not updated, and there may be more). In the end, you may have to scratch-build some of the ships you want that fit in the scale you decide, or pay someone else to... I can tell you that, now that the summer is here, I finally have the time and resources to begin the scratch-builds I have been planning for. If you decide to have something built, I would love the opportunity to try to help you.

Here is a resource to look at the 1/650 scale "galaxy class": http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=49656

And here is the 1/650 Enterprise-E: http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=49686

Good luck!

PS- if you want to collaborate on a scratch-build, just PM me and let me know what you are interested in seeing.)

 

[Skippy2k]

Wow, those 1/650 scale builds are huge and awesome lol. As awesome as such display in that scale would be I think for budget and space reasons something a little smaller will have to do! That's a nice list! I looked a couple of times to try and find an image or two that showed the same ship in different comparatively out of curiosity, like I said I had what I am decently certain was the 1400 Enterprise D many years ago and I believe I had an incomplete (at least I don't recall it being complete) 2500 one at some point along the way. Never really detail painted which is why I am debating model vs the assembled/painted versions put out by DST...I could theoretically paint solid colors but I just don't think I could do the flare that so often impresses me with other peoples builds. Like I said I'm probably not going to do a vast variety of the trek ships, I mean I love ships but I was thinking the Enterprise evolution essentially and then since I'm really a fan of all Trek adding something from the other shows in there. While as I said I have a few of the DST toy ships I only have the refit Enterprise sitting on my shelf at the moment which really isn't a bad representation of it IMO, just seems there is some variance in quality on some of them.

I may take you up on that, I still thinking about it and debating I thought the 1400 might be big enough for them to be scaled to each other but still have a little size but the 2500 "cadet" ones looked like might be in my skill level with pretty much being fully decaled lol. I may pick something up to try experimenting just not sure I could do it as nicely as all those pics I've browsed through. I love the TOS ship and I think the movie refit is probably my favorite but it's been awhile since I've had an Enterprise D and there are some nice looking models of it out there.

Do you tend to model/scratch build in just those larger scales, a variety or have a preferred general scale? Or even a general size outside of all the same scale to stick to?

Thanks for the response and links!

 

[Cadeus]

Your welcome. The beauty of scratch building is that I can build what I like at whatever scale I like. I have built models in many different scales. The smaller ones are easier because they don't require the same support structure and detail as the larger ones. I have a build thread on here you could dust off that shows the beginning stages of my 1/350 scale Enterprise-C build-up... it is a monster. That is one of the projects I intend to complete over the summer, or at least get a good start on. Not having a proper work space was holding me back. making a smaller scale model pop like the larger scale models is difficult, but not impossible. If you have an airbrush you can even paint the translucent panel lines to some degree to give it that "large scale" feel. But painting is not something I can give advise on. I am only amateur when it comes to painting. To see the enterprises lined up next to each other at the same scale I offer you this image. The C and up are much bigger than their cousins. If your space is very limited you may have to sacrifice detail to complete your collection.


I saw some of those small die-cast models last year at the Space City Comic Con in Houston. And I was amazed at how detailed they were for their size. most were no larger that a soft ball. (If Star Trek could do something like those Star Wars gaming models that would solve all your problems. those things are expensive but rediculously detailed for their size.)

 

[Skippy2k]

Nice, I looked that up should be a cool build and will have to watch for updates! I've never had an airbrush, like I said I've never really painted a model beyond the basics. I once tried something a little more when I cutout an aztec pattern for the A as a paint mask for the saucer...just painted over a section and rotated it but it didn't look to bad. Somewhere in a move or the shuffle though part of the model was lost and so it never got too far beyond that.

The thought I was considering which is hard to explain but I have a corner space above my 3 monitor setup but between shelves on either wall I was thinking of curving a piece of clear plexilglass or solid but bendable material in the corner between the two shelves/walls maybe backpainting it black and then dotting holes troughout with a light behind in the corner to shine thru like a starfield backround and possibly a planet of some kind forground just above my setup. I had the thought of stacking the ships something similar to this image.


That's one random thought anyway as before I've only really sat them on shelves.

So the 350 scale, that put's the Enterprise D at the studio scale of the 6 foot "miniature"? Cool I like that one better than the 4 footer and that will be nice! I was going to pick up one one the Eaglemoss ships since the first is only like $5 and it's the Enterprise D which for such a small scale looks pretty nicely detailed.

 

[Richard Baker]

I think Capital ships need to be big models- ones that when you put your eye up to them you get perspective. 1/350 is a great size for the Trek ships, my biggest issue is that I simply do not have any room to display a model that size these days- I am going to have to reconfigure the Refit to a Destroyer if I am going to be able to build that model at all.
1/1000 is a second choice- a decent size but a bit more practical for shelves. !/1400 is as small as I would want to go for a capital ship- 'Cadet' size (1/2500 looks more like a gaming miniature to me. The Cadets are god for quick cheap kit bashing though.

I hate having a confined space limit what I can build now, especially when there are some fantastic big models there days.

 

[Skippy2k]

I'm going to have to look at the scale list again to see about the larger ships but I just don't think as cool as it would be to have them all in scale that I want the Enterprise Refit to be shrunk down to what it would be at 1400...it's just one of my favorites and seeing how clean and nice some of these builds I've seen pictures of I think it would just be too small. The image I posted above as what I was considering doesn't appear to be right at scale either.

I like the ease of just putting up and getting the last DST Enterprise's but I'm just not sure...there are some nice model builds but may have to see about what it runs to commission one...doesn't hurt to look lol.

 

[Jedi Dade]

I resisted it for a LONG time but I've come to really like the 1/1000 ships. at first I thought they were too small... but the delve of craftsmanship that model companies are putting out these days is so good that all the details and accuracy I want are present in the 1/1000 ships... and at 1/1000 even the really large ships like the Enterprise D would still be in a reasonable size to display (D would be ~ 28 inches) 1 1/350's are awesome but impractical to display if you plan on collecting them... unless you can devote a wing of the mansion to the display (I wish).

Jedi Dade

 

[Skippy2k]

I looked at the list of 1/1000 ships to what there was of the ones I was wanting but it didn't look like most were available in that scale? Like I said though maybe I won't end up doing them all in the same scale to each other though it would be cool. Looks they are all only available in the 1400 and 2500 scales if done to the same... Would be nice to have a wing to display all of them and that HUGE 350 scale though!

 

[Skippy2k]

I wonder with the TOS, A and B Enterprise's now being out in 1/1000 if they have mentioned any intention of continuing the line with the C, D and E in the same scale? I'm leaning toward the 1400 but it doesn't look like the Starcraft kits of that size are lightable like the other produced kits?