First pilot Enterprise

Gregatron · May 22, 2010

For many years, now, I've wanted to build the original Enterprise in each of its three confirgurations--first pilot ("The Cage"), second pilot ("Where No Man has Gone Before"), and production.

Polar Lights/Round2's 1/1000 kit seemed the perfect opportunity to do that. I'd done several builds of it (labeled as Consitution and Lexington) previously as a warm-up.

Well, back in the fall, I began work on The Enterprise Project, consisting of a buildup of each version of the ship. The goals were:

A) Practice on the pilot models in order to perfect my technique for the final, production model.

B) Work with other fans and solve some of the mysteries of the model, such as exactly what details changed between versions. We've had an ongoing thread at Starship Modeler to this effect, and have made a number of interesting discoveries (such as the existence of a red pinstripe around the bridge and tiny faux formation lights on the saucer of the first pilot model).

Well, I just finished my first pilot build. And, aside from some sloppiness on my part, it's turned out incredibly well. It may also be the most accurate "Cage" Enterprise ever built, in terms of detailing. I even went so far as to match the weathering patterns on the hull down to specific streaks of green, rust, and gray.

And, as an homage to the famous zoom-in opening shot in the pilot episode, I left the upper bridge dome clear, and inserted a tiny bridge interior decal beneath it (NOT off-center, mind you--I know there's no room for the turbolift that way, but the concept of an off-center bridge drives me a bit nuts).

Space, the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the United Spaceship Enterprise.
Its one-episode mission:
to explore Talos IV, to seek out survivors and rescue Captain Pike,
to boldly go where the S.S. Columbia has gone before!

CaptHowdy · May 22, 2010

Very cool, did one that I lite with leds ( my first try with them). Been wanting to do more and your builds have inspired me to make them.
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r169/Rigby1962/?action=view&current=TOS_0009.jpg&newest=1

trekman1017 · Aug 13, 2010

What about the rectangles at the end of the nacelles?

Clerval · Aug 13, 2010

Ah, Enterprise... and the great conundrum. Do you rotate the bridge decal 36 degrees...? : ) Been cool to check out these builds, great paint jobs to say the least.

Shaw · Aug 13, 2010

trekman1017 said:
What about the rectangles at the end of the nacelles?

Those only existed on the 33 inch model... they were never added to the 11 foot model.

trekman1017 · Aug 18, 2010

Sorry to be asking you so many questions, but how did you weather the ship?

Gregatron · Aug 18, 2010

Question away!

I used pastel chalks--rusty brown, green, gray, and black, applied with Q-tips and chalk-blending tools. After each "layer" was applied, I gently rubbed it down with super-fine steel wool, then applied another layer.

Rare photos and screencaps were used to match specific streaks and patches--others (like the entire portside) were done at random.

It took a few hours to do all of this. I then very lightly misted the base color over everything to blend it in, then applied a clear glosscote to seal it, then decals, then dullcote.

Droid · Aug 19, 2010

very well done!

First pilot Enterprise

Gregatron

Master Member

CaptHowdy

Active Member

trekman1017

Well-Known Member

Clerval

Sr Member

Shaw

Well-Known Member

trekman1017

Well-Known Member

Gregatron

Master Member

Droid

Well-Known Member

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