Greetings! I've recently committed myself to fulfilling a longtime goal by building super-accurate versions of all three TOS Enterprises--both pilots and production (as well as the TMP refit and "A", but that's another project, and awaits the release of the 1/1000 Round 2 kit).
In earlier years, I'd hoped to do this with the old AMT/Ertl kits, but the Polar Lights 1/1000 offering is a much better and more accurate choice. It's not as neat as the 33" Master Replicas model (which itself suffers from some inaccuracies and mass-production problems), and I won't be lighting my kits, but being able to say "I did it!" will be very satisfying.
Two years ago, I built up a production-style PL kit as the Lexington, and just recently did a first-pilot build as the Constitution. These served as test-runs.
http://www.starshipmodeler.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=78553
Now, I'm turning my attention to the first pilot incarnation of the Enterprise, as seen in "The Cage". I'm going all-out, and even intend to replicate the weathering pattern as exactly as possible.
This thread will serve three purposes:
1. To chronicle my build.
2. To provide me with building info/tips (since I'm still something of a novice in terms of my techniques), as well as accurate references for this version of the ship.
3. To provide a place for discussion and study for this version of the ship. We can ALL learn a few things from such discussion.
I have the model pretty much assembled, and am still working on filling seams. Photos will be soon to follow. In terms of accurization, I've removed and filled all running lights and running light holes, as well as the panel lines on the dorsal and engines. The raised details on the sides of the secondary hull and saucer underside have also been removed, as have the rectangular details on the kit's stock first pilot nacelle endcaps (this detail is on the 33" model, but not the 11-footer, which had smooth endcaps).
There are a number of details I'm still working on discerning, and I'll get to those in time.
For now, I open the thread to you, my learned colleagues, so that you may provide reference, discussion, and arcane trivia on this, the first version of the greatest spaceship of them all!
In earlier years, I'd hoped to do this with the old AMT/Ertl kits, but the Polar Lights 1/1000 offering is a much better and more accurate choice. It's not as neat as the 33" Master Replicas model (which itself suffers from some inaccuracies and mass-production problems), and I won't be lighting my kits, but being able to say "I did it!" will be very satisfying.
Two years ago, I built up a production-style PL kit as the Lexington, and just recently did a first-pilot build as the Constitution. These served as test-runs.
http://www.starshipmodeler.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=78553
Now, I'm turning my attention to the first pilot incarnation of the Enterprise, as seen in "The Cage". I'm going all-out, and even intend to replicate the weathering pattern as exactly as possible.
This thread will serve three purposes:
1. To chronicle my build.
2. To provide me with building info/tips (since I'm still something of a novice in terms of my techniques), as well as accurate references for this version of the ship.
3. To provide a place for discussion and study for this version of the ship. We can ALL learn a few things from such discussion.
I have the model pretty much assembled, and am still working on filling seams. Photos will be soon to follow. In terms of accurization, I've removed and filled all running lights and running light holes, as well as the panel lines on the dorsal and engines. The raised details on the sides of the secondary hull and saucer underside have also been removed, as have the rectangular details on the kit's stock first pilot nacelle endcaps (this detail is on the 33" model, but not the 11-footer, which had smooth endcaps).
There are a number of details I'm still working on discerning, and I'll get to those in time.
For now, I open the thread to you, my learned colleagues, so that you may provide reference, discussion, and arcane trivia on this, the first version of the greatest spaceship of them all!
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:thumbsup
