TOS Enterprise by AMT

[trekriffic]

This is the 18" kit I bought back in the mid-80's but not built unitl 2005. This ship is fully lit with motorized warp nacelles and a detailed shuttle bay. This depicts the ship in the final year of it's 5 year mission with upgrades to the deflector and bussard sensors along with an expanded B-C deck.

My dentist took this snapshot with his "mouth" camera:

With Botany Bay:

"warp" engine:

 

[hankey01]

Stunning!

 

[Shaw]

I've always liked this model! You did a great job on it. :thumbsup

 

[MooCriket]

Beautiful, it's like the fourth of July....great work!

 

[DrMcoy]

sweet.

 

[JMChladek]

That is the first one I've seen done with the Ed Miarecki style studio model "restoration" weathering on it. While I was never crazy about how it looked on the big model, it looks GREAT here! It really does give the ship a sense of scale. Nice job!

 

[PHArchivist]

Superb. Smartly weathered.

 

[trekriffic]

Thanks for the comments everyone. As JMChladek noted, the weathering is based on the current "restoration" by Ed Miarecki although I did try to tone it down a little. I found a lot of the weathering does wash out under brighter lighting as some have suggested was the case with the 11 foot studio model.
Here are a few more pics:

Approaching The Defiant...

 

[saarno]

Trekriffic,

That is a great job on this build! THe motorized bussard dome lighting is the ultimate in realism. Did you build the shuttle bay from scratch or buy aftermarket? Great weathering!

I have a few threads with pics of two 18" TOS'es I'm working on. Here's a new build I have going - won't be as accurate as yours, and I didn't put in any lights. That will be the next one I buy.

AMT TOS Enterprise Re-build

 

[TheSt.LouisKid]

If that was any more spiffy there would be two of them.

 

[trekriffic]

Trekriffic,

That is a great job on this build! THe motorized bussard dome lighting is the ultimate in realism. Did you build the shuttle bay from scratch or buy aftermarket? Great weathering!

I have a few threads with pics of two 18" TOS'es I'm working on. Here's a new build I have going - won't be as accurate as yours, and I didn't put in any lights. That will be the next one I buy.

AMT TOS Enterprise Re-build

Thanks saarno.
The shuttle bay is totally scratched. I rigged up a red 3mm self-flashing LED inside the hull with fiber optic strands terminating above the entrances inside the bay so the red warning signs over the entrances actually flash. The Galileo is made from scratch and is about 3/8" long.
The main ceiling light is a tiny GOW bulb wired to a rheostat switch attached to a shaft at the back of the main deflector dish which rotates. Turning the dish clockwise activates the light; turning it counter-clockwise activates the motors in the nacelles. I have 3 non-flashing yellow LED's interspersed with 3 self-flashing yellow LED's behind each bussard dome so the warp engines flicker when not in motion.


You current project looks to be coming along nicely. Using the laser level to align the saucer with the secondary hull is brilliant! I used a jig and small float level when I built mine. I look forward to seeing more WIP pics of your 18 inchers.

 

[phase pistol]

I don't know why I like this so much but I do! :lol :thumbsup

Gridlines on 11-foot original miniature: FAIL

Gridlines on AMT model: WIN

 

[trekriffic]

I don't know why I like this so much but I do! :lol :thumbsup

Gridlines on 11-foot original miniature: FAIL

Gridlines on AMT model: WIN

The gridlines were done in pencil using a compass and protractor after I sanded off the raised kit gridlines. I drew them on after basecoating and painting the rust ring. Then I sprayed another layer of the basecoat over everything to make the lines more subtle. This pic which is one of the best ones of the upper saucer gridlines:

 

[GeneralFROSTY]

Wowzer! Looks just like the studio model - very impressive!