1/420 USS Defiant

JMar

Well-Known Member

• Dec 16, 2014

• #1

Next up in project stash. The USS Defiant.

I'm going to do some work making it more accurate, without going overboard.

Most of my focus will be on the engines and I may file the deflector openings to make them closer to accurate. I won't be modifying the housing though.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2018

SmilingOtter

Master Member

• Dec 16, 2014

• #2

I look forward to following this. She's a tough little ship.

 

Hunk a Junk

Sr Member

• Dec 17, 2014

• #3

JMar said:

I won't be modifying the housing though.

Click to expand...

Even though it may be more of a modification than you want to take on, think about widening the nose deflector housing. It's the one change that really goes a long way toward making the proportions of the ship look more accurate. Once it's done, you'll never regret it.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2018

JMar

Well-Known Member

• Dec 17, 2014

• #4

Not much progress. It took most of last evening just to hog out the upper hull.
Hunk of junk: I might. I've got a second salvage kit I can experiment on.

 

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Hunk a Junk

Sr Member

• Dec 17, 2014

• #5

Here are some WIP shots of mine. I widened the nose by about an 1/4" and cut long wedge-shaped slices out of the nacelles to make them taper toward the rear. It's a lot of surgery, but I think it helps.

 

Eric Ardros

Sr Member

• Dec 17, 2014

• #6

I recognize that work bench Good to see you're making use of it again, my friend.

Like what you've done so far, btw. I have an original release Defiant kit I plan on accurizing the bejeezus out of it once I can get around to it.

When I do, I'd love to get your help with certain aspects of it. Speaking of which, how'd you hog out the upper hull? :confused

 

JMar

Well-Known Member

• Dec 18, 2014

• #7

More work on the Defiant. Making the Bussard collectors more acurate.

This is going to be a slow build
eric Andros: These donor kits are first run.

As for hogging out the upper hull. I started by drilling the plasma vents (rounds) then I switched over to my dremel stylus with a grinding bit. You can remove the material from the inside (carefully). It'll think the plastic behind them and you can exacto them out OR if you're really careful you can thin the material enough to just pop them out.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2018

JMar

Well-Known Member

• Dec 19, 2014

• #8

More work on the Defiant last night.

Couple of changes. I'm using the modified bussard housings but I'll be scratch building the collectors. The kit ones are pretty terrible.

I also decided to make the warp engines as sub assemblies rather than build them in the hull.

I did a light test with a couple strips of LED tape and a 9 volt battery. I suspect for the final set up I'll add and LED strip top (facing down) and bottom (facing up). I'm more interested in getting a decent blue glow rather than trying to duplicate the exact light set up of the studio model.

I also tried scribing for the first time. The raised panel lines are no good...and neither was my first attempt at scribing

 

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Eric Ardros

Sr Member

• Dec 19, 2014

• #9

JMar said:

[...]

@Eric Ardros: These donor kits are first run.

As for hogging out the upper hull. I started by drilling the plasma vents (rounds) then I switched over to my dremel stylus with a grinding bit. You can remove the material from the inside (carefully). It'll think the plastic behind them and you can exacto them out OR if you're really careful you can thin the material enough to just pop them out.

Click to expand...

Kewl! Thanks for the tip, buddy I'll definitely try that when I get around to doing mine. Hopefully I won't mess anything up, lol.

JMar said:

More work on the Defiant last night.

Couple of changes. I'm using the modified bussard housings but I'll be scratch building the collectors. The kit ones are pretty terrible.

I also decided to make the warp engines as sub assemblies rather than build them in the hull.

[...]

I also tried scribing for the first time. The raised panel lines are no good...and neither was my first attempt at scribing

Click to expand...

I also have it in mind to sand down the raised panel lines and scribe them into the hull. Already marked it all off on my kit with black Sharpie.

Have a neat little scribing tool specifically designed for styrene model kits, it's worked well on a couple other projects I've done.

Question: what exactly are you doing to scribe the panel lines?

I typically apply blue painter's tape to whatever surface I'm scribing, using the tape's edge as a guideline for the tool to follow.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2018

JMar

Well-Known Member

• Dec 22, 2014

• #10

eric andros: Turns out I won't be scribing the panel line. Not quite ready for that task yet.

I did spend the weekend working on the nacelles. I scratch built a couple of the details and the rest is just pieces of sheet styrene, strips and tubes.

I'm pretty happy with the results

 

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brandomack

Sr Member

• Feb 15, 2017

• #11

Did you ever finish this JMar?

 

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defiantcapt

New Member

• Mar 15, 2018

• #12

I am making one as well. I just have to say it. Masking this ship is a bitch! The lines and raised panels are barely there after a very thin coat of primer. Hrrrrr. P'tak!

 

Last edited: Mar 15, 2018