# 1st Edition Small Box Enterprise



## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

Hi All,

I'm working on a 1st edition small box AMT TOS Enterprise. This is the one with the grooves in the pylons and the bulkhead piece in the secondary hull. Here it is after sanding and filling. I also sanded off the rings, and scribed more correct ones using a compass. The grid pattern had to go to, and I am lighting the bridge and lower sensor domes. Just like the original with grain of wheat bulbs not LED's. Sorry, I'm electronics deficient.:

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2015-06-27 14.18.06.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2015-06-27 14.20.11.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/... Box TOS Enterprise/2015-06-27 14.45.26_1.jpg

There was very little filling I had to to do with this version except for some large gaps at the front of the secondary hull, and the upper front of the dorsal strut. Otherwise I just glued really well, and sanded smooth. The plastic on this version is a little more thick than the current molds.

Here she is painted with some of the detail painting completed.

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2015-07-21 19.43.44.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2015-07-21 19.44.19.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2015-08-05 15.10.40.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2016-01-15 20.54.14.jpg

In the last picture you'll notice that I have some correct resin end caps on the nacelles. I'm debating whether or not to use the smooth ones that are original to the kit or, to use these. The originals fit better but, the resin end caps look better. You can only tell the difference if you get real close to the nacelles. I'm open to suggestions. 

Tom


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

I forgot about that version. 

My later in life build of an original release back in the mid 80s (complete with the grain of wheat lighting) lasted about 3 days when a poster fell off the wall and snapped off the warp engines. Those bizarre toggle attachments were so darned fragile.


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

I'm going to epoxy them on with this one. I got my first one back in the early 70's and my brother snapped them off trying to build it for me. By the time I got my next one they changed the tooling to this style, and had gone to the small box.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

One of my fondest childhood memories is of turning out the lights and 'zooming' my lighted *Enterprise* around the room. If memory serves the dome covers were greenish?

Carl-


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

Mine had amber bussards and greenish upper and lower saucer domes.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

One suggestion on the nacelle struts is to reinforce them some brass tubing. When I built my own 18 incher years ago I used two sections of brass channel in each nacelle strut epoxied in on either side of the locator pins. I left enough brass sticking out the bottom to insert into the secondary hull slots after gluing some plastic shims onto the brass channels to get a tight fit in the slots. Worked well for passing the wires thru too for lighting the bussards and running the bussard fan motors. 

Regarding the end caps, I like the look of the resin ones with the "balls" best.


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

Thanks Trekkrific! I agree with you wholeheartedly and I'm going to use the resin end caps. The brass tube suggestion is great and I will consider it for my next Enterprise.(Yes, there will definitely be one) I'm too far along on this one to add them on this time. I should have it finished sometime next week, and hopefully have some pictures up soon after.


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

Here is the first picture after assembly and putting on the decals. I have a little touch up to do then I will take some final pictures. Thanks for looking!

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2016-01-30 12.37.24.jpg


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

Hi Everyone,

Here are the completed pictures of my Enterprise project. It turned out much better than I hoped considering some of the limitations of this earlier kit. I'm really happy with the results, and I hope the person I built it for really enjoys it. Thank you all for taking a look, and for your kind words of support.

Tom

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2016-02-02 19.37.16.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2016-02-02 19.36.43.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac327/tdwi66/Early Small Box TOS Enterprise/20160202_194046.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac327/tdwi66/Early Small Box TOS Enterprise/20160202_194824.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac327/tdwi66/Early Small Box TOS Enterprise/20160202_195621.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2016-02-02 21.12.02.jpg

Here are a couple with the lights on.

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac327/tdwi66/Early Small Box TOS Enterprise/20160202_195109.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac327/tdwi66/Early Small Box TOS Enterprise/20160202_195247.jpg


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Nice clean job. Really well done!


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

Thanks Trekkriffic!!!!!


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## alensatemybuick (Sep 27, 2015)

That's really a very nice job, didn't think an AMT kit could come out so nice.

Back in the late 70s, a friend of the family gave me a vintage AMT Enterprise kit he had started to build in the late 60s, but never completed. I cannot recall the box size. I remember it was set up for lights, and that the nacelle caps were cast in on orange/amber plastic, but not just the domes but the entire thingy depicted here in the attached. Would that have been a very early kit? Or is my memory failing (just turned 50 yesterday).

For giggles, I've attached a pic of a later AMT kit I built in the early 80s...not sure my modeling skills have appreciably advanced since then.


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

Thank you very kindly Sir! 

If that kit had the amber caps then it was likely the second edition of the kit which had lights for both the saucer and the nacelles. They quickly dropped the nacelle lighting because it likely made the nacelle drooping problem a little worse trying to run wiring through those lame locking tabs. So your memory is just fine.(I'll be 50 in May):thumbsup:

Your 80's kit looks just fine to me.


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## alensatemybuick (Sep 27, 2015)

Its kinda cool to turn 50 the same year as the 50th anniversary of Trek is celebrated. I will make every effort to be at the NASM at or around the unveiling of the new Enterprise display. Attached is a pic I took of her (grainy Kodak DISC camera) back in the summer of 1986; had taken a trip with two friends from NJ to DC, was the first first trip I ever took without "family supervision". I guess my wife will supervise me this time  (she thinks I am regressed to think as much about original Trek as I do at my age, even though SHE is a fan herself).


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

alensatemybuick said:


> For giggles, I've attached a pic of a later AMT kit I built in the early 80s...not sure my modeling skills have appreciably advanced since then.


Noticed you painted the deflector dish red. I thought the same thing when I built my first Enterprise as a kid; I painted the dish red as well. I swear in the opening fly buy sequences that dish looked red to my juvenile eyes.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

alensatemybuick said:


> Back in the late 70s, a friend of the family gave me a vintage AMT Enterprise kit he had started to build in the late 60s, but never completed. I cannot recall the box size. I remember it was set up for lights, and that the nacelle caps were cast in on orange/amber plastic, but not just the domes but the entire thingy depicted here in the attached. Would that have been a very early kit? Or is my memory failing (just turned 50 yesterday).
> 
> For giggles, I've attached a pic of a later AMT kit I built in the early 80s...not sure my modeling skills have appreciably advanced since then.


Yes, I remember it well. And boy, does that bring back memories! I'm 57. I had a 1968 or 1969 Long Box version 2 (LB2), the S951 kit, and those parts were indeed all amber orange semi-clear to be used w/ the lighting system included. I don't think all of them had the "enhanced lighting" option, though:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Yep. I remember the small box version came with the separate parts and the three little sensors molded around the perimeter of the dome. Those weren't on the original long box releases and were a welcome addition.


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

Here is my original long box build from a few years ago, with the amber engine caps.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

RSN said:


> Here is my original long box build from a few years ago, with the amber engine caps.


Very nice! No lights?


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

Proper2 said:


> Very nice! No lights?


Thanks, no lights. Unless I am lighting an interior, I think lights ruin the scale of a model and make them look like a toy.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Well not to get OT but... here's my Miarecki-prise... I've not been told the lights make it look "toylike"....

ShuttleLaunching by trekriffic, on Flickr


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## alensatemybuick (Sep 27, 2015)

Poor guy is never gonna live down overdoing the weathering and gridlines. I think one problem is the ship has rarely been displayed with the lighting effects on in the 25 years since he worked on it. In the attached pics, I think it looks pretty sharp.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

alensatemybuick said:


> Poor guy is never gonna live down overdoing the weathering and gridlines. I think one problem is the ship has rarely been displayed with the lighting effects on in the 25 years since he worked on it. In the attached pics, I think it looks pretty sharp.


Yeah, throw a studio-full of bright, filming lights at it, and it probably washes out pretty close to the image that we saw on our 13-inch Philips sets in '67.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Proper2 said:


> Yeah, throw a studio-full of bright, filming lights at it, and it probably washes out pretty close to the image that we saw on our 13-inch Philips sets in '67.


I've always thought it would've been neat if someone could've taken the 11 footer as it was after Miarecki got done with it and replicate the original studio lighting, photograph it, then somehow sent a broadcast of it out over the airwaves onto an old 1960's era television set. Just to see how much washout of his weathering we'd get. Guess that'll never happen now.


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## alensatemybuick (Sep 27, 2015)

Proper2 said:


> Yeah, throw a studio-full of bright, filming lights at it, and it probably washes out pretty close to the image that we saw on our 13-inch Philips sets in '67.


I think we aren't that far from knowing the answer to that even now (these shots being taken with nothing more than a bright flash most likely):

http://i.imgur.com/dpH4I87.jpg

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/File:Enterprise_at_the_National_Air_and_Space_Museum.jpg


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Trekkriffic said:


> I've always thought it would've been neat if someone could've taken the 11 footer as it was after Miarecki got done with it and replicate the original studio lighting, photograph it, then somehow sent a broadcast of it out over the airwaves onto an old 1960's era television set. Just to see how much washout of his weathering we'd get. Guess that'll never happen now.


Yes, that would've been very interesting.




alensatemybuick said:


> I think we aren't that far from knowing the answer to that even now...
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/dpH4I87.jpg
> 
> http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net...ision/latest?cb=20110508184206&path-prefix=en


I don't think so. The studio lights were much more intense, with a variety of hot/cool "colors."


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## alensatemybuick (Sep 27, 2015)

What I was trying to suggest (and probably didn't do a good job) was that even mere flash photography can be shown to "wash out" the weathering and gridlines to quite a degree, so its not hard to imagine what the much more intense study lighting would do. I did not take into account the use of different color lights though.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

alensatemybuick said:


> What I was trying to suggest (and probably didn't do a good job) was that even mere flash photography can be shown to "wash out" the weathering and gridlines to quite a degree, so its not hard to imagine what the much more intense study lighting would do. I did not take into account the use of different color lights though.


Fascinating. I never considered the use of multiple colored lights either.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Trekkriffic said:


> Fascinating. I never considered the use of multiple colored lights either.


I didn't mean actual colorful lights. But I do know that they used various lights that had different warm/cool qualities and varying intensities. I don't recall the technical name of these light characteristics but I remember this was discussed in a different thread a while ago having to do with the Botany Bay and how it appears to have a different, cooler color under studio lighting. I'll see if i can find that very interesting thread.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Proper2 said:


> I didn't mean actual colorful lights. But I do know that they used various lights that had different warm/cool qualities and varying intensities. I don't recall the technical name of these light characteristics but I remember this was discussed in a different thread a while ago having to do with the Botany Bay and how it appears to have a different, cooler color under studio lighting. I'll see if i can find that very interesting thread.


Oh. Like how a halogen light is more bluish white and a tungsten light glows more yellow-orangish white. Gotcha.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

The Botany Bay model was lit separately from the Enterprise in those shots. It was lit with "bluer" light than the Enterprise in order to cool the color of the model. I explained this in the other thread that was mentioned.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Trek Ace said:


> The Botany Bay model was lit separately from the Enterprise in those shots. It was lit with "bluer" light than the Enterprise in order to cool the color of the model. I explained this in the other thread that was mentioned.


That's right, it was you who pointed out the _Kelvin_ temperature of lights! :thumbsup:

I found the thread: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=390224&page=5


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## alensatemybuick (Sep 27, 2015)

Trekkriffic said:


> Noticed you painted the deflector dish red. I thought the same thing when I built my first Enterprise as a kid; I painted the dish red as well. I swear in the opening fly buy sequences that dish looked red to my juvenile eyes.


I think I painted the deflector the same red as the nacelle domes because that was the only color I had on hand (my allowance circa 1980 was pretty small). Of course I should have painted it the "correct" metallic gold.


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

Hi All!

Just thought I would add a couple of pictures of the Enterprise next to the PL Klingon D-7 that I had completed last summer. Thanks for taking a look, and have a great weekend!!

Tom

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2016-02-27 10.03.58.jpg

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/...ll Box TOS Enterprise/2016-02-18 18.07.15.jpg


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## starseeker (Feb 1, 2006)

This is my old E. I got it... a long time ago. The hobby shop in our first mall had the E and the LIS Cyclops and Chariot. I really, really wanted that Chariot, and I was so excited by the kit I sneakily cut the clear wrap with my fingernail and stole a peek inside. Talk about disappointed! It was solid!? Decals for the glass?? How crappy was that.? So I plunked down my $2 and got the E instead. A close second choice. I was happy. 
I rebuilt it some decades ago, as some decent photos were starting to appear in magazines of how it should look. And it's been in the attic for most of the decades since, bits falling off and paint peeling. Underneath the putty the original clear green domes are still there. Can't remember if I replaced the grain o' wheats. If they still lit, I wouldn't have. White plastic. 
I just thought I'd show this because this is the base that the original E and the original Klingon came with, not that awful little stand thingie from the 80's. The base for the Klingon was a grey and blue solid marbled mix, I think (it's around somewhere, too, but where??), but the E's stand was a frosted clear. Mine broke so many times over the years that I painted over the top section to hide all the repairs, but I made sure to leave the bottom edges as they were originally. Stuck a bit of styrene under the corner so you can see how frosted it was. 
Nice build! You make me want to re-do mine. Again.
Thanks for this thread, which made me dig this out. What great memories!


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

You're welcome! From that picture you did a really nice job on that build, I'm impressed. If you have the urge to fix her up a bit, I say go for it! I would love one day to get my hands on one of those older lighted kits. Interesting how that stand design came back for the motion picture kits in the late 70's.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

TomD66 said:


> I would love one day to get my hands on one of those older lighted kits.


I would, too, but they're relatively rare and very pricey....


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

True. What I see them going for on ebay scares me off every time.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

TomD66 said:


> True. What I see them going for on ebay scares me off every time.


Be afraid, be very afraid: http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMT-Star-Tr...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


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## jheilman (Aug 30, 2001)

The first thing my cynical nature thought was, there's no way a buyer/collector would break that seal and open the kit. So what if someone had an original box, threw in some scrap styrene kit parts and ran it through a shrink wrapper? Boom, instant collectible. 

Probably not, I know. I suppose one could X-ray the box?


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

That price is more than scary, it's insane!:freak: I saw one like that at an indoor rummage in the $200 range. 

I've always wondered about that too. A couple of places I know have a shrink wrapper, and I often thought about if sellers out there would do that.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

TomD66 said:


> That price is more than scary, it's insane!:freak: I saw one like that at an indoor rummage in the $200 range.
> 
> I've always wondered about that too. A couple of places I know have a shrink wrapper, and I often thought about if sellers out there would do that.


Yeah, I thought the same thing. It's quite possible that someone might do that if the thing would fetch that kind of an insane price. The shrink-wrap in this case looks mighty fresh for 50 years old! But of course, it would be difficult to know and prove just how old the wrapping is.


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

You're right, that shrink wrap does look kind of fresh. Also, I don't see an original price tag or, the remnants of one. I hope they got what they paid for.


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## Nektu (Aug 15, 2001)

Hey Guys,
That was my auction. It's not reshrinkwrapped. It's the real deal.
I am just old, and have been collecting a long time. I bought it off a shelf, new. The tells are there on the cellophane if you know your stuff. 
I have never ripped anyone off, or forced anyone at gunpoint to buy a kit for more than it's worth. Which is completely subjective. 
The buyer is completely happy with the kit. That's good enough, I'd say. 
K


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## TomD66 (Apr 25, 2009)

My apologies to you. I am man enough to admit when something I believe or a comment I made is wrong. I am glad the transaction worked out, and both parties are happy. I wish you all nothing but the best.

Tom


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## Nektu (Aug 15, 2001)

Tom
Thanks for that. I wish more people here would be of the same mindset. I, for one, believe most people are good, and honest.. until proven otherwise. Most guys here are collectors and builders, and not out to do anyone any harm. Ebay may be a bit of a different story, as there are some bad apples there. I try my best to make sure that everything I sell is represented correctly. I was just as surprised at the final price on this one, trust me. 
I also sold my Aurora stuff years ago before all the repops started happening. Got crazy bids for that stuff back in 2005/06. My Wonder Woman kit went for $2300. But, again, it was C10 and perfect. They buyer wasn't concerned at all about the cost. What a nice life that must be! I 
K


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Nektu said:


> Tom
> Thanks for that. I wish more people here would be of the same mindset. I, for one, believe most people are good, and honest.. until proven otherwise. Most guys here are collectors and builders, and not out to do anyone any harm. Ebay may be a bit of a different story, as there are some bad apples there. I try my best to make sure that everything I sell is represented correctly. I was just as surprised at the final price on this one, trust me.
> I also sold my Aurora stuff years ago before all the repops started happening. Got crazy bids for that stuff back in 2005/06. My Wonder Woman kit went for $2300. But, again, it was C10 and perfect. They buyer wasn't concerned at all about the cost. What a nice life that must be! I
> K


Good for you. Good to hear this item was authentically sealed. Can't help but to be suspicious when it would be so easy to reseal a box with shrink-wrap and increase its value fifty-fold.


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