# Anyone Bought, Built, Reviewed the STAR TREK CADET TOS ERA SHIP SET # AMT763 ?



## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

Anyone Bought, Built, Reviewed the STAR TREK CADET SERIES TOS ERA SHIP SET # AMT763 ?

Pics? Videos? Just plain old observations?


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I have them and they are quite nice. At first I assumed it was a reissue of the old AMT set but they are not. Quite nice, if not small. Real small. And no display stands. That is sort of a bummer with these sets. Nice decals. Really the lack of stands (for the price) is the biggest knock. For $18 - $20 and given the smallish sides of the models, why not include some stands?


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

djnick66 said:


> I have them and they are quite nice. At first I assumed it was a reissue of the old AMT set but they are not. Quite nice, if not small. Real small. And no display stands. That is sort of a bummer with these sets. Nice decals. Really the lack of stands (for the price) is the biggest knock. For $18 - $20 and given the smallish sides of the models, why not include some stands?


Yep. Looks like someone should be coming up with some nice stands aftermarket.

Something like the ones included with the 5.2" Futurata TOS E's.

There is always good old brass tubing and small wooden display rounds.
But something more customized would be nice.

If you or anyone have any pics, they would be appreciated.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Good timing, I just picked it up from my LHS.

$19.99. The Enterprise is the old, small AMT version.

I'm not sure about the Klingon D-7

The Romulan is all new.

Not bad over all. As said they could use a stand. I have not opened the bags yet, but my first impressions are positive and a bit over priced. I would think $12.99-15.99 would be better.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

mach7 said:


> Good timing, I just picked it up from my LHS.
> 
> $19.99. The Enterprise is the old, small AMT version.
> 
> ...


Especially better seeing there are no stands. 

But if the models are well made and detailed - according to their website the D-7 and Romulan are new castings - 

I'm okay with a baseline kit price of $19.99,

especially if it allows them the revenue to keep doing new kits and toolings of Trek subjects, like the Bridge set and Gallileo.

I remember during the company's first incarnation when you could get a Polar Lights 1/1000th TOS E in Walmarts for $9.99, but they were only coming out with a couple of new Trek kits, and the TOS E 1:350th was something that wasn't even seriously underway.

We were even treated to a couple of lectures about how they had to churn out and keep making new $6 car kits to sell to Walmart in order to pay for our Trek indulgences.

I'm glad they have thrown away that business model and realized they shouldn't have staked their modeling business future on low-ball kits that they thought people at Walmart would buy.

While scale modeling is primarily a hobby for the older crowd, few people in Walmart are going to buy scale models - even if they do stumble apon it.

Steve Neil had a casting call for young, just-out-of-college modelers to appear on his show with him. Guess what? So far they hadn't been able to find anyone
in all of the Los Angeles area under 40 to respond. So now he's pretty much thrown those age range specific request out the door and now is asking anyone in
the area who thinks they are good on camera and "youthful" in appearance or attitude to apply.

His casting company and his YouTube broadcast can find no one under 40 in all of the Los Angeles area that's into scale modeling? That's a lot of people to
have no one under 40 coming forward.

Kinda shows that the days of marketing scale model kits at young children may be kind of pointless at this point. Not saying kids won't build them, but manufacturers
now should probably be targeting parents and even grandparents to get them to get their children and grandchildren into the hobby, and not so much worried about getting cheap kits in toy sections of big box stores.

Personally, I'm willing to pay the $19.99 for well made Trek models so they don't have to waste their time being low-balled on kit prices and profit margins at places like Walmart.

They make a good profit margin and we get great kits.

Much better way to go.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

mach7 said:


> $19.99. The Enterprise is the old, small AMT version.


Hmmm...

Did one of those 3 Enterprises sets include a stand for the 1/2500th TOS E?

I'm wondering if it might be convertable to use with not just the TOS E but the other two.

Though now that I think of it, thin metal tubing might be the way to go with the Romulan Bird of Prey, as you'll probably want to display her at a steep angle in order to show off the underside.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

None of the Cadet kits have a stand. I need to look at the Airfix multi stand to see if that would work. Airfix now sells a variety of stands.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

I went and picked this kit up today along with the cadet movie series kit and the Enterprise is the old AMT kit from back in the late '80s while the Romulan and Klingon ships are brand new tooling. As for the movie set the Enterprise is either an all new tooling or R2 made some changes to the molds, like eliminating the raised panel lines and making the deflector dish a separate piece. Now to make my older cadet kit 1701s into something different.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

djnick66 said:


> None of the Cadet kits have a stand. I need to look at the Airfix multi stand to see if that would work. Airfix now sells a variety of stands.


I just saw this on their website:

http://www.airfix.com/airfix-produc...ment-of-small-aircraft-display-stands-af1008/

Assortment of Small Aircraft Display Stands (AF1008)

Look's like those are an assortment of the smallest ones. 
Not a lot of info on the stands' actual size though.

If you do get some let us know how well they work please! :thumbsup:


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

I have both the TOS era and Movie kits. Overall, Round 2 did a good job. The new moldings are nicely detailed, especially considering the small size of the kits. Too bad they couldn't do a new mold TOS Enterprise this time, but I think Jamie did mention (on the Round 2 blog) that they might do this in the future. I do think their a little pricey for what you get, you'd think stands would be included for the price. Maybe a miniature version of the round base stand with a plastic mounting rod in place of a metal one. 

I'd also like to see them drop the snap-together feature from the 1/2500 and 1/1000 lines. This is a feature for kids, and I doubt many kids buy Star Trek models, or any model kits for that matter!

The Airfix stand kit includes 3 different sized stands, the smallest would be the ones to use. Based on the photo on the box (notice the 1/72 helicopter kit at the lower right), I think the stands may be too big for the kits mentioned. Probably work better with the Enterprise C and up. Here's a link to Hornby America (Airfix parent company), in case anyone is interested in ordering the stands: http://hornbyamerica.com/products/aircraft-model-stand-assortment


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

^^^ Thanks for the info! I didn't know they were snap kits!

But if they are nicely detailed that can be worked around.

How are the decals? R2 said they would be fully detailed.

Do they have windows? I'm hoping they have windows but no aztecing.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The decals are nice. Most don't have aztec decals. I know the 1/1000 refit does. I don't think any of the Cadet series do. 

Yeah the small Airfix stands are the ones from their old Series 1 and 2 airplane kits.

You know the snap part of the kits isn't a big deal. I don't have a problem with small kits being engineered in a way to attract kids or new modelers. The 1/1000 refit went together just fine. I glued quite a few parts and nipped off some of the snap fasteners, but it was not a huge issue. 

The Cadet kits dont have or don't have many clear parts. The 1/1000 refit had a few but IMHO they are useless and a waste of time.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Yes the 2500 scale cadet series does have aztec decals for the refit, Reliant and Excelsior.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

irishtrek said:


> Yes the 2500 scale cadet series does have aztec decals for the refit, Reliant and Excelsior.


I didn't know there was a Cadet scale Excelsior out.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

Is the Romulan BOP a reduced scale of the old AMT kit or does this one have the correct hull shape?


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

Richard Baker said:


> Is the Romulan BOP a reduced scale of the old AMT kit or does this one have the correct hull shape?



Great question!!! :thumbsup:

The D-7 and Romulan are supposed to be new toolings, but that doesn't necessarily mean new sculpts.

Pics anyone?


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

irishtrek said:


> Yes the 2500 scale cadet series does have aztec decals for the refit, Reliant and Excelsior.


I was mainly asking about the TOS E, and to a lesser extent the D-7 and even Romulan Bird of Prey.

As long as they have all the window decals for the TOS E and D-7, RBOPrey without aztecing I'm okay.

They can include aztecing for them too, for those that want them, but I'd like my TOS E, TOS D-7, and TOS RBOPrey aztec free please!

And leave off the MSG as well!


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The Romulan seems better than the old kit (which it is not)

The Enterprise set has the TOS ship, the refit and the Enterprise B

You will wind up with some duplicate ships if you buy all of the sets as the refit is included in a couple.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

Trekkriffic said:


> I didn't know there was a Cadet scale Excelsior out.


Yep. It's not in either the newly released TOS set or the Motion Picture set,

it's in this one:

http://www.round2models.com/models/star-trek/cadet-enterprise-set


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Chuck_P.R. said:


> Yep. It's not in either the newly released TOS set or the Motion Picture set,
> 
> it's in this one:
> 
> http://www.round2models.com/models/star-trek/cadet-enterprise-set


Ahah! You meant the Ent-B. The Excelsior-class Enterprise.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

Trekkriffic said:


> Ahah! You meant the Ent-B. The Excelsior-class Enterprise.



Not exactly myself. I was talking about the TOS Era cadet set, and whether or not it had aztecing decals or not primarily because I want window decals without aztecing.

And someone posted saying there were indeed aztecing decals in the Enterprises cadet series.

I think the other person that was trying to help thought I was referring to the cadet series kit in the link I posted for you.

Were there any significant differences between the Excelsior and Enterprise B?

Not that it probably matters at this scale.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The B and Excelsior IIRC are not "the same" although again in 1/bazillionth scale its probably moot. But to say the B is the Excelsior is not really correct.

The TOS ships don't have aztec decals because those miniatures were never painted that way in the first place. Even with the aztec decals, the windows are, often, seperate decals anyway. Although, to be honest, inking them in with a drafting pen since they are just molded as big recessed dots, is a lot easier since the window decals don't line up with the molded holes 100%. Plus they dont have that many windows.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

Richard Baker said:


> Is the Romulan BOP a reduced scale of the old AMT kit or does this one have the correct hull shape?


Yes, the hull/"wings"/engines appear to be correct.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

I screwed up in my last post from this morning and I apologize.
Of the 2 newest cadet series kits TOS set has no Aztec decals.
As for the movie set kit it does have Aztec decals for the refit and the Reliant.
The older set which came out a couple of years ago also has Aztec decals for 2 of the ship in that set, the refit and the E-B/Excelsior refit.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

djnick66 said:


> The B and Excelsior IIRC are not "the same" although again in 1/bazillionth scale its probably moot. But to say the B is the Excelsior is not really correct...


Story-wise, they are two different ships. However, the Excelsior filming model used for _The Search for Spock_ was revised and used as the NCC-1701-B for _Generations_. The same model was later re-labeled as the USS Lakota for use in the _Deep Space Nine_ episode "Paradise Lost".


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

irishtrek said:


> I screwed up in my last post from this morning and I apologize.
> Of the 2 newest cadet series kits TOS set has no Aztec decals.
> As for the movie set kit it does have Aztec decals for the refit and the Reliant.
> The older set which came out a couple of years ago also has Aztec decals for 2 of the ship in that set, the refit and the E-B/Excelsior refit.


No need to apologize, 
you were just trying to pass along info and help.

And you actually did both! While at that moment I was asking about the latest set I am also interested in the other cadet ships too.

So you did indeed help. Thanks! :thumbsup:


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

Zombie_61 said:


> Story-wise, they are two different ships. However, the Excelsior filming model used for _The Search for Spock_ was revised and used as the NCC-1701-B for _Generations_. The same model was later re-labeled as the USS Lakota for use in the _Deep Space Nine_ episode "Paradise Lost".


If they used the same filming miniature, they may have changed a few "greeblies" and such, but at 1/2500th scale no big deal to turn her into an Excelsior if someone is inclined.

The larger clearcast U.S.S. Yamamoto to me even looks good enough to convert to an Enterprise C, one of the few of the later incarnations of the Enterprise I like. 
The E looks good too, but they do get a bit ridiculous in size with the later ships.

Putting entire families and over 1,000 people on a starship that is in regular service seemed like a dumb and irresponsible thing to me when
TNG came out. They quickly came to their senses and started to de-emphasize that feature after awhile, with a few exceptions like "Yesterday's Enterprise." 

Maybe starships dedicated to colonizing quadrants on the edge of Federation space it might make sense to make them that large. 
But otherwise I found the idea of countless families and over 1000 people aboard a Capital Ship that
is also tasked with defense at best, silly.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Chuck_P.R. said:


> No need to apologize,
> you were just trying to pass along info and help.
> 
> And you actually did both! While at that moment I was asking about the latest set I am also interested in the other cadet ships too.
> ...


Ok. also the refit in the new movie set that came out recently is an all new tooling. some of the details are a bot softer and the parts layout on the molds is different as well.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Chuck_P.R. said:


> If they used the same filming miniature, they may have changed a few "greeblies" and such, but at 1/2500th scale no big deal to turn her into an Excelsior if someone is inclined.


The changes were more involved than that, most notably the change in shape of the secondary hull. But, yeah, we're talking about bits of plastic here, so "reverse" modifying it from the NCC-1701-B to the Excelsior isn't impossible.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

In fact back a couple of months ago some one either here on HT or SSM was going to do just that, reverse the 2500 scale E-B into the Excelsior.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

I thought I would post this here instead of starting an all new thread.
This past week I went and picked up not jus TOS set but the movie set as well, anyway I'm wondering how is on supposed to putty the upper hull on the Klingon K'Tinga with out messing up the raised panels???


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Carefully?


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I don't have that particular set but I would probably use something like Tamiya Liquid Surface Primer. That is basically a brush on, liquid putty. If you can get a good joint beforehand, you can brush this stuff over the seam, let it dry a bit, then rub it down with a cloth dipped in Tamiya (plastic safe) lacquer thinner. This eliminates the need to actually sand anything.


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## Model Man (Oct 1, 2007)

Chuck_P.R. said:


> Anyone Bought, Built, Reviewed the STAR TREK CADET SERIES TOS ERA SHIP SET # AMT763 ?
> 
> Pics? Videos? Just plain old observations?


http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=393506


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## Bullitt3980 (Nov 29, 2011)

I have built the little buggers but still have to paint and decal them. I was very disappointed in the Enterprise model--I think its pantogramed from the space ship set from the 70's but much smaller and grossly out of scale windows molded in. The D7 and the BOP are much better--The BOP deserves special kudos--now I can really see how bad the old AMT kit was. Decals are nice--I do wish they included a stand of some kind But I think I can make something.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

No, the Enterprise was not pantogramed from the old AMT 3 ship set.
I say this for 1 reason, the aft end of the nacelles on the old '70s kit had a short extension that slid into a slot in the end cap and this 2500 scale kit does not have the extensions.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

^^^ I think they have said the 2500th scale Enterprise is a re-pop from the "Three Enterprises" kit. The latest incarnation of that kit R2 sells as this kit:

http://www.round2models.com/models/star-trek/cadet-enterprise-set

It has been around for awhile, and while I don't know exactly when it first came out as an AMT/Ertl kit, it's not quite as old as the 3 ship set from the 70's.

That one is a weird 1/1594.x th scale version.
Though oddly enough that would be close to perfectly in scale with the AMT K-7 kid if that kit were properly proportioned. At 15.5" AMT's old stated scale of 1/7600th would actually be a hair over 1/1600th scale. Another of their scale oddities.:freak:


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Chuck_P.R. said:


> ...Another of their scale oddities.:freak:


"Box scale" was very popular in the 60s and 70s.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

It still is... look at William's Brothers 1/54 scale Lockheed Electra. That's really a popular scale... NOT.


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

Zombie_61 said:


> "Box scale" was very popular in the 60s and 70s.



The old kit being "box scale" does explain why Polar Lights has re-released this as 1/2500th scale.

Kudos to them for resculpting the D-7 and Romulan Bird of Prey! :thumbsup:


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Well all of the Cadet ships are the same scale. So there are actually quite a few. The Enterprise TOS, A, B, C, D, E, Bird of Prey, Reliant, Klingon Cruiser and TOS Cruiser. All they need to do really is the NX (Voyager would be nice and the JJ Prise but those are Revell properties).


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## Chuck_P.R. (Jun 8, 2003)

djnick66 said:


> Well all of the Cadet ships are the same scale. So there are actually quite a few. The Enterprise TOS, A, B, C, D, E, Bird of Prey, Reliant, Klingon Cruiser and TOS Cruiser. All they need to do really is the NX (Voyager would be nice and the JJ Prise but those are Revell properties).


I noticed that. Quite a selection. The old 3 ship set was probably sized just to fit into a small box to yield a good profit as Zombie noted. Not anything wrong with that, it's just a shame they didn't pick something more common, like 1/1400th scale at least.

I think since the Trek license domestically is R2's, they could probably do a Voyager or JJPrise if they wanted to,

but that's just a guess on my part.

It's become quite a nice 1/2500th collection.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The old 3 ship set has nothing in common with the new 3 ship set. The new ones are smaller. Much smaller. Including the TOS Enterprise. I went ahead and picked up the other Cadet series. My Hobby Lobby had several and I went in each day with a 40% off coupon for them. I got a couple at Hobbytown where they give me a 20% discount. I just need the ST TWOK set. I wish they had bases... that is my only real complaint.

As noted before, the TOS set does not include Aztec decals, but they are not appropriate there anyway. You do get very thorough decals for the Enterprise though, along with the Klingon and Romulan markings. The other Enterprise kits all have very complete Aztec decals and marking decals. The TOS ship is about 3 inches long (reminds me of the old Gamescience piece) and the E is perhaps 10 inches long. Together they make a nice, impressive collection of ships.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Chuck_P.R. said:


> ...I think since the Trek license domestically is R2's, they could probably do a Voyager or JJPrise if they wanted to...


Or, since they abandoned the production of their own JJPrise kit, perhaps they could work a deal with Revell of Germany to distribute their JJPrise kit here in the U.S..


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Zombie_61 said:


> Or, since they abandoned the production of their own JJPrise kit, perhaps they could work a deal with Revell of Germany to distribute their JJPrise kit here in the U.S..


That would be interesting since Revell Germany sells Moebius kits under their name in Europe and Moebius has had Revell run the Forgotten Prisoner for them here in the US.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I tell you what... the fit on those little suckers is AWFUL. I've spent the last 2 hours building the 3 Enterprise set and all 3 require a fair amount of effort. The locator pins are misaligned often. You need to cut those off and sand the gluing surfaces of each half flat if possible, Lots of the parts are somewhat warped or springy (odd on something this small). Some small clamps would be very handy holding things like the Warp engine pods together. Detail also varies a bit. All three ships have rather heavy handed detailing but some are better than others. The Enterprise B is set up for a display stand but none is provided. There is just a big hole in the bottom of the ship. The kits are not bad but are somewhat crudely done. I think in the end they will look really nice though. After 2 hours work I have 3 hulls, 3 sets of engines and 3 saucers all puttied up and ready to sand out.


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## d_jedi1 (Jan 20, 2007)

irishtrek said:


> In fact back a couple of months ago some one either here on HT or SSM was going to do just that, reverse the 2500 scale E-B into the Excelsior.


Hmm sounds familiar.


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