# Into Darkness Enterprise Modification Ideas



## Robman007 (Jan 23, 2013)

This thread is for folks who purchased the Into Darkness Enterprise (I can't seem to call it JJ-Prise...just sounds dumb) to post ideas and plans on modifications to the kit. It can be stratch built, paint job ideas, alternate decal work..anything.


My kit comes in the mail in a few days, but I'm already planning some cool little cosmetic changes. I'm currently working on a 1/350 Refit, so I have access to pearlescent paints, so I planned on painting the model the same way as the refit. I also toyed with adding either two "NCC-1701" decals to the sides of the underside of the primary hull or a "NCC-1701" and "Enterprise" to the underside front and back like the refit, as well as doing a hardback paint job, like the refit, along the deflector housing.

Also, has anybody made a custom decal to fix the curved 7 on the decal sheet?


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

Well, two things need to be modified. Make that three. The saucer top needs to be raised slightly at the outermost deflector ring. The refit has the raised lip more exaggerated than the original, but it is there on the original. The warp pylon join at the warp pod needs an adapter between it and the pod, the adapter tear shaped kinda like on Excelsior. And the four lower saucer maneuvering thrusters need to be repositioned onto the edge of the lower rim. Perhaps for molding in the detail, Revell put these on the flatter part of the lower saucer. Probably should have had these as separate molded pieces for gluing on.

I would have liked to have seen a tree of refit parts, the new impulse deck, the four piece warp fins, the lighted areas just forward of the main nacelle vents, and the reshaped energy conduit running from the bridge to the impulse deck. Also spacers for increasing the lip height of the top saucer where the outer deflector ring is.

Something else: anyone notice that the refit bridge window now fills the entire depression in the front of the superstructure at the end of the 2013 film? Seeing the film four times, I noticed that the original bridge window, about half the depression height, was used throughout the film, like the 2009 film. Until the refit at the end....


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## Carl_G (Jun 30, 2012)

I think a warp engine lighting scheme like this concept art would be really cool:

http://i0.wp.com/inspimo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/star_trek_01.jpg

No idea how you'd pull it off, though.  Maybe some kind of light tube held in place by a series of light-blocking spacers?


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## BARRYZ28 (Mar 3, 2007)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Something like this maybe.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Or this:


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## Wattanasiri (Aug 15, 2010)

Zombie_61 said:


> Or this:


I learned to really like the ST: TMP Enterprise after a while and quickly came ti like the JJ Abrams reincarnation. However, nothing beats the original.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Wattanasiri said:


> I learned to really like the ST: TMP Enterprise after a while and quickly came ti like the JJ Abrams reincarnation. However, nothing beats the original.


To be honest, I like the JJPrise (though I'd like it better if the warp engines were further apart). But in all probability the original ship and the Refit will forever be tied for first place on my list.


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## Carl_G (Jun 30, 2012)

The original and the refit do have roughly 40 years of accumulated love going for it, though. 

But to get back on track, I really like your idea of flipping the pylons so the wide end attaches to the nacelles, it looks more balanced that way.


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## MLCrisis32 (Oct 11, 2011)

BARRYZ28 said:


> Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> 
> Something like this maybe.


I actually think that works. I like the Jjprise but the tiny pylon connection has been bugging me.


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## sg-99 (Jan 11, 2009)

I've got cooking a JJ refit impulse deck conversion kit consisting of a one piece transparent soft plastic For the Enterprise!:thumbsup:


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Zombie_61 said:


> To be honest, I like the JJPrise (though I'd like it better if the warp engines were further apart). But in all probability the original ship and the Refit will forever be tied for first place on my list.


I have to admit the JJPrise has grown on me too. I guess since it's different and new. 

The TOS Enterprise and TMP Refit will always be my favorites.


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## Guy Schlicter (May 3, 2004)

no modifications but for my first one, I will paint the areas that are not in operation as if they are powered down.


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## checksum (Mar 31, 2012)

I got 2 of them coming. I was thinking of doing one in the original grey of the real TOS Enterprises and then one with a pearl paint job like on the Enterprise-A refit.


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## Guy Schlicter (May 3, 2004)

Hi Folks, In my preparing to assemble my first Enterprise and will say Revell/Germany did a 10+ on this kit. After studying the instructions many areas are included as decals with the total option to paint. Way to go Revell! and for my first kit its so well done and painting is really optional I will build it right from the box and apply the decals and the model will look attractive. I will paint the display base black and silver only. I have limited concentration to deal with as well and I do most of my modeling during the cooler months.


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## cylon75 (Feb 22, 2011)

There is a decal set coming out for it that will do the Aztec as well as a PE set for fan blades and other things and another lighting kit.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

Evans Lighting kit is $180 and the Rev. A add-on is $70. He recommends getting a 9v Lithium Ion battery for power.

I looked at the kit last night. The saucer does have the raised lip! The lower maneuvering thruster need to be raised by about fifty percent of their own height to position them properly.

I've blueprint images (backside of the Saturn 3D poster) that seem to indicate that the engineering hull should not be nose down/tail up like the kit, but level. That is how I would like it, but I fail to imagine how to correct this angle. Part of what bugs me is the the deck windows on the saucer are not parallel to those on the engineering hull and pylon. It looks weird to me.

I taped the model together and have to correct my earlier statement. The bridge window on screen and on the kit look similar for the 2009 version. The lower sets of windows around the lower sensor array are quite a bit larger than they are on screen. Double check me here, but it looks like the deflector dish doesn't seem to have the raised central area that splits into the six petals to reveal the deflector itself when going into warp.


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## cylon75 (Feb 22, 2011)

There is another lighting kit being done that will be cheaper. And the decals for this are looking really nice you can find a picture on the SSM forum.


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

I've been able to (remedial) light mine with about 2 feet of strip LED. That's just the windows. A couple more LEDs for the rear nacelles and deflector.

I do need something fancier to do the strobes and nacelle fronts


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## MLCrisis32 (Oct 11, 2011)

cylon75 said:


> There is another lighting kit being done that will be cheaper. And the decals for this are looking really nice you can find a picture on the SSM forum.


Let me know when! I checked the SSM forum and didn't see anything. But then again I probably will wait for the Aztek Dummy kit to come out. 

One thing I would love to track down is a board timed with the nuPrise strobe/navs. I believe they blink twice rather than once. Also am I crazy but does the nuPrise have port/starboard white strobes and a green/red offset?


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

http://www.starshipmodeler.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=106949


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## MLCrisis32 (Oct 11, 2011)

Griffworks said:


> http://www.starshipmodeler.net/talk/viewtopic.php?t=106949


Thanks! I only clicked topics with JJ


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## Wattanasiri (Aug 15, 2010)

EvansLighting ($180): http://www.evanslighting.com/movie ent.htm
Site shows can buy direct or from Federation Models (Not Listed Yet) or Monsters in Motion (Not Listed yet).

Madman Lighting (Blue Spinner - $60): http://home.comcast.net/~johndavidcook/blue-spinner.html 
Site claims this works with the company's Starship Lighting Kit ($60) and Big Starship Lighting Kit ($160).
Site shows can buy direct or from Starship Modelers (Not Listed yet), Megahobby (Not Listed Yet), Freetime Hobbies (Not Listed yet) or Culttvman (Not Listed yet).


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## Robman007 (Jan 23, 2013)

Cool stuff so far. I'm hoping to get my model in this week. Then I'm going to use that as a test for using my Trekmodeler refit paint guide and give it the same sorta pearlescent paint job. Would be nice to do lighting, but money is kinda sorta tight right now, so the model will have to do.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

After watching the 2009 film, it was clear the lighting in the bussard dome was a steady outer ring of light behind the blades. The only scintillation effect was from the movement of the blades themselves. The best I can tell, there is no color on the dome itself.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

I like how the kit assembles. The clear insert for the Bridge can be easily paint to reflect how the window should look inside the depression of the bridge housing. Not finding the right words here... Tired. Better get to bed.


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## Robman007 (Jan 23, 2013)

I've still not recieved my copy yet. Going on two weeks since I ordered on Friday. Just plugging away on my refit Enterprise.


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## Robman007 (Jan 23, 2013)

charonjr said:


> I like how the kit assembles. The clear insert for the Bridge can be easily paint to reflect how the window should look inside the depression of the bridge housing. Not finding the right words here... Tired. Better get to bed.


Just got my kit in. My only complaint is how the secondary hull is built. Mine was warped slighty on the photon launcher, so I will have to putty that up. I like the primary hull, but don't attach both parts unless you are ready to assemble the whole thing..damn, it's a pain in the @$$ to get apart without breaking the model.

All in all, good model. I'm hoping for a Round 2 1/350 scale with light set. The plastic on this one is a tad bit light and thin, but still, a good kit.

Is it just me or do the decals look off on the NCC-1701? They seems crammed together. Not a big deal since I'm going to pearlescent paint this ship, so I will have to put each letter on individually, but still.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

Not sure how to pull off the registry lights (and, yes, the registry decal is incorrect!). Maybe drill fine enough holes for fiber optics? Unsure that those would provide sufficient illumination, though.

Also, in the 2009 film, when Enterprise warps out into Titan's atmosphere, there is an effect of potential interest. The three fin segments dim sequentially from front to rear, and the domed exhaust port has 14 surrounding lights with a spinning effect behind them that slows down in rate. That gave me the thought that they are physically connected to the Bussard fan blades by some kind of axial machinery.

It also looks, from the rear shot of the ship while the Narada collapses into the Red Matter Hole, that the rear of the engine pylons have 4 lights that blink, but only one blink at a time, not the double blink seen in the 2013 film.


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## publiusr (Jul 27, 2006)

I'd like to see a Kelvin saucer on a NX-01 refiot secondary hull, and the JJ saucer on the refit 1/537


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## MLCrisis32 (Oct 11, 2011)

Side question I cannot seem to find any large, movie accurate renders/guides for this ship. (Starting to buy supplies for a build). I found these but the aztec/colors are way off. 

http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/STXI-Enterprise.php


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## The 4 Star (Feb 28, 2013)

There are more than a handful off accurizing mods to be done on this kit:

- the deflector housing is WAY OFF, and needs a complete overhaul.
- there are two depressions in the secondary hull (port and starboard) running just underneath the torpedo tube. There are markings for the area, but they're flush to the rest of the hull
- there's also a tapering in this corner area that is not present but is a pretty quick fix
- the torpedo tube is solid and needs to be cleared out.

- I think the 4 nav thrusters on the lower hull have been called out. They need to be moved up in order to 'break' the dark hull line currently above them.
- there are also window inconsistencies on the areas just below where you actually put lights. They're smoothed over but need some detailing in the form of a divider at least.
- the upper hull is mising bolts at the 6 o clock area (which would be where the registry is located) and at the 3 & 9 spots there are light housings missing

- finally on the engines, I am of the opinion that even in their non warp state they are not steep enough at the front, where they angle into the engine itself. A little putty should fix that.
- also the windows aren't quite the right sizes as they go from front to back, and the window pieces are my least favorite of the kit easily.

That's what I have at the moment, and I believe there's another curved taper on the lower disk hull where it meets the secondary that isn't there either.

Someone on your tube posted the 2009 Reference feature from the blu ray which has GREAT views, though I'm dubious of using it as a color guide.


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## Robman007 (Jan 23, 2013)

"also the windows aren't quite the right sizes as they go from front to back, and the window pieces are my least favorite of the kit easily."

Agreed. I'm not lighting my kit, so I left those out. Horribly flimsy plastic. 

I hate the registry decal for the top saucer. So inaccurate it's frustrating...


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