# U.S.S. Reliant Color question



## Guy Schlicter (May 3, 2004)

Hi Folks. On the U.S.S. Reliant when the Reliant first approaches the Enterprise, the Floodlights shining out of the lower sensor dome that illuminate the NCC-1864 on the Primary Hull underside what color do they look to you. On my previous Reliant I painted them yellow. Please check em out when you watch the Wrath of Khan so that I can get an idea of what color to use to paint them. Please tell me what color they look to you and help me decide what color to paint them. Thanks, Guy Schlicter.


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## btbrush (Sep 20, 2010)

Hi Guy,
I have photos in front of me that were left over from when I designed the Reliant for ERTL. They're of the Saratoga but I believe should be the same. The letters are black, surrounded by pinstripe of white and that surrounded by a pinstripe of yellow. The decals that come with the kit are correct. There are many other manufacterers who have produced better decals. The hull is a very light grey with a medium grey aztec.
Bruce


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

AMT also just released a standalone 4 sheet Aztec decal set for the Reliant. It isn't a cheap set though being $37 list price and $27 discounted. I just bought the Reliant and probably would have bought the decal set had I seen it at the time. I will hold off building it anyway and pick up the decal set before I do.

Bob K.


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## jaws62666 (Mar 25, 2009)

rkoenn said:


> AMT also just released a standalone 4 sheet Aztec decal set for the Reliant. It isn't a cheap set though being $37 list price and $27 discounted. I just bought the Reliant and probably would have bought the decal set had I seen it at the time. I will hold off building it anyway and pick up the decal set before I do.
> 
> Bob K.


I got the decal set. It is awesome. It covers just about everything


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## MartinHatfield (Apr 11, 2004)

Guy Schlicter said:


> Hi Folks. On the U.S.S. Reliant when the Reliant first approaches the Enterprise, the Floodlights shining out of the lower sensor dome that illuminate the NCC-1864 on the Primary Hull underside what color do they look to you. On my previous Reliant I painted them yellow. Please check em out when you watch the Wrath of Khan so that I can get an idea of what color to use to paint them. Please tell me what color they look to you and help me decide what color to paint them. Thanks, Guy Schlicter.


Guy, the color of the lights in TWOK was adjusted after shooting to give the Reliant the impression of being a 'baddie'. This is confirmed in some of the documetaries on the DVD and Blu-Ray of the movie. They were just regular incandescent bulbs like on the Enterprise model. Color them as you see fit is all I gotta say about that. I don't know where all these comments about lettering and decals came from.


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

btbrush said:


> Hi Guy,
> I have photos in front of me that were left over from when I designed the Reliant for ERTL. They're of the Saratoga but I believe should be the same. The letters are black, surrounded by pinstripe of white and that surrounded by a pinstripe of yellow. The decals that come with the kit are correct. There are many other manufacterers who have produced better decals. The hull is a very light grey with a medium grey aztec.
> Bruce


Bruce, I wonder if you might share with us some stories about the creation of the reliant kit? I know that a lot of times detail can be sacrificed for parts count. Also what was the mentality at the time over there regarding the kits?
That was about the same time as when Tom Walsh invited me to come to AMT. 93 or 94 I believe. I had lunch with him and another guy, but I don't remember his name.

Out of curiousity, I wonder how it was that the reliant kits saucer ended up thinner than the refit- kit saucer and the other biggie was the ridged edge of the saucer?
Also aren't the nacelle and roll bar struts supposed to be thicker to account for the vents?


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## uscav_scout (Feb 14, 2007)

OK Tech time.

Are the lower lights on the senor node really lights. If you look at the nacels they have two lights each that shine up. Logically to cast lights on the underside of the saucer. So would the "lights" on the sensor node really be the navigational delfectors?

BTW. If you still want a aztec look, but need to do it on the cheap, Starshipmodeler has free downloadable patterns for just about every AMT/ERTL kit. By a fine gentleman who goes by the name Authur Pendragon. They are a little oversized, but workable. I found them through his article of his AMT refit model.


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## btbrush (Sep 20, 2010)

Hiya Clubtepes'
Is Club your first name? I started at ERTL in '94 so we probably crossed paths. Unfortunately I can't remember what I had for breakfast so details from back then would be suspect. Usually we were given blueprints or tons of pictures or anything we could pry from Mr. Okuda's hands. I had alot more luck dealing with Rick Sternbach. He was a fun guy (fungi?). For a fun read, check out oldmodelkits.com under "The gifted life of a model kit designer". Mostly airplanes but I do get into Star Trek and Star Wars.
Bruce


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

Guy Schlicter said:


> Hi Folks. On the U.S.S. Reliant when the Reliant first approaches the Enterprise, the Floodlights shining out of the lower sensor dome that illuminate the NCC-1864 on the Primary Hull underside what color do they look to you. On my previous Reliant I painted them yellow. Please check em out when you watch the Wrath of Khan so that I can get an idea of what color to use to paint them. Please tell me what color they look to you and help me decide what color to paint them. Thanks, Guy Schlicter.


To answer your actual question, the lights appear to be a pinkish/red color. As was stated, this was to give it a different, more sinister look from the yellow/white lights on the Enterprise.


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## GSaum (May 26, 2005)

To correct someone's earlier statement, the lights on both the dorsal and ventral sections of the saucer were red on the actual model, and not an effect that was added after filming. Also, because of the lighting and the way this model was filmed, the lights appear more pink than red, but they were in actuality red on the model.


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## fire91bird (Feb 3, 2008)

btbrush said:


> Hiya Clubtepes'
> Is Club your first name? I started at ERTL in '94 so we probably crossed paths. Unfortunately I can't remember what I had for breakfast so details from back then would be suspect. Usually we were given blueprints or tons of pictures or anything we could pry from Mr. Okuda's hands. I had alot more luck dealing with Rick Sternbach. He was a fun guy (fungi?). For a fun read, check out oldmodelkits.com under "The gifted life of a model kit designer". Mostly airplanes but I do get into Star Trek and Star Wars.
> Bruce


Awesome article, man! You have had a great ride! Love your work and a special shout-out for the Tigercat. You'd make a great guest at Wonderfest. I'm sure you have lots of great stories. Thanks for your contributions to the hobby.


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Yeah, great article. What a ride.

You've been involved in some great kits.

Its a great legacy to leave behind.


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