# Battlestar Pegasus - Completed (Page 2)



## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

I had a minor issue w/some primer not curing properly during my Battlestar _Atlantia_ build, so decided to pull out my next build, which is the Battlestar Pegasus, which I hope to have completed in time for a local modeling contest. Pics can be seen at my Battlestar _Pegasus_ album on PhotoBucket. 

The highlights: 

* I'm using almost every bit of the Catalyst Creations Battlestar Pegasus Upgrade Set, w/the exception of the flight pod trench detail inserts. I'm also using the PGMS Landing Bay Inserts. 

* The main hull construction is done. I had to flip the Gator Head "Teeth" trench detail part, as it's mostly upside down. Parts have been primered. 

* I'm going to use the modified engines that I had started for the _Atlantia_ build as a time-saving measure. The gist of that mod is that I opened up the center section of each engine nacelle a bit, adding some internal tubing. It's not 100% accurate to the CGI model, but looks better than the original kit detail - or lack thereof. 

* Work started on the flight pod arms. I also cut off some parts from the Moebius Kit parts to use in further accurately detailing the build. I also cut off the end detail pieces from the Catalyst flight pod trench detail parts to use in more accurately detailing this build. 

More to follow. I'm hoping to have the bulk of the construction done by the end of this weekend. Starboard flight pod has it's replacement arms and I've started construction on the interior of that landing bay. I hope to have that one done tonight and to complete the port flight pod tomorrow. 

Hoping to have this completed for a local contest on 21 September. Guess we'll see what happens....


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Huh.... 


All four of the landing bay interiors are complete. Latest update and highlights: 

* I decided to forgo the Catalyst Creations landing bay replacement arms, as they're too long and I've sort of lost my patience trying to get them where I want them. Mostly because they're too long - they hold the flight pods too far away from the main hull, based off of my reference images. 
* The ParaGrafix Modeling System Landing Bay set is very easy to install. 
* I added .005" Evergreen sheet stock for the flight decks. 
* some additional detail was added to the PGMS set to give it a bit more 3D depth to it. 
* I added a couple something extra's for the interior detailing. 







I used the PGMS Pegasus Landing Bay Photoetch Set. While the set is _really_ nicely done and is pretty darned easy to install, it's not 100% accurate. Since the details we see aren't really static on the landing bays of the battlestars, I figured it's not too big of a deal, so I just added some detail with Evergreen plastic stock pieces/parts. The only real look we get inside of Pegasus' landing bays is in "Razor" and those don't exactly jive from angle to angle, and even the CGI Reference images don't match up with those. So, I figured a little conjectural creativity can't hurt, right? 





One of the most disappointing things about the Moebius Pegasus kit is that they got it right in a lot of areas, yet they totally missed it in others. One of those areas is what I call the "gun fantail" on each of the flight pods. Not only did they not include the gun platform detail, they failed to include even the raised hull plate detailing that's all over the hull and even included in the front "gun wale" position on the underside front of each of the upper flight pod. The raised hull plate is there, but no gun platform. There's also a lack of the details on the back of the Gator Head, every gun platform, lack of detail on the middle section of each engine and the utter lack of detail on the sides of each of the arms for the flight pods. 

Anyhow, when I was trimming off the raised hull plates on both Atlantia and Pegasus, I kept those pieces that were still intact enough for me to possibly re-use. I added three pieces to each of the gun fantails, as seen in the above image. I think it turned out alright and plan to look again to see if I have at least one more set of matching pieces. 
Next up is painting the flight deck and adding the JT Graphics decals, then sealing with a dullcote. While that's being given at least 24 hours to fully cure, I'll be painting the interior landing bay details for the walls and ceiling areas. I'm goin with Tamiya AS-20 Insignia White for the roof area, followed by an eventual overcoat of Tamiya Clear Red - as suggested by Aptivaboy to simulate the red interior lighting that we often see. The ceiling will then be masked and the walls painted Tamiya AS-16 Light Grey (USAF), with various details being painted something darker than the walls so that they'll stand out. My hope is that the lighter colors of the walls will allow for better light reflection, thus making it easier to make out some of the details. 
I guess I could light the landing bay interiors, but I'm holding on to what sanity I have, and would have to light the engines, the "center head trench" and put a veritable ton of other lights all over the model. I'd rather not get a room with padded walls and forced medications that make me see things that aren't there - well, more things that aren't really there - so have opted out on this. 



However, I still lost my frakkin' mind and decided to make some additional detailing pieces for the landing bay interiors..... 






Say 'ello my lil' frien's! They're not to-scale, but then I'm not real concerned about it. I had meant for the shuttle to be the standard Mk II - designed by Charles Adams - however, it's twice the size it should be to accurately reflect such. So, I'm callin' it an frakkin' ASSAULT SHUTTLE! Yeah, Bay-bee! 

The shuttle is built from scrap sheet stock and some Evergreen styrene rod stock. This one is just a bit over .5" / 1.27cm, and the actual length of a 1/4105 scale Mk II shuttle should be .24" .61cm long. 
Yes, I looked it up and am contemplating making one that's to-scale. Maybe two or three. 




I also made a small Landram! 

Well, it sorta looks a bit like a Landram. 

Mostly, it kind of resembles a Landram if you drink a lot of hard liquor and then squint your eyes... and stand on your head.... 

Regardless, we see Landrams in both _Galactica_ and _Pegasus_ landing bays on various occasions, so I wanted to try my hand at it. Once the Landram is glued into place on the flight deck floor, it'll look decent enough. I might even try to make another one or two of them.
I'm back to working on _Atlantia_, as well. The primary focus is going to be on _Pegasus_, however there are sections of the two that I can work on concurrently so that they have a parity of details that I'd like to maintain. Once _Pegasus_ is complete, it shouldn't take long for me to finish _Atlantia_, upon which the issues I had with tacky primer previously seems to have now fully cured. 

More images to follow after I get another significant amount of work completed on the _Pegasus_ build.


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## seaQuest (Jan 12, 2003)

I'm running out to buy this kit today. The "teeth part" of the 'gator head is upside-down?


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Just on the Catalyst Creations upgrade set part. The kit part is accurate and just fine, as is. 

Enjoy the build! It's a fun kit and I highly recommend getting the PGMS landing bay PE set. It makes a huge difference w/the landing bays opened up. Comparing the bays of my _Triton_ build to these of both the _Atlantia_ and _Pegasus_ shows me what an idiot I was for not getting that set sooner. 

My only complaints about the MM Pegasus kit are: 

* lack of details on the back of the Gator Head
* lack of details on the sides of the flight pod arms
* lack of details for the gun platforms, as well as on the "gun fantail" of each of the flight pods (there should be raised hull plate detail) 
* landing bays aren't opened up as they coulda/shoulda been
* the Gator Head "forehead trench" doesn't have all of those "Windows" represented at all. 
* the center portion of each engine should have cut-outs and some pipes represented underneath of some floating armor (see my _Atlantia_ engines to better get what I mean)

Otherwise, the detail on the kit isn't at all bad and pretty darned accurate. 

All of these things are pretty easily corrected, especially if you take a little extra time. You don't _have_ to use the PGMS Landing Bay set, but I highly recommend it, as it saves you a LOT of time. It's fairly reasonably priced and is pretty much a drop-in part. You just have to remove a bunch of plastic from the inside of the landing bays. 

If you do go the PGMS bay set, BTW, I highly recommend that you glue the three center parts of each flight pod together while all of the locator pins are still in-place! Once those are gone, you have to eyeball the placement of those parts.


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Looking good.
I was considering the CC upgrade set, but only the arms.
Now you say they're too long?
So I guess I'll forego that set.
Your making me reconsider the Pgms landing bay etch.
I was going to scratch that.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

The CC arms are beautifully detailed, and except for the bad angle on the connection point of the arms to the main hull, I can recommend them. If you're trying to replicate the exact look of _Pegasus_, then you'll have to go with scratch building the details to accurately reflect the arms. 

I definitely recommend the PGMS landing bay set.


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## Marco Scheloske (May 16, 2000)

Griffworks said:


> I definitely recommend the PGMS landing bay set.


May I add the second PGMS detail,set to this recommendation? It adds a lot to the areas of the kit that are lacking details, like the hangar bay arms or the trench between the upper and lower bays.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Sure, I don't mind! I've not bought that particular set because you can't make out the inner trench detail on the CG Model, plus I want a much more 3D effect for my arms. I love Paul's stuff, however I feel it's a bit too "flat" for using the arms covering. A personal taste thing, basically. 

BTW, I did another crazy and tried my hand at building a to-scale Mk I Shuttle today. Pics to follow this evening....


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Griffworks said:


> The CC arms are beautifully detailed, and except for the bad angle on the connection point of the arms to the main hull, I can recommend them. If you're trying to replicate the exact look of _Pegasus_, then you'll have to go with scratch building the details to accurately reflect the arms.
> 
> I definitely recommend the PGMS landing bay set.


It's interesting that you say that.
I thought George was working from the CG file and that something as basic as 'angle' would be a non issue.
And I also love Paul's stuff.
He is the GMM of sci-fi.
However, yes, his arm detail is a little flat for a good effect.
It's not his fault, there is a lack of detail in the kit, he offers detail to spruce it up. It's just as you say, the detail is more three dimensional than what a single layer of etch can cover.


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## JeffG (May 10, 2004)

Impressive! That wacko Cmd. Cain would be proud!


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Thanks, *JeffG*! I'm sure she would, too! 

And yes, I agree with you, ClubTepes. Also again, I agree that Paul's product is great and wasn't meaning to knock it. I love the landing bay PE set and plan to get more of them in the future - one for going back to "refit" Triton at some point in the future and at prolly at least one more for when I get around to building the _Zeus_ (four flight pod version, with other mod's). However, AMS won't let me just go with his PE for the arms, so I don't want to purchase the set just to cover it up. And "GMM"? "Garage Manufacturer Mxxxxxx"? 



It was pointed out by someone at another forum that my Landram looks a lot like a TOS Shuttlecraft. So, that being said, when I was finished with the Landram and took a good, hard look at it, I thought sort of the same thing. I'm thinking that I should go a very similar route and try my hand at building an ST:V shuttlecraft to stow in the landing bay. I wonder if anyone else would catch that...? 


Not much of an update, but here ya go: 

* Added the PE doors to the landing bays (oops!)
* Painted the flight decks for both ships, as well as the walls of the landing bays.
* Discovered a miner detail that I previously missed on the engineering section and drilled out some holes where they needed to be. 
* Made the aforementioned shuttle and Landram - and a TOS / MK I Shuttle
* Started doing some minor detail painting on the landing bay walls







I'll start a separate thread for the shuttles, tho. I think they're worthy of that much, at least.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Update highlights: 

* Finished painting the landing bay interiors
* Decaled the flight decks
* Added the Mk I (TOS) Shuttle, Landram and the Assault Shuttle
* Sealed up the two flight pods
* Skinned the exteriors of the landing bay arms


Painted and detailed Interiors


JT Graphics Flight Deck Decals


Port Landing Bay Interior


Flight Pod Arms Skinned and started on the scribing


First draft of the arms, now the clean up begins. 

Full album can be seen here - Page Two


That's it for now. More in the next couple of days.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

More work on the arms. It took me most of yesterday and today to get this far, but the support struts are added to the flight pod portion of each of the arms. 



Initial work. I laminated two .040" Evergreen sheets together to give approximate thickness and used the Mark I Eyeball to get an approximate length. I then added .040" Evergreen Rod Stock to the sides to simulate what's seen on the CGI model, tho used the Catalyst Creations arms as a better 3D point of reference. 




One flight pod done, the other is in the background in this pic awaiting more work. 


The sheet stock parts for the upper part that connects to the main hull are cut and sanded, but not yet added, as I plan to add them once I've glued the arms into place. The rod stock gets added at that time, as well. 

Next will be completing the engines. The clear parts will get a gloss white coat of paint on the inside section - the part that's faces the inside of the engine housing, first thing in the morning. Once that's full cured, I'll add a nice, thick coat of Tamiya clear blue to the outside facing parts. My hope is that this will give it a bit more of an engine "glow". 

I've also already prepped two of the engine nacelles so that I can easily add them to the engine section with the Flight Pods already glued into place. I'd rather go this route so that the engines aren't in place to block me, as well as would rather not risk possibly knocking them loose once in place. I shaved off about 1/16" on each connecting front strut so that they're ready to go. 

More later.


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

Amazing work ! You have really done your homework on the fine details of this ship ! :thumbsup:


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Thank ya kindly. While it's maddening sometimes looking over the detail and trying to replicate it, it's really a lot of fun and deeply satisfying. 



Quick update: 
* detail on the arms is finished - both the upper support struts and the additional side detail parts
* re-worked the nose antennas - one of them had an airbubble in it, apparently, as it snapped when I barely bumped it with my finger (the other was just fine after multiple attempts at bumping it off). I re-checked the reference materials and found that the nose antenna's weren't entirely accurate, either - the right one is supposed to be shorter than the left. 
* base coat has been applied 
* painting on the engines and engine details has been completed
* took a couple of comparison pics of the arms for both the Catalyst Creations and Moebius kit parts
* decided I won't paint all of the raised hull plate details as I did on _Triton_. That might not look quite as kewel, but I want to try very lightly dry-brushing some weathering, then maybe put some pastels over the top of that. 


*Before*


*After*


*Probed!*


*Comparin' th' Guns*

That's all you get for now! The local contest is tomorrow and I'm still not done! I need to finish some more detail painting, paint the red stripe across the nose and the openings of the landing bays, gloss coat the center top for the decal, then dullcote it. I also need to do more work on the stand.


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## seaQuest (Jan 12, 2003)

Griffworks said:


> I also need to do more work on the stand.


Yeah. Like epoxy some bb's in it so the model won't tip over.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Great idea for the kit provided stand and already done! Except I used three nickels and three pennies, which were all bay corroded, and Gorilla Glued (the blue cap) them in place. It'll serve until I find something better. 

I think it would be awesome if I could find a similar to the TOS Flying Pegasus emblem on the helmets of the _Pegasus'_ Viper pilots. I've got one of the TOS Viper pilot Phoenix emblems for my Timeslip Creations TNS _Galactica_, when I finally finish it. It's either find a Flying Pegasus or use a more traditional TNS base. I have two, tho would prefer the winged horse. 

Thanks for the comment, regardless.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Calling this DUN! 



Overview - this was my attempt to build as close to accurate a replica of the actual Battlestar _Pegasus_ as seen on-screen. Well, it's an interpretation of the _Pegasus_, anyhow, and not a terribly good one. The model is the Moebius Models very nicely produced kit of the same name, tho there are modifications I made, as the kit isn't 100% accurate - I'd call it more like 85% - to the studio model. 

I had originally hoped to enter this, along with nine other models, in a local model club contest, but still had about four hours of work on the day before and woke up with a nasty migraine that morning - which stayed with me thru to the next day. So, I didn't enter any of the ten models I'd hoped to bring - all either BSG or 1/2500 Star Trek. On the upside, it allowed me to do a little more work to the model than I had time for if I'd rushed and just completed that last four hours of work. 

I used the kit Colonial Fleet Emblem - which is a really, really thick decal! - and ended up with silvering underneath, as I didn't get it as tight to the model surface as I'd thought. And, of course, it didn't show up 'til after I'd dullcoted it, anyhow. 


Highlights of the build are: 

* Scratchbuilt side walls for the arms, to include scribing, scratchbuilt support strut parts and resin cast detail bits from my greeblies box

* I added some raised hull plate details to the "gun fantail" of each of the flight pods, as they're just blank, flat areas on the kits. I used some of the hull details I shaved off in order to add the gun platforms to _Pegasus_, as well as to my _Atlantia_ build. 

* I decided to forgo the battle damage she has when we first see her. It was something of a compromise on how we first see her in "Razor" at the Scorpion Shipyards and the very first time she makes a screen appearance. 


* Catalyst Creations Replacement Parts, nicely cast resin parts meant to better accurize your Moebius Models kit. I didn't use the arms or the flight pod trench detail parts. The arms have an issue with the angle of the mounting box on the ends of the arms to mount them to the main hull, as they cause a toe-in unless you modify them. Plus, they're too long, which I found out is due to a miscommunication breakdown - you have to cut off the top "knuckle" of the front two sets of arms and measure out a similar length for the back arms. The trench detail parts aren't accurate, either, as they're upside down and on the wrong flight pods. You also have to flip the Gator Head "teeth" insert detail, as it's upside down. 

* Modified the kit engines by cutting out sections of the upper part, middle section. The CG model shows tubing under a floating armored plate and I poorly attempted to represent that with tube stock and some styrene parts tree. 

* I used the ParaGrafix Modeling System Landing Bay Photoetch Set, as well as modified a set of the registry brass from the PGMS Battlestar Galactica Photoetch & Decal Set to give raised detail registry underneath the kits Pegasus name. I had to cut some brass up to get it and dink around to get it right, but eventually got it where it was all even and spaced. 

* I used JT Graphics Battlestar Pegasus Flight Deck Decal Set (you'll have to email him for info) after using some .005" sheet stock to close off the deck - which also raises the flight deck close to where it's supposed to be, as if you go with the kit parts as instructed, the "lip" at the end of the landing bays is way too high. 

* I modified the PGMS Landing Bay set slightly, adding some sheet styrene for additional surface detail, sheet rod to act as docking ports and some resin bits to act further depth of detail on the interior. Of course, since it's not a lit model, you can't make out much detail. 

* Scratchbuilt - badly! - Mk I (TOS) shuttle and what I'm calling an assault shuttle - 'cause I was shooting for a Mk II, but built it twice the size of what it needed to be! - and a Landram, since we see those on the flight deck pretty regularly scooting about. 

* Extended the ends of seven of the eight pipes that go from the middle of the FTL shroud to each of the engines by cutting the point that's meant to connect to the engines a bit "long". If you cut them as the instructions indicate, they won't touch the engines are they're intended. 

* Modified the two long antennas on the nose of the CC resin replacement parts for the upper nose, as they're both the same length, which isn't accurate to the CG reference images I've got. One of the antenna had an air bubble in it, which caused the tip to break off. I cut them both off, sanded them to near-nubs and then cut off the nose antenna from a Moebius kit part, modifying them slightly to get a decent fit. 


On to the pics, which most of you are more interested in, anyhow!













More images than I'll post here can be found in the main Battlestar Pegasus Album on PhotoBucket, Page Three, starting with Done! 001", as well as you can go back to the first page to follow the build as it progressed. 


Thanks for looking and I hope you weren't too terribly offended by the pics. I'm slowly improving my skills. I've discovered that my primary weakness is a lack of patience and the ability to remain focused as I would/should. 


Any constructive criticism or questions welcome.


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

Not a BSG guy, but great job!


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Thanks. I'm addicted to BSG, much as I used to be to Trek. Is there a Twelve Step Program that anybody knows of...? 

One of the many things that bugs me about this build is that the seam popped on me at the back end of the main hull section. It was a nice, clean seam along the back, tho one section of the side just never would quite clean up for me. At some point while moving the model around, tho, both sides of the back area in that last pic separated. 

Overall, I'm satisfied with the build, but there are areas that I'd definitely go back and do differently. You never know, I might revisit this build or start up another _Pegasus_ at some point in the future. This is a new kit, so should be around for at least two or three more years, I hope!


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## DCH10664 (Jul 16, 2012)

If you actually do have a, "lack of patience and the ability to remain focused", it sure doesn't show. This model looks great ! And the hand painted detailing is very impressive. You should be proud of this one ! :thumbsup:


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Nice job Griff! :thumbsup:

I like all the attention you showed for the little details. 

She's fairly bristling with guns isn't she? Or is it a he? Not sure with Battlestars.


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## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Looks great! IMHO she could use a little weathering to give her a little more scale but overall nice!


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Thank ya kindly, gent's! I'm thinking more and more that I'm going to go back at some point and weather the heck out of _Pegasus_, to include the two hull patch panels/plates that we see on her during the regular run of TNS BSG - post Scorpion Shipyards "Razor" _Pegasus_, basically. So you're prolly gonna get your wish, *whiskeyrat*. 

And I've still got those itsy-bitsy, teensy-tiny Vipers.... :shock:



Trekkriffic said:


> Nice job Griff! :thumbsup:
> 
> I like all the attention you showed for the little details.
> 
> She's fairly bristling with guns isn't she? Or is it a he? Not sure with Battlestars.


Definitely a "she", as evidenced in TNS BSG. I think they even referred to the battlestars in TOS BSG in the feminine vernacular, as well. 

Regardless, yes, lots of guns. 

_Triton_ has even more, tho! Four of them three times the size of the rest!


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

The kit didn't include the two huge forward retro-thrusters shown in "Razor"? They were shown firing from the front of the upper section of the head during the Cylon attack at the shipyards Pegasus was docked in, as Pegasus tried to back away while spinning up its jump drive.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

The only time we saw those thrusters was for about 10 seconds in "Razor" in the Scorpion Shipyards scene. Same with the "Raptor bays" on the sides of the flight pods. We never saw them again, either in "Razor" or any episodes. So, no, neither Moebius nor Catalyst Creations included them. 

Thanks for your... participation... in the thread.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

it wasn't meant as a criticism of your thoroughly detailed build. It was a question. If I had to take a guess Moebius used the design seen in the series before Razor came out. Just a guess.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Yes, that appears to be correct. The only time we see any real difference is the Scorpion Shipyards scenes. The only details that I've noticed that they changed are the nose details - thrusters and antennas, mostly - and the Raptor bays. I think there's some other minor surface details that are different, but I can recall for certain.


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## JeffG (May 10, 2004)

Simply awesome!


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