# Progress Build of 1/350 USS Enterprise-TOS 1st Pilot Version



## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Fellow Modelers,

I am starting this thread to share my progress build of Round2’s 1/350 scale Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise-TOS in the 1st Pilot configuration. When I purchased this model my mind set was to build the Production Series configuration, and I bought the light set as well. After carefully reading multiple progress build blogs by other modelers, I decided building a lighted version was not for me. I have zero working knowledge/experience with installing electronics, and accepted the fact I would not be happy with what my limited skill set would end up producing. Other items that discouraged me were complaints about the kit’s window fit to the hull/saucer, light leaks and nacelle motor noise. However, what “shut down” the lighted option for me was reading about more than one modeler finishing the model and (for reasons unknown) a couple of the lights quit working. I think that would crush me if that happened. I have seen a very large number of modelers who have posted images of outstanding lighted version Enterprises and I salute their accomplishment. 

My choice became simple: build the 1st Pilot Enterprise that had no lights and no window cutouts. Fortunately I have the premium kit from being in the 1701Club, which saved me from having to purchase the accessory parts. This choice also let me skip over having to add any penciled in grid lines on the saucer. I included these on my 22” Enterprise build and did not want to do it again. 

Finally, I want my build to be very clean. Although there is evidence the 1st Pilot version was weathered before filming, my build will represent what it looked like *after* its completed fabrication “rollout” and the addition of painting details beyond the basic registry, but *before* any weathering was added (assuming it was added last). I will not be adding any after-market parts, and only modifying the kit parts to make them accurate for the 1st Pilot version. Here is where I am right now… 


1st Image: The excellent box art is shown of the kit that inspired a thousand dreams. 


2nd Image: Work begins by filling and sanding flush all of the kit’s window cut outs. I used Slow Set Superglue that was hardened by spray bottle accelerator. The secondary hull halves are shown here, with one done and the other as it comes out of the box. 


3rd Image: The kit’s 1st Pilot bridge and A/B deck are shown. The windows have been filled/sanded, and I also filled/sanded the recessed lines representing where the rectangle decals are supposed to go.


4th Image: The dorsal (neck) is shown after the window openings have been eliminated.


5th Image: All of the seam lines on the clam shell hanger bay doors were filled/sanded out since the shuttle bay section did not have this detail for the 1st Pilot. 



6th and 7th Image: Small pieces of styrene were added and sanded to shape at the front of Part 13. This was done to create a tight, seamless fit against the ring section at the front of the secondary hull.

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

8th Image: The secondary hull parts are shown being test fitted together. The close fit between the forward ring and Part 13 can be seen. 


9th Image: The main secondary hull parts are shown glued together. Part 13 has been centered and glued into place. There is a noticeable gap between this part and the hull. On every model I build I use 5-Minute Epoxy to eliminate these gaps. The epoxy is mixed up, applied with a toothpick then several damp Q-tips are rolled over the area to remove most of the epoxy. All that is left is a very small amount in the gap that hardens with a perfectly smooth surface finish.


10th Image: The seam line on the top/inside of the hanger area was sanded smooth and polished out, since it will be visible when the model is finished. 



11th and 12th Image: These two photos are basically before and after comparisons. The first photo shows the recessed secondary hull section out of the box. The second photo shows the same part modified to the 1st Pilot configuration, by removing the two raised ribs and adding the smooth fill-in spacer. Superglue was used to fill the spacer gaps and was then sanded flush. 

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## barrydancer (Aug 28, 2009)

I'm looking forward to this one. You don't usually see too many representations of how the Constitution Class looked in its original, fresh out of the shipyard, configuration.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Can't wait to see how this one goes.


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

Sweet Mother of Pearl!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

barrydancer/Trekkriffic/Proper2-Thanks for the encouragement.

Trekkriffic-The many posts you have made on this forum concerning your outstanding Production Enterprise model build have helped me/will help me on my project.

Phillip1


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Phillip1 said:


> barrydancer/Trekkriffic/Proper2-Thanks for the encouragement.
> 
> Trekkriffic-The many posts you have made on this forum concerning your outstanding Production Enterprise model build have helped me/will help me on my project.
> 
> Phillip1


You're welcome Phillip. Although I think with all the window filling and other mods you're doing my build may have been easier.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Captain Pike's Enterprise is actually my personal favorite!
If I build another one of these for me, that's the version I will be doing. Looking good so far!!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Captain Han Solo,

Thanks for the compliment. Both your Production Enterprise build and your photography are very impressive.

Phillip1


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## Landru (May 25, 2009)

Nice work so far. Did the same thing with the smaller PL kit a few years back, was great fun. Watching with interest!


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

I always admire the work that makes a build clean and tight. :thumbsup:


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## spocks beard (Mar 21, 2007)

Looking good!

I haven't seen many build's of the big Enterprise kit representing the ship as it looked in the first pilot.

Please keep the pictures & details coming.:thumbsup:


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Landru/SteveR/spocks beard-Thanks for the encouragement. Another update will be coming soon!

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow modelers-More progress photos on my 1st Pilot Enterprise. 



1st and 2nd Image: The first photo shows test fitting the large deflector dish assembly parts. The second photo shows the same thing with one of the nacelle cap assemblies.


3rd Image: The four “nacelle intercooler loops” were corrected by removing the tabs from the front end, as these were not on either pilot version. The part on the left is out of the box and the part on the right has been modified. It may be a little strange to write this, but when I first looked at the photo the part on the right looked like a closed fist and the part on the left looked like fist making an obscene gesture.



4th and 5th Image: The 11ft. model did not have any detail on the nacelle end caps for the 1st Pilot. They were smooth. The Round2 kit includes the rectangle detail that was on the 3ft. model for the 1st Pilot. The photos show the two kits parts side by side, with the raised details removed from one of them.


6th Image: From what I have read (including Gregatron’s website) there appears to be no hard evidence the two tiny lights at the top of the nacelle front sections were on the Pilot versions, so I filled the openings and sanded them smooth. This is a gray area, and it is probably a 50/50 guess either way. If anyone has confirming information (one way or the other) please let me know. 


7th Image: This photo shows the secondary hull and dorsal after being glued together. Some fine trimming on the dorsal tab was required before it could be attached. The fit was very good, but not perfect. I applied a small bead of 5-Minute epoxy around the dorsal base and eliminated the few small gaps that were there.


8th Image: In my modeling I mostly use regular superglue, slow-set/thick superglue and 5-Minute Epoxy (for gap filling). However, I used Testors tube cement on this project, based on the recommendation of other modelers (and the Round2 website?). It adds strength to the “structural” parts by welding them together. This is the first time I have used this product in a 
couple of decades. When I first took the cap off, the smell brought back a lot of boyhood modeling memories, as it was the only glue I ever used. The first parts I applied it to were connecting the dorsal to the secondary hull.

Continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

9th Image: The nacelle struts were assembled next. To straighten out the curved kit parts, I did what had been recommended and laid several heavy text books on top the assemblies while the Testors glue dried. This method made them straight as an arrow. There were large gaps between the strut openings and the rectangle inserts, so I filled them with superglue and sanded them flush. Per Gregatron, the inserts should be slightly recessed but I can live with them being flush. On the 1st Pilot Enterprise the inserts and struts were the same color, making them barely noticeable. I plan to address this during the painting phase, by making some masks for the inserts.


10th Image: The fit between the secondary hull and nacelle struts was tight-too tight in fact! To get the connection I wanted, I took my X-acto knife and carefully scraped away the thickness of the strut tab. I went back and forth many times between scraping and test fitting. The photo shows the left strut being inserted, but only penetrating about halfway. The scraping continued until I found what I was looking for-a snug fit with no slop.


11th Image: This photo shows the secondary hull assembly after the nacelle struts were glued into place (with Testors glue). My plan is to paint this assembly (secondary hull/struts/dorsal) by itself. The saucer and nacelles will be painted separately as well. 


12th Image: Here is a close up photo of the secondary hull/strut connection. There were only minor gaps, but 5-Minute Epoxy was still used to make it as perfect as possible. Note the three small light openings on top of the secondary hull were filled, as these were not on the 1st Pilot version.



13th and 14th Image: The nacelle halves were assembled next. These went together without any problems. I was very impressed by how well the trench bottom pieces went in place. Note the plain trench bottom was used since the 1st Pilot Enterprise didn’t have any of the grill details seen later. 


15th Image: In this photo the nacelles are being test fit (not glued) to the struts. Once again I had to scrape away some outside plastic from the strut tabs to get the fit I wanted with the nacelle slots. I am very impressed with how robust and sturdy the nacelle/strut/secondary hull connection turned out. It is clear Round2 put a lot of design work into making sure the nacelles have straight alignment and are rigid. From what I can see it looks they succeeded. I will have a better grasp of how good the alignment is after the primary hull (saucer) is test fit in place.


16th Image: Here is a close up shot showing the connection between the left strut and nacelle.

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

17th Image: My hanger bay will be closed but I still had to install the kit’s three hanger bay interior parts (two sides and one ceiling), so the clam shell door would have a wall to mount against. I had to add a small piece of styrene to fill a gap between two of the parts (seen in the photo). After it was added, I had to do a good bit of sanding to make the “wall” flush all the way across. 5-Minute Epoxy sealed any gaps. This turned into a time consuming chore because the area was difficult to access.

Until next time… 

Phillip1


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## spocks beard (Mar 21, 2007)

Looking great!
This is one nice clean build.

Have you decided what color you are going to paint the hull?
Will you be airbrushing, Or using rattle can spray?

Please keep the pictures coming.:thumbsup:


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

spocks beard,

Thanks for the compliment. I have not decided on a specific color, but I have narrowed it down to either flat light gray with a blue hue or flat light gray with a green hue. I will go into a lot more detail when I get ready to paint. I will be using an airbrush. This is a large model for an regular size airbrush, but it is the best way (for me) to maintain control.

Thanks

Phillip1


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## spocks beard (Mar 21, 2007)

Phillip1 said:


> spocks beard,
> 
> Thanks for the compliment. I have not decided on a specific color, but I have narrowed it down to either flat light gray with a blue hue or flat light gray with a green hue. I will go into a lot more detail when I get ready to paint. I will be using an airbrush. This is a large model for an regular size airbrush, but it is the best way (for me) to maintain control.
> 
> ...


Looking forward to reading/Viewing more details of your build.
From the number of other excellent builds here, Looks like airbrushing this beast is the way to go.

If i had access & The experience, I would have chose that method as well.:thumbsup:


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## portland182 (Jul 19, 2003)

https://enterproject.wordpress.com/category/first-pilot/

The fake nav lights on the nacelles were on the pilot versions of the ship...

Jim


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Jim,

Thanks for the response. From Gregatron's website I thought he first posted that the small fake nacelle lights may have been there, then he revised his position to "they did exist". If I remember correctly he based this not on any "hard evidence", but on the fact the 3ft. model had these lights and the 11ft. model copied its appearance in many ways. At this point I may still not include the nacelle lights so I can use them (Part 138) to represent the very small lower saucer (red/green) lights located at the 3 and 9 o'clock position. I think using these parts would look better than making some lights with 5-Minute Epoxy mixed with paint. I can put off a final decision until it is time to paint. 

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Phillip1 said:


> Jim,
> 
> Thanks for the response. From Gregatron's website I thought he first posted that the small fake nacelle lights may have been there, then he revised his position to "they did exist". If I remember correctly he based this not on any "hard evidence", but on the fact the 3ft. model had these lights and the 11ft. model copied its appearance in many ways. At this point I may still not include the nacelle lights so I can use them (Part 138) to represent the very small lower saucer (red/green) lights located at the 3 and 9 o'clock position. I think using these parts would look better than making some lights with 5-Minute Epoxy mixed with paint. I can put off a final decision until it is time to paint.
> 
> ...


Exactly. I do think they were there--and it makes sense that they were there, given the pilots' faux saucer lights and the lights on the three-footer--but I haven't seen any clear, pilot-era images that show them on the nacelles. I believe Gary Kerr may have confirmed their existence, at some point, however.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greg,

Can you remember, did Gary Kerr confirm this information on this forum's main thread ("Tips on Building Round2's Enterprise")?

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Can't find anything from him on that point. Hmm.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers-Work focuses mostly on the saucer in this post. I saved working on this section for last because I knew it would be frustrating and time consuming. 


1st Image: Part 47 was corrected by removing the two bump details, as these were not on the 1st Pilot Enterprise. The two kit parts are shown side-by-side as a “before” and “after”.


2nd Image: The upper and lower saucer halves are shown after being glued together. I used Testors glue to get a really strong connection and let it set up over night.



3rd and 4th Image: Both photos show the connection at the upper and lower saucer lip, which is really mediocre. I did not make a big effort to align the grid lines since I am removing them, but I did notice a few did not line up (at least on my sample). If I were going to keep the kit’s grid lines, then this would be an issue.


5th Image: This photo show the saucer connection after thick superglue was applied to the seam line and it was sanded smooth. A good deal of sanding was required because of the off-set. This photo also shows the side windows have been filled in and sanded smooth.


6th Image: This close up photo shows the light holes on the side and lower sections have been filled and sanded, since they were not on the 1st Pilot Enterprise. The 1st Pilot version did have two small lower saucer lights (green and red) at the 3 and 9 o’clock position that will be drilled out later. 


7th Image: The photo shows the center of the lower saucer after the last windows were filled in and sanded smooth. 

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

8th and 9th Image: Time to talk about grid lines! My opinion (and everyone has one) is I do not like them, or the rough texture finish of the saucer. However, I think Round2 made the right decision by including them. I understand they are in business to make a profit, and are trying to cast a big net to attract as many customers as possible. The grid lines add detail, make aligning decals easier and are easier to remove than to have to add-which I assume makes them appealing to the average modeler who does not build very much sci-fi. I read how other modelers filled in the recesses with primers, paints and putty fillers, but I chose to completely sand them away. The most critical part of this decision was making sure the roughest sand paper used cut into the plastic, but did not create deep scratches that would be seen on the finished product. I used Testors #150 Grit-Coarse (black) for this chore. I started on the upper saucer half, since I knew it would be easier to work on. These two photos show the progress after the first few inches were removed.


10th Image: This photo shows an overall view after all the grid lines were removed from the saucer upper half. All of the light openings not on the 1st Pilot Enterprise were filled and sanded smooth. Note the large stack of worn out Testor #150 Grit sandpaper pieces. I think I ended up buying a total of seven packs to have enough of the #150 Grit. This was an unexpected expense, but required for what I had to do. 


11th Image: There were gaps between the light panel inserts and the saucer, which I filled with thick superglue. The photo shows one of the panels after the superglue was applied, but before it was sanded flush with the rest of the plastic.


12th Image: Here the saucer is held at an angle under a light to show the clean, smooth surface. It still has a rough finish from the #150 Grit sandpaper.




13th through 15th Image: These photos show the upper saucer after the finer grades of sandpaper have been applied (#280 Grit-Medium/#320 Grit-Fine/#400 Grit-Extra Fine) as well as polishing with a worn, soft cloth.

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Man, your hands must have gotten tired with all that sanding. The results look great though.


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## spocks beard (Mar 21, 2007)

CRIKEY! That's a whole lotta #150 Grit sandpaper!
I use those packs of Testors sandpaper as well, And they run about $4.00 per pack at my local micheal's.

Like i said before, I still learn something new here just about everytime i visit this forum.

If i ever decide to do another Enterprise build, I may just opt for the smooth saucer look & Sand them away instead of going the putty route.

Any estimate on how long it took to remove the gridlines from start to finish?
The end result looks GREAT!:thumbsup:


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## MartyS (Mar 11, 2014)

Have you tried the bottom half using that method? 

They made the grid lines much deeper on the bottom, and you need to preserve the ones that are supposed to be there, so I could see smoothing out the rough surface they put on and then using putty, but taking off enough to remove the grid is going to be a massive amount of sanding.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Trekkriffic-Thanks for the compliment. Yes, I got a lot of hand cramping doing the sanding. I also had to start wrapping a couple of finger tips with masking tape because a couple of blisters popped up.

spocks beard-Thanks for the compliment. Some of the #150 grit pieces you see in the stack came from my inventory, but yes I went through a lot of the product. I wound up buying seven "new" Testor sanding packs to get enough #150 Grit, but I'll certainly use all the other grades of sandpaper on other projects. I spent about 15 hours sanding the upper saucer and 4 hours sanding the sides. The are no shorts cuts with this chore-it takes what it takes. Concerning putty, the bad thing about it is it can shrink days (even weeks) after you have finished sanding on it.

MartyS-I am working on the bottom saucer half now and you are right, the grid lines are deeper and the saucer contours are more pronounced. This makes it more difficult to work on. The three rings near the center are much deeper and wider than all the grid lines, so I do not believe I will be in danger of losing them. Yes, the amount of sanding that has to be done is VERY great!

Thanks

Phillip1


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## portland182 (Jul 19, 2003)

Gregatron said:


> Exactly. I do think they were there--and it makes sense that they were there, given the pilots' faux saucer lights and the lights on the three-footer--but I haven't seen any clear, pilot-era images that show them on the nacelles. I believe Gary Kerr may have confirmed their existence, at some point, however.


http://s78.photobucket.com/user/por...l_held_by_William_Shatner.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

here they are on the late 3 footer.

I think that it's just a lack of decent images from behind the scenes, for the pilot model shoot of the 11 footer?

Jim


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Jim,

Thanks for posting the link. That photo clearly shows the top nacelle lights on the 3ft. model, but when this photo was taken the model had been modified to the "Production Version" (i.e. added trench grill detail and different nacelle front caps without spikes). If Gregatron says the 3ft. model (1st Pilot Version) had lights on the top of the nacelles, I believe him), but it would be nice if I could see or read something confirming the 11ft. Model (1st Pilot Version) had these.

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Shaw (Jan 9, 2005)

It did... at least the starboard nacelle did, I don't have a clear shot of the port nacelle. And yes, this is for the cage version of the 11 foot model. There are plenty of shots of the 33 inch model in the pilot configuration with them (on both nacelles).


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Would this be of any help???

Prod. Version?:

-Jim


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Shaw-Thanks for the response. It would be great if you could post the image you have described to this thread. I know a lot of people besides myself would really like to see it.

JGG1701-Very funny! I do not think I have heard of anybody doing this before now.

Phillip1


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Phillip1 said:


> JGG1701-Very funny! I do not think I have heard of anybody doing this before now.
> Phillip1


Just trying to be helpful. Really.
-Jim


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers-Work focuses on finishing up removing the lower saucer grid lines in this post. 



1st and 2nd Image: I started removing grid lines from the outside diameter, which is the opposite of what I did on the upper saucer. The first area worked on was radius between the side and lower saucer, shown in these two photos.


3rd Image: I believe a modeler on the hobbytalk website discovered Round2’s mistake in locating the aft three-dimpled light openings on the lower saucer. I used the “correction” masks from Aztec Dummy (part of their window masking set) to properly locate the holes a little forward. The Aztec Dummy product and instructions worked really well. The photo shows the “pilot” holes drilled for the new locations. You can also see a couple of more inches of grid lines have been eliminated (slowly but surely).


4th Image: I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel, as only a few stubborn grid lines are left. I usually build my models in the upstairs part of my house, and only go to the basement when I paint with an airbrush. However, the saucer sanding made such a mess I had to do all of it in the basement. When I was finished I had to vacuum and wipe everything down within a six foot radius-just like a wood working shop. Also note the masking tape around my fingers to help prevent blisters.


5th Image: Finally! This overall view shows the sanding on the lower saucer completely finished. The total time I spent on sanding away the all the grid lines (top/sides/bottom) was 38 hours. This was a lot of time to invest, but I really wanted a gridless saucer. I am glad it is done, as I never want to do it again.


6th Image: This photo shows the original dimpled light holes filled in and the new holes drilled out. In my opinion the original holes looked too big (.125” diameter), so I made my new holes smaller (.09375”). I may be wrong, but I think they look better being a little smaller.


7th Image: Here is a close up view of the center section. The three “bumps” on the side of the planetary sensor array housing were sanded away, as they were not on the 1st Pilot version. 


8th Image: The last part of the saucer sub-assembly was attaching the bridge/AB deck, shown in this photo.

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

9th and 10th Image: Here are two close up photos of the bridge/AB deck after it was glued to the saucer. Once again, I applied a thin bead of 5-Minute Epoxy at the connecting point to fill in any small gaps.

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Planning on including the Bridge interior?



As an aside, I've often thought that a neat way to build a first pilot model would be to have no lighting or electronics (thus staying accurate to the studio model), _except_ for an illuminated Bridge underneath the clear dome, so as to simulate that opening zoom-in shot from the pilot.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Gregatron,

No bridge interior parts will be included. For the clear bridge dome, only the interior will be painted (flat white). I have painted clear parts like this on other model projects and liked the way it turned out.

Thanks

Phillip1


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## spocks beard (Mar 21, 2007)

Looking GOOD!
Minus the blistered fingers,All of that time spent sanding those saucer halves paid off in spades. (Man do they look smooth!)

Excellent work!:thumbsup:


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

When I did my first pilot ship, I used a 60 grit sanding sponge to quickly take down the top saucer. I then used finer grades of sandpaper to clean it up. Took probably an hour or so. On the bottom saucer, I layed in thin styrene strips into the grid with a line of cement first. Then, after it set, took down the material with an oscillating sander, again with 60 grit, followed by progressively finer grades of sandpaper to smooth and polish.

I'm older, so the idea of spending days sanding that thing by hand wasn't going to be an option!


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Trek Ace said:


> When I did my first pilot ship, I used a 60 grit sanding sponge to quickly take down the top saucer. I then used finer grades of sandpaper to clean it up. Took probably an hour or so. On the bottom saucer, I layed in thin styrene strips into the grid with a line of cement first. Then, after it set, took down the material with an oscillating sander, again with 60 grit, followed by progressively finer grades of sandpaper to smooth and polish.
> 
> I'm older, so the idea of spending days sanding that thing by hand wasn't going to be an option!



Got any photos of the final product?


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

spocks beard-Thanks for the compliment. The method I used to remove the grid lines was long and tedious, but I am happy with the end result. To date, removing the grid lines has been (by far) the least fun part of the project.

Trek Ace-From what you describe it looks like you came up with a process that removed the grid lines in record time!

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers-Here is the latest progress. 



1st and 2nd Image: The next task was test fitting the saucer to the secondary hull. The dorsal tab had to be trimmed back (like every other tab in the kit) to get an acceptable fit. In both photos you can see how I cut down all the sharp edges of the tab to insure it went all the way into the saucer without any interference. The fit between the dorsal and saucer was very good but there were small gaps on both sides, at the very rear of the connection. Since I plan on gluing these two sub-assemblies after each is completely painted and decaled, this was my only chance to fix any gap problems. My solution was to take two very small styrene strips and superglue them in the gap area. I then carefully sanded down the styrene strips to the appropriate shape, while test fitting the saucer many times. I also used a pencil to mark the high points in the plastic between test fittings. 


3rd Image: This photo shows the final test fit between the saucer and secondary hull. Look at the back of the connection and you can see one of the styrene pieces I used to eliminate the gaps.


4th Image: This photo shows one of the holes drilled out on the lower saucer at the 3 and 9 o’clock position for the red and green lights.


5th Image: This photo shows a test fit of all the sub-assemblies (saucer/dorsal-secondary hull-struts/nacelles). From the visual checks I made it looks like the nacelles line up with the saucer very well (straight and even). I credit this with the kit’s design and manufacturing process more than any modeling skill by me.


6th Image: Close up view of the sub-assemblies. 


7th Image: After all of the sub-assemblies were complete, I finished cleaning the remaining “loose” parts. This included removing seam lines, testing fitting everything and washing them with soap and water. This photo shows them all bagged and ready for painting.


8th Image: This photo shows a painting mask I made for the strut vents (out of masking tape). My plan is to paint the model hull color, apply the masks, and then apply another coat of hull color. This should make the vents barely noticeable. If this paint mask idea doesn’t work I’ll move on to another idea. In the next post I should be ready to start painting.

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Excellent work again my friend. I actually prefer the larger bridge dome and spiked Nacelle end caps.

Thanks for sharing.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Captain Han Solo-Thanks for the compliment. I agree the 1st Pilot version has some appealing features.

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers-Time to start painting!






1st through 5th Image: In early 2009 I built Ertl’s 22” USS Enterprise-TOS and painted it with a light gray-blue hue hull color to make it look like what I saw on the TV screen most of the time. Here are five images of that model. I used a custom mix of Model Master Light Gray-1732 (75%) and Model Master Light Ghost Gray-1728 (25%). At that time a lot of Enterprise-TOS models on the internet seemed to lean toward the blue hue, as I do not remember reading that much discussion about any green tones. It might have been there, and mentally I rejected the idea because it went against the image established in my head! I think the light gray-blue color on the 22” model is really attractive and I am happy with it, but I have decided to use a light gray-green hue hull color on the Round2 model. I am mainly posting these images to show my interpretation of the color I saw on TV, and to show off the model! These photos were taken outside on a sunny day with some white cloud cover. The blue sky may have influenced the color in the photos-just a little bit. 




6th through 8th Image: The two written references I read before creating my hull color were Paul Newitt’s article (_What Color Is The Classic Enterprise?) _and Club Tepes forum thread (_What Color Did You Paint Your 1/350 TOS Enterprise_). Both are excellent pieces of information and highly recommended reading for anyone building this model. I played with several color variations and had trouble finding a mix that made me happy. I did not like the hull paint color called out in the kit instructions (Tamiya XF-12 JN Grey), as it was too dark and too green for my taste (even after adding 10% white). I am not disputing the experts who picked this color-I just wasn’t going to be happy using it. In the end I tried my best to match the color of the kit plastic, since it is supposed to be based on the original color. Even this was elusive, as the color can come across as marbled or layered. One of the most irritating things to deal with is how a painted part changed color, depending of what room I was in and what kind of lighting the room had. The hull color I settled on was a mix of the following Model Master/Testor paints: SAC Bomber Green-1793 (5 parts), Light Gray-1732 (41 parts) and White-1168 (31 parts). This produced a color close to the molded model parts, but it was certainly different (lighter with more gray) than the Tamyia XF-12/JN Grey. The second image shows the gray-green color beside one of the kit parts. The third image shows a (three square) kit part, with only the middle square having been painted with the gray-green paint.

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

9th and 10th Image: These photos show the first parts that were painted. About three coats were applied, with a worn, soft cloth buffing the finish between coats. Notice how the photos under this these lights make the paint appear as a purer, lighter gray. Bent wire coat hangers were inserted into each end of the nacelles so they could be held while being painted. 



11th and 12th Image: These photos show the secondary hull ready for painting. The strut tabs have been masked to prevent any over spray, which would cause fit issues with the nacelles. The entire dorsal has been masked, since it will be painted a different color later.



13th and 14th Image: These photos show the secondary hull after receiving its fourth and final coat of paint.


15th Image: Here is a close up shot of the secondary hull after the protective tape was removed from the dorsal. Any opinions about my color choice (good, bad or indifferent) are welcome. At this time I applied the strut interior masking tape masks (mentioned in an earlier post) to high-lite the rectangles. After adding the paint and removing the masks, the rectangles are only noticeable when an overhead light hits them at just the right angle. I do not plan on doing any additional work to make them stand out more.

Until next time...

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Gorgeous!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Gregatron,

Thanks for the compliment. Your posted research has certainly been one of the main sources for my build.

Phillip1


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Love that color.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Trekkriffic,

Thanks!

Phillip1


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## spocks beard (Mar 21, 2007)

Agreed, great color & What a clean build.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Excellent.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

I also really like the color! This build is really coming along nicely

BTW, what will you be using for the windows? Decals, paint...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

spocks beard/Captain Han Solo/crowe-t-Thanks for the compliments. They are greatly appreciated. I am relieved to get positive feedback on my color selection, as I was having second thoughts about it after some of the parts were painted. I think part of the issue is I am still googling images of other modeler's Enterprises, as well as well as filming stills, and will see a different color I really like. But hey, once you make your choice you might as well stick with it!

crowe-t-I will be using a superscale black decal sheet for the windows.

Thanks

Phillip1


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

No complaints about the colour! :thumbsup: Liking the hanger holder, too. Thanks for the update!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

SteveR-Thanks for the kind words.

Greetings Fellow Modelers-The painting adventure continues...


1st Image: It is time to decide on the dorsal paint color! The kit instructions call for Model Master Pontiac Engine Blue-28011 to be used. This is a metallic paint, and I did not believe a “glittery” finish would look good here. I wanted a solid light blue (with no gray tones), and the color I tried to mimic was what Jim Small used on his 1st Pilot Enterprise he built as a display for Round2. After testing several colors, I decided on Model Master USSR Flanker Medium Blue-2131. This photo shows some of the various colors applied on a “spare” dorsal for comparison. 


2nd Image: This photo shows the secondary hull masked off and the dorsal about to be painted. After I applied the first coat, I noticed a few minor pin-holes in several of the windows. I had to fill them with superglue, sand them down and buff the surface clean. I was not as careful filling the dorsal windows as I was with the secondary hull windows and my laziness wound up coming back to bite me.



3rd and 4th Image: These two photos show the dorsal after the painting was complete and the masking tape removed. 


5th Image: I painted two areas on the nacelles with a color mix a little darker than the base hull color by replacing MM Light Gray-1732 with Flat Gull Gray-1730. These two areas were the recessed rings near the back and the entire bussard sections. I added this to create a deeper shadow effect that is impossible to get naturally on a model this small. 


6th Image: This photo shows an intercooler and control reactor after the end sections were painted with a lighter accent color. In Club Tepes’ forum thread he wisely stated that if deviations were made from the kit recommended hull color (i.e. lightened Tamyia XF-12), then the other accent colors should be modified as well so the contrasts remain the same. For the parts above (and the impulse engine housing) I used a mix of 50% Canadian Voodoo Gray-2039 and 50% Flat White. I had to play with this ratio before I was happy with it.


7th Image: This photo shows one of the nacelle trench areas after it was masked and painted with a modified Model Master Medium Gray-1721, consisting of the base color (2 parts) and Flat White (3 parts).


8th Image: To mask off the section on the lower front nacelles, I used a combination of masking tape and part of what was provided in the Aztec Dummy set. This photo shows one of the nacelles ready for painting.

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

9th and 10th Image: These two photos show one of the nacelles after the paint was applied and the masks removed. The modified MM Medium Gray was used here, like on the recessed trenches.

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Again, gorgeous! I hope my own build looks half this good! So clean and slick!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Gregatron,

Thanks (again) for the compliment. I am making my best effort to make it as clean as possible, since this will probably be the only time I build this kit. I am sure your very detailed build will turn out very nice.

Thanks

Phillip1


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## pagni (Mar 20, 1999)

Really nice work.


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## Landru (May 25, 2009)

Beautiful! 

I remember when painting the dorsal blue was quite controversial


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

pagni/Landru-Thanks for the compliment.

Landru-I agree, 1st Pilot blue dorsal acceptance is pretty recent for most fans (including myself).

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers-More painting updates…



1st and 2nd Image: Here are two photos of the upper saucer after the paint was applied. Four coats were added, with each application buffed with a soft, worn cloth after drying (like the other sub-assemblies).



3rd and 4th Image: Here are two photos of the lower saucer after painting. 






continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

5th through 10th Image: The next step was applying the Future (now Pledge) floor polish to the subassemblies in preparation for adding the decals. These six photos show the semi-gloss finish on the secondary hull. Several light coats were applied through my airbrush at about 45psi. After the Future dried a soft, worn cloth was used to buff the finish, like when the paint was applied. The Future was mainly added for better decal attachment, but it also provides good protection to base paint, which is very susceptible to scratches and marring.



11th and 12th Image: These two photos show the right nacelle after the Future was applied.





13th and 16th Image: These four photos show the upper and lower saucer after the Future was applied.

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

17th and 18th Image: These two photos show a rough test fit of the dorsal housing cover to the upper saucer. The dorsal housing cover was painted a lighter blue than was used on the dorsal. I used a 50/50 mix of Model Master USSR Flanker Medium Blue and Flat White.

Until next time… 

Phillip1


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## RossW (Jan 12, 2000)

Gorgeous! Very clean paint job - I only hope mine will come out as nice.


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## jgoldsack (Apr 26, 2004)

That is very clean. Definite tips in this one...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

RossW/jgoldsack-Thanks for the compliments.

Phillip1


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Nice progress and your paint finish looks great! Thanks for posting so many images too. Very informative and a great read.


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

I just can't wait till she fully complete!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

WOI-Thanks. I am ready for it to be finished too.

Trekkriffic-Thanks for the compliment and the continued support.

Phillip1


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## harristotle (Aug 7, 2008)

Impressive work so far :thumbsup:


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

harristotle-Thanks for the compliment

*Fellow Modelers-I need to get some help on my Enterprise project if I can. All of the hull window decals I am adding are black decal film cut to size. Unfortunately I do not have any black circle decals to represent the round windows. I need at least 18 pieces that are about 1/16" diameter. Does anyone know if what I am looking exist on ANY available decal sheet (i.e. armor, trains, etc.). Any help is greatly appreciated, as this issue has me stumped for the moment.*
Thanks in advance.

Phillip1


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Phillip, I don't know of any black circle decals that exist, but it doesn't mean they don't exist.

However you might try contacting tangopapadecals.com. They do custom decals and might be able to make you a sheet of 1/16" diameter black circles. They do ALPS printed decals.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Do you have a set of nail set punches? They come in various sizes to fit different size nail heads but I use them all the time to punch round holes in decal film. So if you have any black decal material just place the decal paper on a vinyl cutting matte and press the head of the punch down hard, twisting the punch as you press down, until you have created a round hole in the paper. You will have both a hole and a round decal.


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## portland182 (Jul 19, 2003)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Single-Hole-Punch-1-16/dp/B005Q88BXE

Jim


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

crowe-t/Trekkriffic/portland182-Thanks for taking the time to respond. It is greatly appreciated. All of the suggestions were good and helpful. Based on your comments, and my own searching I settled on two options:

>Purchased (from a seller on ebay) a water slide decal set that includes only various size circles. Each row of circles is a different size, with the smallest being about 1-2 mm. Three circle colors are included (black/white/red). It cost $6.99 plus $3.00 shipping from China. It was descibed as "circles for various scale models". It was ordered yesterday.

>I just ordered a Fiskers 1/16" hole punch from a seller in Oregon. The cost was $6.99 with free shipping. Fiskers makes really good sissors so the quality should be good.

Hopefully one or both of these will do the trick. Thanks again for the help.

Phillip1


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## Shaw (Jan 9, 2005)

Here is how I'd approach the problem...

I would draw up the decals I need using a vector based illustration program (like Adobe Illustrator) and make a 8.5x11 PDF of the final artwork (in this case... black circles). I'd do a test printing at home (making sure it printed at 100%) to see how the graphics looked.

Once happy with the final PDF file, I'd make a run to my local hobby store and grab a clear decal sheet (from Microscale, about $3.00) and a can of Testors' Decal Bonder Spray (if I didn't already have it, but it runs about $5.00). I'd take the decal sheet and the PDF file to my local Kinko's and have the file laser printed (in color if other color graphics are on the file) on the sheet (maybe $0.60 for printing, again make sure you're printing at 100%).

Once I get the printed decal sheet home, I'd fixed the graphics to the page with a number of dusting coats of the Decal Bonder Spray (a number of passes from about two feet away from the sheet).

After letting that sit for about 12 hours to fully cure/dry... I'd cut the decals out of the sheet.

The key thing here is that if we are talking about black windows, you can get away without needing an ALPS printer for including a white background to maintain true colors in the graphics. And for cases where you might need color decals and you know the surface color is pretty light, you can get good color results as well (I ended up printing my Galileo decals this way).

All this should be within your ability... except for maybe the graphics software (not everyone has that type of software handy). If you need a PDF file of black circles, I can make one for you.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Shaw-Thanks for the response. I may consider your suggestion if my other two options do not pan out.

Greetings Fellow Modelers-This post includes details on final painting and decaling.

1st Image: This photo shows the bridge dome and impulse housing. Only the interior of the bridge dome was painted Flat White, leaving the exterior clear and glossy. The impulse housing exhaust (clear Part 109) was painted Flat Black then glued into place.


2nd Image: Since I am a lazy modeler, I chose the easiest option available for painting the nacelle front domes. First I mixed up the desired color, based on a ratio from Gregatron’s website. This consisted of Testor Gloss Dark Red-1104 (7 parts) and Model Master Rust-1785 (3 parts). It produced a crimson color with a hint of brown. I applied the paint to only the inside of the clear dome parts. The clarity of the parts was nearly flawless, which made the nacelle domes look like they have a high gloss finish.


3rd and 4th Image: Time to begin decaling. I started with the easiest markings first, which are the shapes on the bottom of the secondary hull. Since there were no natural reference points on the model to align the decals, I taped a piece of dental floss across the length to make centering the decals easier. It is worth noting that I cut away about 100% of the clear carrier film of each decal (using a metal ruler and new X-acto blade) before they were placed in water. I do this on every model project for two reasons:
>Reduced carrier film means reduced silvering issues
>Clear carrier film has a tendency to turn yellow over time and can really look bad
I used Micro-set and Micro-sol for the setting solutions.



5th and 6th Image: These two photos show a few more decals added. The only decals (so far) where I was not able to cutaway all of the carrier film were the draft markings, and it took a lot more work to eliminate all of the silvering on them. 



7th Image: To help me locate the window decals I blew up the kit’s instruction drawings until they were a near match to the kit parts. The enlarged drawings made it much easier to measure out the location of every window. The window decals were cut to size from a Superscale black decal sheet. The size of almost every window was 1/16” X 5/32”. The black decal film was very fragile and a lot of window decals broke into multiple pieces as I tried to move them to their final location.


continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

8th and 9th Image: These two photos show more window work on the secondary hull. 



10th Image: This photo shows the metallizer parts after they were painted. I used Testor Copper-1151 on the dish parts and two of the spikes, and I was surprised how smooth the paint finish turned out. I know the two nacelle spikes are supposed to be gold, but the gold paint I used did not look good so I re-painted them copper. I do not think the difference between the two colors is that obvious on parts this small.


Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Outstanding!


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

Aye Carumba!!!!!!!!!!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Yep. Testors paints can still do the trick!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Gregatron/WOI-Thanks for the compliment.

Phillip1


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Phillip1 said:


> 10th Image: This photo shows the metallizer parts after they were painted. I used Testor Copper-1151 on the dish parts and two of the spikes, and I was surprised how smooth the paint finish turned out. I know the two nacelle spikes are supposed to be gold, but the gold paint I used did not look good so I re-painted them copper. I do not think the difference between the two colors is that obvious on parts this small.
> 
> 
> Until next time…
> ...


Mr Phillip1,
Did you primer before you painted these copper?

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFSH3
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHF84
thanks,
-Jim


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Jim,

Thanks for the question. I never use primer paint on any model projects I build. I just make sure to thoroughly wash the parts with dish washing liquid before they are painted. All the Enterprise copper parts were given a heavy coat of Model Master Metallizer Sealer (after the copper was applied) to protect the finish.

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Landru (May 25, 2009)

Holy sheet! I hope to see some of that rusty weathering on her at the end 
I swear I can see it on The Cage..


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Landru-Per Gregaton's website, he believes the 1st Pilot upper saucer was fairly heavily weathered, but it was not the same weathering pattern added later (before the 1st season production began) and probably did not have a rust ring. A couple of well known still photos show some other parts of the 1st Pilot 11ft. model (i.e. lower hull/secondary hull/lower nacelles) with minimal weathering. However, you will not see any of this on my build. I want mine to look like it did right after it was built-clean as the new fallen snow. 

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers,



1st Image: After getting my Fiskers 1/16” hole punch in the mail, I immediately started punching. However, this task took more effort than I expected.  The Superscale black decal film used for the rectangular windows was too fragile to use with the hole punch, and everything punched out splintered. I tried several different decal films and had the best success using spare German WWI crosses left over from a Wingnut Wings decal sheet. The photo shows the some of the punched circles. Even this combination produced many pieces that were less than perfect, causing me to pick and choose. I probably punched over fifty round decals just to come up with the eighteen that were used on the secondary hull. I still think this was a good, inexpensive solution.








2nd through 8th Image: These photos show both sides of the secondary hull after all the round window decals were added. Red and green decal film pieces (representing lights) were added on the fan tail just under the hanger bay opening. This completes all the required decaling on the secondary hull, so it can be set aside for now.

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

9th Image: Decaling work now moves to the starboard nacelle. The first step was using dental floss to find the centerline on the outside of the nacelle, the same as was done earlier on the secondary hull. This photo shows the dental floss already in place. Also note the scaled up drawings with penciled in dimensions to help me accurately locate each decal. 


10th Image: The front and rear pennant markings were added first.


11th Image: The registry numbers were added next.


12th image: This photo shows the registry numbers after they were carefully aligned.


13th Image: The registry letters were added last. Note the style of a couple of the numbers is different from what was used in the Production Series. 


14th Image: This photo shows the entire nacelle after Micro-set and Micro-sol setting solutions were applied.

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Excellent solution for the window ports.


And, although it's not strictly pilot-era accurate, I can't argue with your decision to skip any sort of weathering. This build is too slick and clean for weathering--it deserves to look pristine!


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

What you are doing with this kit is utterly mindblowing!!!!!!!!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

That some fine decal work right there yep.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Dental floss? Very clever! :thumbsup:


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## RossW (Jan 12, 2000)

Gorgeous!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Gregatron/WOI/Trekkriffic/SteveR/RossW-Thnaks for the compliments. They are greatly appreciated.

SteveR-It did not have to be dental floss. Sewing thread (or anything similar) would work just as well.

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers,


1st Image: This photo shows the decal sheet I got from an e-bay seller in China. It is comprised of only individual circles in black, red and white. The smallest are about 1/16” and the largest are about 3/16”. They are not perfect, but should be useful. I plan on using three of them on the center bow section of the saucer.


2nd Image: In the attached photo of the 11ft. 1st Pilot Enterprise I have noticed the window pattern does not match the Round2 kit instructions. The 11ft. model is missing a window on the dorsal and has an extra one on the secondary hull (under the pennant). I know minor widow pattern changes were made a couple of times on the model, but I am not sure about this inconsistency. I followed the window pattern shown in the instructions, which is the same pattern posted by Enterprise expert Gary Kerr on this forum.


 
3rd and 4th Image: These two photos show the main assembly after the nacelles were glued into place. I did not use a lot of glue, since the fit was already very tight.



5th and 6th Image: Here are two close up shots of the connection between right nacelle and strut. This is a heavy model, and it became much more difficult to handle after the nacelles were added.


7th Image: Before the nacelles were glued in place, the sub-assemblies were airbrushed with several light coats of Testors Dullcote thinned 50% with Model Master Thinner. The dorsal was masked off to retain its semi-gloss finish. The final finish is not a “hard” flat, but certainly more flat than it was, with the sheen of the kit parts and decals being much closer. In this photo you can compare the finish of the secondary hull and dorsal.


8th Image: This photo shows the deflector dish housing after being glued in place.

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Absolutely beautiful!


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

Holy sweet Hanna Barbera!!!I can't believe the amount of precise efforts
in building her is beyond belief!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Are you using rubber gloves to handle this beastie? She's so... clean...


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## Dave in RI (Jun 28, 2009)

Astounding

If I didn't already know these are pictures of a model kit, I'd swear they are CGI images. Everything is so precise and extremely clean...it's scary good


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Gregatron/WOI/Trekkriffic-Thanks for the compliments and continued support.

Trekkriffic-A standard model building practice I use on all projects is to wear latex gloves once the paint is applied.

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Proper2 (Dec 8, 2010)

I've never seen a more deliciously clean technique! Even the smoothness of the paint surface is unmatched! It's like extreme resolution 3D CGI! Hurts my eyes. Beautiful!


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## spocks beard (Mar 21, 2007)

Simply beeeautiful!
I can't wait to see that first pilot deflector dish mounted to the housing.:thumbsup:


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Proper2/spocks beard-Thanks for the compliments. They are appreciated.

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers,


1st Image: I decided to go ahead and attach all the detail parts to the secondary hull and nacelles. This photo shows the hanger bay after adding the smooth door and clear beacon. The kit’s beacon had a couple of scratches, but I coated the outside of it with Future which made the scratches much less noticeable.




2nd through 4th Image: These photos show the back of the right nacelle. In my opinion the smooth end caps look much better than the half-spheres added to the Production version.


5th Image: This photo shows one of the nacelles after adding the rings, front housing and dome. I was not expecting the dark red dome to stand out that much, but it is a very striking feature and one of the first things you notice when you look at the model.



6th through 7th Image: Here are two views showing the outside and inside of the nacelle after adding a few more parts.


8th Image: Here is an overall view of the secondary hull and nacelles. This part of the model is basically finished, lacking only the dome spikes and deflector dish assembly. I consider these part “fragile alignment” items, and they will be the very last parts glued in place.

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

9th Image: The base part of the kit stand had a few dings and scratches, so I sanded it smooth and applied several coats of Model Master Gun Metal to it. In the photo it looks black, but it is not black.

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Phillip1 said:


> The base part of the kit stand had a few dings and scratches, so I sanded it smooth and applied several coats of Model Master Gun Metal to it. In the photo it looks black, but it is not black.
> 
> Until next time…
> 
> Phillip1


Good choice. I love gunmetal for the base. Used it on my 1/1000 Saratoga and Luna dome bases.


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

I just can't believe just how far you had gone on this kit,I don't know
if you know this but I have been keeping a close watch on your progress
on making the 1st Pilot TOS Enterprise.I have been gathering info on it
so that I can use those techniques to create the outstanding quality and
detail of this version of the Enterprise on a 1/1000 scale kit that I have
of her.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

The finish on the paint job is stunning. Excellent work! :thumbsup:


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## publiusr (Jul 27, 2006)

Looks awesome


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Tekkriffic-I agree, the gun metal color really adds to display bases
WOI-Yes, I noticed you have been following this thread and I am glad you have found the information helpful. That is one of my main reasons for posting. I want my details to help others modelers, just like dozens of modelers have helped me by posting the same kind of Enterprise progress builds over the past couple of years.
Fozzie/publiusr-Thanks for the compliments

Phillip1


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

So ... clean ....


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

SteveR-Thanks for the compliment.

Greetings Fellow Modelers-As this project winds down, the focus of this post is decaling the saucer section.



1st through 2nd Image: Since the grid lines were gone, I used dental floss and homemade paper templates to help me properly locate the saucer decals. In this photo a couple of pieces of dental floss were stretched across the assembly at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock position. The main purposes of doing this were to help me center all the decals for the bridge and A/B deck, and locate the center of the bow section. A few of the decals have just been added.


3rd Image: I created a template for the ship registry by first placing the enlarged instructions over heavy construction paper, then marking the radius and where each letter should be. I used a pencil to mark exact locations, then cut the pattern out with scissors. The photo here shows the template taped in place with the decals about to be added.


4th Image: This photo shows the first half of the registry before final placement. As with the other decals, all the carrier film has been cut away.


5th Image: I used a toothpick to move most of the decals into their final position.


6th Image: I allowed all of the decals to air dry before any setting solution was applied. 


7th Image: This photo shows the registry after the decal solution was applied.


8th Image: The template for the ship name was made the same way as the one for the registry. It is shown taped in place, with the decals about to be added. 

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

9th Image: The decals are shown lined up against the markings on the template.


10th Image: Here is the finished product. Honestly, I would not have been able to apply these decals if I did not make the templates described above.

Until next time…

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Just stunning. The precision demonstrated here makes me feel like a caveman, by comparison!


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## GornDawg (Sep 19, 2012)

I am just absolutely blown away by how beautiful this is.

And the techniques you've used will help my builds come out better, so with all sincerity I say thank you! :thumbsup:


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Superior technique and great results! Learning a lot! Thanks for sharing.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Any Trek modeller could not help but love this build. Especially since the love you have for this subject is so richly evident with every photo you post. Cudos to you sir.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Gregatron-Thanks again. The caveman comparison is pretty far-fetched considering the good work you are doing on your Enterprise. You probably noticed I did not add the red stripe at the base of the bridge. I thought about it a while and decided this was still a really "gray" area and did not include it.
GornDawg-Thanks for the compliment. If anything I have posted helps your model building then that is great!
Fozzie-Thank you very much.
Trekkriffic-Thanks again. You are correct that (like many other Star Trek modelers) this kit is near and dear to my heart, and I am making my best effort to get the best results I can. Many times during this build that meant doing the same thing multiple times until it was good enough. You guys only see photos of the successes, not all the failures that happened first.

The support is truly appreciated.

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Phillip1 said:


> Gregatron-Thanks again. The caveman comparison is pretty far-fetched considering the good work you are doing on your Enterprise. You probably noticed I did not add the red stripe at the base of the bridge. I thought about it a while and decided this was still a really "gray" area and did not include it.
> Phillip1



I was gonna ask about that. I'm convinced that it was there, and I believe Gary Kerr does too, but leaving it off certainly isn't a big deal, because it's a very minor detail. The build is still fantastic!


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## Mark Dorais (May 25, 2006)

Absolutely brilliant build. Can't wait to see this beauty completed.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Mark Dorias-Thanks for the compliment. It won't be long now.

Gregatron-If there is a post where Gary Kerr references the red bridge stripe I would certainly like to see it. Any thoughts on why Round2 left this decal off their sheets when the rest of the decals are really detailed and complete?

Thanks

Phillip1


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Phillip1 said:


> Mark Dorias-Thanks for the compliment. It won't be long now.
> 
> Gregatron-If there is a post where Gary Kerr references the red bridge stripe I would certainly like to see it. Any thoughts on why Round2 left this decal off their sheets when the rest of the decals are really detailed and complete?
> 
> ...


I found the relevant quote, from Gary's article in SCI-FI & FANTASY MODELER Vol. 29--

_Both pilot bridges had pinstripes around their bases, but they were left off the decal sheet due to a lack of space. To recreate them add a 0.0237" wide by 5" long pinstripe around the base of the pilot bridge--red for the 1st pilot and medium grey for the 2nd pilot. Trim off any excess decal so it doesn't wrap around the shaft for the turbolift._


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## portland182 (Jul 19, 2003)

http://s78.photobucket.com/user/portland182/media/Trek/thecagehd0032a.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

you can just see it in this screen cap

Jim


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Gregatron-Thanks for the response. That was the exact information I looking for. I wished I had done a better job in trying to get it sooner, so I could have added this detail to my model. I am still glad you posted it, because I am sure it will help someone else. I purchased the first Sci-Fi Fantasy Modeller/Enterprise issue (vol. 26), but did not buy any others. It is a really high quality magazine, but also really expensive. 

portland182-Thanks for the post. 

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Greetings Fellow Modelers-In this post the final decals are added to the saucer bottom and sides.


1st Image: In this photo a homemade construction paper template and dental floss were both used to help properly locate the registry for the left and right hand side. 


2nd Image: In this photo the registry decals have just been located.


3rd Image: Here is an overhead view after one side of the registry was finished.


4th Image: This photo shows a few more decals have been added. The two “eyebrows” (i.e. equipment bay doors?) were the most difficult of all the decals to apply. The center sections were cut from the decal sheet, leaving only very flimsy strips that had to be perfectly aligned and located, while working on a radius. I know it does not look like it would be hard to do, but it was (at least for me).


5th Image: This photo shows a close up of one of the eyebrows.


6th Image: The lower saucer windows, like all the other windows, were cut from black decal film.


7th Image: The final decals were the rectangle and round windows on the saucer sides. This is the only place where white decal film was used. The total number of decals on the entire model is a whopping 267!

continued...


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

8th through 10th Image: After the decal setting solution completely dried, the entire saucer was airbrushed with several light coats of Testors Dullcote thinned 50% with Model Master Thinner. These three photos show the saucer after the Dullcote was applied.


11th Image: The clear planetary sensor array dome was glued in place next, using a couple of drops of carefully placed white glue.


12th Image: This photo shows the bridge dome after being added. No glue was required here, as it just snapped into place.


13th Image: To represent lights for the dimpled holes, I mixed 5-Minute Epoxy with some flat white paint. I made sure to not fill the holes, so they all have a very pronounced recess, like on the 11ft. model. 

*(This will be my last progress build post for this project. All that is left to do is attach the saucer to the dorsal, and add a handful of parts. The next post I make will hopefully only include photos of the completely finished model. It won’t be long now!)*
Until next time…

Phillip1


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

This is the very moment that we have been waiting for.


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## Landru (May 25, 2009)

Can't wait till you put her into standard parking orbit above Talos!


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

I must note--in the interests of those seeking extreme accuracy, not to nitpick this excellent build--that the forward-facing cluster of windows on the lower saucer contains two windows too many. The bottom row should have seven windows, not nine. This is due to an error in the kit's pilot decal placement orthos, which feature an incorrect number of windows.

That one teensy-tiny inaccuracy aside, this is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Just beautiful stuff, man. Love it!


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Yup, that's how it's done.

Inspirational build thread, P-1. Makes we want to dive back into my own Pilot E.

Looking forward to the finish pix.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

WOI/Landru-Me too!

Gregatron-Good eye Greg! I was not aware of the instruction mistake. Certainly you are THE detail expert when it comes to this kit. Thanks for the compliment.

Carson Dyle-Thanks for the kind words. They mean a lot coming from someone of your considerable model building skill.

Phillip1


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

Gregatron said:


> I must note--in the interests of those seeking extreme accuracy, not to nitpick this excellent build--that the forward-facing cluster of windows on the lower saucer contains two windows too many. The bottom row should have seven windows, not nine. This is due to an error in the kit's pilot decal placement orthos, which feature an incorrect number of windows.
> 
> That one teensy-tiny inaccuracy aside, this is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Just beautiful stuff, man. Love it!


Thanks for the info,I will use that advice when I am building my own model
of the 1st Pliot Version at the 1/1000 scale,you may had just saved me from
making a mistake on it.


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

WOI said:


> Thanks for the info,I will use that advice when I am building my own model
> of the 1st Pliot Version at the 1/1000 scale,you may had just saved me from
> making a mistake on it.



Of course, the error is not replicated in the 1/350 kit, itself, but it does appear on the window decals for the 1/1000 kit. The 1/350 kit's instructions just reuse the inaccurate orthos from the 1/1000 kit's instructions.

By the way, I did determine the correct patterns of windows for both pilot versions, and they appear in my blog for reference purposes--

www.enterproject.wordpress.com


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Fellow Modelers,

After a total of 243 hours spent over a six month period, this project is finished! About one-half of the time was spent on cleaning parts and sub-assembly work, and one-half on painting and decaling. The total number of parts I used was about 91, which is not many for such a large model. Below are ALOT of photos of my U.S.S. Enterprise-1st Pilot Configuration. They were all taken outside on a bright day that had a good bit of white cloud cover. 
I believe Round2 did an excellent job on this kit. Their product is not perfect but it is very good, and more importantly it is EXTREMELY accurate! Certainly they invested the required time, effort and expense to get it right, and fore filled a wish voiced by Star Trek modelers for decades. In my opinion this kit holds up really well even under close inspection.
The least fun part of the project was removing the grid lines from the saucer section. The most exciting part was adding the decals, since they transformed the model from something plain into the fantasy starship I grew up with. Nothing on this project was scratch built or required any special tools, I just had to stay committed to very tedious re-sanding/re-painting/re-decaling until the parts were as good as I could make them. 
I hope this information helps anyone who wants to build this model. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me, commented and followed along. It was greatly appreciated. Happy modeling! 

Until next time…

Phillip1


P.S. The very last photo shows the model in its final resting place-the display case. I had a scary moment as the sliding door opening to the case turned out to be too small for the model to go through. Then my wife suggested I remove the model from the base and put them in separately. With some careful maneuvering that idea worked, just barely. I would have really been in trouble if the model did not fit, because I do not have the required space in any other display case.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)




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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)




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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)




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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Stunning. Just stunning. You should be very proud! The paint job and decal work is so clean! I wish I could do half as well.

Congratulations!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)




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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)




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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)




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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

Phillip1 - This is about the cleanest Enterprise I've ever seen built! I was in awe of your attention to the placement of each decal. I really like the dental floss technique for lining up the decals. 

This is such a beautiful and clean build of the 'old girl'. 

One word comes to mind and it's, 'Perfection'.

Mike.


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

What you had just accomplished this is beyond anything any model maker
can truly do!!!!


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

That is so clean and so flawless, I'd almost think it was a computer-generated model!


Phenomenal job.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

*Could use a little weathering but other than that... *





Just kidding! 


*Nothing much I could add to what others have already said. Beautiful work. 

P.S. Do you have a pair of cotton gloves stowed near the display case for when you have to move the model for some reason? *


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

gorgeous


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## Allansfirebird (Jun 16, 2007)

Simply astounding.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Fozzie-Thanks for the compliment.
crow-t-Those are very kind words. Thank you very much.
WOI-Thanks for the tremendous compliment. However, I believe there are many model builders who regularly contribute to this site who could build equal or better than this model.
Gregatron-Thanks again for your compliment, support and research that helped me get (most of) it right.
Trekkriffic-Thanks for the compliment and your support too. I do not use cotton gloves, but rubber gloves and only when I have to handle a model for an extended period of time.
Carson Dyle-Thank you, sir.
Allensfirebird-Thank you

Phillip1


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

Oh come on,who are you kidding.You shouldn't sell yourself short for this.
Your talents and your modelling skills are far superior than any modeler
that I had ever seen,even greater!

You are equal to any of them who cared enough to put your heart and
soul into your work.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Um ... yep, that's flawless. :thumbsup:


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

Finescale Modelers should publish a whole article about it.A lot of modelers
would really love to see your work on it.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

Really nice job - very clean work!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

SteveR/Scooke123-Thanks very much for the compliments.

Phillip1


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## spocks beard (Mar 21, 2007)

WOW! Simply one beautiful rendition of the first pilot Enterprise sir!
I rather like the clean, Just christened out of space dock look.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

I'm really digging the larger deflector dish over the revised one used during the series.

Again, this is a pro build all the way!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

spocks beard-Thanks for the compliment on the finished model and support during the project.

Phillip1


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## dcarty (Nov 26, 2012)

I'd like to add my voice of admiration for your build. Absolutely gorgeous!!

Clean, tight, and smooth as glass. I really like the dental floss solution too! I've been mulling over different ways to take care of the grid lines (there's more than one way to skin a cat as they say). I've considered just sanding them away as you have and I'm glad to see that it works very well.

Congratulations, sir, on a job extremely well done!

Dave


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

dcarty,

Thanks for the generous compliments. You are correct, there are several ways to remove the grid lines. I actually disliked the saucer's pebble finish more than the grid lines! I read a lot of people's build logs to see how they handled the grid lines, and sanding them away was the best solution for me. I ended up investing a great deal of time, but I was not going to be happy unless the saucer was gridless.

Phillip1


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## KUROK (Feb 2, 2004)

Gorgeous and super clean build up!
Love your choice of colors.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

KUROK,

Thanks for the compliment. I created several different mixes for the main hull color before I was happy with one. Even then I began to question my choice after I started painting the parts. It was only after a I started applying the red pennant decals and black window decals that I become content with the color choice.

Phillip1


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## Landru (May 25, 2009)

Mother of god! Beautiful!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Landru,

I am glad you like it.

Phillip1


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Landru said:


> Mother of god! Beautiful!


Ditto!:thumbsup:

Phillip1, PM sent.
-Jim


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## jlwshere (Mar 30, 2007)

This is why I bought two of these beasts - to build the production and first pilot versions. Awesome job especially given the somewhat limited reference material on this version. I'm also diggin' your Saturn V 1B which I've never seen in (1/96 ?) scale.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

JGG1701/jlwshere-Thanks for the compliments. My main reference/source to get the details right was Gregatron's website (referenced in the build thread). His information was a tremendous help. The Apollo-Saturn 1B is a 1/70 scale model made by Apogee Rockets. They make flying model rockets, but their kit is THE best Apollo-Saturn 1B that has ever been produced in accuracy an detail (in my opinion). It is a large model too, nearly 38" tall.

Thanks

Phillip1


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## JMar078 (Oct 10, 2015)

You're build is amazing. 

I actually used it as guide for building mine (and the enterprise project page)


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Y'know, I'm glad that people are using that resource, and that all my work wasn't for nothing. Thanks, guys!


I just need to get back to my own build!


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

So clean, so sharp. Beautiful!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Gregatron said:


> Y'know, I'm glad that people are using that resource, and that all my work wasn't for nothing. Thanks, guys!
> 
> 
> I just need to get back to my own build!


Greg, 
Your blog is the best resource bar none for how to best build accurate versions of the pilot and production variants of the Enterprise. 
Like Auda Abu Tayi, you are a river to your people!


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Trekkriffic said:


> Greg,
> Your blog is the best resource bar none for how to best build accurate versions of the pilot and production variants of the Enterprise.
> Like Auda Abu Tayi, you are a river to your people!


Aw, shucks!


This particular pilot build--minor artistic choices (such as lack of weathering) aside--is one of the very best and most accurate I've ever seen. Just gorgeous. I'm honored to have played even a very small part in its creation!


Now, I just have to get back to my own production build. I've needed months to regroup and rest. Meanwhile, I've been working on a supplemental side project, which is nearing completion. More on that in the near future.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Trekkriffic said:


> Greg,
> Your blog is the best resource bar none for how to best build accurate versions of the pilot and production variants of the Enterprise.
> Like Auda Abu Tayi, you are a river to your people!


Greg,
can you give us a link to that site?


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

Fozzie said:


> Greg,
> can you give us a link to that site?


www.enterproject.wordpress.com


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## phicks (Nov 5, 2002)

Your build is so clean, and the paint job so perfectly uniform that the closeups of the bridge look like CGI images. Awesome work!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Fellow Modelers,

I wanted to share my good fortune with you. My article on building this 1st Pilot Enterprise is the cover story of the May 2016 issue of Fine Scale Modeler (see below). As part of a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Star trek, they used my article along with a fantastic 5ft. scratch build Production Enterprise by movie industry visual-effects artist Steve Neill. It is a big honor, as FSM is a quality organization to work with. Thanks again to everyone at HobbyTalk for all the support and encouragement given on this thread.

Phillip1


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

That's quite an honor Phillip! Your build deserves this special treatment.


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

I am definitely not going to miss out in getting this special issue!
I am planning to implement the same quality and work into making
a 1/1000 TOS Enterprise model kit into the 1st pilot version too.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

FINALLY The Enterprise gets the cover of FSM! Well done!

(OK, maybe it's happened in the past, but it's been so long since I've bothered with FSM, my memory has always been SF gets the 'oh, yeah, there is this stuff too' treatment.)


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## RossW (Jan 12, 2000)

Picked it up last week. Well done, Phillip!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

crowe-t/WOI/Steve H/RossW-Thanks for the comments.

Steve-Concerning your post, in the editorial page of this issue the Editor stated this was the first time in eleven years that a sci-fi model has been on the cover of FSM! I found that surprising, since sci-fi models are a substantial part of the plastic model industry.

Phillip1


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

You truly deserve it,and credit is rightly due to you!


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## KUROK (Feb 2, 2004)

Congrats!!!
I have FSM subscription but have not received it yet...
Anyone else in this situation?


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

As I said on the Finescale Forum, BEAUTIFUL build sir. My personal favorite version of the Enterprise, Captain Christopher Pike's version.

Simply excellent.


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

WOI/KUROK/Captain Han Solo,

Thanks again for the very kind words and support.

Phillip1


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## WOI (Jun 28, 2012)

The 1st Pilot and the Production Series seems to be the popular versions
of the Classic TOS Enterprise,I am planning to build and create 1/1000
scale of the Enterprise with the front sections of the ship represents the
Production Series Ver.and the rear section of her represents the 2nd Pilot 
Ver.


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## jlwshere (Mar 30, 2007)

I am curious about the deflector dish color. It always looked to me like it was an orange/burnt sienna (similar to the color of the domes) slightly weathered with some darker color, brown, gray, or black and sealed with a semi gloss. Was it indeed copper colored as the production version?


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## robn1 (Nov 17, 2012)

Yes the deflector is copper colored, as are the rings in the base.


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## RossW (Jan 12, 2000)

robn1 said:


> Yes the deflector is copper colored, as are the rings in the base.


Actually, the rings are now known to be more gold coloured. Also, the flat areas at the base of the rings are a blueish grey. This is all coming from Gary Kerr's research and can be seen on the restored Enterprise at the Smithsonian.


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