# 1/350 Star Trek Science Vessel



## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

This will be a ship based on the USS Reliant but from the Captain Pike era of the original timeline. I am mostly in the planning phase right now. I got the nacelles and struts from an e-bay seller and the saucer and pilot parts pack from Culttvman when they were on sale around a month ago. I will slightly modify the saucer to have an aft shuttlebay and an engineering section behind the Bridge and B/C deck structure. I probably will not add the roll bar like the Reliant had and I may not light this, but lighting would be fairly simple, just some leds in the saucer and no lights in the nacelles like in the original Enterprise. 

I started modifying the nacelles by simply flipping them over and making new mounting holes for the intercoolers, I am using the pilot style intercoolers:









A look at the basic layout of the ship, I will cut slots into the edge of the saucer for the nacelle struts to fit into.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

The nacelle end caps bugged me so I made an alteration with a 1/8 inch drill bit:


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Excellent! I look forward to following this build. I've always thought the Miranda class origins should go back to the period somewhere between the _Cage_ and the _WNMHGB _versions of the ship.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Made a jig to help drill through the edge of the saucer to mount the nacelle pylons.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

Looks interesting - I'll be following this build.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

First nacelle strut through the hull, it will only need a small amount of filler to blend it in. I am thinking of calling this ship the SS Columbia, referenced in "The Cage".











The strut sticking through the top of the hull will be trimmed down once I decide on what the engineering section aft of the B/C decks will look like.


















I may add a sensor pod on the underside of the main hull where the dorsal connection is located.


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## aussiemuscle308 (Dec 2, 2014)

nice build so far. i'm liking the quality of your work


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Thats a nice, clean cut!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Fascinating 🖖


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

A little more work done today, after cutting out the slot for the second warp nacelle strut it became apparent that they were at the wrong angle. I removed the first strut and adjusted the angle, this means that more filler will be needed where they come through the top hull. I partially filled the gap with a strip of .040 styrene on both struts.










The angle is still not perfect but it is consistent on both struts. I will remount the nacelle end caps to offset the angle error.










I am still thinking about building up a structure on the upper hull like on the USS Reliant that would encompass the nacelle struts that stick out through the upper hull, the struts would be cut off so that they do not protrude from the top of that structure. There would be a shuttlebay either above the impulse engine or a pair of smaller shuttlebays to either side of the impulse engines.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

I started building up the engineering section on the aft section of the saucer. The shuttlebay will be added to the top of this section.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Engineering deck shaping up, I am still not sure if I want one central shuttle bay on top of the engineering section or two shuttlebays integrated into either side of this section. The edges right now are a little rough, it will look better once I trim the edges and blend everything together.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

After using the upper hull without gridlines for this I decided that I wanted them, so I took out my compass and ruler and went to work, this is the result of about an hours work. They look a little rough right now but after some sanding to remove the rough edges the lines will be finer than what was on the original issue of the 1/350 Enterprise kit.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Tinkering with an idea for the shuttlebay.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Nice! I like your idea for the shuttlebay.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Expanded shuttlebay taking shape, a couple of thin strips and putty will help it blend into the top of the engineering hull.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Holy moly, I'm glad you did it that way.  That's very similar to what I was thinking to do for a TOS Miranda with the twin shuttlebays sitting on top of where the more modern ones do.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I like it!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

StarshipClass said:


> Holy moly, I'm glad you did it that way.  That's very similar to what I was thinking to do for a TOS Miranda with the twin shuttlebays sitting on top of where the more modern ones do.


I thought about the design for this saturday night and decided it needed to be more than just the half cylinder stuck on top of the engineering section. In my mind the landing bay area is essentially the same as the landing bay on the tail end of a Constitution class ship but the areas immediately port and starboard of it is parking space for three shuttles on either side. Forward of the landing bay is a repair/maintenance/fabrication shop that could accommodate two shuttles. Port and starboard of the maintenance area would be cargo holds. I made the fantail section that overhangs the impulse engines one deck thick so that it could have the approach and landing control room in it.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

krlee said:


> I thought about the design for this saturday night and decided it needed to be more than just the half cylinder stuck on top of the engineering section. In my mind the landing bay area is essentially the same as the landing bay on the tail end of a Constitution class ship but the areas immediately port and starboard of it is parking space for three shuttles on either side. Forward of the landing bay is a repair/maintenance/fabrication shop that could accommodate two shuttles. Port and starboard of the maintenance area would be cargo holds. I made the fantail section that overhangs the impulse engines one deck thick so that it could have the approach and landing control room in it.


Excellent  That makes perfect sense and takes full advantage of both the horizontal and vertical space available.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Great project. Love the work you are doing on the shuttle bay structures.


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## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

I LOVE everything about this build... 

Anytime someone takes a saw and drill to a 1/350 Connie to make something else out of it, I'm instantly hooked... 

If you don't post up more progress soon I'm gonna come looking for ya...


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

whiskeyrat said:


> I LOVE everything about this build...
> 
> Anytime someone takes a saw and drill to a 1/350 Connie to make something else out of it, I'm instantly hooked...
> 
> If you don't post up more progress soon I'm gonna come looking for ya...


Sundays and Mondays is about the only time that I get to work on this, not much left to do except cast the domes for the saucer, cut out all of the window inserts that I will need after painting and create the parts that holds the nacelle domes. The person who was selling the nacelles and struts on ebay did not have any of those parts. I ordered the smooth saucer, registry decals and a pilot parts pack from culttvman to make up the rest of this.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Shuttle bay finally attached to the engineering deck, I may add some windows to the curved hull sections on either side using a thin styrene skin like I did with the fantail windows. I added a launch tube for probes underneath the fantail.










Playing around with adding a small deflector dish to the forward edge of the saucer, a throwback to the NX series ships. I am not really sure I like this, I will have to think about it for a while.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

krlee said:


> Playing around with adding a small deflector dish to the forward edge of the saucer, a throwback to the NX series ships. I am not really sure I like this, I will have to think about it for a while.
> 
> View attachment 316327


I've never seen a deflector dish on the front of the saucer that looked "right." 

My STOS brain accepts the FJ solution of putting it on a stalk underneath the primary hull. 

IMHO, the NX-01 was a little iffy but they made it work _okay _with the inset area. 

I would suggest maybe try building up some sort of structure behind it, perhaps shaped a bit like the impulse engine except opened up and maybe with some greebly stuff stuff on either side of where the shaft of the deflector dish connects.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Or maybe something similar to the Romulan Bird of Prey weapon. The deflector dish, to my eye, just seems to need something analogous to the concentric rings that sit behind it on the Constitution class. It all works together, I think.


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## The_Engineer (Dec 8, 2012)

StarshipClass said:


> I've never seen a deflector dish on the front of the saucer that looked "right."
> 
> My STOS brain accepts the FJ solution of putting it on a stalk underneath the primary hull.
> 
> ...


I never liked the Franz Joseph's solution on having the main sensor on the bottom of the primary hull - you lose the bottom sensor platform. Always made sense to me to have it on the front for the primary hull like they did on the NX Enterprise. They made it work by having it rectangle shape instead of a circle dish. If you want to keep it as a circle then might be better to have a small (cone?) bump on both the top and bottom of the primary hull to better integrate it.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

The_Engineer said:


> I never liked the Franz Joseph's solution on having the main sensor on the bottom of the primary hull - you lose the bottom sensor platform. Always made sense to me to have it on the front for the primary hull like they did on the NX Enterprise. They made it work by having it rectangle shape instead of a circle dish. If you want to keep it as a circle then might be better to have a small (cone?) bump on both the top and bottom of the primary hull to better integrate it.


The dish was more of a passing thought than a plan, I think I will stick with my original idea of having no deflector dish like the Reliant.
I also thought about adding a cut down dorsal section with a small deflector pod underneath the saucer between the warp nacells but I didn't really like the look of it, I may revisit it using the remaining parts from the pilot parts pack that includes the larger dish and the connecting dorsal for the Enterprise engineering section.


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## The_Engineer (Dec 8, 2012)

A couple of other things to try: 1) the Reliant had 2 of those sensor(?) pods that is on the TMP Enterprise's secondary hull on the sides (3rd one on the bottom) at the edge of the built up section facing forwards. You could try to see of you can mount 2 sensor dishes at the front of your rear built up section (one per side). 2) You can try to see about have a sensor pod on top of your shuttle bay (like Reliant's photon torpedo launcher).


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

krlee said:


> I also thought about adding a cut down dorsal section with a small deflector pod underneath the saucer between the warp nacells but I didn't really like the look of it, I may revisit it using the remaining parts from the pilot parts pack that includes the larger dish and the connecting dorsal for the Enterprise engineering section.


That reminds me of the way David Shaw did his _USS Columbia_ FJ scout variant. A deflector dish added to the bottom strut might be visually appealing--more complex and a bit more dashing than the FJ deflector set-up. 

The pods by themselves work, too. No need for an exposed deflector since there is a precedent in that regard as you pointed out in the design of the _USS Reliant_. Even some of the early Jefferies sketches had fairings covering the deflectors. A smaller size deflector would be reasonable due to the smaller cross-section of the ship.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Applied a skin to the engineering hull forward section that has the window cutouts.










The skins also help to hide some of the visible gaps in the added section.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Here's how I did my last sensor dish on a saucer:


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

John P said:


> Here's how I did my last sensor dish on a saucer:
> View attachment 316432


IMHO, that works very well. That's the 1/1000th deflector in the 1/350th, right?


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## edge10 (Oct 19, 2013)

John P said:


> Here's how I did my last sensor dish on a saucer:
> View attachment 316432


You rich guys, modding the 1/350 kit... bah! (nice work, as always)


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

I real baller modeler would have their man installing the dish.....


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Since I did not have the kit parts to use I scratchbuilt the nacelle dome mounts. These are made to look a little different than the ones on the Enterprise since this ship would predate it by a few years in the Trek timeline.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

StarshipClass said:


> IMHO, that works very well. That's the 1/1000th deflector in the 1/350th, right?


Yup. The tube it's on is an old 1/650 nacelle.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Cut down the connecting dorsal from the pilot parts pack to make a mount for a deflector/sensor pod.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Worked out the basic design of the deflector/sensor pod:


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

krlee said:


> Worked out the basic design of the deflector/sensor pod:
> View attachment 316581


Excellent!  That's in the right position relative to the rest of the ship and of the right bulk to be fully convincing and balance out the design.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

More detail work done on the deflector/sensor pod.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Nice details!  Very TOSy looking.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Spent a couple hours adding filler to the raised sections of the hull and cutting out the windows for this section. I also plan to add details to the forward ends of the raised sections to mimic the details seen on the Constitution class ships. Who can spot the Space:1999 Eagle parts on this section? There are two big parts, one heavily modified, they are obvious when you see them.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)




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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Ha!  Brilliant use of that part--cut in half, I'm assuming. I was admiring you for having put those grooves in but now that you've pointed out where the part came from . . .

I've found some cheap measuring scoops have similar shapes to what you have on the front.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

StarshipClass said:


> Ha!  Brilliant use of that part--cut in half, I'm assuming. I was admiring you for having put those grooves in but now that you've pointed out where the part came from . . .
> 
> I've found some cheap measuring scoops have similar shapes to what you have on the front.


The bells come in 2 parts, no cutting needed! The cone shaped section on the rear is a complete bell with .020 sheet added to build up the larger section to eliminate the step that exists between the two halves, I also cut off the mount on the small end of the bell and added a dome to finish it out.
Cutting the grooves is not that difficult to do when I need to do it, I draw the line in pencil then use a razor saw to slightly cut along the line followed by careful work with a small triangular file.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Made a better looking deflector dish:










Last details added to the deflector/sensor pod:









I also started adding filler to the main body of the ship, I want to add some windows to the aft of the engineering decks as well as a few to the hangar/cargo section. This ship will not have the standard Starfleet markings since it is a UESPA ship that utilizes Starfleet technology.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Looking more TOSy all the time.  That deflector pod looks really good.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Window and airlock detail added to the shuttle/cargo bay decks, I will do the same on the other side.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Those door and porthole details look great


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

More windows on the engineering decks, also added work pod doors port and starboard on the aft of the shuttlebay/cargo section.









Final details added to deflector/sensor pod.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Fantastic work!  I especially like the detailing around the shuttlebay entrance and the rear-facing sensor dish.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

StarshipClass said:


> Fantastic work!  I especially like the detailing around the shuttlebay entrance and the rear-facing sensor dish.


I kept looking at the flat areas at each side of the shuttlebay, wondering what could go there and then I remembered on Enterprise they had work pods. This is the perfect place for them, no need to depressurize the entire shuttle bay just to launch a pod. The plain dome on the end of the deflector/sensor pod did not look right to me so I stuck on a small sensor dish, I tried a larger one at first but it did not look good so I cut it down until it looked right.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Nacelle details almost finished, I still need the spikes for the domes and the lower saucer sensor dome.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

krlee said:


> Nacelle details almost finished, I still need the spikes for the domes and the lower saucer sensor dome.
> View attachment 317435


Looking great!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Cut and added window inserts to the dorsal section, I used 5/64 rod and .080X.188 strip for the windows.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Saucer window inserts in place, all 4 positions. I used the clear inserts for the B/C decks and saucer underside that came with the pilot parts pack.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

I added the clear windows to the pilot parts bridge module and after touching them with paint i decided that I did not like the fit of the windows. I removed the clear parts and started adding custom made inserts made from .080 x .188 strip styrene.








I filed the end of the strip to about 45 degrees.








I then cut the insert to length and glued in place.








A much better fit and look than the kit parts.








Windows done on this part. I had already added the clear parts to the lower saucer windows, those will need to come out as well.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Had to use a grinder bit but I was able to remove the lower hull clear kit windows and I now have all the windows in place. I still have to cast the clear parts for the running lights which I will tint the proper colors. Next up I will detail the shuttle bay interior since I have decided to leave the doors in an open position.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

First paint on the secondary hull, I am using Tamiya AS-5 Light Blue as the main color. I masked off the leading edge of the dorsal pylon to leave it the natural blue color.The recesses windows will be painted in by hand with white and a few blacked out windows.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Portside windows painted.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Gettin' better all the time.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Rest of windows painted on the sensor pod/ dorsal section. I also painted the deflector dish, sensor dish and rings of the deflector mount.








There is a prominent seam between the upper and lower saucer parts, I decided to expand that and use it as a feature on this model. Since this is a science vessel I see this as a sensor band that runs around the edge of the saucer, an early version of the bands on the refit Enterprise.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Painted the nacelle domes, I used Tamiya TS-39 Mica Red, sprayed inside the clear dome. It is slightly transparent so it gave me the look I wanted. I also started adding the three tabs around the dome. Once the glue dries I will drill them and add the bolt heads.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Nacelle endcap details done, ready to paint.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Nacelle painted, I picked out the dome clamps in copper.


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## Chuck Eds (Jul 20, 2009)

This is really awesome Ken, can't wait to see her finished!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

More painting on the nacelles, I am using Tamiya AS-2 Light Gray for the detail painting. I still have to do the pattern on the nacelle underside.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Dont be alarmed but there is some kind of alien life form crawling around on the floor of your house!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Starting to look interesting, I started painting the red markings and banners on the nacelles, Tamiya TS-49 Bright Red.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Bottom of saucer painted, all painting finished on dorsal sensor pod and nacelles. I still have to paint the upper hull and then it will be time for the decals.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I really like this! I love the pod concept.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Looks great. Very impressive that you're painting the markings.

I like the fact that this ship has the older warp nacelles and tall bridge unit. One would think most ships of the fleet would have been similar to this since the Enterprise and a dozen or so others were more recently upgraded and considered top of the line at the time [edit: during the TOS production series era c. 2266-2270.]


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Paint and decals done on the bridge module.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

StarshipClass said:


> Looks great. Very impressive that you're painting the markings.
> 
> I like the fact that this ship has the older warp nacelles and tall bridge unit. One would think most ships of the fleet would have been similar to this since the Enterprise and a dozen or so others were more recently upgraded and considered top of the line at the time.


I had no choice but to paint the markings and pennants on the nacelles, I didn't want to have to buy a decal sheet just for them. I did buy the name and registry decal set for the 1/350 Enterprise so I would have the proper font for this model. As for using the older design, that was my intention, this ship predates Captain Pike's Enterprise, it is my interpretation of the SS Columbia mentioned in "The Cage".


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## Chuck Eds (Jul 20, 2009)

The lettering for Star Trek tos is a font is called Airborne, and you can get it here for free. I've been restoring my old AMT Enterprise and will eventually use this to make my own decals for all the lettering.

Airborne Font - FFonts.net


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Chuck Eds said:


> The lettering for Star Trek tos is a font is called Airborne, and you can get it here for free. I've been restoring my old AMT Enterprise and will eventually use this to make my own decals for all the lettering.
> 
> Airborne Font - FFonts.net


I will bookmark that, my workhorse computer died right after christmas and I have yet to replace it. I have been getting by on a Chromebook laptop that is almost 4 years old, can't do a whole lot with it.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

John P said:


> I really like this! I love the pod concept.


When I first saw it I wasn't sure; it took some time to grow on me. Now that I'm seeing it nearer to completion with some paint details I'm really liking the configuration.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Decals for the dorsal sensor pod, I used 1/650 pennant and marking decals which I already had.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

More of the smaller marking decals added, need some detail painting done, the running light parts added and the ship name and registry numbers will be added last.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Upper saucer decals done.
















Nacelle decals done.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Nice! 

Clever registration--keeps it out of the sequence of the front-line starships.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

StarshipClass said:


> Nice!
> 
> Clever registration--keeps it out of the sequence of the front-line starships.


I wish I could take credit or it but I just lifted the registry number from the Memory Alpha entry on the SS Columbia.


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## MGagen (Dec 18, 2001)

I have been following this with interest. Wonderful job!

Is there any chance I might see the completed model at Wonderfest next year?

M.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

I would love to do that one year but it is not likely to happen anytime soon. I do not do well in crowds.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

krlee said:


> I would love to do that one year but it is not likely to happen anytime soon. I do not do well in crowds.


I don't blame you one damn bit.😉
-Jim G.G.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Windows painted and decals added to lower hull, this one is almost finished.


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## ankyzop (5 mo ago)

This is really awesome Ken,  techzpod download mobdro


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