# Hey! I actually built an Enterprise stock!



## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

The PL 1/350 TOS E, in 2nd pilot configuration.
I'm calling this one practice, finding all the little idiosyncrasies to avoid when I do the series version with lights.
And while it looks okay in wide angle pictures, there are a TON of little blemishes, paint damage, fuzz in the dullcoat, torn decals.... OY! I've never built anything this big before that needed a smooth, clean finish!


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## jheilman (Aug 30, 2001)

Looks great in the pics.


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## slcollis (Feb 16, 2004)

Great job!


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Can't make out any blemishes. She looks perfect from here, John! :thumbsup:


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## Prowler901 (Jun 27, 2005)

Looks great John. I don't notice any imperfections from the pictures. What colors did you end up using. She looks beautiful. :thumbsup:


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## IndyRC_Racer (Oct 11, 2004)

Looks great. 

If you aren't 100% satisfied with the end result you could always create your own story line to account for any "flaws". For example the torn decal could have been caused by some unknown anomoly in space that the shields weren't able to automatically deflect. Fuzz in the dullcoat could have been a temporary repair of the outer hull that the crew had to do before making it back to a space station or space dock.

It is your model, so have a little fun playing with it in your personal Star Trek universe.

Again, it looks great. There are many people that wish our best efforts were as good as your "flaws".


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## SJF (Dec 3, 1999)

Very nice job! Like how you used the lines in the saucer for weathering details. :thumbsup:

Sean


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## cbear (Aug 15, 2000)

Sweet!


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## Commander Dan (Mar 22, 2001)

That looks amazing! There are several details of the 2nd pilot version that I have always liked better than the production version!


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## KUROK (Feb 2, 2004)

I really like it!


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

Uh, John P, did you know you have a TON of little blemishes, paint damage, fuzz in the dullcoat, torn decals? :lol:

If all those things *are* there, they *sure* don't show up!! I too think it looks really great. :thumbsup:

HAL9001-


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## BruceDownunder (Aug 25, 2008)

Mate, if that's a practice build I can't WAIT to see your bells & whistles version!
Great work.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

I wish my regular builds come out looking as good as your "practice" build! Excellent job!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Thanks everybody! The blemishes down
t show 'cause the dang thing is 3 feet long and they're very small! On a 1/1000 E they'd look like asteroid strikes! :lol:


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Okay, my website was down last night but it's up now, so I replaced my few attachments with many pictures. Go back to the first post and see 'em!


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Simply gorgeous, John P!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Oh yeah, colors: Tamiya rattle can AS-2, IJN Gray. Dark patches in ModelMaster Medium Gray; light highlights on intercoolers and impulse engines in Flat Gull Gray.

I think I'm gonna go with Light Ghost Gray on the production version.


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## TrekFX (Apr 15, 2004)

John P said:


> Oh yeah, colors: Tamiya rattle can AS-2, IJN Gray. Dark patches in ModelMaster Medium Gray; light highlights on intercoolers and impulse engines in Flat Gull Gray.
> 
> I think I'm gonna go with Light Ghost Gray on the production version.


The current color looks great in the photos. Really good.


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## walsing (Aug 22, 2010)

Okay, now that you have done the giant practice version, you're going to redo it and kit bash it right? It would be a first on that scale!


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Looks fantastic!

Gotta expect blemishes on big models--even so, what you just built I'm sure looks many times better than the original ever did. :thumbsup:


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## Bobj812 (Jun 15, 2009)

If my very best efforts looked half as good as this, I'd be one happy modeler. Well done, sir.


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## kdaracal (Jan 24, 2009)

Bobj812 said:


> If my very best efforts looked half as good as this, I'd be one happy modeler. Well done, sir.


I second that. Beautiful work. And nice photo quality, too.


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## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

John you're an inspiration! That looks fantastic! So did you use the clear smoked windows or did you paint them?

How did you deal with the main registry? One be decal or did you trim each letter and number?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Black plastic windows! Had to use the clear for the neck 'cause the pilot parts only came in clear. Those I painted from behind. I masked them all off the Scotch tape, which was a pain to remove later.


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## MGagen (Dec 18, 2001)

John, John, John. Kirk is wearing a 3rd season polyester tunic . . . in a second pilot Enterprise.

And you call yourself a modeler. 

:tongue:

Seriously: What a beauty!

Thanks for sharing.

M.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Kirk's tunic ain't even green! I used desert sand, trying to come close to the _Where No Man..._ colors.


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## drmcoy (Nov 18, 2004)

sweet job.

i've been anxiously waiting for others to post pics -- seems like i've only seen one or two who have built theirs up "outta the box."

thanks for posting pics.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Wow... That's not bad for a first go at the big E. Seriously, she looks grand!


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

Nice work, John! So what lessons did you learn to apply to the version you build?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Dr. Brad said:


> Nice work, John! So what lessons did you learn to apply to the version you build?


Hm. The nacelles seams need a lot of work. I used gap-filling superglue in this one, which needed WAY too much sanding. I'll probably go with Bondo on the next one.

Trying to mask the windows was no fun.

Using Testors enamel primer, then Tamiya laquer final coat was a mistake. The laquer doesn't stick to the enamel, and masking tape tore up chunks of the topcoat. I only did that on one nacelles, and ended up stripping it bare and starting over.

Too many coats of Dullcoat gets blotchy. yuck.


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## Antimatter (Feb 16, 2008)

Very nice, John. One thing...no one has ever been able to explain what the triangles on the lower saucer represent. Any clue?


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Antimatter said:


> Very nice, John. One thing...no one has ever been able to explain what the triangles on the lower saucer represent. Any clue?


Now, what on* EARTH* makes you think that John would know that sort of information? I mean, does he *LOOK* like he'd know?

Wait, I suppose he does


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

A dustbuster for a sidearm... priceless...


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

Very nice job, JP!


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## BolianAdmiral (Feb 24, 2009)

Absolutely beautiful!


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## dreadnaught726 (Feb 5, 2011)

Antimatter said:


> Very nice, John. One thing...no one has ever been able to explain what the triangles on the lower saucer represent. Any clue?


They are supposed to be landing gear struts in the event of an emergency saucer separation and subsequent landing.


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## Tiberious (Nov 20, 2001)

Fantastic job, love your weathering and detail work! Making me really want to open mt CE box.....must resist until I can buy a regular one!


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

dreadnaught726 said:


> They are supposed to be landing gear struts in the event of an emergency saucer separation and subsequent landing.


Yeah. I've seen fan based drawings and animations where there is a matching third leg in the rear where the dorsal attaches that folds down to form a tripod for landing.


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## ajn6329 (May 25, 2005)

I've seen on some blueprints of other ship classes, that they are access 'doors' for cargo bays.


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## shopper (Dec 6, 2003)

Excellent job John! Hope mine comes out as well as yours!!!!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

It's come to be known lately that the triangles are indeed supposed to be landing gear. I think it was dug up in Rachard Datin's notes or something.

There's even more recent speculation that the three circular grooves under the saucer are repulsor-lift generators, so the saucer could land like the C-57D. In an emergency, of course.


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## Antimatter (Feb 16, 2008)

I always thought of landing gear but I see only 2. Would make sense that in the event of a saucer separation that it should be able to land. But like the shuttle craft with warp engines attached, which won't do warp, it's a mystery.


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## RossW (Jan 12, 2000)

Antimatter said:


> I always thought of landing gear but I see only 2. Would make sense that in the event of a saucer separation that it should be able to land. But like the shuttle craft with warp engines attached, which won't do warp, it's a mystery.


The saucer separates for emergency planetside landings. Presumably, the 3rd landing gear appears from where the dorsal connects to the saucer (pure speculation, of course)


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## woof359 (Apr 27, 2003)

*decals*

did the decals lay down and behave or did you use any thing to help, Im kinda worried about the long ones on the engines:freak:


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

The best theory I've seen has the neck *as* the third leg. Might also serve as something of a rudder on the way down.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Antimatter said:


> I always thought of landing gear but I see only 2. Would make sense that in the event of a saucer separation that it should be able to land. But like the shuttle craft with warp engines attached, which won't do warp, it's a mystery.


Shuttlecraft obviously DO travel at warp. Just off the top of my head:

In _The Menagerie_, Kirk and Mendez try to chase the Enterprise, already at warp, in a shuttlecraft. 

In _Let That be Your Last Battlefield_, Lokai is fleeing from system to system in a stolen shuttlecraft. 

In _Metamorphosis_, our heroes are transporting Commissioner Hedford on an interstellar trip. 

All those events require a ship that can travel between the stars at warp speed.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

woof359 said:


> did the decals lay down and behave or did you use any thing to help, Im kinda worried about the long ones on the engines:freak:



They behaved with micro-set and micro-sol.

But be careful. They're thick enough, but they still tear easily.
I almost had a heart attack with the pennant on the right side of the 2ndary hull. I put it down and blotted it, then carefully wiped a tissue down the length of it front-to back. The dacel folded up like an accordion and broke at each fold. I had to drop it back in water, pick it apart, and put it back on the model in about 6 or 8 pieces!

I cut the long ones on the engines into 3 pieces (Well, I had to anyway because the "1701" is different on the pilot version), but I thought it'd be safer to put them on in sections.

The big NCC-1701 on top of the saucer also cracked as I was trying to position it.


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## woof359 (Apr 27, 2003)

*engine stripes*

I was worried about doing the long one on the nacells, maybe Ill cut them too


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## bigdaddydaveh (Jul 20, 2007)

Once again you astound and impress sir! Excellent job. Excellent job indeed!:thumbsup:


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## Prefect42 (Jun 13, 2011)

Excellent build.

I'm leaning towards the WNMHGB version myself. What color orange did you use to paint the endcaps of the nacelles?

Ted.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

As recommended, Model Master British crimson (on the inside of the dome).


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## Prefect42 (Jun 13, 2011)

Thanks for the info.

Ted.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Just FYI, the actual hardwood domes on the eleven footer were painted brick red, in something of a swirly pattern. I doubt the swirlyness was especially deliberate, just the way it came out.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

It was deliberate.

TV and movie miniatures seldom have areas of solid color anywhere.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

In 1964, there wasn't a television set on the market that would've picked up that level of detail, so if it was deliberate, it was one of the model builders being self indulgent. There was no way that level of detail was going to be picked up onscreen. I'd even go so far as to say it'd be tough to pick it up in the screening room.


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## bert model maker (Feb 19, 2002)

Outstanding !


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## Opus Penguin (Apr 19, 2004)

How did you do the weathering on the secondary hull and engines? The lines look very nice and subtle!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I used Tamiya masking tape to make a ring around the nacelle or the hull. Then I used a hard pencil to draw a panel line, using the masking tape as a guide. Then I used dark gray pastel on a soft brush to make short, gentle streaks backward. Blow off the excess dust, wipe it in the direction of streaking with a tissue to extend and lighten the streaks. Seal with clearcoat.

I tried using brown and green pastels like on the "real" miniature, but I hated the way it looked and washed it off.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

John P said:


> I used Tamiya masking tape to make a ring around the nacelle or the hull. Then I used a hard pencil to draw a panel line, using the masking tape as a guide. Then I used dark gray pastel on a soft brush to make short, gentle streaks backward. Blow off the excess dust, wipe it in the direction of streaking with a tissue to extend and lighten the streaks. Seal with clearcoat.
> 
> I tried using brown and green pastels like on the "real" miniature, but I hated the way it looked and washed it off.


Nice and subtle... just like you JP.


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## WEAPON X (Mar 5, 2006)

Awesome Display!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Trekkriffic said:


> Nice and subtle... just like you JP.


I think that's the first time I've been called THAT! :lol:


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

And probably the last....


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Actually, my wife tells me I'm subtle all the time. But I _think _she's being sarcastic about my idea of courtship rituals.


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## Nova Designs (Oct 10, 2000)

whoa...


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

One more word on that tangent and we're in TMI territory.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Thinking of Klingons now ...


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

SteveR said:


> Thinking of Klingons now ...


Yeah, that's the behavior she complains about...


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