NCC-1701 Refit... 1/350

[Wonvertu]

Many thanks for the kind words friends. That keeps me motivated.

Nothing new tonight. I have resolved the base reinforcement issue and will post that when it is completed.  Two supports were needed to make it strong enough, but the end result will look fine.

I haven't posted any pictures of the second lighting mode yet.  That mode is for when the ship is not in motion and spotlights things like the Starfleet insignia on the engineeing hull.  That posting will wait until I have at least some of the decaling in place.  

Phew.. I started this project several months ago. Barring the two months wait time on the light package, I've been picking at it pretty consistently.  Maybe full completion by Christmas?   

[Mal]

Don't let the kids play with it!

[Wonvertu]

No kidding! It's permanent home is above my desk anyway.

[Edonia]

Looking good!

[Wonvertu]

This weekend's update actually gets a bit up close and personal with the model. 

I'd originally planned to build the ship as seen in TMP. However, due to a few quirks in the kit and few creative fixes on my part, I've redirected her place in the time line.

Now, the model represents the Enterprise as she may have appeared after TWOK.  Starfleet being Starfleet didn't want to expend resources on another full ship refit on a ship that was already past her fifteenth year of service.  Even worse, she would soon be supplanted by new technology that wouldn't work with the core Constitution class frame still lurking under the modified appearance that the Enterprise class would take on from the design board to the shipyard.

Due to her age and the damage inflicted on her hull by the pirated USS Reliant, she does not appear to be showroom new. The damage is repaired and she is fully space-worthy, but there  are scars.  Rough welds in her hull in places.. Evidence of radiation damage on the edge of some hull plates and so forth show that she has fought and survived where others have not.

A new generation of RCS thruster has been added to the ship. These required some additional structural reinforcement and larger hazard zones than the previous thrusters.  The Mark V thrusters are easily recognized on a ship due to the copper-colored hull reinforcements around them.

DSCF1889 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

With luck, I will have the decals on the engineering hull completed entirely this evening.

DSCF1890 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

[Wonvertu]

I see I finally got a negative vote.  There's always the ONE captain lol..

In any case, on we go. 

I'd hoped to complete the ship this weekend, but the nacelle decals are far more evil than I had expected.  I got one mostly complete.  That leaves the other one and the rim of the saucer to finish the ship.

Did a little fiddling with low light pictures though.  Enjoy!

Shuttle bay with indirect lighting....
P1000608 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

Still a few leaks. A couple of those I thought I had resolved.  Blah..
P1000609 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

P1000611 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

P1000612 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

[Spraque]

Looking really good m8, excellent work! This thing will be a showpiece, no doubt!
And...someone gave you a negative vote?! Must be a very spiteful person!

[Wonvertu]

Thanks for the good vibes!

Going to be digging in again this weekend to try and get the ship finished. I have partial decal work to do on both nacelles, more "bug" fixing and clear coating on the whole ship remaining. 

Fingers crossed.....

For now however, that Black Friday sale has my attentions.....

[Wonvertu]

Well the Thanksgiving weekend kept me busy enough to only be able to spare my ship a glance or two.  However, this past weekend i was able to accomplish more.

Just a few tiny details left to make the model really show worthy.  At this point, I have a few "staged" pictures of it.  These are mostly just testing lighting and camera angles.  No backdrop in use yet.

DSCF1903 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

DSCF1907 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

DSCF1908 by Wulfgar28, on Flickr

[WilliamThomas]

What an awesome project.

Are you going to go on a world tour with that ship?

(And I hope it was the focal point of your Thanksgiving table-)