Polar Lights 1:350 Scale Star Trek Starship Enterprise, Part 13, Completed!

Well, I do still need to add an on/off button to the base, but I'm calling this done anyway. Who doesn't love the USS Enterprise! 

The hull color is Tamiya's AS-32. It's a very close to the color of the studio model. The "real" Enterprise may be a hair greener, and touch lighter. Some people swear AS-32 is dead on right. I have my doubts, but it is very close.

I used five cans of Tamiya spray for the basic hull alone. Or was it six, I may have lost track of one. It is also covered with a gloss clear, decals, more gloss clear, and finally a matte finish. I used Krylon clears, and a lot of them; at least two cans. 

I'm happy with the way the bridge turned out. I really toned down the lighting. I like it this way more than the bright light the lighting kit would have resulted in out of the box.

I would have liked to have found a way to do a better job on the consoles and the main view screen, but at the end of the day you can't see in there real clearly anyway.

The prominent windows on the upper decks may be the best I did, thankfully.

The engine effect (which can't be shown in a still photo of course) is striking. It really looks very much like the on screen effect. Which perhaps is not surpricing since it works almost exactly the same way. Yes, I have the sound of electric motors.

This Polar Lights kit is very well designed and made. But it is surprisingly challenging, not due to complexity, detail or part count, but simply due to its sheer size. You need serious space, and a lot of planning to get this together smoothly. 

Thankfully there's a lot of resources that help. I highly recommend the videos, on YouTube, by Trekworks.

I opted for a closed shuttle bay. I think I will build the shuttle bay interior though as a separate model.

In the television series the impulse engines were never shown lighted. They are black on the studio model. I used amber lighting here, not terribly bright, just enough.

I've lost track of how much of this thing I didn't even glue. The pieces are very big, thick, heavy and tight fitting. Many times I dry fit something only to realize I'd risk damage trying to take it off again for glue. Many parts are fine just pressed into place. They're not going anywhere.

I've never had the urge to build a model more than once, but this experience has me thinking about it. There's quite a few things I found good ways of doing as I went along. With a second run at it I could do significantly better. It's not that it isn't perfect. It's more like I now see simple things I could have done that would have made a huge difference.

* The windows could be more consistent. Where they turned out well they are flush and perfectly opaque. On others I got an air bubble in the resin, or didn't get them flush, or the finish is off.

* The overall paint is not as good as it could be. I should have done one more round of sanding and gone through another can of paint (which I didn't have, so I was just being impatient).

* There's a couple areas that could use more LEDs, and a couple that need less. After seeing all assembled I have a far better idea about the lighting.

* Seam lines turned out 95% good, but there's a couple small spots I missed just by oversight.

* I worked too hard on those vent details on the insides of the engine and the effect I was hoping for really isn't there. I can already think of much better ways to do that area.

With a model this large a funny thing happens. The slight problems become all but invisible. Just the same, as I say, it would not be hard at all to improve it. 

This was a fun project. it's a great kit and I am so glad they went with this large scale! It completely suits the subject and makes for a striking display. I only wish I could show it off in person more. Photos just don't do it justice.

I am barely old enough to remember watching Star Trek with my Dad in the original prime time run. My Dad loved the show, and I think that may be a big reason the series had a lasting impact on me.  

Take a look at the album with all the photos of this Enterprise:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9spxyJYc98oydR347

See all the posts for this project here.