Columbia & Challenger...the NX-Class Sisters UPDATE #7

Greetings!!

This is another Challenger NX-03 mini update and what a challenging one it has been.

This entire model I've had more paint problems for such a simple model I'm dumbstruck.  Partly I think I had a bad batch of Tamiya Tape.  But also the joys of having paint run and seep through the tape's edge makes it look like a 5 year old did this.  Oh well, I digress...

PRIMARY HULL

The secondary hull was finished in its entirety last entry.  This one has been all about fixing these mistakes in painting with lots of touch-ups.  What I tend to do with spray paint is spray it on card stock or even thick paper, and then use either a cotton swab or paint brush and touch up the area. The cotton swab works well, much like dabbing on stage make-up with a sponge.  I didn't take many photos during this process, really there's nothing to photograph.  I did however had to repaint the 'rust ring' and the bridge dome like the TOS Enterprise.  The yellow tape is a special kind of 'Frog Tape' for delicate surfaces.  It works really well.

These are the results of my second attempt of painting the rust ring and the bridge dome.  For the bridge dome I used silver paint, followed by Tamiya Pearlescent White.  It gives it an illuminated look.

For the rust ring I decided a 3rd go at it to tone it down and this came out perfect!!  A few light coats of base colour and it makes it very subtle, like the USS Enterprise's rust ring in TOS.  Unfortunately the paint on the bridge dome hadn't cured and the paint came off that when I removed the tape.

...And now finally the saucer has it's nacelles!!! yes guy!!

I then clear coated the model and...the gloss coat reacted with the paint again!!  It's not as bad, I'm leaving it.  When I seal the decals, I will weather it and it will look like space damage.  I also fixed the bridge dome once and for all.

DECALS

I've been waiting for this point patiently...

So this is a mix of NX-Refit decals and a few from the TOS Pilot Enterprise.

And with this, I will end this entry with namesake, SS Challenger NX-03 applied to the model.

Happy Modelling!!  Check out the last entry in this build coming very soon...

Cheers!!

Columbia & Challenger...the NX-Class Sisters UPDATE #6

Greetings!!

Well here's a mini-milestone, this my 50th blog entry since I started October 24, 2013.  Let's see if I can get to 100 in less time...I digress for now.

This is just a 'Challenger' update.

This is a mini-update...I've had to repaint parts of this ship more than once.  This model doesn't want to be finished it seems.  The build is simpler than the NX-02 in the sense there are no wallpaper decals.  But the paint and 'masking tape' has given me bigger grief.  Onto the model!

SECONDARY HULL

Ready for Decals.

I'm using a combination of a spare 1/1000 TOS USS Enterprise decal sheet and the kit decals.

...and of course custom decals...

Finally the ship has a name!

Now is that white and gold or black and blue??  Just kidding...it is one shade of grey, enhanced to reveal the name 'Challenger' on the fantail, like real ships.

USS Midway - source from a Google Image search.  

All rights belong to the author of the photographer, I only use this as a clear example of my point.  No copyright infringement is intended.

In 'Star Trek' (TOS) the fantail had a series of dashes which I always thought were certain colours...

...but it's been since revealed as markings for shuttlecraft to land.  Here's a clip from the pilot (markings unlit)...

...which is represented often as a decal for the TOS models these days or illuminated as it is the remastered version.

I will be using this decal on my shuttle deck.

The Refit USS Enterprise in Star Trek The Motion Picture brought in the nautical tradition of having the name of the ship on the rear which every Enterprise (except the 'D') has the name on the fantail.  The JJ-prise (as it's called) has NCC-1701 on the fantail.

 I digress...back to my build.

THE DEFLECTOR DISH

As previously mentioned, the spike was never included for this model - it was broken odd from the beginning.  Since I have lots of spare parts from 1/1000 TOS kits (I've bought 4 over the years), I'm using a spare TOS spike.  It's the right size, but too long.

SECONDARY HULL STRUTS

I made a decision to add a 'channel' that would be painted a different colour than the base colour to symbolize where the warp core shaft is on the pylon wing, much like the refit Enterprise has a 'hatch' pattern on the dorsal side.

This is a screen cap from Modeler Magic.  Note how this shot of the 'refit' 1701-A appears white with no aztecs.  

The use of way too much dulling spray on this model.

The more I look at the NX class or NX-Refit, it has many more similarities to the Constitution Refit...I digress there.   That's a discussion for a forum site, something I wouldn't want to open up.

I taped the toothpicks so I could paint both sides at once, then stick them into 'floral foam' - easy way of keeping track of small things, especially as they dry.

Secondary hull complete!

PRIMARY HULL

Last time we saw this, I just finished the gold paint and it ran beneath both the 'Frog Tape', 'Tamiya Tape' and even pulled some paint int 2 spots.  :(  Never the matter, it's only plastic.  I know I will be touching up and even repainting the hull colour in sections.  Thank goodness this ship has deep panel lines.  This will be my last model I will be using solely spray paints since I have an airbrush now.  I started the project with sprays and I will finish the same way.  Although I feel I may use traditional (for me) grease pencils for weathering, especially at this 1/1000 scale.  Onto the build!

Dorsal.  Everything here exposed will receive a dark grey, the same one I use as the accent colour for the TOS USS Enterprise.  I also included the turbolift (elevator) bump which is also dark grey in TOS.  It will be interesting to compare Columbia NX-02 and Challenger NX-03 refit when completed.

Ventral.  All of the exposed areas are equally dark on the NX-01 (except the rear dual impulse engines which are hull colour as well as the pylons are all hull colour).  When possible I use grocery bags for masking.  They're free in Ontario (with the exception of a few stores which charge five cents for them - big controversy a few years back, but this blog is about model building, not controversy).

The results after the dark grey pass...

Damned paints ran again.  I think my dark grey colour spray is getting old.  The first pass was way too thin, it ran beneath the Tamiya tape despite running my finger nail over it.  Isopropyl rubbing alcohol will remove most enamel (not latex) based paint with a cotton swab.  I will be doing this as I prepare to paint the only element to be airbrushed, the black arcs (painted in Testors Euro Gray).  Advice I heard in a model shop I frequently visit, and a recommended colour from the Trek Modeler Refit Paint Guide for 'black parts'.  I highly recommend purchasing it as it gives insight to Star Trek model building, and colour schemes, specifically for the Enterprise of the first six Star Trek films.

The final colour to be painted is a mixed colour of the blue-grey (Winter Gray) as seen earlier with a dusting of both metallic grey and pearl white.

I want to hint the Reaction Control Thrusters are there (in real life, this is what allows space vehicles to manoeuvre) and on the TOS Enterprise they are hidden (as well as on the JJ-prise - the Enterprise from the JJ Abrams universe as often referred to by fans. Myself, I don't mind it but the nacelles are a bit too much, I still prefer the 'Refit 1701' as my favourite design...I digress).

TOUCH-UPS

This model has really tested my nerves.  The paint job should be relatively easy but with paint running, a jammed airbrush and seeing hours of careful masking just to see the result look like a 12 year old free hand painted...where's that beer now!  After all it's only plastic.

A few decisions I have made are, the soft detail seen above means I'm using red putt to fill it in.

...this batch of Tamiya tape isn't sticky enough...

I've had to paint this section twice!

I will be working on this section for a long while before final assembly :/ (which is why I want to do an update now)

...and never underestimate the simplicity of any model.  That's when I find they take forever to complete.

NACELLE TIPS

Another valuable lesson I recently learned is to keep fragile parts in a safe space.  I had a 'light-bulb' go off moment when I realized I'm not using either 'NX-01' style deflector dish.  This means, I have two extra spikes which are a bit more in scale that the TOS spikes.

The Bussard domes are friction fitted together, so it was easy for me to remove them.  I had to enlarge the hole with a rat-tail file to accept the new spike.  (Right one is unaltered)

Now both spikes are installed, the whole nacelles are protected in a clear box.

SAUCER DEFELCTOR DISH

Like Columbia NX-02, I had to alter the dish to match the way it appears on screen.  That meant bevelling the inside thickness of the plastic so the edge appears razor thin.

I have since further cleaned it up after the initial grey primer coat as seen above.

DECALS

Oh man, I had all of the extra TOS decals laid out on my work bench when I had a liquid spill (oh great!)  So I'm going to save the decalling to next entry.  Also some decals started to peel off the secondary hull.  This is why I will scan in decals when I get them in case I have to re-print one.  Rarely does this happen but it's better to be prepared for accidents.

Thank you all for viewing this blog, the final reveal of both Challenger and Columbia is coming up.  Stay tuned and happy model building!!

Columbia & Challenger...the NX-Class Sisters UPDATE #5

Greetings!

This is only going to be a Challenger update.  As I said previously, I finished Columbia.

This model has been a 'donor' kit to all the missing pieces on my Columbia build.  And it too was missing one piece, the deflector dish spike for the secondary hull.  Still figuring out a replacement.  So this means I've had to either re-cast parts or scratch build sections.  This is making for a unique build.  

On reflection, I think I might build this kit again, but take it a step further to fill in the grid lines, remove the saucer deflector, and sand down the details to leave the surface 'clean' like the TOS USS Enterprise.  On to the build!

NACELLES

As of the last build, they were perfect!!

I think I was in a rush to attach the Bussard spikes. The port nacelle rolled off my table to the floor on my anti-fatigue mat.  When I picked it up, the spike was bent and breaking off.  I tried to use a drop of liquid cement and the whole thing broke off.  I tried to drill out the centre of the base of the spike and made a big mess.  So I'm contemplating three options: 1) bore out the centre and insert a metal spike; 2) remove the spike entirely and us a TOS spike instead (they aren't glued in); 3) cut my loses and leave it be.  Let's see what happens...

SECONDARY HULL

This was complete as of the last build report.

So I applied Rustoleum's Clear Gloss and it had a very bad reaction to the paint on the port side of the  model.  The clear coat rippled.  I didn't have the heart to take pictures...I ended up repaint the whole thing.  After much work, it looks again like what is seen above, with a new gloss coat.  It's weird when that happens.  Just remember, when a model you have laboured on breaks, the paint fouls up, etc. - it's just plastic and it can be fixed.  Or re-purposed (example my Constitution Class USS Excelsior with a broken nacelle pylon will be a part of a space battle diorama).

PRIMARY HULL

When I last reported, I applied a final coat of red putty to the nacelle pylons and had a perfect paint job otherwise.  Here is the result:

Part of the reason I had issues with the nacelle pylons was I used to heavy of a grip with a strong liquid glue.  The details melted.  On my Columbia build I had to repeatedly re-glue seams.  Next time I will used masking tape with that glue...I digress.

Since this paint job is an homage to the TOS Enterprise, I figured it needs to have a 'rust ring'.  It's part of the weathering pattern on the Enterprise.

Since there is a prominent gridline pattern, this was easy to map out.

I sprayed the section very lightly with copper paint by Rustoleum.  I did it as light as possible.

A bit dark, I used the base colour in light coats to tone it down.  My Enterprise model saucer/primary hull is covered in a very fine wallpaper decal with gridlines and rust ring.  Could be darker for my taste.

For the remaining parts on the Primary Hull to be painted, I masked off as much as I could in one pass.  It's easier to do this and uses less tape.  I coverd up the parts per which colour I'm painting.

The first colour I'm painting is 'Winter Gray' by Rustoleum.  (Despite recently getting an airbrush, all of my TOS models have been painted with sprays and I haven't gone out to buy more paint.  Also, I do most of model building in the evening hours.  Using a compressor wouldn't be appropriate until the weekend.)

Now the first coat of gloss aluminum on the bridge dome, dome on the shuttle bay and the forward dome sections on the upper hull.

I toned everything down with Tamiya Pearl White.  It's translucent paint.

Now the gold sections which are identical to the Columbia.

And now the reveal...

Unfortunately the gold ran...not a big deal, I will fix that along with any other touch-ups.

I was hoping to finish this update with a completely painted model but I have a events to go to over the next few days and few other responsibilities.  So I will probably have one more update before the reveal.

BRATTAIN UPDATE!!

(USS Enterprise-A & USS Brattain dual build)

As I'm working away on the Challenger, I have downtime between letting paint or putty drying.  So I here is some basic work on the Brattain as a bonus.  Since this is a snap-fit model, I have to remove the attachment snaps on the bridge and lower sensor platform, then fill in the openings.

I used scrap plastic to fill in the holes and will fill the external side with Evercoat.  Note, I masked off all of the surfaces that will mate with the lower hull.  Plastic rarely bonds well with paint or primer.  

A bit of light blocking with black primer.

That's it for this update.  Stay tuned for the next update and soon the final reveal.  Until then, LLAP! (for the next while, I think this might be my sign off...RIP Mr. Nimoy).