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!!