Constitution Class Refit USS OLYMPIA Polar Lights 1/350 scale UPDATE #19 - Finishing the Saucer: Part 7

Greetings!

This will be the last entry, I promise on this saucer section as a separate entity.

When I last left off, I thought the saucer was basically done (it is, except for those extra details/decals).  I also was not happy with the way the pinstriping around the B/C deck was looking, so I removed it.

I went through one set of decals from one kit regarding the pinstriping, I didn't want to waste a second set, so I decided to use the ones I previously made.  There's a bit of bleed, but it will look consistent.  If there's one type of decal I hate doing, it's pinstriping.  They easily tear.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Since I am finding that the decals tear so easily, I decided now would be a good time to test the lighting system one more time.  From the saucer, there is a main trunk of wiring (9 leads) and a secondary set for the impulse deflection crystal.  The following are pictures from early in the build...

(main wiring from the saucer)

(mains joined together, before sealing the saucer) 

(feeding the wiring through) 

(secondary wires - impulse deflection crystal)

(as installed)

Also in this bundle are the lights for the neck...that plus overspray on the wires makes it difficult to tell which wire does what (also I lost my notes, or they got absorbed in my messy work bench).  So I've had to figure out each wire separately.  I have many black wires (return current), but the switching of the different functions are colour coded.  Red does the main lights, yellow lights the spot lights, green the RCS, etc.  What I couldn't remember was the flashers, so some sleuthing through my pictures and using low voltage  (just in case, everything is resistored to 12V DC), I found them!!

I lit flashing lights surrounding the impulse engine area with red flashers, much like the Reliant is lit in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.  On the studio model, these are warm white or tungsten (probably lit with grain of wheat bulbs, common at the time).

And from below.  Despite my efforts, the green doesn't show as well.  The 'bulbs' are actually hot glue, formed from when I glued the bulbs in place.  Paint doesn't stick well to them, but then again, neither did bits of tape I used.

With a bit more investigation, I found the leads to photon torpedo launchers broke off.  I am going to leave this until I'm ready for final assembly.  I don't want them to break again.

BACK TO DECALS

Placing the pinstripes around the B/C deck for a third time, I took my time.

In the interim, I made more decals, this time, details for the neck and more geometric shapes.

These details are specifically for the neck.

And more pinstripes.  The red hash tags are to go around the innermost ring of the upper saucer.

Then I added the rectangular markings on all of the access panels on the lower saucer.

And seperation markings on the lower docking port doors.  In Star Trek The Motion Picture, both Spock and Kirk emerged from the portside door to gain access to V'Ger in a space walk.  The soundtrack calls it 'Spock Walk'

Here are the red hash tags on the upper saucer.  Just an interesting detail featured on the Reliant, I chose to duplicate here.

I used a pencil to draw in the gridlines, but it tore a few decals.  I was prepared to paste in new ones, but I came up with the idea of using a fine black Sharpie marker to fill in the tears in the decals.

One final detail, I used a sharp pencil to outline the B/C deck to show some weathering and filled in the markings around the bridge with an ultra fine pen.  It just helps to define the recesses.

I have since clear coated this model so the decals won't tear or fall off.  I didn't take a picture of that, or that I added some more geometric shapes to the B/C deck to blend it in to the surrounding area.

That wraps up this entry and more importantly the saucer.  Ready for connection to stardrive section Number One!!

Happy Model Building!

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