Federation Commander

That's a good point. The mini is complete as it stands.

The Federation Fast ruiser have artwork showing a modified saucer section, the Klingons do not.

While I personally like the one on the right (and it would make the mini even more visually distinctive) - it is an awful lot of additioanl work that isn't necessarily required.
In retrospect, I say leave it as it is. You've done a fine job already.

I'm goiong to vote leave it as is. You've done some fantastic work with this mini.

Once you start changing the hat, think of all the systems, duty stations, and crew quarters that have to be removed, redesigned, or relocated. The Fed Fast Cruiser loses space in the saucer (or at least uses systems that take up less space), and the FD7 forward section doesn't change from the standard D7.

I like the center one myself.

Hi Will, I hear you on wanting to not ruin what you have so far. However, I really think your ideas are well thought out and it would be a pity if you didn't attempt them.

I'm sure you have some other like models laying around. Have you considered drilling out the bridge and neck and using pins to try out your conversion ideas? You could covert the bridge sections on 2 or more separate models, clip them off and give them a dry fit. If it doesn't work out, just reassemble a "stock" bridge back in its place.

Just an idea. Like to see where you go with it.

Don't recall where I saw it -- pic or mini -- but something on the FD7 where it had a half length boom --

Is that the way it should be or just something someone did ---

The SD7 strike cruiser had the half (perhaps less than half) length boom.

IIRC, Adam Turner's artwork and John Schneder's FD7 mini ("offical in some sense since the building article is on the miniatures section of the website) have had the standard length boom.

The grey-scale artwork for the FD-7 also has a standard boom / top-hat configuration,,,

Well Will, if it is up for a vote, I say I really like the one on the right. I think it goes with the concept of the FD-7. I would carefully cut off the end section of the boom and attach a the modified one. If you use magnets or some other method, you could change it back if you don't like it. You could also maybe get an older D-7 that the boom comes off to do a practice run first.

I would explain the difference between yours and the "concept art" as sensor anomalies. Since the FD-7 is so fast, no one has gotten a clear look of it until now.

malleman wrote:W
I would explain the difference between yours and the "concept art" as sensor anomalies. Since the FD-7 is so fast, no one has gotten a clear look of it until now.

Just paint it red and you're good to go...

Dont forget the flames ---

And some racing stripes.

and the fuzzy dice on the view screen

Nah the FD7 should have an extended boom and narrow wings, to make it look like a drag racer...

Dunno what happened to the post I did earlier. Weird.

Basically, I concurred with Paul about the SD7 and pointed to the pics I have of my SD7 kitbash that I've been working somewhat in-parallel with the FD7 (they traded main-hulls, early on).

The rest of those pics are HERE.

The construction photos of the FD7 are HERE.

For the FD7, I've decided to call it finished, as-is. I'll take the ideas for a more-radical version into a different build, where I can go "off the reservation" of the SFU and just be weird. I want to have one that is SFU "canon" though, so the first is it.

Nice sculpting work.

Don't forget that not all ships of the same class have to be identical. Maybe FD7 hulls 1 and 2 had standard booms, but hull number 3 had an 'improved low-warp-drag' boom instead.

(And after that boom went Boom! because it wasn't strong enough, FD7 hull number 4 went back to the original design. Or something).

If I were a certain sculptor, and hadn't seen it already, I'd have a gander at this pic posted over at the legacy BBS...