Federation Commander

I'm looking at picking up some of the classic Star Trek models manufactured by AMT. The local store has a D-7, Warbird, Constitution-class and a Constitution class that also comes with a Tholian PC.

I plan to start making them, and want to mod them to be SFB designs, starting with the D7. The model looks pretty close to what we just saw on the SL2500 model, save only the phaser bumps. I was wondering if anybody has an idea on how to make them. I was thinking maybe just a touch of putty, or maybe even superglue, but not sure.

Also, I plan on converting a D7 to a K7R. For this, I'm going to buy some decal paper for my printer, and I was wondering if anybody had a good example of a printable version of the bird from the base of it. Also, how should I do the plasma ports? Just putting two disc-like things on top of the disruptor band, one larger than the other?

Would love some imput, and fully plan to post pictures of my progress.

For phasers at the scale of those models (1/650), I would recommend using small glass beads, or (if you can find them) "silk needles" from the fabric store (those are very, very small pins with tiny little round ends).

The needles would be dead-easy to install, just drill a hole with a micro-drill where you want one, countersink those holes a little bit with a larger drill, and glue the pin into the hole. Beads would be similar, but more fiddly.

For the Romulan, I've seen folks use nested pieces of brass tubing, flattened into the ovoid shape of the launcher, etc.

If you don't know about it, I'd highly recommended spending some time on the starshipmodeler.com site and forum. Some of the best sci-fi scale modelers in the world show their work there and are very generous with their advice and walk-through/build-diaries. I learned most of what I know from that site.
http://www.starshipmodeler.com/ (main site)
http://www.starshipmodeler.net/talk/index.php (forums)

Thanks for the advice.

Worked up through the basic assembly. Now got to do putty filling of gaps, sanding, and phaser bumps.

Yeah, when I was a kid, I had one of those hanging from thread and thumbtacks on my bedroom ceiling. When I went away to college, mother threw out not just my Klingon, but 30 or 40 World War II model aircraft.

Under the cabinets above my computer desk I have the AMT D7 and Fed CA hanging down facing each other.

Using pinheads as phasers. Figure the base coat and individual coats of paint will make them smoother.




Will probably get the base coat on it this evening.

Looking good so far. The pins for phasers turned out well.

Well, first model in 10 years... gotta practice my detail work. But one say a second D7 will be built that will make this one look like what it is. A nice first start:






Next up, a Warbird.

Something tells me that I may need to get a bookcase for a fleet... (with this one at the very top... where you can't look to close. )

Had to laugh. Just picked up the Warbird and the Enterprise+Tholians kits. The Fed CA comes with a large decal sheet has about 12 different NCC & Name combinations, but only 3 (Enterprise, Constitution and Constellation) match SFU. That, and the two Tholian ships are going to have to done up as PFs, they are so tiny.

Initial assembly of the War Eagle:

The 'Tholian Webspinners' that came with the Enterprise model I bought. I could use them as PFs, I guess.

Oh, and they glow in the dark... ooooooo......

Ready to do decals, but when I tried to do the WarBird's, the first piece of the rather large bird decal fell apart. Putting it aside until I trust me detail work enough to hand paint it. Rather prefer a redder color anyway over the orange of the decal.


But, got most of the decals on the Lexington on without much problem. And yes, I did do my phaser bumps as a refitted Command Cruiser. Still want to go back and do detailing like the windows, but that can wait:





The nacelles seem to be drooping a bit. Gonna work on that later.


My next project is to pick up their 'Space Station K-7' model and do it up as a base station, which race I haven't decided on yet. I'm also gonna get another D7 model and work it up as the USS Liberation, a Fed refit of a captured hull.

Nice work so far!

On those old Connies, I use to brace them for the first 24 hours to let the epoxy set. Nothing fancy, just something to put under the back end of the nacelles to support them in the correct position. Books, magizines, stuff like that.

In this case, it's more that the support pylon is twisting slightly.