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AMT/ERTL Klingon Bird of Prey and Enterprise kits.


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Hey all,

I've been a Star Trek fan for a while, but have never built any models of Star Trek ships before. I was looking at some AMT/ERTL Klingon Bird of Prey kits over on EvilBay and I was wondering what they were like? Are they fairly well detailed? More importantly...what is the fit like?

While we're at it, what about the AMT/ERTL USS Enterprise kits? Is there one Enterprise kit (don't care which version) that is easier to assemble then the others, yet still has some detail to it.

Any and all advice/opinions is greatly appreciated!

Cheers all!

Don

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I'm not sure about the Enterprise question, but the BoP kit actually isn't too bad in my opinion. The fit's pretty good, but if you mount the wings in "cruise" configuration there's a hollow area visible under the hinge area. Otherwise, especially for an older AMT/Ertl kit, I think it's got pretty good detail and goes together fairly well.

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I remember the Enterprise warp pylons snap off easy if you buzz it around the room and smack it into a wall. (hey it was over 30 years ago).

I have a rebox of that Enterprise. Might build it for the enterprise group build after my other 3 builds. It looks clunky with huge tabs that will require sanding and putty. But if I could build it as a kid I am sure I can build it today.

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The movie Enterprise releases have a soft plastic, good for the snading, bad for the aforementioned warp pylon tabs that break easily.

Many dislike the randome deep panel lines on the hull, but to me, its the nostalgia of the kit for the build. I have had to replace the kit decals with ones from PNT creations.

If you want to go all out, there is the Polar Lights Enterprise, in 1/350 scale it works out to about 3 feet long, but it comes with decals to cover the entire model.

Make sure you get the second release that is in stores now, and not the first issue, if you don't want to have to paint the aztec panels yourself

Hope this helps

Ric

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Thanks guys...good info! I just got a Klingon Bird of Prey kit (well, it's in the mail). Looking forward to receiving it and finally getting around to building a sciFi kit for a change. I'll keep my eye out for an Enterprise or a Romulan(sp?) Warbird...I see AMT made one of those as well.

Cheers!

Don

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Especially if you light it...

I've got an old FineScale Modeler issue where a builder lit up his Enterprise (NCC1701-D from the Next Generation). It looks awesome! I am thinking of trying that either on the Bird of Prey when I start building it or with whatever Enterprise I end up acquiring.

Cheers all!

Don

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The AMT Bird of Prey kit is one of their better ones. The various Enterprise kits range from mediocre (e.g. the 1960s kit of the original NCC-1701) to excellent, the 1/350 Polar Lights 'refit' Enterprise probably being the current best of the best.

Polar Lights' series of 1/1000 kits is probably the most popular currently. They've released the NX-01, TOS NCC-1701, and have a refit 1701/A coming soon.

If you're interested in building up a collection, other popular scales are 1/1400 (majority of AMT's line from the 1701-D on) and 1/2500 (Enterprise "history" sets). There are also a TON of garage kits and aftermarket conversions available in these and other scales.

If you haven't already discovered it, check out Starship Modeler - they've got an abundance of kit reviews and reference pages on the site, an excellent online store, and an active discussion forum for all things sci-fi (and realspace).

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I'd wait for the new 1/1000 Ent-A. It could easily be the best Enterprise kit ever.

(the 1/350 is just HUGE---I still don't know if I'll ever be able to build mine--where would I put it? Plus I'll apparently have to scratch-build a real stand for it, and maybe an internal skeleton)

The AMT Ent-A etc are just evil to try to get the pylons on and straight.

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All this talk, my local store had an old bird of pray. Now I do.......My Enterprise is going to have a play mate one day.

I've always liked the Klingon ships, even the ones from the original series. The Bird of Prey just looks menacing from any angle, especially when it comes uncloaked. Can't wait until mine arrives in the mail...I'll have lot's of time over Christmas to get at it.

Cheers!

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If it helps your decision any as to which Enterprise to purchase, the Klingon BOP from Ertl, is supposed to scale out at 1/350 scale, which happens to be the scale of the Polar Lights Enterprise...

I've been watching some of the 1/350 scale Enterprise builds here on ARC and the kit looks very cool. Never done any SciFi builds before so I am looking forward to the BOP.

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I love the Bird of Prey kit.

I don't recall any problems with the fit.

I do recall having lots of fun building and painting it!

birdgate.jpg

(This picture was lit in Photoshop)

Though I didn't light the model I did manage to get a good effect by painting the clear parts with Tamiya transparent colors then lining the insides of the parts with aluminum foil (shiny side out).

PICT0071.JPGPICT0073.jpg

There are a few more pictures in my gallery as well as pictures of the Romulan Warbird: http://www.zactomodels.com

:unsure:

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birdgate.jpg

(This picture was lit in Photoshop)

Though I didn't light the model I did manage to get a good effect by painting the clear parts with Tamiya transparent colors then lining the insides of the parts with aluminum foil (shiny side out).

PICT0071.JPGPICT0073.jpg

Hey great tip on the aluminum foil! I am going to give that a try myself. Thanks for sharing.

Btw...that is a fantastic looking BOP!

Cheers!

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this isn't answering the question at all, but MAN the memories this triggered!

I built both the Enterprise and BoP kits (very badly) back in 2nd or 3rd grade-about 33 years ago with my Dad. I didn't paint the Klingon ship at all but made up for it on the Enterprise. I must have globbed about six bottles of Testors light blue (!) on the Enterprise, then the next day, took it to school and flew it around the playground. A week or so of having to glue the bridge "disc" and engine pods back on at least twice a day had it looking even more ragged. Bless him, my Dad was a patient guy to have had to put up with me!

yep....totally pointless, but I had to share.

-Mike

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"While we're at it, what about the AMT/ERTL USS Enterprise kits? Is there one Enterprise kit (don't care which version) that is easier to assemble then the others, yet still has some detail to it."

I have built about six of these over the years and never was able to make an "accurate" kit.

Most AMT/ERTL Enterprise kits build up nice and about the same. The nacelle joints take a good cardboard jig to ensure alignment while drying. (this goes for the movie and the TV enterprise) Just let every sub assembly dry fully before before continuing on to the next. If you build it like a plane model you can't go wrong really.

As for detail.. The movie version kit has two main versions. The common one that has strange non accurate panels all over it and a rare Slick version. The slick version is the TMP release and is very hard to find.

You may want to get a PL 1/1000 TV show Enterprise and wait for the 1/1000 Movie Enterprise coming soon!

or pop for the 1/350 Enterprise. The AMT BOP is in scale with it!

Build the BOP!

Curt

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  • 2 weeks later...

I did know that the old BOP was 1/350. Hmmm, that gives me ideas for my 1/350 Refit Enterprise. I have been looking for some inspiration with mt original release and a battle damaged ship along with the BOP would look good. :)

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I did know that the old BOP was 1/350. Hmmm, that gives me ideas for my 1/350 Refit Enterprise. I have been looking for some inspiration with mt original release and a battle damaged ship along with the BOP would look good. :cheers:

I did that a couple years ago, used the saucer from an aborted PL Enterprise as a base for a light up Bird of Prey I did, looked pretty good but the two models together are friggin' enormous, needs a ton of shelfspace

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The BOP is 1/350? That gives me some ideas as well! I had a bit of a panic the other day when I went looking for my BOP. I knew I had one but for some reason the one I ordered didn't come in a box, just part bags packed into one big bag. Couldn't remember where I had packed it before our move. Found it stuffed inside another trek kit box lol.

I might try to light it but i'll see. Either way it will be a fun paint job.

And If my wife gets me the 1/350 refit tomorrow it will be a great year!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have a 1/537 TMP Enterprise up on it's stand now. I bought the kit when I was stationed on Guam in 1979. It's been around the world with me for thirty years so I figured it was about time I built the bloody thing. Sand, fill, prime, repeat. For a much longer time that I care to remember. But, it built into a nice representation of the Movie version of the Enterprise. I have all sorts of aftermarket decals for it including the "Aztec" covering for the ship as it appeared in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd movies. I'm considering the decals for the 4th movie "A" version. After thirty years, I figured the warping of the main engine struts and the secondary hull was due to sheer age. Maybe I'm wrong. It took a lot of work to get the primary and secondary hulls aligned so the warp engines would sit straight, but in the end, I think it was worth it. This kit is what referred to as a "smoothie". The "newer" releases (I think the last new release came after ST6 The Undiscovered Country. When was that 96/97?), all have the aztec pattern molded into the hull. I have one of those as well, but I doubt I'll ever built it. I would go with the 1/350 Enterprise instead. Specifically the round 2 version. Better all the way around. there's all sorts of aftermarket stuff out there. try starship modeller, federation models, and culttvman.com if you're looking for inspiration. As far as accuracy is concerned, well, there are "accuracy" errors with almost any type of model sold. I realize this might upset some of the rivet counters out there, but if it looks like the Enterprise, and comes pretty close in the end, then I'm happy.

Paul

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It's still very much a work in progress. I've started painting the details around the bridge. I have several sets of decals for it. As a matter of fact. I started today to put the aztec decals on the top of the primary hull and much to my surprise, the patterns faded away from the clear backing. And, by the time I was ready to slide the decal on, there was nothing left of the printing on the decal. Has anyone had this problem and/or am I doing something wrong? I now need to order a complete new set from Acreation models but I don't want the same thing to happen again. Any and all advice would be appreciated.

Paul

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