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Polar Lights NCC-1701


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Hi guys,

I bought the kit depicted in the photo below off eBay last year:

file-5.jpg

The seller described it as a 'parts kit', though in the photos it looked like everything was actually, and being cheap, I snapped it up. However, upon inspecting the contents upon arrival, I discovered that the parts for the saucer section were missing, and had been replaced by a solid (and heavy!) piece of what looks like cast resin:

file-6.jpg

So, the seller was right! (And I have no issue with that.) I have no idea where the solid saucer piece has come from, and I don't think it's merely a cast copy of the assembled kit parts, as it appears to differ in shape and detail from what's shown in the kit's instructions.

So, my two questions are:

1 - any idea of the origins of the replacement saucer part?

2 - the part itself is really too heavy to use with this model, so I'm looking for ideas on how I could complete it. Scratch-built saucer replacement? Source replacement kit parts? (Anybody have some?) Give it up as a bad idea?

Kev

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Kev,

Can you post a picture showing the top of the saucer?

You can use the solid saucer but you'll have to make a sturdy base, maybe using a wood base with a brass rod.

Mike.

Well, shows how much I know - I thought that was the top! Anyway, here's the other side:

file-7.jpg

Any clues?

The concern I have with the weight of the resin piece (if it is indeed resin) is not with how it will affect the weight of the overall model, but that the join between the saucer and the main hull won't take the strain (even if I pin it with brass rods). Besides, the parts are different, and I'm not sure they'll even fit each other. I've already paid for the kit though, and no kit goes to waste in my workshop, so I'd like to do something with it.

Kev

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G'Day Big Kev.

I reckon that your options are 1) scratch-build a Saucer Section/primary hull on a circle of ply wood (or similar), 2) mount the supplied resin SS/PH onto your kit 2ndry Hull and mount the whole lot above it's CG (probably in the SS/PH), or 3) use/sell it as a parts kit.

For something different, you could replace the SS/PH with a 3rg engine. I'd bet that Trekkies would accept the modification - They accept a SS/PH with a single (or double) engine underneath it. I know - I built one from an identical kit that crashed (wasn't pretty).

I'm in Melbourne, too. Good luck.

George, out............

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Thanks fellas. I feel a bit silly talking about accuracy regarding sci-fi kits, but I take it the resin saucer doesn't represent the same thing that the original kit parts do? (I know absolutely nothing about the fictitious development of the Starship Enterprise.) I may just try to make the resin part work, and fudge the details, just for a fun (!) build.

Kev

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What you have there appears to be a the saucer section from a Dreadnought conversion kit. Perhaps it's from the old PNT Models conversion for the PL Enterprise. I'll ask Thomas Sasser (PNT owner) to pop in and look if that's his part...

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What you have there appears to be a the saucer section from a Dreadnought conversion kit. Perhaps it's from the old PNT Models conversion for the PL Enterprise. I'll ask Thomas Sasser (PNT owner) to pop in and look if that's his part...

Thanks, that'd be great! Can you explain what the Dreadnought version is?

Kev

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Ah, I see. So the saucer is is different, but also there's a third engine above and behind it. I don't think those other parts are in my box, but I'll double-check.

Thanks for the info!

Kev

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What you have there appears to be a the saucer section from a Dreadnought conversion kit. Perhaps it's from the old PNT Models conversion for the PL Enterprise. I'll ask Thomas Sasser (PNT owner) to pop in and look if that's his part...

Any information from Thomas, mate?

Kev

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Any information from Thomas, mate?

Kev

He's not had the chance to drop by and look. He's been working on masters for some other Trek-related project that has a deadline. I'm sworn to secrecy on it, though...

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He's not had the chance to drop by and look. He's been working on masters for some other Trek-related project that has a deadline. I'm sworn to secrecy on it, though...

Cool! Thanks for letting me know.

Kev

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You could always contact Round2 and ask them if they would be able to supply you with the missing saucer parts.

Round2 Models

Polar Lights is now owned by Round2 and that kit is still in production -- although the box art can vary a bit (it's an excellent kit, btw, although if my experience is anything to go by, you'll need a good supply of filler).

Enterprise NCC-1701

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You could always contact Round2 and ask them if they would be able to supply you with the missing saucer parts.

Round2 Models

Polar Lights is now owned by Round2 and that kit is still in production -- although the box art can vary a bit (it's an excellent kit, btw, although if my experience is anything to go by, you'll need a good supply of filler).

Enterprise NCC-1701

Interesting. I'd already been all over their website, and all I could find was an emphatic statement that they could not supply spare parts for any kit produced by earlier incarnations of Polar Lights. I certainly never came across this kit! I just assumed I was out of luck. Thanks for the heads-up, I'll contact them shortly.

Kev

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Hey,

First I'll fill ya in on this. THey have it right and it is from the "dreadnaught" up grade that actually requires 2 NCC 1701 1/1000 kits. I'm sure this was attempted by the original owner of the model from the person you bought it from and it just laid on someones shelf or in a drawer since they probably had the same questions as you're having now. Second, unfortunately you don't have the rest of the "dreadnaught" kit to build it up.

If you want, I can send you the original upper and lower for the 1/1000 kit, since I'm sitting on a number of Star Trek kits, if you want to trade. Let me know by PM. I have a dreadnaught kit in my supplies, but I'll be building that up as a commisioned build in a few months.

Mike

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Hey,

If you want, I can send you the original upper and lower for the 1/1000 kit, since I'm sitting on a number of Star Trek kits, if you want to trade. Let me know by PM.

Thanks Mike! PM on its way shortly...

FWIW, I got a request off to Round2 about spare parts, but have had nothing but an automated reply so far.

Kev

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  • 2 weeks later...

Big Kev,

I needed some parts for my 1/1000 TOS Enterprise late last year, and Round 2 were able to supply me with them. Since the kit is still being produced, I think they should be able to help you out with it.

Just to let you know: they work through their new store now, called "Auto World"; that's where the replacement parts shipped from when I got them. Just figured I'd give you a "heads up".

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Big Kev,

I needed some parts for my 1/1000 TOS Enterprise late last year, and Round 2 were able to supply me with them. Since the kit is still being produced, I think they should be able to help you out with it.

Just to let you know: they work through their new store now, called "Auto World"; that's where the replacement parts shipped from when I got them. Just figured I'd give you a "heads up".

Thanks mate. As it happens I've received no reply whatsoever (other than an automated one) from Round 2 to my parts request, which is disappointing. Mike and I have agreed to swap parts, as he's interested in the resin piece. I just have to get organised and send it off to him!

Kev

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  • 2 weeks later...

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