AMT/Round 2 1/1400 USS Enterprise NCC-1701C

[Don]

Hello all,

 

This will be my entry into this group build built straight out of the box:

 

I haven't built a Star Trek model in about 25 years (...at least) so I'm pretty excited for this build. While I tend to be more of a Star Wars fan, I consider myself a minor Trekie. I wasn't around when TOS of Star Trek was originally on TV but I grew up watching reruns on Saturday afternoons and really enjoyed it. When TNG first aired I watched and became an instant fan of it, the comics, the tech manuals, and the novels. One episode that really stuck with me was from Season 3 episode 15  entitled "Yesterdays Enterprise". In this episode an earlier and never before seen version of the Enterprise was transported into the future during the battle of Narendra III against the Romulans. The version in question was NCC-1701C:

She was an Ambassador Class starship, slightly larger then NCC-1701B but quite a bit smaller then the later NCC-1701D from TNG series:

In my opinion, it bridges the gap nicely between the earlier Enterprise designs and TNG design, encompassing shapes from both eras. Definitely one of my favorite Enterprise designs.

 

The kit itself is quite nice with few parts. I have no idea if Round 2 did anything to change the original AMT model like they did with the Reliant, but I am impressed with the quality of the kit. No flash, crisp details, and easy to follow plans. There are extra parts included that would allow the modeler, with a little sanding/cutting, to build other Ambassador Class starships. They even include battle damage decals which I won't be using:

 

One gripe...the paint and decal callout plans are way too busy. I wish they would have done a paint schedule without the battle damage decals and one with.

 

Fit is fantastic! Its quite larger then I expected too. Here is what it looks like just taped together (notice the warp nacelles are just pressed together without tape...fit is good):

 

Looks like minimal to no filler for this kit. 

 

That's where I am as of right now (3:30pm EST March 2). I plan on gluing the saucer sections, lower hull assembly, and warp nacelle pylons together this evening and hope to have an update Monday or Tuesday. I have a large order of paint on its way that should arrive early this week to begin tackling the main colors.

 

One question: How do you fellas paint the blue and red sections of your warp engines? Do you use clear red and blue? Do you use red and blue paint? What's you preferred method for non-lighted warp details? Any hints and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks all! Good luck on your builds.

 

Happy modeling!

Don

 

[phantom]

Nice, thats a kit and scale I have never done. Love the linage chart. However I see (as it was published in 2003) they forgot the yet to be built CVN-80 USS Enterprise.

[Don]

Hello fellas,

 

I have an update on progress so far on my Enterprise C kit.

 

The saucer section (parts 1, 2 and 3) has been assembled and primed. I left off the clear lower sensor dome until after painting:

 

Parts fit was excellent! Absolutely no filler or fuss whatsoever. Nice engraved panel lines will take a wash easily. Also, for those who light their Sci-Fi models up, I imagine the windows would be relatively easy to chisel out on this model.

 

Port and starboard lower hull halves, which include the neck (parts 4 and 5) as well as the impulse engine insert (part 10) have been assembled and mated to the upper and lower warp engine pylons (parts 8 and 9):

Part 10 (the impulse engine) didn't fit all that well and took some fiddling to get an "engraved" looking seam which I quite like. Time here pays off as filling and sanding this area would be a pain in the butt.

Careful attention and dry fitting parts 8 and 9 (warp engine pylons) will minimize filling and sanding. The parts fit was "o.k." but not stellar and I still needed some minor filling and sanding. Nothing to moan about though.

I left the clear impulse engine exhaust (part 306) off until after painting, as well as parts 17, the sensor array/sensor dish (which fits perfectly!), and the stand holder (a drop fit). This will make painting and decal application easier without having to mask them off.

Here she is with the saucer section and lower hull assemblies dry fit. I placed a ruler in the picture to give you an idea of size (about 14" give or take).

 

What's next? These...

I will probably paint the inside of the clear warp engine parts a light blue (sides parts 304) and red (font/buzzard collectors part 305) before I install them. I thought about clear blue and clear red but I think there will be too much see through effect of I do that.

 

Anyways, its not much but its a start. I am really enjoying this kit so far! A nice change and breath of fresh air.

 

Thanks for looking and good luck on your builds.

 

Don

[phantom]

You could paint the under side silver. Then several coats of the clear colours. Lately I have been lighting up all my ships with a battery source.

[Don]

A good idea to use silver as a backing followed by coats of the clear blue and red Phantom. I think I'll experiment today on some clear plastic using silver as a backing, white as a backing, and bright blue and red painted on the back. I'm kind of surprised they don't come pre-tinted in blue and red like car kits that have pre-tinted red tail lights and yellow turn indicators.

 

Regards,

Don

Edited March 6, 2019 by Don

[southwestforests]

On 3/2/2019 at 5:45 PM, phantom said:

Nice, thats a kit and scale I have never done. Love the linage chart. However I see (as it was published in 2003) they forgot the yet to be built CVN-80 USS Enterprise.

With Dad having been retired from the USN since 1986 I don't follow things as closely any more and wasn't aware of CVN-80!

😮 So did some looking and found this page from the shipyard, https://www.thefordclass.com/cvn80/

Quote

 

The Proud Lineage of Enterprise

USS Enterprise (CVN 80) will not be the first ship in the U.S. Navy to bear the name. It will carry the name of the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in history - USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - which in turn was named after USS Enterprise (CV 6). CV 6 was the Navy's sixth aircraft carrier and remains the most decorated warship in U.S. Naval history for its many contributions during World War II. Both CVN 65 and CV 6 were built by Newport News Shipbuilding. In total, CVN 80 will be the ninth Navy vessel to bear the name. The first dates back to 1775, when a British armed sloop was captured and renamed Enterprise during the Revolutionary War.

 

Of course, the name is also immortalized in science fiction. When the original Star Trek debuted in 1966, the show's creator Gene Roddenberry was inspired to name the starship USS Enterprise after the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier CVN 65, commissioned five years earlier in 1961. USS Enterprise (CVN 80) will continue that legacy of inspiring the imagination. The Ford Class was designed with expandable energy capacity for future warfare systems like high-energy lasers.