This site shows the progress of an 18" Original Series Enterprise from the initial prep work on the kit, to modifications including adding resin add-on parts, to the final painting, decaling, and finishing of the one that started it all!

The saucer top is shown here sanded smooth. The resin cast B/C deck is pulled out of the clay mold awaiting cleaning. The front cap of the Secondary hull is also shown with the resin cast 'rings' prior to their installation.

The Primary Hull top half is sanded smooth. White Milliput is added to lengthen the 'Linear Accelerator' on the aft area. The kit B/C deck is sawed off and the new resin cast B/C deck is inserted from the underside. Putty is then packed around the new resin part for a smooth fit.

The Primary Hull bottom half is sanded smooth. The lower 'lip' on the very bottom is also sanded off. The three 'depressions' are filled in with the white putty, and three rings are etched into the hull with a hobby blade attached to a compass. Red Bondo spot putty is applied to correct errors in scribing the rings. Outer ring diameter: 3.7" Mid-ring diameter: 3.1" Inner ring diameter: 2.52".

The Primary Hull top is completed. Total modifications include, sanding off the raised grid lines, Replacement of the B/C Deck, 'Linear Accelerator' lengthened, reshaped, and detailed, four egress hatches scribed in, and locator holes for the clear navigation lights are drilled in.

The Primary Hull bottom is attached to the top. A hole was drilled into the center of the bottom of the saucer and the entire saucer was then filled with resin. Total modifications include, sanding off of the raised rings, the 3 circular depressions are filled and sanded, new rings scribed in, the 'sharp' edged 'lip' around the outer perimeter of the saucer was sanded smooth, small raised rib details are positioned for placement of triangular grey decal details, and locator holes for the clear navigation lights are drilled in.

The bottom of the saucer was marked about 3/16" in from the outer edge. The rim of the saucer was then ground down to the marking on the side increasing the taper of the saucer rim.

A new Lower Sensor Array is turned on a lathe. The center dome of this two piece component will be cast in clear for the final model.

The Main Impulse Engine Deck. This new part was made from a strip of resin with final shaping of putty. Textured photo-etched brass rectangles are installed into recesses. And finally, textured clear first aid tape is applied to the left and right top, sides, and bottom.

A new forward cap for the Secondary Hull is machined from aluminum. This part will be molded and a resin cast will be applied to the front of the Secondary Hull.

The sides of the secondary hull had plastic strips attached to them. White milliput was then applied above and below the plastic strip. When the putty was partially dry, the plastic strips were pulled off exposing the recesses. (This step was done to early in construction and was later repeated.) A resin cast of the aluminum front cap is attached and the aft end hanger bay doors are cut off and sheet plastic is shimmed in to add 1/4" in length.

The opening in the hanger door area is closed off with sheet plastic and putty is applied around door alcove and floor smoothing the surfaces.

The inner rings on the front cap are removed and the area where they were is sanded smooth. Recesses are cut into the sides and on the bottom of the hull to allow for construction of the 'boxes' on the left, right, and bottom sides.

A strip of .030" thick styrene is cut to 1" lengths, then aligned and glued to the sides of the hull, overlapping the front cap. Smaller strips are cut to shape for the fronts of these 'boxes'.

The lengthend modification near the hanger is puttied and sanded smooth. The 3 boxes at the front are filled with putty and shaped smooth. Strips of .040" styrene were lightly tacked on to use as templates for applying putty to create the recesses on the sides and on the bottom.

The strips were removed and the new recesses were cleaned up with files and sandpaper.

The entire assembly was then primered to check for flaws and corrected. A new, accurately shaped 'neck' is made from the same material as the impulse engine, and sanded smooth.

The newly puttied ares are sanded smooth and blended in with the hull.

The Neck is aligned and attached. One of the Nacelle Domes are cut in half making a quarter sphere. This piece was slit in the middle to be squeezed together and puttied. After drying, the puttied dome was sanded smooth and installed into the aft end opening.

Prototype Nacelles for kit photography are made from stock kit nacelles shown here. The inboard screen detail on both nacelles and on the pylons is sanded off. .040" half round styrene strip is cut to lengths to fit into the smooth recesses. The ends of the half round strips are sanded to a round end and glued into place. .040" sheet styrene was cut into a trapaziod shape and placed at the end of the half round strips. The grill boxes at the ends are sanded off and replaced with V-groove styrene rectangles, and finally the intercoolers are attached along with a small trapazoid shaped .040" styrene tab.

The stock kit nacelle domes are cut from their rings, and discarded. The 'propulsion unit shields' are cut into 3 segments each and attached. The fan assembly from our Doomsday Damaged Starship kit is then inserted into each ring.

The Secondary Hull is attached to the Saucer. A hole is drilled into the bottom of the Secondary Hull and a 14" dia. brass tube is epoxied in.

The Nacelles are epoxied into the slots in the Secondary Hull, completing primary assembly.

The entire assembly is primered and checked for flaws. Small airbubbles and scratches are filled, and sanded..

The model is airbrushed with a gloss white tinted with bright silver making a nice cool gray color. The loose parts, caps, loops, were also painted with this color.

The 'slots' and lower panels on the Nacelles, and the forward part of the Dorsal Neck are masked for painting.

The panels on the Nacelle bottoms, the forward part of the Dorsal, and the raised 'ring' on the forward of the Secondary Hull is painted with the hull color darkened a bit with black.

The rear vents, recessed slots, and forward rings on the Nacelles, the 'Linear Accelerator' and the Bridge elevator housing on the saucer top are painted with the darker gray.

The Homing Beacon platform is detailed painted. A clear frosted dome with cover this..

The loose parts. At the top are the vac formed Engine Domes. Below, the 'fans' are painted copper, then the blades are painted silver and inserted into the rings. Perforated brass 'screen' is cut to fit into the Nacelle slots. The Aft Cap balls are painted the hull color, and the Impulse Deck is painted the darker gray and the thrusters are painted black.

The slots on the Nacelles are prepped for insertion of the screens.

The four screens are attached to the Nacelles.

A close up on the screens showing thier texture.

The Fan/Ring assemblies are attached to the fronts of the Nacelles, the Rear Caps and the Impulse Deck are also attached.

The Reactor Loops are attached to the inboard Nacelle slots completing Nacelle assembly.

Circular templates are made for weathering the Saucer.

Circular and concentric templates are used to apply weathering with an airbush using a dark gray paint. The Saucer top weathering is completed.

All weathering is completed. The hull base color was very lightly misted over the weathering to make it more subtle.

A custom decal sheet is printed up with white windows and other custom graphics. The kit is sprayed with gloss to prep for decal application.

All graphics and windows are applied to the bottom side of the model.

All graphics and windows are applied the the model top side. Lastly the name and NCC number is applied, completing decaling.

Clear T1 LEDs are cut and glued into the recessed circles on the Saucer bottom.

T1-3/4 green and red LEDs are cut and glued into the recesses on the Saucer top. The clear Engine Domes are cut from thier sheet, sanded, masked and sprayed with Testors Turn Signal Amber.

The entire model is sprayed with a gloss finish to protect the paint and decals.

Red and Green Running Lights are applied outboard of the top Navigation Lights. The four scribed rectangles are then masked and painted white.

The Nacelle Domes are stuck down onto 2-way tape and airbrushed with transparent red around the bases.

White glue is brushed onto the fronts of the Nacelles where the Domes will rest. The model is stood up on it's end and the domes are placed on the fronts of the Engines in the glue to dry. When dry, the white glue dries clear.

Five-minute epoxy is mixed then a large drop applied to the Homing Beacon ring. The model was then held upside down untill the bubble hardened.

The Deflector Dish is shown attached to the Deflector Amp Rings after having been painted copper. The Rings are painted with 50% copper and 50% black, and the Spike painted silver.

The Deflector assembly is aligned and attached to the socket in the Secondary Hull forward end. The Lower Sensor Array is attached to the bottom of the Saucer, and the brass tube mount pole is cut down to an acceptable length, then painted black.

The Upper Array is attached to the top of the Bridge, completing assembly. The entire model is then sprayed with a matte finish sealing everything on and completing the model!

A forward view of the completed model. More views of the completed model can be seen in our Classic Trek models pictures page! All materials shown here are ©Thomas Models 2001

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