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“Set to work on the lower half of your portside warp nacelle before assembling and wiring up another saucer deck panel.“

Contents

Parts

Materials: The Deck Panel U1-09, Nacelle Front Lower, and Transporter Emitter Pad are metal – the other non-electronic parts are plastic.

Build

Starting on the Port Nacelle Lower Section

Step A

Fit the Bussard EM Field Projector Lower into the Nacelle Front Lower with the striations flaring forward.

Back in Stage 2, the first Bussard EM Field Projector part was molded in a transparent orange color and I repainted it to be more accurate. The replacement part we received in Stage 45 was also the incorrect color. Therefore, I have repainted this Bussard EM Field Projector Lower in the same way as the first one – a base coat of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and a top coat of Citadel Yriel Yellow acrylic paint:

Be sure the front groove of the Bussard EM Field Projector Lower slides down over the matching lip of the Nacelle Front Lower and these angled ribs are facing the correct way:

Retrieve your Nacelle Lower Frame from the previous stage and fit the pointed end over the Nacelle Front Lower, aligning the three screw holes as shown:

Secure the Nacelle Lower Frame to the Nacelle Front Lower with three (3) BM screws.

This is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:

Assembling Deck Panel U1-09

Step B

Remove the backing paper from the Transporter Emitter Pad and stick it into this matching recess of Deck Panel U1-09, as shown.

After my recent trip to see the original 6-foot Studio Model, I realized these Transporter Emitter Pads are already an accurate color. Therefore, I will no longer be using my Vallejo Game Wash Sepia on them. I will be removing the existing wash from the pads I already installed with some 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and a Cotton Swab:

Carefully remove five (5) Clear Windows and eight (8) Dark Windows from their sprues and fit them into the back of Deck Panel U1-09, as shown.

Reminder: I sanded all of these windows down already. See The Windows page for more details:

As before, I used pieces of black electrical tape behind the Dark Windows to reduce light leak:

Fit Reflector Panel U1-09-A onto the back of Deck Panel U1-09 aligning the screw holes, then slide the two LEDs of the Deck Panel Lights cable into these matching notches of the Reflector Panel, as shown:

Secure the Reflector Panel to the Deck Panel with four (4) DM screws:

We can test these new window lights by connecting the Panel Lights cable to the PCB and Battery Box:

Fitting Deck Panel U1-09

Step C

Retrieve your upper saucer assembly and thread the Deck Panel Lights cable down through this opening of the Upper Skeleton.

Upon test fitting this panel, I chose to gently bend the leads of the two Deck Panel Light LEDs vertically away from the panel, as shown:

Also, since this panel is right next to where the Battle Section will attach to the saucer, I wanted to keep any cables clear of that entire area. To help with this, I temporarily removed two of the DM screws and slid this LED out so I could route it through the skeleton in a better way:

Then, I threaded the plug of the Deck Panel Lights cable up through this opening of the skeleton frame:

Next, I pulled the loose LED on the red/black wires back down through this other opening, as shown:

Finally, I inserted the LED back into the reflector panel:

NOTE: I did NOT re-install these two DM screws. Just like on the other side in my build, these screw heads may impact the skeleton and cause the panel to sit wrong. The frame of the skeleton will hold the Reflector in place just fine without these screws anyway:

Position this Deck Panel onto the Upper Skeleton.

As with the other upper row panels, make sure the tabs along the lower edge of this panel (circled below) slide underneath the outer panels first, as shown. You may find it easier to start with the tab closest to the panel on the left first:

Secure this panel into place from below with three (3) BM screws.

Here is this panel installed on my model as viewed from above:

Connect the plug of this Deck Panel Lights cable to one of the sockets marked ‘A’ on the Saucer PCB 2:

Thoughts

Well, we ran into the same issue mounting this Deck Panel as on the opposite side, but the fix was just as simple. I have to admit, I am crazy excited to see the last few panels of the upper saucer installed! We are so close…

Next Up

Stage 53 – Deck Panel U3-01, Windows/Reflectors/Light, Arboretum, Escape Pod Covers, Bussard Collector Reflectors