Return to the BUILD

“Assemble the first of your ventral saucer panels before closing up the port nacelle to form the unmistakable shape of a Galaxy-class warp engine.“

NOTE: From this stage on, I will be presenting TWO different paths to build this Enterprise D partwork model. This is because after Stage 58, I completely tore my own model down and started on my Model Remodel journey. However, I have access to a second Enterprise D partwork that is being built in stock form, so I can show both methods here.

• The normal BUILD section below will show the ‘stock’ way of installing the parts with any tips and tricks I find along the way.
• The new MODEL REMODEL section will describe the changes I made during this stage including any painting, lighting, electronics, wiring, etc.

Contents

Parts

Materials: The Deck Panel L1-06 and Transporter Emitter Pad are metal. The other parts are plastic.

Magazine – Issue 16

• Assembly Instructions: Building the Model
• Episode Guide 3.24: Ménage À Troi
• Episode Guide 3.25: Transfigurations
• Episode Guide 3.26: The Best of Both Worlds
• Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4

Build

Assembling Deck Panel L1-06

Step A

Fit the four Deflector Array Panes into the matching openings on the back of Deck Panel L1-06. The long ‘lip’ of each pane should be facing towards the wide end of the panel, as shown.

NOTE: We have been supplied with two clear and two dark Deflector Array Panes for this step. However, on the early 6-foot studio model, all four of these openings were lighted like windows. With the arrival of the highly detailed 4-foot model later on, these openings were re-designated as the Saucer Deflector and were no longer lit. Either way, these ‘windows’ should either be all lit or all unlit depending on your preference.

If you choose to make this modification and want these panes all lit, you can soak the entire sprue overnight in 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and the black paint should come off. If you want them all dark, simply paint the clear panes black. As this is the stock build, I am going to follow the instructions.

While not shown here, I still recommend using pieces of black electrical tape or aluminum tape to seal in the dark Panes to prevent light leak:

Cover the four panes with Reflector Panel L1-06 as shown, and secure it into place with two (2) AM screws.

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

Step B

Fit the posts of Ventral Phaser Array I into the matching holes at the front of Deck Panel L1-06, as shown:

Secure the Ventral Phaser Array I into place from the other side with two (2) CP screws:

Remove the backing paper from the two Transporter Emitter Pads and fit them into these matching recesses on Deck Panel L1-06.

After my trip to see the 6-foot studio model in person, I have decided not to add wash color to these transporter pads any longer:

Fitting Deck Panel L1-06

Step C

Retrieve your saucer assembly and turn it upside down. Find the unused LED from the red/blue Deck Lights cable installed back in Stage 1 and route it under the Lower Skeleton until it passes up through this square opening.

This LED is intended to light the Deflector Array Panes we just installed. If you decided to painted them all black, you do not actually need this LED and can skip this entire Step C:

Gently bend the leads of this LED out perpendicular to either side of the LED, as shown.

This is an LED from the next stage to show an better example of how the leads of the LED in this step should be bent:

Fit the LED into the matching notch at the front of the square Lower Skeleton opening, as shown:

Cover the LED with the Light Bracket at shown, and carefully secure it into place with one (1) AM screw.

Sealing the Port Engine Nacelle

Step D

Retrieve the both assemblies of your port Warp Nacelle. Fit the Formation Light into this opening at the rear of the Nacelle Lower:

Bring the two halves together and connect the plug of the Battery Box/Power Switch to the plug of the Nacelle Light Strip, as shown.

It is a good idea to run the Nacelle Light Strip plug through the frame of the Nacelle until it comes up through it at this point (arrow below):

Fit the Nacelle Upper assembly onto the Nacelle Lower assembly as shown, making sure not to trap or pinch any wires.

Take care not to dislodge the Formation Light we just installed as it will be held in place once these two sections are together:

Secure these two Nacelle assemblies together from the bottom with three (3) CP screws:

Press the six pins of the Screw Cover into the matching holes of the Nacelle Lower, as shown.

Just in case we need to get inside this Nacelle during the rest of this build, I did not fully seat this Cover into place – it can always be seated later on:

That step ends this stage of the stock build. Below you will find the details on what I changed in this stage as part of my Model Remodel.

Model Remodel

Assembling Deck Panel L3-12

As with all of my other windows, the stock plastic window pieces were not used and were replaced with UV resin. I used a piece of Tamiya 12mm Masking Tape for Curves to cover the outer surface of these windows. Cotton Swabs and toothpicks were used to push this tape down into the crevices:

I then cured Solarez Thin-Hard UV resin in each window opening. Remember, when using Tamiya Curve Tape, only use short bursts of UV light as the tape heats up very quickly:

Next, I painted the backs of each window with Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black acrylic paint to block out any light. I chose to black these out as I am building my model per the design of the 4-foot studio model window pattern.

Finally, I fit some aluminum tape to the inside of this panel to help seal the windows and reflect light of our LED Strip. The Reflector Panel was not used:

Sealing the Port Engine Nacelle

These steps were already completed during the work documented in the Warp Nacelles section of my Model Remodel adventure. Since I do not plan to open my nacelle back up, I could install the Screw Cover all the way:

Here is the result of our Model Remodel changes in this stage:

Thoughts

Since I was not sure our Enterprise D partwork was ever going to be finished, I actually built up my modified version through Stage 82 a long time ago. Then, with the resurrection of the model subscription via Fanhome, I went back and disassembled those stages so I could present these new articles in the best way possible. I am still working out the process behind the scenes so I hope this new format makes sense to those follow one or both versions of the builds. Keep this Deck Panel assembly nearby as we will use it in the next stage.

Next Up

Stage 60 – Deck Panel L2-06, Windows/Reflector/Lights, Battery Box Cover