Return to the BUILD

“Fit two deck sections to the underside of your saucer build, and then illuminate your completed portside warp engine nacelle.“

NOTE: 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: All of the non-electronic parts in this stage are plastic.

Build – The Stock Way

Assembling Deck Panel L2-06

Step A

Carefully remove fourteen (14) Clear Windows and ten (10) Dark Windows from their sprues and fit them into the back of Deck Panel L2-06, as shown.

The longer ‘lip’ of each Window (arrows below) should face the wider end of the panel:

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

Fit the Reflector Panel L2-06-A to the back of Deck Panel L2-06 as shown, and secure it down with two (2) BP screws:

Wiring Up Deck Panel L2-06

Step B

Retrieve your saucer assembly and turn it upside down on a soft surface. Connect the plug of the longer Deck Panel Lights I cable (with the two LEDs on it) to a socket marked ‘A’ on Saucer PCB 1.

As I have mentioned before, all sockets marked ‘A’  on the Saucer PCBs are the same so this cable can be plugged into any of them as needed. However, this is the socket shown in the instructions:

Route the LEDs of this cable through the Lower Skeleton so they each come up through these two openings:

In pictures where the existing wiring/colors can be confusing, I will desaturate the rest of the picture to better show how this specific cable should be run:

Slide the two LEDs into these matching slots at the wide end of the Deck Panel L2-06 assembly, as shown.

Since it has been a long time since we have done this, I wanted to remind everyone that there are tiny tabs inside these slots that capture each LED by resting between the leads. You may need to slightly separate the Deck Panel from the Reflector to slide these LEDs in fully:

Keep these LEDs in place by securing the Reflector Panel to the Deck Panel with two (2) more BP screws:

Connect the plug of the shorter Deck Panel Lights II cable (with the single LEDs on it) to a socket marked ‘B’ on Saucer PCB 1.

Like the sockets marked ‘A’ on the Saucer PCBs, all sockets marked ‘B’ are the same so this cable can be plugged into any of them as needed. However, this is the socket shown in the instructions:

Route the LED of this cable through the Lower Skeleton so it comes up through this opening:

Fit the LED into this matching notch at the narrow end of the Deck Panel L2-06 assembly, as shown:

Gently bend the leads of this LED back under the Deck Panel L2-06, as shown:

Fitting Deck Panels L1-06 and L2-06

Step C

Retrieve your Deck Panel L1-06 assembly from the previous stage.

To demonstrate how Deck Panel L2-06 from this stage fits to the outer edge of Deck Panel L1-06, I took these preliminary pictures:

Note how the outer edge of Deck Panel L1-06 is designed to slide under inner edge of Deck Panel L2-06:

Fit Deck Panel L2-06 to the center of Lower Skeleton. Make sure the outer LEDs and wiring of Deck Panel L2-06 are tucked inside the Lower Skeleton frames.

Contrary to the magazine instructions, I started with the outer panel first here so we could arrange the best route for the wiring. Gently bend the leads of these two outer LEDs towards the panel center, as shown:

Then, when we lower the tabs of this Deck Panel L2-06 onto the four matching mounting Skeleton posts, pull the slack of these LED cables towards the center of the ship so the wires clear the lateral rib of the Skeleton, as shown. You may want to use a couple of the FM mounting screws to loosely hold the part in place for this step:

Slide the outer edge of Deck Panel L1-06 under the inner lip of Deck Panel L2-06, then lower the two mounting tabs of Deck Panel L1-06 onto the matching posts of the Skeleton as shown:

Secure the outer Deck Panel L2-06 to the Lower Skeleton with four (4) FM screws.

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

Then, secure the outer Deck Panel L1-06 to the Lower Skeleton with two (2) FM screws. Once tightened, slide the Saucer Power Switch to the ON position and make sure all of these panel windows light up as expected:

Adding Batteries to the Port Engine Nacelle

Step D

Retrieve your port Warp Nacelle assembly and stack two CR2032 button cell batteries into the Battery Box on top of each other with the positive (flat side +) facing out.

These two CR2032 batteries are not supplied with the model, but they are extremely common and should be easy to find:

Fit the Battery Box Cover into the matching opening as shown, and secure it into place with the Battery Box Screw. Then, slide the nacelle Switch to the ON position and test the lighting of your port Warp Nacelle:

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 L2-06

I processed this Deck Panel in the same way as I have been with my Model Remodel:

• The windows were replaced with Solarez Thin-Hard UV resin:

• The ‘dark’ windows were painted black according to my Window Pattern Guide:

• I removed the silver paint from the Reflector Panel in 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and lightly airbrushed it with white paint to diffuse light. I actually collected all of the Reflector Panels I had through Stage 82 and did them all at once:

Adding Batteries to the Port Engine Nacelle

My modified Nacelles are centrally powered and do not require any batteries. These steps were already completed during the work documented in the Warp Nacelles section of my Model Remodel adventure. However, I did install the stock Battery Box Cover and Battery Box Screw here:

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

Thoughts

Our first two lower Deck Panels have now been installed onto our saucer section. The rest of the lower panels will extend around the saucer from this point.

Next Up

Stage 61 – Deck Panel L3-10, Escape Pod Covers/Brackets, Outer Frame L4-09, Formation Light Lens, Battle Section PCB