Return to the BUILD

“Fit and illuminate a large section of the lower saucer skeleton, then fit a bank of lights to the rear of the battle section.“

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: The Lower Skeleton is metal and the rest of the non-electrical parts are plastic.

Magazine – Issue 19

• Assembly Instructions: Building the Model
• Episode Guide 4.13: Devil’s Due
• Episode Guide 4.14: Clues
• Episode Guide 4.15: First Contact
• Episode Guide 4.16: Galaxy’s Child
• Episode Guide 4.17: Night Terrors
• Episode Guide 4.18: Identity Crisis
• Episode Guide 4.19: The Nth Degree

Build

Fitting the Deck Panel Light

Step A

Fit the LED of the Deck Panel Light to this matching location on the Lower Skeleton 3 (with the wires running down through the nearby opening), as shown. Then, gently bend the leads of the LED around the screw hole:

Next, cover this LED with a LED Bracket as shown, and secure the Bracket into place with one (1) AM screw.

We have done this process before. This also is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:

Fitting Lower Skeleton 3

Step B

Retrieve your Saucer assembly from the previous stage and place it upside down on a soft surface. Fit the Lower Skeleton 3 assembly into place at the forward port (left) side, aligning all of the mounting points as shown.

Make sure not to trap or pinch the loose Deck Panel Light LED we previously installed (circled below):

The small screw eyelet at the outer edge of this Skeleton needs to slide under the matching eyelet of the existing Lower Skeleton (arrow below):

Be sure not to pinch or trap the wiring of any Deck Panel Lights between the Lower Skeleton and Upper Skeleton while fitting this:

When fitted correctly, this Lower Skeleton 3 should fit into all the matching posts of the existing frame:

Route the plug of the Deck Panel Light we just installed through the Skeleton and connect it to a socket marked ‘B’ on Saucer PCB 2:

Begin securing this Lower Skeleton into place along the outer row of screw holes with four (4) FM screws (circled below) and one (1) AM screw (arrow below):

I recommend only starting these screws for now. Once all of the screws for this Lower Skeleton are started, we will come back and tighten them:

Finish securing this Lower Skeleton into place along the inner two rows of screw holes with eight (8) BM screws.

With all of the screws now started, go back and fully tighten each one. I tend to go around the edges first, then to the middle:

Fitting the Lights

Step C

Locate the unused Deck Panel Lights LED (yellow/green wires) from Stage 65. Gently bend the LED leads to be 90° from the LED, as shown:

Fit the LED into the notch at this location on Lower Skeleton 3:

Cover the LED with a LED Bracket, and secure the Bracket into place with one (1) AM screw:

Testing the Lights

Step D

Temporarily slide the Saucer Switch to the ON’ position to test these new LEDs.

Uh oh! On my model, nothing worked when I turned on the power! Remember how I said to make sure none of your existing Deck Panel Lights wiring was in the way when fitting the Lower Skeleton? Well, after some investigation, I found that I accidentally pinched one and it shorted out on the metal:

Luckily, the wire was not broken, so I simply routed it out of the way and reattached the Skeleton. This time, everything was working as expected:

Fitting a Bank of Battle Section Windows

Step E

Retrieve your Battle Section Rear assembly from the previous stage. Fit the Battle Section Rear Windows Left inside the Battle Section Rear, as shown.

Make sure the ‘windows’ of this part fit into all of the matching window openings of the Battle Section Rear. You can easily clean out any plastic bits from the windows by sliding a wooden toothpick around the inside of each window opening:

Cover the Battle Section Rear Windows Left with the Battle Section Rear Reflector Left, aligning the screw holes as shown:

Slide the LEDs of the Battle Section Rear Lights into these notches of the Reflector, as shown.

Make sure these LEDs are fully seated and captured by the small pin inside each notch:

Secure the Reflector/Windows to the Battle Section Rear with four (4) BP screws:

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

Fitting Lower Skeleton 3

The Lower Skeleton 3 was installed normally. The only wiring I needed to be aware of was for the side navigation light:

Fitting a Bank of Battle Section Windows

I processed this Battle Section Rear Windows and Battle Section Rear Reflector in nearly the same way as I have been with my Model Remodel:

• The ‘windows’ of the Battle Section Rear Windows Left were cut off and then sanded, leaving a smooth panel. The back of this panel was then lightly airbrushed with white paint to diffuse light:

• The Reflector was soaked in 70% Isopropyl Alcohol to remove the silver paint, painted white on the inside, and was then installed normally:

Here is the result of our Model Remodel changes in this stage. I had not installed the clear Battle Section Reflector yet when I took this picture:

Thoughts

Other than my wiring short (whoops), everything in this issue went together quite nicely.

Next Up

Stage 72 – Deck Panel L1-04, Escape Pod Covers/Brackets, Windows/Reflector, Phaser Array