Return to the BUILD

“Combine two more deck panel builds to fill in a further section of the rapidly expanding lower saucer 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: All of the non-electrical parts in this stage are plastic.

Build

Assembling Deck Panel L2-04

Step A

Carefully remove ten (10) Clear Windows and eighteen (18) Dark Windows from their sprues and fit them into the back of Deck Panel L2-04, as shown.

Reminder: 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 these Dark Windows to prevent light leak:

Next, fit Reflector Panel L2-04-A1 and Reflector Panel L2-04-A onto the matching posts of Deck Panel L2-04 covering the windows as shown, then loosely secure the Reflectors with eight (8) BP screws:

Then, slide the LEDs of first two Deck Panel Lights cables into the four matching slots of these Reflector Panels, as shown.

As usual, make sure these LEDs are fully seated and locked over the retaining pins inside the Reflector Panels. After these LEDs are installed, go ahead and finish tightening all of the BP screws:

Finally, gently bend the leads of all four LEDs up to a 90° angle, as shown:

Fitting Deck Panels L2-04 and L1-04

Step B

Retrieve your Saucer assembly from Stage 72 and set it upside down on a soft surface. Connect the plug of the third Deck Panel Lights cable to a socket marked ‘A’ on Saucer PCB 2, as shown:

Route the LEDs of this Deck Panel Lights cable inside the Frame and up through these two separate openings in the Lower Skeleton 3:

Bring Deck Panel L2-04 to the saucer and route the plugs of its two Deck Panel Lights cables down through these separate openings of the Skeleton:

The plugs of these two Deck Panel Lights should be run through the Frame and towards the Saucer PCBs, as shown:

Connect the plugs of these Deck Panel Lights cables to two sockets marked ‘A’ on Saucer PCB 2, as shown:

At the top of Deck Panel L2-04, fit the two LEDs of the third Deck Panel Lights cable into these upper slots of the Reflector Panels.

To make this easier, I temporarily mounted this Deck Panel L2-04 into place by first sliding it into the nearby panel:

And then, loosely securing the free end down with two (2) FM screws as shown. This is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:

You don’t have to do this, but I feel it makes it easier to get these top LEDs fitted correctly. Note how I gently bent the leads of these two LEDs down into the interior of the ship. I didn’t want them interfering with the panel we are about to fit:

Again, you can always use a small piece of thin clear tape across the top of these LEDs to help hold them in place:

Retrieve your Deck Panel L1-04 assembly from Stage 72. Fit Deck Panel L1-04 to the inner edge of Deck Panel L2-04 (yellow arrow below). Then, while holding these panels together, slide their tabs under the existing panels to the left (red arrows below), as shown.

I did detach the lower Deck Panel L2-04 from the Skeleton to do this step:

On my first attempts, these Deck Panels did not quite sit right. I found that the left outer tabs of my Deck Panels L1-04 had some gunk on them preventing a good fit. I filed the extra metal off with a flat needle file:

Press both Deck Panels down onto the matching mounting lugs of the Lower Skeleton as shown:

Once happy with the fitment, secure these Deck Panels into place with three (3) FM screws:

I did a lighting test of this stage and found that when I pressed down on these Deck Panels, all of my lights went out! Oh dang, another short somewhere. This one took more time to find, but I found that an LED on my Deck Panel L2-04 had a tiny hole in the heat-shrink that was touching the metal frame:

My quick and simple fix here was to use a small piece of electrical tape over the part of the frame to insulate it from this ‘hole’:

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 L2-04

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 Panels in 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and lightly airbrushed it with white paint to diffuse light

Fitting Deck Panels L2-04 and L1-04

When fitting these Deck Panels, I used adhesive putty to seal around where the tabs go as light was coming out of gaps near here:

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

Thoughts

Ugh, another short in my wiring! This is why we should be testing the lighting after every stage. There is so much wiring in the stock build that we really need to pay attention to this. Luckily, we got it sorted out and everything is working as expected! Keep the unused Battle Section Rear Windows Right part nearby as it will be needed in the next stage.

Next Up

Stage 74 – Deck Panel L3-08, Outer Panel L4-07, Reflectors/Lights, Escape Pod Covers