Return to the BUILD
“The lower saucer moves closer to completion, while a large piece of the battle section lights up for the first time.“
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 Deck Panel L3-12 is metal and the rest of the non-electrical parts in this stage are plastic.
Magazine – Issue 21
- Assembly Instructions: Building the Model
- Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 5
- Episode Guide 5.1: Redemption II
- Episode Guide 5.2: Darmok
- Episode Guide 5.3: Ensign Ro
- Episode Guide 5.4: Silicon Avatar
- Episode Guide 5.5: Disaster
Build
Assembling Deck Panel L3-12
Step A
Carefully remove eleven (11) Escape Pod Covers from their sprues and fit them into the back of Deck Panel L3-12, as shown.
As in Stage 61 with these outer lower panels, I shaved off the two tiny bumps on the top and bottom with my hobby knife. This allows them to seat a bit deeper and more uniformly. While not shown here, I still recommend using pieces of black electrical tape or aluminum tape to seal in these Escape Pod Cover to prevent light leak:
Fit the Reflector Panel L3-11-12-19 to the back of Deck Panel L3-12 as shown, then secure the Reflector 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:
Fit the Outer Frame L4-11 to Deck Panel L3-12 aligning the pins and posts to the matching holes as shown, then secure it into place with two (2) IM screws:
Fitting Deck Panel L3-12
Step B
Retrieve your Saucer assembly from the previous stage and place it upside down on a soft surface. Fit this Deck Panel L3-12 assembly to the Lower Skeleton, as shown:
As before, there is a groove along the inside of the Outer Panel that needs to ‘pop’ onto the rim of the matching upper Deck Panel here:
Secure this Deck Panel to the Lower Skeleton with two (2) FM screws, as shown:
If this Panel fitment is satisfactory, press the two pins of the Escape Pod Screw Cover into the matching holes at this location of the Panel.
This Screw Cover should be installed so the red line is closer to the edge of the saucer. However, you may want to wait until you are happy with the fitment of all of the lower saucer panels before hiding these screws. It may be difficult to remove these Screw Covers once installed:
Installing a Bank of Battle Section Windows
Step C
Retrieve your Battle Section Front Panel assembly from the previous stage. Cover the Battle Section Front Windows Right with the Battle Section Front Reflector Right, aligning the screw holes as shown:
Fit the LEDs of the Battle Section Panel Lights into the matching notches of the Front Reflector Right, as shown.
Make sure these LEDs are seated far enough under the Reflector that they are caught on the small pin:
Secure the Front Reflector Right to the Battle Section Front Panel with five (5) BP screws:
If desired, test these lights by temporarily connecting their plugs to two sockets marked ‘A’ on Saucer PCB 3 and turning ON the switch.
Fitting the Battle Section Front Panel
Step D
Retrieve your Battle Section Upper Bracket assembly from Stage 63. Fit your Battle Section Front Panel to the forward end of the Upper Bracket, as shown. Make sure both Battle Section Panel Light cables pass up through these separate openings of the Bracket.
To help align these LEDs to the Bracket openings, I first gently bent the leads of each one towards the center of the Panel as shown:
Then, with both the Panel and Upper Bracket upside down, I routed the plugs of the two Panel Light cables up through these Bracket openings:
Then, while pulling the cables up through the Skeleton, I fit the Panel to the Upper Bracket, as shown:
Secure the Front Panel to the Upper Bracket with five (5) DP screws:
Connect the plugs of the two Battle Section Panel Lights to any 4-pin sockets marked ‘A’ on the Battle Section PCB, as shown.
Make sure you do not connect these Panel Lights to the 4-pin socket marked ‘D’:
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
- The Escape Pod Covers were sealed in from behind with aluminum tape
- The gap to the Outer Panel was sealed in with adhesive putty
Fitting Deck Panel L3-12
When fitting this outer Deck Panel L3-12, I made sure we would not have light leaking through the gap by using a small strip of aluminum tape:
Installing a Bank of Battle Section Windows
As before, I removed the paint from the Reflector Panel in 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and lightly airbrushed it with white paint to diffuse light:
The rest of the issue was the same as the stock build. Here is the result of our Model Remodel changes in this stage:
Thoughts
Yes, our first hull Panel has been attached to our Battle Section. This assembly is actually a bit bigger than I expected!
Next Up
Stage 80 – Deck Panel L3-13, Outer Panel L4-12, Reflector Panel, Escape Pod Covers, Battle Section Middle Panel