Return to the BUILD

“Both the saucer and the battle section gain realistic windows in this short stage of the assembly.“

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 L1-03 is metal and the other parts are plastic in this stage.

Build

Assembling Deck Panel L1-03

Step A

Carefully remove three (3) Escape Pod Covers from their sprues. Fit them into the back of Deck Panel L1-03 as shown.

Remember, the red line on the Escape Pod Cover should be closer to the wider end of the Deck Panel:

Cover these Covers with the two Escape Pod Brackets (I and II), and then secure these Brackets into place with three (3) AM screws.

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

Fit the Deck Panel Windows into the matching window openings of Deck Panel L1-03.

These windows are spaced in way that only allows this part to fit when oriented the correct way, as shown. While not shown here, I still recommend using pieces of black electrical tape or aluminum tape to seal in the Dark Windows and Escape Pod Covers to prevent light leak:

Completing Deck Panel L1-03

Step B

Fit the Window Reflector Panel over the Deck Panel Windows as shown, and then secure it into place with one (1) AM screw:

Fit the two posts of the Ventral Phaser Array L03 into the matching holes on top of Deck Panel L1-03, as shown:

Secure the Phaser Array into place from below with two (2) DP screws:

Fitting a Bank of Battle Section Windows

Step C

Retrieve your Battle Section Middle Panel assembly from the previous stage. Fit the Battle Section Middle Windows Left to the inside surface of the Middle Panel, as shown.

Make sure the ‘windows’ of this part fit into all of the matching window openings of the Middle Panel. You can easily clean out any plastic bits from the windows by sliding a wooden toothpick around the inside of each window opening. This part will not be secured into place until the next stage:

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 L1-03

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
• The Escape Pod Covers were sealed in from behind with aluminum tape
• I removed the silver paint from the Reflector Panel in 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and lightly airbrushed it with white paint to diffuse light

Fitting a Bank of Battle Section Windows

As before, the ‘windows’ of this Battle Section Middle 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:

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

Thoughts

See, now why couldn’t the windows for every Deck Panel be a single piece of plastic like this one? We have installed so many tiny windows!

Next Up

Stage 83 – Lower Skeleton 7, Ventral Phaser Array, LED Bracket, Deck Panel Lights