I chose the name, Socorro, NCC1231, from the list of Coventry-class ships. I also chose it because it's town very near where the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array is located, some 50 miles outside Socorro. The VLA has been featured in many TV Shows and films over the years and is indeed a really kewel thing to see - not that you can really see much of it from the road.
As of this writing, construction is mostly complete. Some clean up definitely needs to be done. I decided to add a TMP Refit bridge, first from a Polar Lights / Round2, the I went with an UGH! Models Refit bridge from their Lynch-class light cruiser, in place of the standard TOS bridge. My thinking is to show her most recent refit, which was done at around the same time as ST:TMP took place. Many internal systems were upgraded, tho other than the bridge, pennants/markings, and paintjob, she's the same, externally.
Taking a cue from the Reliant, I added that little flat-topped triangle. It's some thin Evergreen sheet stock pulled from a scrounge pile, so not sure what thickness it is, tho think it's maybe .020"?
Adding this piece to the bottom, which was included as what I guess was meant to be an extended engineering deck? Anyhow, adding it the ventral surface to act as an extended engineering deck.
These surface bubbles on the leading edge have been filled, sanded, filled, sanded, primed, filled... while I've seen much worse, this is still kind of disappointing. Buuuut, at least I have the hull to work with and didn't have to take a year or longer to get!
I also discovered that, while really well done, the extended hull isn't 100% squared off. Not a problem, as I adjusted for it. It just throws the "balance" of the placement of the pylons and nacelles of noticeably.
More to come.
