AMT/ERTL 1:1400 Enterprise D (pic heavy)

[ProfArturo]

This is my first model, which took me nearly 20 years to complete. I got it as a present when I was about 9 in 1998, but it was just too hard for a young child even with some adult help. Then slowly every few years I went back and did a bit more, and a bit more, then finally in late 2016 I decided to make a full effort to get it finished at long last.

When I first rescued it from storage, it had all sorts of dirt and glue over it, along with the world's worst paint job done by a ten year old.




After a good clean up, I got started on the drive section, which came together pretty quickly.





Unfortunately, the paint I was recommended in the 90s for the aztec hull plating isn't quite screen accurate - it's too yellow. As large sections of the model had already been completed however I decided that at this point it was more important just to get it finished and so carried on.






Onto the saucer, which took absolutely ages compared to the drive section. I spent most of Christmas holidays 2016 just painting the aztec pattern.




I must admit, I cheated a bit and bought another identical model kit from eBay so I could start again with the top half of the saucer. The old one was just too worn out and covered in paint. I was also missing a few small parts like shuttlebay doors so it made sense to me.




Finally, on March 11th 2017 I saw the fully completed model for the first time. It took a while longer however to decide where to permanently display it.






The oldest bits of paintwork aren't as good as the later stuff for obvious reasons, and the newer parts are brighter and 'crisper' than the rest, but I'm thrilled to finally see it finished. It really does feel like my life's work.



I learnt a lot making this model, particularly about decals and glueing techniques, all of which helped make my next model - the Enterprise E - turn out at a much higher standard.



I'll post that next time!

Thanks for looking,
Steve

[MEATLOAFr]

Looks nice, I remember hand painting the aztec on mine when it was first released as the lighted version

Next time- give a light coat of white/grey to help blend the colors together

[ProfArturo]

I saw on a Facebook model making group someone had sprayed a coat of white over the aztec on an Ent-A and it looked great, would never have thought of doing it that way.

The more I look at her the more I'm tempted to want to repaint it a better colour and replace the escape pods with decals, but for now at least I'm more interested in building new models than revisiting old ones.

[MEATLOAFr]

can just build a new one - maybe a lighted version

if you ever do another - sand the raised panels off, they are horrible and out of scale

[ProfArturo]

I personally like the panel lines - makes the model more detailed without adding any extra build time.

That said, I've never liked the 4 foot model in the TV show, compared to the 6 foot one the lines made it look a lot less realistic.

[slawton]

This is my first model, which took me nearly 20 years to complete.

Par for the course...

[MEATLOAFr]

I personally like the panel lines - makes the model more detailed without adding any extra build time.

That said, I've never liked the 4 foot model in the TV show, compared to the 6 foot one the lines made it look a lot less realistic.

I personally liked the 4-footer better, but yes the panels on it are to big - when I have time to do mine I'm going to use vinyl to do subtle but the raised details on the model need removed