This is going to be an interesting build. My kit version was an original from 1975. The model was later reissued as a 25th anniversary edition, sold in a box with paint. My first Enterprise build ... [Read More]
The large vacu-form sheet. At the top you can see the horizontal tunnel recess to fit the engine mount tube. While the forms are sharp, the secondary "hull" pieces (center) are high. The ... [Read More]
Cutting out vacu-form parts can be a delicate operation. Take your time! The oldest method is probably the best - Draw around the bottom recess with a ball point pen. This gives you a defined ... [Read More]
Here's what I mean about the high pieces being thin at the baseline. There was a crack in the thin area of the secondary hull. This happened before I sanded the base edges. A strip of the scrap ... [Read More]
I saved the large hull disks for last. As before, trace around the edges with a ball point pen. Score along the pen lines. Free up the edges for easier bending and cracking by cutting relief ... [Read More]
The internal support ring (RT-99D, 3.7" diameter) has to fit over the "hump" in the primary hull bottom disk. Cut the template using a straightedge on the straight lines an scissors on ... [Read More]
Removed from the die-cut ply sheet - The picture shows how rough the pylon support pieces are. Set on a flat surface, one was die-cut a hair wider. The wider piece was sanded down to the ... [Read More]
I'll usually fill the tube seams before gluing things together. On the left - Thinned CWF filler in the seams, On the right - The filler sanded to surface. A shot of filler/primer and sanding ... [Read More]
I fitted the pylon into the pylon brace, then set it next to the body tube. The pencil line is the masking area to keep the filler/primer off the gluing areas. On the right - the notched end ... [Read More]
Set the pylon in the cardstock base (the fit is too loose) and mark the tube height for a filler/primer mask. Set the notched end in the bulkhead and mark for a mask on the other side. The pylon ... [Read More]
The pylon brace fit was very loose. No amount of glue fillets will fix this. On the left: A strip of 110 lb. cardstock was slipped into the slot, folded over and glued to the face of the ... [Read More]
The contact cement capsules have dried out and aren't useable. I bought some new contact cement at Home Depot. If you've never used contact cement before - You apply the glue to both parts and ... [Read More]
A quick update after my dog Dakota's first camping trip - She did great! Lots of new smells on the hiking trails. Met a few people and slept through the night on her dog bed from home. ... [Read More]
I put off cutting the brace slots in the secondary hull. I wanted to practice on cutting the tube slots first. Draw a pencil line a bit smaller than the brace width. Square on the front, round on ... [Read More]
The doublers are glued on each side of the hull pylon. Do your best to center the doublers - Here's how they lined up. I lined up the doublers using the retainer ring recess at the top. ... [Read More]
This is going to be an interesting build. My kit version was an original from 1975. The model was later reissued as a 25th anniversary edition, sold in a box with paint. My first Enterprise build ... [Read More]
