This Old Starship Kit, intro page

ALANOODLE'S SCALE MODEL PORTFOLIO

AN OBSESSION IN PLASTIC

This tutorial, in a much abbreviated form originally appeared on the PCModeler website.

"GET A LIFE, IT'S JUST A TV SHOW!"

    To boldly go where no modeler has gone before? Hardly! AMT-Ertl's original STAR TREK U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (kit #6676) has been around for over 30 years and was still selling when it was discontinued by Ertl in the 1990s. Many modelers have built this kit more than once, first as a novice modeler and again years later after refining their modeling skills.
    I decided to treat my third attempt at building the Enterprise "seriously," that is, to do research to learn all I can about the real Enterprise studio model and to use my modeling skills to improve on the accuracy of the kit. I would also add lights to the model for a more realistic and exciting look.
    No small feat - this old starship kit isn't very accurate. Even after being retooled in the early 1970s, this kit is at best a fair representation of the Enterprise. Although all the details are there, the model requires some real work to make it look like the starship that was seen on TV. My work was cut out for me.