Building the Enterprise C by Don Matthys part 1
The AMT Pro Model of the USS Yamiguchi had the fortune of using clear injection molded parts. Set up in such a way that the model would be easy for lighting of a Star Trek model in many ways and methods that emulate the movie special effects shops do with their hand crafted miniatures. Those motion control models for the most part are made from fiberglass laid in and brushed on or blown into flexible molds. The result is a transparent casting. The model makers go to work with lighting and assembly of the FX miniature. Prior to that the paint team will mask the parts that need to have glow on screen. Painting will start by coating the entire model in opaque paint. surface primers then onto regular finish colors. After all the paint is is done the masks are remove and ready for lights cameras and ACTION in the FX studio stage.
This article about the ill-fated USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-C is a combination of the two AMT/ERTL kits of the Enterprise-C model and the Special Edition Pro Shop version of the clear cast USS Yamiguchi model. Both kits are of the Star Fleet Ambassador Class design at 1/1400 scale. What this article will show is a bashing of the two kits together as one model that takes advantage of clear parts best sited for lighted areas of the ship and kit parts form the regular issue kit of the Enterprise-C
MASKING WINDOWS
3M Blue masking tap is cut into strips and place on the model that has the interior room lit up. About 50% to 60 % where chosen to have lights on in the crew quarters.
This is the good point to deviate form the Yamiguchi kit instructions. The sheet says to open the windows by scraping the paint away form the plastic. My past experience with that only left flack rough edges. The Blue Mask tape leave always the clear sharp edge to the window
White Primer is sprayed onto the models exterior. White is chosen at the reflective shade of color. It is more effective than using silver which its reflectiveness is similar to a shade of gray. White gives a more reflective bounce around the interior of a lighted Star Trek model.
Black primer is used next on the clear castings of the model hull. This is the actual coating of paint that will block light leaks. To insure a good thorough opaque coating hold the model part up to the light and check for light leaks.
The next task it to apply the Blue Tape mask over the rest of the windows. The black primer is the color of all the interior rooms that are not lit up on the ship.
As a final step to enhance reflectivity inside the model the groups of window were masked inside and then a final coat of white primer is sprayed on. When dry the mask is removed.
Next comes part 2
