Don Matthys’ Reliant part 2

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NOTE:  This article dates to 2000 and we don’t have a lot of photos.  Instructions refer to the original AMT release of the kit.

Back to Part 1

Painting prep

Prepare your model for painting. Fill seams. Sand smooth. Wash but don’t immerse the model once again with mild detergent to remove dust, body oils and other contaminants. Use masking tape strips for windows and white glue droplets for the round ports and LED openings. Etc.

MATERIALS USED

  • Airbrush; Badger #150
  • Testors Model Master Enamel Paints:
  • Gloss Black # FS 17038
  • Primer Grey #
  • Masking Tape: 3M Drafting Tape trimmed to size or Chartpack; Graphic Arts Tape

Mask all ports, windows, exposed LEDs and lights that must show in operation. Round Ports can be masked with a small dolip of white glue with a small pointed brush over the fiber optic ports. Strip cut 1/16 masking tape can be used for the horizontal windows, ’round off’ the window corners by clipping off the corners with a sharp #11 blade. Strip cut masking tape or graphic tape can be used for edges and Micro Mask filled in to mask the impulse crystals and Warp Nacelles.

Spray paint areas that are masked with gloss black and any other areas of unwanted light that shows through the model. Do this procedure until the model is completely opaque with the power and lamps on in a darkened room.

Use a gray or white primer over the black painted opaqued areas. A primer will show all of the seam area flaws. Fill and sand smooth these areas and re-prime.

Paint your ship as per kit instructions or advanced procedures from SFAM 4 or past Fine Scale Modeler articles concerning detailed painting of the motion picture USS Enterprise.

ACCURATE PARTS

Miranda Class Bridge and Upper Decks Correction.

Crafted by Andy Hensaw (AP) and Don Matthys (DLM)

M02_My_Reliant_ModelA

One of the most frustrating aspects to correct to the AMT USS Reliant model kit is the incorrectly shaped and detail Upper Decks Level and Bridge. Andy Henshaw of Accurate Parts of Australia and Don Matthys of DLM have teamed up to craft and cast a Bridge and Upper Decks level part to replace the AMT shortcoming.

This addendum to the Reliant Construction Article is how to install this “chop and drop ” resin part:

M1_Mark_area_to_cutA

1. First the upper deck area of the plastic kit is marked with a fine felt tip pen. Be very careful with the straight line in back of the entire business, making sure your cut trace is straight. All kit material will be removed above and inside this line.

M2_Drill_HolesA

2. With a #70 Drill bit chucked into a motor tool a series of holes are drilled around and just inside the line. These holes should be very close together.

M4_Exacto_CutA

3. With a #11 blade a cut is made through the holes.

M5_Remove_Kit_parta

4. There it goes. The kit plastic detail is pried off and removed.

M6_Remove_resin_flashA

5. With knife and files remove the resin flash and vent sprue form the bottom of the resin replacement part.

M7_Mark_new_edgeA

6. Trace and mark the outer edge of the replacement part onto the model.

M8_Enlarge_holeA

7. Enlarge the hole of the opened up model with a sanding drum mounted on a motor tool. Stay about 1/8 inch away form your new outer edge mark.

M9_Drop_in_Gray_partA

8. The new Accurate Part now should drop into place and fit close to the top surface of the model.

M10_Bridge_in_placeA

9. Next the Bridge is attached. Use putty to plug any gaps or seams. The back of the part should join to the model as a smooth surface. If need be, putty and sand this area smooth and replace the detail with bits of plastic strip.

For the most part this part fixes the inaccuracy of the AMT kit which was probably crafted in its simplified manner to accommodate the injection molding process. The new AP replacement now features a recessed upper level also subtle recessed ports, fine detail and solid single piece Bridge with accurate details. The ease of installation of the part on the scrap AMT kit featured here is also a good indication that this new part will go onto a previously assemble and painted model to replace the AMT kit inaccuracy

M12_Clear_OptionA

There is also an option for the new parts to be cast in clear resin for lighting purposes. After the new piece is in place mask over the ports and areas of that you want light to shine through. Spray paint the new parts with black paint to opaque the clear resin an apply finish colors. Remove the masks from the light openings.

More advanced lighting features can include a flashing strobe light on top of the Bridge by running a .030 Fiber Optic strand connected from a white LED through a opaque jacket of striped wire insulation. One small portion of the FO strand can poke through the top as your Strobe Light.

Another lighting effect such as the bright forward spot lights can be accomplished with the clear piece by grinding out a hole of the bottom of the clear bridge deep enough to hold a small white LED side ways. Bend the leads of the LED at a 90 degree angle and glue it in with the top of the LED facing forward with clear 5 minute epoxy. The top of the clear LED is the most brightest and it should shoot a beam of light over the front of your Reliant model through your masked over slot at the front of the clear Bridge. The other slots on the sides will illuminate as well.

The reference for the making and detail of this part is taken from Star Ship Mechanics pictures of the USS Saratoga as featured in the Star Trek DS9 Episode (The Emissary) It is basically the same SFX miniature of the USS Reliant as used in STII:TWOK

References:

  • General Plans: U.S.S. Avenger Class
  • Classification: Class 1 Starship of the line
  • Type: Heavy Frigate, Model: MK X1 B
  • Published By Star Fleet Printing Office * 0 Mark 9 P54 X
  • Star Log Press, Copyright: David John Nielsen 1983
  • Starfleet Assembly Manual # 5, (Advanced detail and painting tips)
  • Enterprise; Article, SFAM 5, AMT model conversion to reliant
  • The Making of STII:TWOK
  • The Art of Star Trek
  • Star Trek Mechanics #4

TOOLS REQUIRED

  • Drill, powered motor tool preferred with a selection of small bits
  • Hole Reamers
  • Pencil, Mechanical, small lead
  • Scribing Tool
  • Dremel Burr, small
  • Jewelers Files

SPECIAL MATERIALS

  • Evergreen Plastics, scribed sheets and strips
  • Fiber Optics, .030, .050 dia.
  • Plexiglas 1/8 inch
  • Clear casting resin

LIGHTING SYSTEMS USED

  • 2 LED Flasher circuits. One circuit slow speed for Nav Position Lights (R2 @ 200 ohm). One circuit at faster speed for Navigation Strobe Lights, (R2 @ 150 ohm)
  • LEDs 2 yellow, 2 green, 2 red, 3 blue. micro-mini 2 t-1 blue for Magnatomic Crystal
  • Lamps: 2 large bayonet socket 6 volt, 4 grain of wheat .
  • Light Sheet; 1 power pack with 2 5.5″x.5 Light Sheets, (inside of Warp Engines)
  • POWER SUPPLY: 6volts @ 700ma.

For more info visit Don’s Light and Magic