Excelsior!

[RayS]

Not much of a civil subject got I am right into this one at the moment.

It's the AMT USS Excelsior NCC-2000

I got this kit off Scotty a number of years ago, part started. So ARC are having a Star Trek Universe GB so this is being built for that. I have always like the lines of the Excelsior class star ship, not a fan of the Enterprise - B though with that bulge they put on it all for the sake of being able to blow parts of it off for filming in 'Generations'.

Onto some build pictures.

It started with a kit...!



Some assembly







Some initial paint before buttoning up









and then lots of masking





and some paint





and some more masking





and paint



and masking



and then it all came off









I think I spent 5-6 hours just masking so far which is the majority of the build time.

Next more masking... usually I dread it but the is a sense of satisfaction with this as is there have been relatively few stuff ups so far ( well just the one where I used too dark a shade of blue on the primary hull and had to re-mask and paint it).

To be continued...

[Adam the Akrodude]

Out of this world work Ray - literally!

[scotty100368]

I think all that masking was the reason I decided to sell it in the first place !

[RayS]

Almost finished, some more masking and few stuff ups to fix after these shot were taken.







Excelsior preparing to leave space dock for shake down cruise (I still need to add the decals, paint the stand and some annoying touch ups).

[hrtpaul]

Not a Star Trek fan at all but that looks great man

[DesTROYer]

This kind of makes the Nerd in me excited.

[RayS]

Started decalling, this is the start of an aftermarket Alps printed Aztec pattern sheet from the stash. Not as comprehensive as the sheets available today as it only covers the saucer section (the sheet is dated 2000 from PCModeller.com).

The sheet is made up of alternating wedge-shaped sections, 2 designs for the top and 2 for the bottom. Lots of cutting and test fitting before dunking in water



and the first pattern on top done...

[F-27pax]

Those extra decals bring it to life. Looking very nice.

[DesTROYer]

As said elsewhere mate, great job. I fly in that.

[RayS]

Thanks guys, saucer section decalling complete, I applied 35 different decal parts tot eh top of the saucer and 22 to the bottom. Each had to be individually cut out. Liberal amounts of setting solution applied.





Now to apply the kit supplied decals and seal it all.

Also had to make repairs, warp nacelles had separated and needed reattaching.