Star Trek DS9:- Operation Return Diorama - 'micro' build log pt.2

   Now the real brain damage begins! lol I'm using Paragon's design for the Jem'Hadar fighters and I've shrunk them to 6mm in width. I've started with the nacelle supports at the rear of the ships:-

   Paragon provided templates for up to five layers; I'll be using single layers where possible otherwise I'll end up with far too much bulk. So far I've managed to cut all the 'large' nacelle supports and it's taken me all day - I'm building 30 (minimum) of these wee guys. The struts are just big enough to be lifted by hand - the rest need the damp toothpick point method. The smallest pieces are on the front end and measure 1.5x0.5mm. I'm having to cut these while I'm cutting the rear end parts due to their position on the design template and I dread to think how many I've already lost. Fortunately, I printed enough templates to make 60 bugs so I've got plenty of spare parts. 
   I finished all the back ends of the Jemmie bugs and started cutting the parts for the fronts in batches of five to avoid monotony and so that I had some visible progress:-

   The first group of ten has been finished at a grand total of 8mm in length:-

   I found some charts of Star Trek ships which were all in the same scale and selected all the ships involved in Operation Return and made a new chart. I already had a template for the Galaxy class in the correct scale for this diorama, so I shrunk the chart to make the Galaxy saucer the same width. From there I've shrunk the designs that I have to the same dimensions as the OR chart and pasted them onto the sheet I had for the Galaxy class thus ensuring that all the ships are in the same scale. I can't recall whose charts I used so I apologise profusely for not giving credit to whoever compiled them, but this is the OR compilation that I'm using:-

and I've just noticed that the Hideki is missing - d'oh!
   This is what my swarm of Jemmie bugs looks like:-

   Now that one lot of monotony is out of the way I've started on the USS Centaur, also by Paragon:-

   There's only one of these - which is just as well as I needed the second printing for the teeny, toty, wee layered bits. The saucer of the Centaur was finished and all the other parts were cut:-

   It all went together surprisingly easily, but I had to ditch the gold ailerons as they were too bulky when folded. The completed USS Centaur measures 30mm (just under 1 1/4") in length:-

   Next up are the five Galaxy class ships. I didn't think that the registry markings would show clearly when I printed these, but they do. I've decided to write in my own as editing the templates five times is more hassle than I'm prepared to go through, especially when they'll probably be damaged ships. I know I've covered Paragon's design for the Galaxy class before, but it's nice to have something to look at while waiting:-

These are the upper saucer parts for the unnamed ship, with a random registry number. All the upper saucer halves were connected and I cut the parts for all the lower saucer halves:-

   These are the USS Venture's parts. The largest piece from the underside was pasted onto 1mm thick card and the rings are strapped together with eight thin, paper, radial strips. 
   I've joined all the saucer halves, connected the sensor arrays and cut the rims and parts for the bridges:-

   With all the saucers built I cut the parts for the neck:-

This will also be connected by 'strapping' with thin strips of paper. The secondary hull is next:-

   All the secondary hulls have been built and connected to the primary hulls. This leaves the nacelles to be added:-

This is the USS Magellan. I'll be using dods (very technical term!) of blu tac for the bussard collectors.
   I now have five Galaxy class ships: the USSs Galaxy, Magellan, Trinculo, Venture and unnamed:-