Monday 7 July 2014

Star Trek DS9:- Operation Return Diorama - 'micro' build log pt.3

   The next ship on the list is the USS Defiant. I cut all the parts in one go:-
   10 pages of A4 parts were reduced to a surface area of approximately 4" x 2". I joined the parts from pages 1 through 3 to form the nose and the aft hull:-
   I joined the parts for the superstructure of the hull:-
   I then attached the shuttlebay and engines:-
​finishing with the upper deck containing the bridge. This gives me a USS Defiant measuring 18mm (<3/4") from tip to tail:-
   Now it's time for my Nemesis - the Excelsior class. When I built Wolf 359 this ship was a royal pain in the ass. And now I've got four of the damned things to build;). Oh well, here goes...
    I'm using Clever Santoro's designs again, starting with the design for the USS Excelsior. I don't need to change any names or registries as they're illegible this small. I'm starting, as always, with the saucer:-
   The two saucers were built and I cut some of the parts for the secondary hull:-
   I left the front underside with a margin for ease of mounting the shuttle bay. I then connected the main secondary hull parts and cut some more random pieces:-
   I joined the primary and secondary hulls and that left me with the nacelles to cut, build and connect:-
I used the edge of my steel ruler to shape the nacelle halves and a toothpick point to shape the upper ends. This gives me two MkI Excelsior class ships at a length of just over 2" (52mm):-
   I made a start on the Mk.II's, but I'm already pulling my hair out -lol. There are just too many pieces that are miniscule, and the saucer rings don't want to behave. I've still got parts left from the Mk.I so I'm going to try a mix 'n' match - the only real differences are the additional impulse engines and that weird bulge on the secondary hull. If my plan fails then I'm off to Utopia Planitia for a crash course in starship construction ;);-).
    I redid the saucer with a mix of parts from the Mk.I and Mk.II:-
   As the top of the saucer has a smaller diameter than the bottom, I stuck it onto a thick piece of card so that the rim could be angled properly. The photo shows the top part from the Mk.I, but I swapped this for the top from the Mk.II then connected all the rings, the two halves and the extra impulse engines. I then cut the rim and the parts for the sensor array and bridge superstructure:-
   I used the Mk.I impulse engine block as the Mk.II version was too fiddly to work with: one edge would've been <0.5mm wide. 
   The saucers were finished off and I cut the parts for the secondary hull:-
   The majority of these are Mk.II parts, but some may be swapped if the Mk.I parts are easier to work with or better looking at the smaller scale. 
   I swapped the housing for the nacelle pylons and kept everything else. The secondary hulls took a bit of poking, prodding and coaxing, but I completed them and connected them to the primary hulls:-
   On the home stretch, I used the Mk.I nacelles and struts and just added the red vane from the Mk.II design. And my four Excelsior class ships are done:-
   Below are the USS Fredrickson and the USS Hood:-
   I'm using two designs for the Cardassian Hidekis; Paragon's and Arbiter Bri's. I cut all the parts even although there was a good chance of losing them with a heavy breath:-
   Two down, two dozen to go:-
   As always, magnifying them makes them look a bit of a pig's ear, but they pass muster with the naked eye. 
   And finally I have a fleet of Hidekis:-

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