My first attempt at building Round 2's 1/1000 Refit Enterprise started off well, but the build became difficult during the paint and decal stages. I found myself repainting detail areas several times due to my dissatisfaction with the colors. Also, I'd intended to use Acreation Models' excellent aztec decals instead of the stock decals, but I had great difficulty applying them, due to my inexperience with such super-thin aftermarket decals (and not realizing that I'd need liquid decal film to strengthen them and make them easier to work with)

After scrapping my plans to depict the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-A, and removing the poorly-applied aftermarket decals, I decided to use the stock decals and label the model as another ship. I chose, the U.S.S. Yorktown, since she's the only canonical Constitution-refit ship other than the Enterprises to appear in the films. Even then, the ship is not actually seen in STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME--merely a report from her Captain.

I made a few minor modifications to the kit to bring it more in line with the original filming miniature, such as reshaping the front edge of the dorsal and filling/repositioning the spotlight holes on the front ends of the nacelles. I also removed and replaced the bridge and B/C deck superstructure with an aftermarket piece offered by a SSM forum member. The stock part has a number of problems in terms of shape and size, and this replacement part corrects them quite nicely.

Testors Flat White was used for the base color, and was applied by rattlecan. The detail areas are a mix of Light Blue/White, and Dark Blue/Navy Blue Gray. The nacelle grilles are Gunmetal tinted with Dark Blue. The deflector dish is light blue with a very small amount of a Light Blue/White mix smudged in the middle to make it look ''lit''.

As mentioned, the aztec decals are stock (aside from the underside of the secondary hull). The registry markings come from JDecals' aftermarket sheet. I even cut out the tiny ''STARSHIP U.S.S. ENTERPRISE'' text from the secondary hull pennants and replaced them with ''STARSHIP U.S.S. YORKTOWN''--it's really not noticable, but it would have driven me nuts to know that the wrong name was on the pennants.

All in all, this first attempt has taught me some valuable lessons for my second attempt at doing the Enterprise-A. Round 2's kit is excellent, and only some minor modifications are needed to accurize it.

Saucer Top

Right

Right Front