MajorMirth
Mongoose
I was starting to clean my first batch of Federation ships, but I'm having a bit of an issue. Just wondering what parts on the rim of the saucer section are supposed to be there, and which parts are flash?
Federation Ships Flash or Detail?
- Thread starter MajorMirth
- Start date
well you could take a peek at the pictures of the ship in the mongoose webstore to see if anything you're wondering about should be there. Describing things in words is not always my strong suit but I can look at any pictures you might want to take of the ship and point out if anything doesn't look right.
MajorMirth
Mongoose
Thanks for the offer, I'll see if I can get some pictures taken of what I'm not sure about. Until then I'll do my best to explain if it helps at all...
It looks like there are 4 little "nodules" at 2, 4, 8 and 10 o'clock around the saucer section of the ship. There was also a larger "tab" like piece between two of the "nodules" that I determined was flash and took off. I think on the front of the saucer are some small circles that I'm sure are detail.
Also, on the top part of the saucer, where the bridge is, there seems to be a small piece sticking up, almost like an antenna. Any idea if that's supposed to be there?
I checked the pictures on the Mongoose website but they always seem to have the ship at some crafty angle so I can't really make out what I'm trying to see.
Maybe I'm just getting too old and need some glasses!
It looks like there are 4 little "nodules" at 2, 4, 8 and 10 o'clock around the saucer section of the ship. There was also a larger "tab" like piece between two of the "nodules" that I determined was flash and took off. I think on the front of the saucer are some small circles that I'm sure are detail.
Also, on the top part of the saucer, where the bridge is, there seems to be a small piece sticking up, almost like an antenna. Any idea if that's supposed to be there?
I checked the pictures on the Mongoose website but they always seem to have the ship at some crafty angle so I can't really make out what I'm trying to see.
Maybe I'm just getting too old and need some glasses!
MajorMirth
Mongoose
Here's a picture of the saucer section of the Ramius class frigate that I've mentioned. Notice the "chunks" at 2, 4, 8 and 10 o'clock positions around the edge.
Are they supposed to be there?
Are they supposed to be there?
MajorMirth said:Here's a picture of the saucer section of the Ramius class frigate that I've mentioned. Notice the "chunks" at 2, 4, 8 and 10 o'clock positions around the edge.
Are they supposed to be there?
I think they're supposed to be there. I've seen them on the FFs as well. I don't recall seeing them on other Fed ships though.
Greg Smith
Mongoose
They are the same squares as larger federation ships have on the top surface of their saucer.
You can see the detail here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/Starline%202500%20Federation.shtml#FF
You can see the detail here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/Starline%202500%20Federation.shtml#FF
MajorMirth
Mongoose
Greg Smith said:
Great pictures Greg, thanks for the post! I see about half way down the page, under the battle frigate's pictures, the second one from the left shows those 4 square pieces quite well. I didn't recall them being on any Federation ships that I have seen before, but that photo sure cleared it up.
I also see the small antenna piece on the top part of the bridge, towards the back. Glad I held off on filing the model until I knew for sure what to keep and what to remove.
Back to working on them now...
Greg Smith
Mongoose
Pictures from the TV show them lit up in top of the saucer. I assume they were moved to the rim of the saucer by whoever designed the smaller ships.
MajorMirth
Mongoose
Rambler said:
You're probably right, I just referred to it as an "antenna" for lack of a better explanation. I see in those pictures that it does stick up a bit above the bridge part of the saucer section.
I'm having some pretty big difficulties with the castings though, anyone else? I have a few saucers where the edge is mis-formed, leaving a "chunk" out of the edge of the circle. Anyone know if this can be fixed with some putty?
I also have one where the square bit I was mentioning at 2, 4, 8, and 10 o'clock is completely mis-cast. I'm imagining I can slop some putty on and just file it into a square shape when it's dried?
Don't get me started on the back impulse engine (I think) on those saucers...
MajorMirth said:
Yah, you'll go through some putty prettying up many of the metal minis. Believe me, the resin ones were much worse.
All of my Fed resin minis are yellowing and the clear coat is cracking/crazing on some of them. Not happy about that to say the least. The metal ones are fine so far.
MajorMirth
Mongoose
Bummah... I'm not so good with the putty.
Any advice on how to fix up the edge of a saucer section? Will the putty hold enough to the edge to complete a missing part that makes the saucer look not so round, while still allowing filing / modeling to get it to the proper shape?
I also have a radar dish that looks more like a football run over by a train...
Any advice on how to fix up the edge of a saucer section? Will the putty hold enough to the edge to complete a missing part that makes the saucer look not so round, while still allowing filing / modeling to get it to the proper shape?
I also have a radar dish that looks more like a football run over by a train...
Iain McGhee
Mongoose
billclo said:
That sounds like a paint/varnish combination issue. I've seen that problem before on some minis on which I'd mistakenly used a varnish intended for enamels over acrylic paint. My own Fed minis (the original resin ones, varnished and matt sprayed) have been fine, and I've had them practically since release.
MajorMirth
Mongoose
Can anyone explain the wings on the Romulan KR Heavy cruiser? Are they supposed to be attached at a 90' angle from the main body wing, or at a slight angle as in the Mongoose store photo?
Also, it's the same model as the Klingon D6, but that part of the wing seems different on both in the photos... Any idea how it's supposed to be attached?
One more question, are the edges of the wings supposed to be "open", in the sense that they have recesses in them, or should the whole wing be solid and what I'm really looking at is an air pocket from the cast? The outside edges of the store photos look solid, but mine are "open"...
Am I just really unlucky with my models? I feel like I got the tester's batch
Also, it's the same model as the Klingon D6, but that part of the wing seems different on both in the photos... Any idea how it's supposed to be attached?
One more question, are the edges of the wings supposed to be "open", in the sense that they have recesses in them, or should the whole wing be solid and what I'm really looking at is an air pocket from the cast? The outside edges of the store photos look solid, but mine are "open"...
Am I just really unlucky with my models? I feel like I got the tester's batch
Iain McGhee
Mongoose
It's the same model, although the D6 in the store pics might be one of the original resin ones (which has slight differences in thickness here and there).
The recesses on the wing leading edges should be there, it's the "air intake" detail you'll see in images of the "real thing", although it's lost a little definition in the transition to metal. The engines should angle in like this: http://www.starfleetgames.com/images/Mongoose/Starline 2500/Klingon/KLINGON_-_D6_-_front.jpg
You may have to trim the wing tabs a little so there's a solid fit, and possibly bend them a little to get the right angle. I'd strongly suggest using a superglue gel and leaving them for 24 hours to cure before doing anything more on those ones. Roughening the attachment point with a file is also useful.
The recesses on the wing leading edges should be there, it's the "air intake" detail you'll see in images of the "real thing", although it's lost a little definition in the transition to metal. The engines should angle in like this: http://www.starfleetgames.com/images/Mongoose/Starline 2500/Klingon/KLINGON_-_D6_-_front.jpg
You may have to trim the wing tabs a little so there's a solid fit, and possibly bend them a little to get the right angle. I'd strongly suggest using a superglue gel and leaving them for 24 hours to cure before doing anything more on those ones. Roughening the attachment point with a file is also useful.
MajorMirth
Mongoose
On the picture you posted, I have recesses on the middle part of the wing, (on the pic, one is grey and the other side is black) are they supposed to be there?
Thanks for the pic! I think I might have taken a bit off the engine parts that should've stayed on for fitting purposes...
I was thinking of gluing with super glue, then filling any recess with putty. Think that would work as well as a gel glue?
Thanks for the pic! I think I might have taken a bit off the engine parts that should've stayed on for fitting purposes...
I was thinking of gluing with super glue, then filling any recess with putty. Think that would work as well as a gel glue?
Iain McGhee
Mongoose
Edited the previous post, thought you meant the recesses on the engine parts 
Couldn't say about the glue/putty method, never tried it.
Couldn't say about the glue/putty method, never tried it.
MajorMirth said:
I've used superglue gel and then puttied up the top of the joint. The lower part of the joint (underside of the ship) usually get some epoxy to give it more strength. However, it can be tricky getting the upper part of the joint (puttied area) to exactly blend in, despite much filing...I find it nearly always shows no matter how careful I've been.