DBMiller's Star Explorer

[DBMiller]

Yes, I am going to try another Science Fiction build! This time it's a space ship from Green Strawberry. https://greenstrawberry.cz/resin-kits/s ... --103.html

When I was in seventh grade, the same year I read The Hobbit!, I started reading science fiction by Andre Norton. She quickly became my first favorite Sci-Fi author. The Sargasso of Space was my second book by Ms. Norton and is still one of my favorites to re-read.



This ship will represent the Solar Queen from the book.

The Kit:
Green Strawberry's "Star Explorer" is a 1/350 scale resin and photo etch kit. The casting is beautiful but the photo etch (always one of my least favorite materials) is SO TINY!!!!





For scale - these are the figures included. About time to break out a magnifier!



The main kit:













The Instructions:
Not much here but you can get an idea what the photo etch is for. Did I mention it is tiny?







Wish me luck!

[digger303]

Wow that is small. Going to need steady hands for this and maybe a tot of rum.

[BigWall]

That ship is ginormous compared to the people! Very neat subject though. Good luck with the PE!

[Twokidsnosleep]

It’s not how big it is, it is how you use it.
The PE I mean of course
Great interesting topic. The Sargasso book looks really interesting

[digger303]

It’s not how big it is, it is how you use it.
The PE I mean of course
Great interesting topic. The Sargasso book looks really interesting

Of course though the smaller the pe you have to work with can lead to a higher level of frustration.....

[Casper]

Blimey those pilots are teeny weeny Great looking kit

[ForeverPlasticKits]

Another unknown SF book which gave the idea of a ... resin kit!! Very nice build !

[Twokidsnosleep]

I ordered the Sargasso of Space book...summer night reading

[DBMiller]

I ordered the Sargasso of Space book...summer night reading

It's an oldie but goodie! It is simple 1950's adventure science fiction. Maybe not to everyone's taste these days but it is still one of my favorites.

[aur0ra145]

I love these old SciFi kits. I've been hunting for the rocket from the old Twilight Zone episode "The Lonely." It's really amazing how good all those old episodes are.

[Kevthemodeller]

Blimey someone pass me the magnifier now that's small

[DBMiller]

Excuse me for typing this while laughing hysterically - but what are the chances I get my photo etch to look like the product advertisement? How the heck will I fold those stair treads!!!!!





Anyway, this is as far as I've gotten. I have been working on my Apollo kit more because it needs more work.
The reason the fuselage looks like this is because I tried priming it in 5000% humidity and the air brush sputtered out a few great globs of primer.



The engine looks better but it is still too humid to continue for a while.

[BigWall]

I can't imagine trying to fold those steps. I was just talking with my sister in law in Maryland. She said the humidity was so high that walking out the front door was like walking into a wall. I'm much happier out here in the dry west.

[DBMiller]

Still trying to get a decent primer down on the fuselage. I want this baby to shine!



Here are the little guys. I will be painting the suits silver and the rest white. If I can see that small.



The engine! Silver base coat then a little transparent blue and red then some wash.







The first of the photo etch went very well! I can't explain it.

[BigWall]

The weathered effect on the engine looks great! Hopefully the PE keeps behaving itself.

[DBMiller]

Fuselage finally primed!



First, very light, coat of Tamiya Chrome.



Figures with some more color.





Working on the fins! The casting blocks are very easy to remove and clean up - which is nice!





One of them all glued up and ready for a quick polish and prime.

[digger303]

You'd have to be king of the small stuff and voted the steadiest hand of the year.

[BigWall]

Can you tell how you sprayed the silver? Did you have any problems with it clogging your airbrush? I recently sprayed Tamiya silver thinned it 50% with X-20A and sprayed it at 20 lbs of pressure thru my siphon feed paasche airbrush. It kept clogging up on me assumedly from the metallic particles. I could never get a nice light mist to spray.

[DBMiller]

Can you tell how you sprayed the silver? Did you have any problems with it clogging your airbrush? I recently sprayed Tamiya silver thinned it 50% with X-20A and sprayed it at 20 lbs of pressure thru my siphon feed paasche airbrush. It kept clogging up on me assumedly from the metallic particles. I could never get a nice light mist to spray.

I use an Iwata Eclipse air brush set at about 20-22psi. I thinned the paint a bit more than 50% for the first coat (Tamiya thinner) but I didn't measure it. This was the first time spraying the Tamiya - I've been using Vallejo Metal Color - but I didn't have any trouble.
For the second coat I thinned about 50% and polished it after the paint dried. This will get another coat and buff.



After priming the metal insert I used the Vallejo Metal Color Pale Burnt Metal. Now I have to repaint the tubing!





First coat of primer on the fins.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Coming along great
You gotta be working with a microscope!!!

[BigWall]

Can you tell how you sprayed the silver? Did you have any problems with it clogging your airbrush? I recently sprayed Tamiya silver thinned it 50% with X-20A and sprayed it at 20 lbs of pressure thru my siphon feed paasche airbrush. It kept clogging up on me assumedly from the metallic particles. I could never get a nice light mist to spray.

I use an Iwata Eclipse air brush set at about 20-22psi. I thinned the paint a bit more than 50% for the first coat (Tamiya thinner) but I didn't measure it. This was the first time spraying the Tamiya - I've been using Vallejo Metal Color - but I didn't have any trouble.
For the second coat I thinned about 50% and polished it after the paint dried. This will get another coat and buff.

Thanks for the pointers.

[DBMiller]

Still making some progress. Baby steps - but progress!

Engine done!



Adding metallics to fins. Trying different shades. They don't show up as well as I'd like but I'll keep at it.

[BigWall]

It's looking good!

[DBMiller]

Really been bogging down the last few weeks! Too many things on my plate I guess.
Here is where I am in the ship yard!

Engine cut off and attached to fuselage! Needs a bit of filler.









First fin attached. I pre-shaded it but now I don't like what I did. Turns out I don't want it to look too dirty. I'll have to clean it up a bit then re-paint.





All three fins on!





Standing on its own!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Looking stellar…

[DBMiller]

Looking stellar…

[Stokesy44]

Looking stellar…

Nailed it.

[RangerNeil]

Looking first class!!

[digger303]

[DBMiller]

FINISH THE DAMN THING!

So, basically, my only New Year's resolution is to finish the builds from last year.

(That sound you hear is my butt hitting the floor as I laugh it off.)

More work on the ship. Have I mentioned in the past that I hate photo etch? This ladder was a PIA (pain in the ass). I really mangled it when I folded down the steps! I didn't have any tweezers fine enough to fit between them!





Here they are leaning against the ship without the platform in place. Wow, that is a steep climb!



Platform glued on!





How long until I mangle this bit while finishing it up? 5...4...3...

[digger303]

Some fine and delicate Pe work being accomplished. We both know that it will attract unwanted damage....it's like Murphies law in action.

It does look marvelous and I admire the desire to finish some kits off. Damn hard though when all these over builds compete for ones time.

[BigWall]

That's a hell of a climb in a space suit!

[Tomcat64]

That's some major fiddly PE work - well done for sticking with it

[aur0ra145]

Some really good PE work there!

[DBMiller]

YES! I am still working on this!

Still trying to get the metal to look nice (and to scale) and deciding on any weathering or shading. But for now just some panel work.

Masking:



Sprayed: (you can just make out the little guy on the platform below the porthole)