Build Review - Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper MK.I

The build started by checking for pin marks and sprue flashes, but nothing was considerably wrong, while the total 45 well molded pieces and fit assembly was remarkable. Filler was minor used only for fuselage pieces, just to be sure that no gaps or lines existed for the decals to set down nicely.

The detailing for the cockpit assembly as it comes from the kit is very basic. Because I planned on building this model with proper lighting, I used the  ParaGraphix Photo Etch detail set PGX175. There is a nice aftermarket set for the kit that includes cockpit and engine Photo Etch details. The design of LEDs lighting and the flickering engines effect was done from scratch. An open-source hardware and software was used  for driving 6 LEDs in total with a battery power source 3.3 – 6.6 Volts while the coding was straight forward for me to write it and test it.

 I didn’t use the pilot figure (I never do for my kit builds) and left it on the side together with a clear stand since the landing gear was used instead, which was a perfect touch to hide the wiring and pass it under the wooden base. With a bit of work all the wiring fit to the back landing gears and became invisible. Landing gears need some extra sanding, painting, and weathering work to look realistic.   

After the completion of the cockpit and fuselage, I turned to the engines part. Working in different areas of the kit made my work easier since engine lighting took some time to align with scratch building. I noticed that flickering was working nicely but something was missing. Photo Etch and backlight films to soften lighting from ParaGraphix is a great upgrade, in addition to that plastic film was used to cover the inlet of engines for the light to have a better blast.

Decals was really a challenge. DACO medium solvent did the work to soften enough the decals to set down into the panel lines. Still, the decals needed extra care, even after setting down and one gloss varnish, it was too fragile to work with.

The firing laser-torpedo guns, drilled and built separately, were the last items added to the kit. If I added the guns from the beginning, it would create difficulties in painting and weathering the fans and other parts of the kit. I used different techniques like pre-shading with black enamel paint and weathering with Tamiya black and concrete, while I varnished 3 times (two gloss and one matt) with Mr. Hobby. All colors I used were enamel from AKAN.    

This Moebius kit was a great subject to work with. For a beginner it is an easy build but if you want to add lighting and extra weathering, then an average to a skilled modeler should step in. I spent 60 hours to build and finish the kit.