Reader reviews of a kit featured on Starship Modeler.

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Your Two Cents: NX-01 Enterprise

The following are reader's opinions of the NX-01 Enterprise made by Polar Lights.

Reviewer   Col. Mike
Date Reviewed   May 7, 2004
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments great detail. Nice work P.L.

Reviewer   Gary Saenz
Date Reviewed   May 11, 2004
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments My hats off to PL! This kit has MASSIVE potential to be built up into a truly beautiful display model. With so many clear parts, this ones gonna be fun to lite up!

Reviewer   Kenneth
Date Reviewed   May 25, 2004
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments Finally, a Trek kit that is researched and designed with the fan and modeler in mind. Detail is incredible; right down to the fine antennae placements.

Reviewer   Tyler Robbins
Date Reviewed   May 28, 2004
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments This is a great kit! One of the best that I have ever seen, well worth the $50 that I paid for her. This kit practically screams to be lit, and I am obliging by adding christmas tree lights, blinking LEDs, and so forth. One slight problem: the warp engines are quite a tight squeeze, because of the thickness of the plastic. nothing a little grinding and Future couldn't cure. also, since I am planing to light the impulsew engines I am having to cut away part of the support structures inside the engineering hull. but I am going the extra mile and putting a small "officer's mess" in the large window on the bridge module. another thing is where am I going to put it? this thing is easily ~18 inches wide and quite large, which is why I am adding lights to her. One thing: would someone start selling some aztec gridlines for this model please?

Reviewer   John
Date Reviewed   Jun 14, 2004
Overall Rating       Average. Get it if on sale or you love the subject.
Comments I haven't actually made this kit but judging from the photographs and reviews I've read it seems like a real wasted opportunity. For this larger scale I would have at least expected Polar Lights to do the aztec panelling as finely engraved or raised lines. This would look so much better than Polar lights bare plastic surfaces and more realistic than decals or just printed on aztec panelling like the Bandai Star Trek kits. I suppose this also means that the upcoming 1/350 Enterprise-A will not have moulded in aztec panelling on the saucer section, if so I'm afraid I won't be buying. I'd rather pay a bit more and have that extra detail done properly.

Reviewer   Michael Sanderson
Date Reviewed   Jul 26, 2004
Overall Rating       Good kit, but with some problems.
Comments I purchased this kit and was instantly stunned by the scale! Very Large! I noticed that the model seemed to be a prime candidate for interior lighting. So i installed lighting. the most tedious part of this models' construction was the hull detailing. There are no guides on the hull for the pattern, so everything must be masked out by using photo references. (I obtained CGI photos off the net). The finished product is extremely impressive!! There were a few problems with the fitting together of the upper and lower halves but with enough patience I managed to complete, an overall, very impressive model! if anyone has questions about how to achieve an impressive hull detail, please feel free to e-mail me with questions or photos.

Reviewer   Stuart
Date Reviewed   Jul 27, 2004
Overall Rating       Good kit, but with some problems.
Comments This kit certainly has its good points - such as reasonably good fit, separate clear windows and an accurate profile. But, like the last reviewer, I think it's let down by the lack of the aztec pattern. Why couldn't Polar Lights go that bit further and include all the main details molded in to the plastic [the aztec pattern is a prominent part of these ships] and stop selling the modeler short. Again, like the last reviewer I'd rather pay more for that extra detail. I also won't be purchasing the Polar Lights Enterprise-1701A if the aztec pattern isn't included as a raised or recessed part of the plastic.

Reviewer   Michael Sanderson
Date Reviewed   Sep 14, 2004
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments This kit is very impressive. I completed construction on this kit about 2 months after starting. I took advantage of the clear parts like windows and nacelles, and added interior lighting! the end result was truly worth the work!

Reviewer   Julian Symons
Date Reviewed   Nov 10, 2004
Overall Rating       Good kit, but with some problems.
Comments Kit was great however the decals do not stick. I even managed to get a replacement set and they did not stick.

Reviewer   Matthew Poe
Date Reviewed   Dec 14, 2004
Overall Rating       Good kit, but with some problems.
Comments Overall a good kit for the experienced modeler like myself. There are some warping issues with the left nacelle. I recommend that you test fit all parts before final assembly to check for warping. I do not recommend this kit for the first-time modeler. They should start off with a more simple model like the 11` NCC-1701 from Polar Lights. To correct the warped parts try to use hot water to reshape the part and make sure you especially paint all parts before assembly. The clear parts especially need to be painted unless you intended to light your kit.

Reviewer   Tim Cooper
Date Reviewed   Apr 23, 2005
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments Gawd, wotta monster! But a beautiful monster. I have to agree with previous reviews- this is not a beginner's kit. Just test fitting the saucer and aft hull sections together, though, the fit seems really good- panel lines match up and nothing is far enough out of whack to worry about. I downloaded those beautiful images from the Polar Lights website, too- all the panel lines and shapes look accurate, as far as depth and breadth, etc. Wouldn't it be great if they brought out a fiber optic version? I disagree with those who feel the Aztec lines should be engraved in, though. Painting will be a bear but that's how we learn new skills, right? I think this kit will be a classic of the genre.

Reviewer   Dave
Date Reviewed   Apr 25, 2005
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments It's a beautiful scale with many parts. Painting requires advanced skill as the hull is smooth other than the circular rings so Azteching will be a manual process. I looked all over the web for this detail but bought the model and found out so if you think you're getting a model like AMT/Ertl's Enterprise-D with the Aztec design moulded into the model..you're not. It's a solid design made with quality plastic. I'll be taking the time to light this one myself as I did the Enterprise-A.

Reviewer   Jason
Date Reviewed   May 10, 2005
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments I love the NX-01 kit, especially the large scale and detail. However I find the Warp engine pylons are either too long or the mount is molded at the wrong angle. Has anyone else noticed this and/or have a correctioin?

Reviewer   Davin
Date Reviewed   May 10, 2005
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments A beautiful scale and definitely worth the money. PL spent time really paying attention to detail here. It's a great scale and when complete will definitely by the new 1701-A. NX-01 is so large you just can't help but light the beast. It looks great. A few minor fit issues but nothing an average modeller can't fix. The stand is a bit ugly too.

Reviewer   ROIEL
Date Reviewed   Jul 4, 2005
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments WOW. This kit is impressive. It is worth the price considering the potentials it gives a modeler. I recently bought the Enterprise refit as well and am very pleased. Though it may be a challenge to some, the aztek pattern not being in the plastic is true to the original ship. It is a tricky method to do but can be done. I painted this pattern on an old Playmates Enterprise D by hand. Not again. Stencil templates are better. PL is doing a thorough job bringing us accurate but affordable kits. I've seen many great resin kits but they can get a bit pricey for a very small model. Now, knowing what detail the 1/350 scale can bring us, I propose my grand idea: Enterprise a, b, c, d, and e in 1/1000 scale. And of course we need a shuttlecraft, 1/25 or 1/24 scale. The 1/1000 scale could bring us endless possibilities with other ships in the fleet, all at affordable prices. Great Job Polar Lights. Keep 'em coming. Also, if anyone needs close up pics of the original ships please feel free to email me.

Reviewer   scott
Date Reviewed   Aug 17, 2005
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments I just bought the ship and i agree with every one so far it does need to include the azteching either on the model or as a template!

Reviewer   Ben
Date Reviewed   Dec 30, 2005
Overall Rating       Well worth getting.
Comments i got this model for christmas and i think it is superb. mine has fitted together really well and i didnt have any problems ecept a few of the small peices. it would be nice to see the ship all lit up from the inside which i might do so i havent glued the top and bottom together. this is the first model i built but it took me 3 days to complete. i recommend to all who love the show.

Reviewer   Kent Weeks
Date Reviewed   Feb 11, 2006
Overall Rating       Good kit, but with some problems.
Comments This kit is a monster and a a beauty at that. But I do have a few issues with the kit. I only had one fit issue, but it was a pain. The aft saucer section did not meash at all. It was a bear to fix. However, my biggest issue is the decals. They suck! When they don't instantly tear or shred (sometimes before I get them off the sheet), they won't stick. They are also thick, brittle and ugly. Does anyone know where I can get an alternate set, if possible? With all these issues, this kit is still awesome and it has been a great build.

Reviewer   Kevin Latch
Date Reviewed   Jul 19, 2007
Overall Rating       Good kit, but with some problems.
Comments After 15 year hiatus from model making I bought the 1/350 Enterprise-A, then the NX 01. I found it to be a nice, straight forward kit to build up for a modeller such as myself with only intermediate skills. A few issues with fit, but nothing that can't be fixed. My biggest problem was the lack of aztec panelling (which I hoped would be on the kit). Purchased the templates wich make the job a whole lot easier, but would have been a nightmare otherwise. In conclusion, a nice, no-nonsense kit which (apart from a few problems with fit issues) will give both experienced and intermediate modellers (but not absolute beginners) something to be proud of. Oh, by the way, it's big!!!

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