AMT Klingon Bird of Prey refurb with Green Strawberry aftermarket parts

[rms77]

I have been wondering about how well the GS hinges would work so it's interesting to see the issues you have come up against.
You've come up with a great solution, really cleanly executed, looks quite similar to what's on the real studio model as well.
Great paint and weathering too, you've really captured the KBOP vibe!

Thanks very much. It took a few attempts to arrive at a paint scheme I was happy with. The on-screen colour of the bird of prey varies significantly from film to film due to how it was lit and how the film was processed. Sometimes it looks bright green, other times it's much more desaturated. In Star Trek III it even changes colour from shot to shot. The colours in the available reference photos of the studio model also vary quite a bit. In the end I just went with what looked right. The weathering was lot of fun.

 

[rms77]

I forgot to mention that I applied Rick Sternbach's excellent imperial warship decal set to the upper wings and on both sides of the bridge. They were expensive to import into the UK, but they're very nicely printed and went on very easily. I would recommend picking them up if you can.

I didn't bother with the GS photoetch details that go under the alcoves in front of the radiators. My impatience to finish the model got the better of me so I didn't bother. Maybe I'll add them in the future. Despite the issues with the hinges, overall I think I would still recommend the Green strawberry set. There's plenty of work involved to install it, and it isn't cheap, but I'm happy with how it turned out.

I had a great time on this build and think I've learnt a lot of new skills. I'd definitely recommend building one of these kits if you haven't already.

Here are some photos of the finished model:

 

[edge10]

A very nice build! Really looks the part now.

 

[moonbus]

That one pose looks like something right out of Star Trek IV, hanging right over the whaling ship. Fantastic job. I have one of these kits to do with the GS, and you have inspired me. Thanks for sharing.

 

[rms77]

A very nice build! Really looks the part now.

Thanks very much!

That one pose looks like something right out of Star Trek IV, hanging right over the whaling ship. Fantastic job. I have one of these kits to do with the GS, and you have inspired me. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks! That's great - the GS set requires plenty of cutting and sanding to get things to fit, and I wouldn't bother with their hinge pieces, but I think looks better than the stock kit parts once it's all put together. Good luck with your build!

 

[Neon Nautilus]

Awesome shots of the finished build! It came together great!

 

[rms77]

Awesome shots of the finished build! It came together great!

Thanks very much! Looking forward to seeing how your great build turns out!

 

[greenmachines]

Really good documentation of the build, thank you for that as well.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

I forgot to mention that I applied Rick Sternbach's excellent imperial warship decal set to the upper wings and on both sides of the bridge. They were expensive to import into the UK, but they're very nicely printed and went on very easily. I would recommend picking them up if you can.

I didn't bother with the GS photoetch details that go under the alcoves in front of the radiators. My impatience to finish the model got the better of me so I didn't bother. Maybe I'll add them in the future. Despite the issues with the hinges, overall I think I would still recommend the Green strawberry set. There's plenty of work involved to install it, and it isn't cheap, but I'm happy with how it turned out.

I had a great time on this build and think I've learnt a lot of new skills. I'd definitely recommend building one of these kits if you haven't already.

Here are some photos of the finished model:
View attachment 1832303View attachment 1832304

View attachment 1832315View attachment 1832316


View attachment 1832317View attachment 1832318View attachment 1832319
View attachment 1832320View attachment 1832321

Outstanding build! I have a BOP and GS upgrade set that have been sitting untouched forever. This may be the push I needed to finally start the project.

 

[rms77]

Really good documentation of the build, thank you for that as well.

Thank you! I hope it's useful for people building this kit and particularly those using the GS kit.

Outstanding build! I have a BOP and GS upgrade set that have been sitting untouched forever. This may be the push I needed to finally start the project.

Thanks very much! The GS kit needs a bit of work to integrate into the stock kit, but I think it's worth it and I had a lot of fun on the way. The Klingon ship is a very enjoyable subject when it comes to painting and weathering too.