The Great Experiment

Jun 12
4 min read

USS Enterprise Refit – 1:350 Scale | Motion Picture Build

Project Overview

The Great Experiment is a museum-grade, fully illuminated 1:350 scale build of the USS Enterprise Refit from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Completed over nearly two years, this project represents one of the most technically advanced model builds undertaken at Louis Models.

The goal was to push a standard kit far beyond its intended limits by integrating advanced electronics, custom fabrication, and screen-accurate detailing into a single cohesive display piece.

Key features include:

Over 400 individually adjustable RGBW LEDs
Customized lighting effects
Photo-etched detailing throughout
3D printed interior and exterior upgrades
Sound integration and interactive control systems
HDMI-based video playback elements
iPad-controlled lighting system

Starship Enterprise NCC-1701 glows against black space, with bright engine and saucer lights on full display. — *The finished USS Enterprise Refit, showcasing full hull illumination and Aztec paint scheme under controlled lighting.*

Design Philosophy & Engineering Approach

Having previously built the same kit, I was familiar with its structural limitations. However, this project demanded a complete rethinking of how the model would be constructed.

Every structural decision had to account for:

Internal lighting pathways
Wiring access and potential maintenance
Sequential routing for LEDs
Long-term structural stability

The model effectively became a kind of hybrid between traditional modelmaking and advanced computer systems.

Partially assembled build on a workbench, showing exposed wiring and glue, with primer and hobby supplies in the background.

Illuminated model on a workbench, with exposed wires, and LEDs. — *Initial planning and internal layout of lighting and electronic systems prior to assembly.*

Surface Preparation & Light Control

All kit components were thoroughly cleaned and prepped to remove mould release agents and ensure optimal paint adhesion.

With hundreds of internal light sources, light blocking was a critical structural requirement rather than a cosmetic step. Every internal surface was treated to prevent unwanted light bleed and ensure illumination appeared only where intended.

This phase significantly aided in addressing light leak issues towards the end of the construction.

Spray-painted black and white plastic parts laid out on a grey board in a workshop. — *Interior surfaces treated with full light-blocking to prevent LED bleed through the hull.*

Interior Detail Construction

A major design goal was to include visible interior environments that added depth through the ship’s windows and openings.

Shuttle Bay

The included shuttle bay was extensively modified using photo-etched components, precision masking, and custom lighting integration. A fully illuminated shuttlecraft was installed with a custom-fabricated translucent window.

Painted model ship hull clamped on a workbench, with photoetch, and tools in the background.

Masked component with green tape and yellow spray paint on a grey part.

Shuttle bay on a workbench beside a Tamiya Lacquer Thinner bottle and paper towel, with a small white vehicle on deck.

Shuttle bay corridor with tiny figures, grey walkways, red doors, and yellow deck markings, viewed from above

Tiny sci-fi industrial corridor with an orange vehicle, stacked crates, and a small figure on a platform under blue lights.

Glowing red-and-blue sci-fi model with a tiny white vehicle on a dim road, lit like a miniature futuristic scene — *Fully detailed and illuminated shuttle bay featuring photo-etch enhancements and custom lighting.*

Interior Spaces

Additional environments included:

Arboretum with miniature terrain landscaping
Recreation Room (resin printed)
Officers’ Lounge
Bridge interior detailing upgrades (resin printed)

Miniature landscape in a tray, with brown paths, green foliage, blue ponds, and a small tan wall with a red door.

Miniature garden diorama under a clear cover, with tiny figures among green shrubs and tan walls in a blurred workshop background. — *Miniature arboretum environment built using in-scale landscaping materials for added realism.*

Fingers hold a tiny sci-fi corridor model with three miniature figures inside on a workbench. — *3D printed "Rec Deck" installed within the primary hull.*

Officers lounge installed behind the main bridge.

Close-up of a clear plastic cylindrical part with small tabs, resting on a dark surface.

Canadian coin beside tiny circuit boards and a black plastic device part on a white tabletop.

Fingers holding a tiny black watch-like device with exposed circuitry under bright light, blurred indoor background — *3D printed bridge interior upgraded with transparencies from the film.*

Electronics & Lighting System

At the core of the build is a fully customizable RGBW lighting system.

Each LED is individually controlled through a serial data chain, enabling precise lighting behaviour across the entire ship. This allows for dynamic sequences, animated effects, and synchronized system responses.

Unlike traditional parallel wiring systems, this approach required careful planning of:

Data integrity across long runs
Power distribution balancing
Access for maintenance and troubleshooting

Blue-lit electronics project on a cluttered desk, with an LED strip, wires, scissors, pencil, and papers.

Blue glowing round LED module on a workbench with red, yellow, and black wires and alligator clips around it

Disassembled circular electronic device on a craft table, held by cardboard tubes, with clamps, tools, glue, and paper towels. — *Internal LED installation showing addressable lighting system and wiring architecture.*

Structural Engineering Challenges

Like many large-scale kits, significant structural corrections were required throughout assembly.

Key areas included:

Nacelle seam correction and alignment
Neck reinforcement and fitment adjustment
Secondary hull restructuring
Saucer alignment and balancing

The most critical challenge was achieving perfect alignment between the saucer and secondary hull. Custom shimming and epoxy reinforcement were used to correct structural imbalance.

Close-up of a white model fuselage being painted, with masking tape and panel details on a workbench. — *Major structural alignment phase prior to final assembly and bonding.*

Masking, Paintwork & Aztec Finishing

The final surface finish was achieved using a full Aztec masking system by MaskDesign (Gary Chomiak), combined with Mission Models paints.

Each hull section was masked in layered stages to create subtle tonal variation across the surface. The Aztec patterning was applied using carefully controlled iridescent colour transitions and dilution ratios of red, green, blue, and gold.

The nacelles and major seams required additional correction prior to final finishing to ensure a seamless visual result.

*Aztec masking pattern applied to upper saucer section.*

Close-up of a white and blue curved surface with a mosaic-like pattern, indoors, with no text visible. — *Layered paint application creating subtle tonal variation across hull panels.*

Final Assembly & Integration

Once painting and clear coating were complete, all major assemblies were brought together for final integration.

This stage required precision alignment across the full length of the model, ensuring structural symmetry and maintaining internal wiring integrity.

Final system checks were performed across all lighting and electronic systems prior to completion.

Model Star Trek Enterprise on a shelf in a dark room.

Close-up of a futuristic spacecraft hull glowing blue and orange against a dark background, with a bright circular engine or light. — *Final integration of primary hull, secondary hull, and nacelles.*

Final Photography

The completed model was professionally photographed by Bill Johnston Photography, whose expertise helped capture both surface detail and internal illumination.

The final images showcase the model as a fully realized display piece, highlighting both craftsmanship and it's visual complexity.

Finished Enterprise Refit captured under professional studio lighting conditions.

Conclusion

The Great Experiment represents far more than a completed model—it represents nearly two years of learning, problem-solving, and pushing the boundaries of what I thought was possible within a scale model.

Every stage of this project presented a new challenge. From complex electronics and custom lighting systems to structural modifications, interior detailing, and the painstaking application of the Aztec paint scheme, there were countless moments where progress required patience, experimentation, and a willingness to find solutions that weren't outlined in any instruction manual.

What began as a desire to build a screen-accurate replica of the USS Enterprise Refit evolved into something much larger. It became an opportunity to combine traditional modelmaking techniques with modern fabrication methods, advanced electronics, and custom-designed components into a single cohesive piece. The result is a model that not only captures the appearance of the original filming miniature, but also reflects the passion, dedication, and craftsmanship invested throughout the entire process.

Looking back, this project remains one of the most technically demanding and personally rewarding builds I have completed. It challenged me as a builder, expanded my skills, and reinforced the importance of continually striving for a higher standard with every project.

At Louis Models, that pursuit of excellence continues to guide every commission and personal build. The Great Experiment stands as a milestone in that journey, and a reminder of what can be achieved when craftsmanship, creativity, and perseverance come together in pursuit of a single vision.