Not counting research, experimentation and two trips to Washington D.C., I spent at least fifty hours building and painting (and stripping and re-painting) The Starship Enterprise over the course of three years. Finished June 13, 1993, the model hardly resembles AMT-Ertl's original kit. Though not entirely accurate, it's a big improvement over what the kit provides and is an impressive sight, especially when lit up. The Enterprise has won many awards in local competition, including the Long Island Historical Miniature Collectors' Society's Star Trek 30th Anniversary award in 1996.

FAMOUS SPACESHIPS OF FACT AND FANTASY . . . AND HOW TO MODEL THEM; edited by Harold A. Edmondson (first printing: 1979; second printing: 1996; Kalmbach Books)

FINE SCALE MODELER, Vol. 11 No. 2, Feb. 1993: "Parafilm 'M' - the latest word in masking" by David Lennox, p. 30

FINE SCALE MODELER, Vol. 16 No. 2, Feb. 1998: "Intergalactic Color and Camouflage: The Starship Enterprise" by Charles Adams, p. 62

THE MAKING OF STAR TREK by Stephen E. Whitfield and Gene Roddenberry (1968, Ballantine books)

SCI-FI & FANTASY MODELS, issue 14: Sept. 1996: "1701-The Ultimate Refit" by Roger Sides, p. 26

SHIPS OF THE STAR FLEET Volume One, (1987, Mastercom Data Center)

STAR FLEET TECHNICAL MANUAL and STAR TREK BLUEPRINTS (1973, Franz Joseph Designs)

YOUR TV SET: Watch for those old reruns or check out your local video store.

AMERICAN SCIENCE and SURPLUS: (3605 Howard Street, Skokie, IL 60076): "LEDs by the dozen" and "Bag o' LEDs," AC adapters

ANDREW LUNDY ASSOCIATES: (Ed Dietrich, Jamaica, NY): Engraved display plaques

BARE METAL FOIL: (available at local hobby shops) Aluminum foil model finish

DECALEX: (no longer available): Aftermarket decal sheet

EVERGREEN: (available at local hobby shops): Styrene: sheet, strip or scribed

PLASTRUCT: (1020 South Wallace Place, City of Industry, CA 91748): ABS tubing

RADIO SHACK:  Phone jacks and plugs, switches, wire

WALTHERS, INC.: (Available at local hobby shops): Model train lamps, clear decal film

WOODLAND SCENICS: (available at local hobby shops): Dry transfer striping

Roy Fortunato: STAR DREK LIVES!

Rob Lind: Not for one, but for two road trips to Washington DC just to take pictures for model research.

Jeff Pollizzotto, Tony Bretone and Alan Terry: I learned a lot from you guys!

Ed Dietrich: Your excellent work and enthusiasm were enough to get me motivated.

Ed Miarecki: For providing me with research, insight and hospitality.

Morrie Meyer: Thank you Mandrake, wherever you are!

Sharon L.: For being supportive and putting up with my occasional single-minded obsession with whatever it is I happen to be obsessing about at the moment.

And most importantly: Thanks to anyone who has ever looked at anything and said, "Wow, that's cool!"