The Build

	Pictured here is a quick build up I did with my son of the Testors Roswell UFO. He’s proud of it. Taking it to a local IPMS meet, someone mentioned it looked like the Naboo (Gungan) sub from Star Wars I.
	Perhaps. Perhaps not. At the time I was daydreaming about building up a Monogram Flying Sub kit in my stash. Being medium rare (the flying sub kits) I decided to try my hand at kit bashing the easily found Roswell UFO into something… fishy… (Apologies to Erin Lantz, whoever you are)
	There wasn’t a plan. I just knew the starting point was the Testors kit. I went hunting for an airplane whose parts could be used to give the UFO conventional engines, landing gear and a cockpit. The F19 jumped out at me. Another fictional bird extrapolated from leaked photos of the F117A Stealth Fighter, it was the right size and shape. Parts were used primarily from Testors Roswell UFO (60%) and Italeri’s 1/72 F19. However my cut-up cut-away Millennium Falcon is still coughing up greebles and doodads.
	The fun begins… First I chopped up the F19 into medium pieces. These were positioned on the Testors UFO where I thought they might complement its shape.
	After penciling in lines (I’m talking rough here) I sawed up the UFO. This took about 45 minutes. (And 2 beers from the looks of things.)
	After cutting and gluing together the primary hull pieces, I started adding the electronics. These consist of 4 3mm red LEDs in the engine exhaust, 2 high intensity 3mm white LEDs as “headlights”. You can also see where I used the Italeri F19’s landing gear bays. I simply cut these from the fuselage of the F19, cut holes in the bottom of the UFO. And glued…
	A closeup of the headlights.
	And the secret ingredient, ultra violet LEDs to light the interior. The rear bulkhead is cut from stock sheet styrene. I also used some of the same to back the gap between the main fuselage and the top.
	Starting to fit the upper fuselage parts. Heavy use of Testors contour putty. This is good stuff for thick applications. In some places I slathered it on pretty deep. Note secret ingredient #2. Wherever I wanted the interior lights to show up big time, I used Testors fluorescent enamel paints. Even on the instrument panel. The blacklight UV led is under the panel (clear styrene). Painted underneath with the fluorescent paint. Decaled on top. Flat black to fill in around the decals.
	After a couple weeks of putty sand prime, putty sand prime, it was pretty smooth. I like Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer. Used 500 initially, then 1000 as things got smoother.
	I shot Testors Model Master Chrome Yellow first. (note the clear pieces are just dry fit at this stage.) After applying decals I shot it with Testers DullCoat. Too dull. Needed a semi-gloss. After experimenting, shooting gloss lacquer over the dull coat was just the right trick.
	Experimented some with photo software for paint schemes.
	Experimented with figures. Thing needed a driver. Luke Skywalker was still rolling around the bottom of the Falcon box. Shudder. I don’t do figures. I had to hobble him to keep him from running away. I cleaned up his clothes some after this shot. But he still looks like he got rolled in South St. Louis.
	Decals from the F19, UFO, and a Boeing something or other… Luke doesn’t look too happy. Note the use of fluorescent paint on the deck panels. Also some side panels with fluorescent paint behind, and decals on top. Worked like back lighting even though the UV LED is under the console and another in the top of the cabin in back.
	Before gluing the vertical fins, I made outlines of these parts on paper for use masking the edge. Sprayed this with Elmer’s spray glue. That worked. Think it’s an old Enterprise builder trick… For the name, I used some spare clear decal material. Sprayed it lightly with dullcoat. Ran it through my HP deskjet with the lettering I wanted. Sprayed it again (lightly!) with dullcoat. And applied it like any other decal.
	Last, the landing gear (courtesy of the F19)
	All done. This has the final coat of lacquer. Ready for the glamour shots.

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