As a self-described “Star Trek” geek, I loved “Galaxy Quest.” The 1999 movie paid homage and poked good-natured fun at “Star Trek” and its fans. And as a modeler, I have always enjoyed the scene near the climax when fanboy Brandon is holed up in his room building a model of the fictional show’s ship NSEA Protector; I’ve wanted to build my own model of the ship since then.
Thanks to Pegasus Models, my wish has come true with a 1/1400 scale Protector.
Molded in heavy, gray plastic, the kit’s 40 parts show good engraved surface detail, including panel lines and windows. Clear blue parts provide engine intakes and exhausts.
Although the kit is not advertised as a snap-together model, most of the parts feature large locating pins that securely lock the joins.
The command ship is designed to separate from the main hull as seen at the movie’s end. Pegasus included magnets, but there is no mention of them in the instructions.
A display stand emblazoned with a “Galaxy Quest” logo and fitted with a ball and socket head allows the model to be displayed at various angles.
Well-printed decals provide all the markings, and a clear four-view diagram explains painting.
I started by installing the magnets. Be mindful of the polarity to avoid repelling the command section from the main ship. Pegasus marked one side of the disk magnets to indicate the polarity, and I checked and re-checked them before commiting them to super glue.
Under the heading “Painting Guide,” the instructions note that the kit is molded in ABS plastic, so methyl ethyl ketone-based glues, like Testors liquid cement, will not work. It recommends Tamiya extra thin cement, Model Master liquid cement, or super glue for construction.
Most of the parts fit well. After painting the back of the clear blue parts chrome silver, I sprayed the engine exhaust ends white, then installed the blue parts and masked them. I used white Tamiya fine surface primer for the body color, and Xtracrylic light gull gray and Tamiya dark sea gray for the details.
The only minor hurdle is the engine intakes. I painted the grilles off the model then attached them to the model, capturing the clear blue inserts. After filling an obvious seam, I masked the fronts and painted the intake area.
I colored the windows with lightly thinned yellow paint applied with a fine brush and toothpick.
The decals are thin and laid down beautifully over a coat of Pledge Future floor polish, adding a dash of color to the white and gray livery.
I spent about 12 hours on my Protector – much of that getting the white right – and it looks like the movie ship. My advice to modelers with a favorite vehicle that’s never been kitted: Never give up, never surrender!