Masao's Avenger got me thinking...... I also remember seeing a ship design (possibly a NX-01 prototype) with an ventral turret. Just bashed this together as a concept.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Good overall shape but I hate the nacelles and the deflector. If you swap the nacelles for the TOS version and drop the deflector just beneath the saucer it'll look great. I DO like the twin shuttlebays.
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
It was originally one shuttlebay coming out from behind the bridge, but I decided to try this and it looked great. I have a couple nacelle ideas as well!
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
I dunno, I like the deflector where it is.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I just think this is a good chance to make a TOS Akira-style deflector. Kinda a step between the NX-01 and the TOS version we've seen rendered by Revrend (?).
Y'now, with a minimum of tweaking, the space between the shuttlebays could accomidate a large-ish container pod/ hospital/crew/fuel unit. just change the impulse engines to the TOS kind and drop the container unit slightly lower that the line of vents. Just a thought.
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Cool ship. I like the semi-recessed torp launchers and the excavated deflector housing. The catamaran looks good, but I always have trouble rationalizing two non-communicating shuttle bays. I should mention that for Avenger I rotated the original Jason Colbert nacelles 90 degrees to fit the pennant.
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
I like thw torp launchers on the avenger and decided to make them prominent on the Frigate. I agree about the non-communicating shuttlebays. Perhaps I should take Jason's suggestion and fill in the area between, moving the impulse engine back. Now that I think of it, linking them would give a larger hanger space (fighter carrier or marine transport. I also canted the nacelles up 15 degrees to clear the Phase cannon turret giving it a 360 degree arc.
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
Variant.... Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
I say loose the new central shuttlebay and move the impulse engines back there instead. This would make that entire central section the engineering hull which I think is by far the more realistic option. You can keep the basic shape of the hanger cove to house the impulse engines, just invert the angle so it slants forwards instead of backwards.
I would also mate the three outboard hull just forward of the pylons, where the saucer rim starts to allow shuttles or workerbees to pass from one bay into the other.
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
I did toy with a connecting tube, let me try that. I'm also considering a ventral rear-firing torp launcher from the lower hull. I even am considering a version which loses one torp launcher, relocating the other to a central position, and placing another set of shuttlebays forward to turn it into a through deck carrier (land at the back, launch out the front) On the nacelle front I'm still looking for ideas. straight nacelles look odd on such a chunky little ship, maybe something a bit more fluted....
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Wow! I really dig that through-deck version! ...although not those nacelles for that particular ship. A nice elipse shaped deflector (more round than NX-01 though) would look cool and allow for more torpedo clearance. I really dont like the turrett on the ventral side: a couple of TOS-style divits (weapons ports) on each side of the ship's secondary hull (starboard and port) would work nicely.
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
I don't know. Having three cylinders out the back and two entrances at the front is getting pretty busy. For me, the engineering hull is the main problem. It extends back very far for no other reason than to hold the impulse thrusters. I think if you had a more compact engineering section as on the first version, you could still have a communication between the bays either ahead or behind of engineering and then run the plasma conduits under the shuttle bays to nacelles.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
A good point, Masao.
Plus, where do all the crew live? It seems a bit cramped with all the shuttles, engineering and stuff....
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
Now they have to have living quarters???? Good Point! I like the carrier idea but the central pod is a bit cumbersome. If I drop the turret however that gives more room in the lower hull, maybe extending it back into the central engineering hull (lowering it maybe?) and dropping the nacelles underneath. more living area could extend behind the connecting bay. Put a pair of phase cannons (one eitherside) on the underside of the booms and we might just have a ship. I'll experiment with an elliptical deflector but I've never really been a fan of those.
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Crew Quarters? Nah! The crews can sleep in their fighters.
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
What about the ships cat? He'll need a scratching post. I'll make some changes this afternoon when I'm off work (5AM TO 2PM groan)and post for comments
Posted by Ravenstar Studios (Member # 1120) on :
Well I like the first design best.Impluse engines in the center , bays left and right, looks tight and ready to fight.
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
Hows this.... Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Holy shit! That top pic is a TOS Chandley frigate! Cool lil' shuttlepods too!
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
Just whipped them up for scale....Still gotta play with the nacelles....
Posted by Paladin181 (Member # 833) on :
I like it, bit overall looks a little to small for a carrier. You have to account for pilots, flight crews, fighter command and control staff, as well as the starships main crew. I'm not sure the ship could fit them all.
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
I don't see her as the same class as a cruiser, more of a defence ship. She's built for 5 month missions, not 5 year. Carrying say 12 fighters normally, plus up to 8 more in the connecting bay. An escort carrier kind of idea. A pair of torpedo tubes and some phase cannons. She'd need to be protected by a frigate or destroyer. I'll design a torpedo bomber as well for strikes and a launch for boarding parties.
Posted by Paladin181 (Member # 833) on :
I would agree that its no cruiser in class, and in relation to todays carriers, more akin to the smaller Harrier AV-8B Carriers used by the British and Marines. Still with 12 fighters, say with 2 pilots, 3 man flight crews for each fighter, and 20 C&C staff you're looking at 80 people. Now these are just guesstament numbers but it is alot of people to add to the 80-100 needed to run a ship even that size. But I do admit I could be way off on how many people are needed to run the ship. I would love to see a closer look at the fighters and the torpedo bombers. Finally, I would like to say I love the "booty" shot of the ship, it just looks so menacing.
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
Thanks Paladin, sorry I haven't updated but I'm using all my render time for a bit of work (non-star trek related!) Will get back to it soon, I just have to rework a few paths and re-render. Should take about 4 or 5 more days (I'm working everyday as well at my real job)
Posted by Paladin181 (Member # 833) on :
Stupid real jobs!!
Posted by Makotokat (Member # 1041) on :
quote:Originally posted by Paladin181: Stupid real jobs!!
Yeah but I get PAID for this! And since I have a video out I can put my animation to VHS! I love my new system!
