posted
This is something I've been wanting to see for a very long time, and I figured I'd throw it out there as an open challenge to whomever might accept. (Though I'd say Harry, Masao, or Reverend might be the most interested parties on this board. I'm also going to issue this challenge on the TrekBBS board.)
I'd like to do a write-up on all the different versions of the Constitution-class that we've seen on the show (meaning no SOTSF variants or other purely fandom interpretations) with five-view drawings of each, all correct in small details like windows and saucer shape and nacelle ends and impulse engines and all that good stuff.
The versions I know of are as follows:
The U.S.S. Constitution The class prototype as drawn by Franz Joseph and seen on computer graphics throughout the early feature films and at least once in TNG. This is the version which the fabulous Vektor of the TrekBBS created a fabulous cgi model of, but he subtly changed some elements of the design. If needed, I can provide scans of FJ's original blueprints for the artist to draw from.
The U.S.S. Enterprise from The Original Series Highly accurate blueprints of the "final" version of the ship may be found here. (Harry, you may already have made an accurate version of this incarnation, if you used these as your guide and didn't redesign anything yourself.)
The U.S.S. Enterprise from "The Cage" This was the very first version of the ship to be built as a physical model, and has a number of distinguishing characteristics from the series version, including the different bridge module, nacelle caps ("spiked" type) and ends, ("rectangular block" type) and the like. There's a pretty accurate look at this ship here, and excellent DVD-resolution screencaps that show all the details can be found here. (The first and fifth pages have all the pertinent caps.)
The U.S.S. Enterprise from "Where No Man Has Gone Before" The second pilot version, with several notable modifications from "The Cage" including different bridge module detailing, (though I think the structure is the same) different nacelle ends ("vent/grille" type) and different impulse engines (with eight small nozzles arranged in pairs rather than two large nozzles) and hatch-like markings along the saucer-surface edge. (According to Doug Drexler, the similar structures on the NX-01 are hard-connection points, which I would be inclined to assume they are on the NCC-1701 as well.) You'll note, between all three versions of the Enterprise, that there are slight lettering differences in the hull markings. See here for drawings, and here for really good photos of the model itself.
The U.S.S. Constellation "The Doomsday Machine" (TOS) showed us the damaged Constellation, which was an AMT model kit (original, long box release). For my purposes, I would assume that the details of the intact model would also be those of the intact ship, even though I understand that this is a somewhat-arguable thing, considering how heavily damaged it was for the episode. There are many different features to this version. (Due to the model kit's inaccuracy to the physical studio model.) These include the bridge module and numerous other details. The overall structure of the ship is slightly different as well, with nacelles that are actually cylindrical rather than tapered, and a different saucer curvature. Reference may be found here for the correctly-incorrect model details and markings, and DVD reference caps here. I'm going to try to get some more photos of the actual model kit for additional reference.
I'm really hoping someone will feel up to this. Yes, I probably should at some point learn to draw myself, but I don't know when I'll ever get around to it.
-MMoM
-------------------- The flaws we find most objectionable in others are often those we recognize in ourselves.
Registered: Jun 2001
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I'll start with TOS series schematics and modify it for the variants. If you can scan FJ's schematics from the Blueprints (as opposed to the tech manual) that will help me do the 1700 plans for you.
capped
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posted
When I was making Fleet Old School i was trying to adapt it to the TOS-run.. where did i leave Pilot characters?
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
Oh wait.. that was AmarilloUSAF. Amarillo is mostly like the pilot typeface (apart from the R), Fleet Old School is like the regular TOS typeface.
quote:Originally posted by Reverend: Ok, I think I'm up for this.
I'll start with TOS series schematics and modify it for the variants. If you can scan FJ's schematics from the Blueprints (as opposed to the tech manual) that will help me do the 1700 plans for you.
Yeah! Go Rev! Rev up!
I'm going to do the FJ scans sometime in the next few days, and Bernd is going to clean them up for me, and once they're in pristine order I'll send them to you. And yes, they're not the low-detail Tech Manual prints, but rather the real full size ones.
-MMoM
-------------------- The flaws we find most objectionable in others are often those we recognize in ourselves.
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
I'm about to turn in for the night so this is what I have so far. TOS_dorsal-WIP1
The colours and gradients are by no means final and I have yet to figure out what those four glowing rectangles around the saucer's edge are supposed to be.
However, it just occured to me that I should go back and do some more reading on the imfamous saucer gridline uncertainty. After rehashing it all I'll let you know definitely what I discover.
Thanks for giving it a go.
-MMoM
-------------------- The flaws we find most objectionable in others are often those we recognize in ourselves.
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
I believe it's pretty firmly established that there were lines added after the pilots, but they were done in pencil only and nearly invisible. There are shots on a couple of the various modelling reference sites that show the lines, and the fact that they aren't seen in others just demonstrates their faintness. There isn't really any other explanation for them ever being visble, unless it's a vast conspiracy to deceive nerds everywhere.
posted
Rev seems to have the situation well under control, so I don't need to pitch in. Just wondering, whose blueprints are you going to base your schematics on? Are you using the Alan Sinclair set?
Registered: Oct 1999
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capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
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posted
i hope we are going into this with the awareness that the dimensions of the Franz Joseph blueprints are completely dissimilar to the dimensions of any of the models used to represent the Enterprise in TOS, right?
Registered: Sep 2001
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I suspect it's due though to the fact that FJ drawings were seen as Contitution Class displays in some of the movies. I guess it's a completist thing.
quote: Just wondering, whose blueprints are you going to base your schematics on? Are you using the Alan Sinclair set?
Indeed, at least for the baseline TOS schematics, it would be a waste to ignore such a well researched piece of work.
For the other variants I intend to make the appropriate modifications to this baseline schematic rather than starting from scratch every time, ith the exception of the FJ Constitution that is.
quote: I suspect it's due though to the fact that FJ drawings were seen as Contitution Class displays in some of the movies. I guess it's a completist thing.
That is my assumption also. There is some logic in having the class prototype being slightly different in construction to the full production ships, so there shouldn't be any real conflict in regards to cannon especially since the Constitution herself has never actually been seen.
posted
Was there crosshatching on the four panels on the nacelle pylons on the series proper model then? Or not?
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Registered: Mar 1999
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