During the seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, three practical shooting models of the Galaxy-class U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D were built to be used for visual effects. Initially, two models were built by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) in 1987: one was two feet long and the other was a massive six-feet long. Before the third season, a more detailed four-foot model was built that basically replaced the first two. This post is about the larger six-foot-model seen here during her original construction:

I recently discovered that the original six-foot studio model was on display at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA for a limited-time exhibit. I grabbed my camera gear, flew out to LA for the day, and took as many pictures as they would allow (turns out I took well over 400). Upon my return, I took a few days to throw out the bad pics, color correct the rest for the lighting (they had it under dim halogen lamps with no up-lighting) and do my best to workaround the fact that it was encased in a glass bowl. Now, I want to share my pictures with you!

A couple of things to note regarding these photographs: This model was updated for the 1994 theatrical film Star Trek: Generations with new paint, detail changes, upper rear nacelle greebles, and lifeboat decals – therefore it is a bit different from what was seen in the television series. Also, flash photography was prohibited at Skirball, so I needed to shoot everything handheld. Therefore, I apologize for any blurriness that these photos might have. I hope they are still enjoyable and thanks for visiting!

Go to my Dropbox photos of the Six-Foot Enterprise D!

The following are just a few examples of the photographs I took that day:

Go to my Dropbox photos of the Six-Foot Enterprise D!

Throughout the subscription build of their 1:900 scale U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D model, Eaglemoss offered various ‘Special Issues’. An opt-out email was typically sent in advance, but these specials were automatically sent and are billed in addition to the monthly subscription if no action was taken.

The first of these Special Issues was the Enterprise Shuttles – Set 1, and the second was the Limited Edition Print. However, for our third Special Issue, we are back to shuttlecraft with this Enterprise Shuttles – Set 2! Here, we have another boxed set containing two more large-scale replica models of shuttlecraft as seen in the Star Trek: The Next Generation universe. Each shuttlecraft model is about 5″ long (12.7 cm) and includes:

• A display stand with the shuttlecraft name on the bottom (basic assembly required – it just snaps together).
• A 5.75 x 7.25″ (145 x 185 mm) magazine containing information about the shuttlecraft, plan views, a two-page Okudagram schematic, the episodes that shuttlecraft was shown in, and how it was designed.
• A 4.74 x 3.125″ (120 x 80 mm) transparent plastic Okudagram of the shuttle’s ‘Master Systems Display’ schematic with two small black supports to hold it upright.

Type 6 Shuttlepod – Hawking

“The Starfleet Type 6 shuttlecraft, which was in operation in the late 24th century, was a large Galileo-type shuttle. Towards the end of its operational life in 2371, the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D’s complement of shuttlecraft included a Type 6 with the name Hawking.”

This shuttle has four little holes in the bottom that the pins of the display stand fit into. Unlike the others, this feels quite secure:

As before, I cut a piece of white printer paper to the same shape as the plastic Okudagram card and placed it behind it. It is not a huge difference, but it does make it a bit easier to read:

Captain’s Yacht – Calypso

“The captain’s yacht of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D was located at the center of the ventral hull of the primary saucer. Named Calypso for the ship of 20th century oceanographic researcher Jacques Cousteau (1910-97), this vessel was a multi-function sub-warp craft.”

The Captain’s Yacht was never seen on screen, but you may recognize the oval and circle shapes on the bottom of it from the center of the lower saucer. This model includes the extended landing gear already extended allowing us another way to display it:

In the same way, I placed a piece of white printer paper behind this Okudagram as well:

Thoughts

Like the previous set, these shuttles cost me $60 USD including shipping, but are actually quite detailed. I absolutely love the details on the Calypso, including the hull aztecing pattern, transporter pads, thruster pods, sensor ring, and other markings. To be honest, these Shuttle Sets are some of the best Special Issues I have received with any partwork subscription! The next set of shuttles should include the Type 7 and the Type 9A cargo versions.