ALANOODLE'S SCALE MODEL PORTFOLIO

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    The "real" Enterprise, the 134 inch long studio model, is on display at the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. In 1992 it was fully restored to be part of an exhibit showcasing 25 years of Star Trek.

    If you can't make it to Washington to see the real thing, see the February 1998 issue of FINE SCALE MODELER magazine for "Intergalactic Color and Camouflage: The Starship Enterprise". There are also some great color photos taken during its restoration in the Science Fiction Modelers Associates' model shop in the September, 1996 issue of the magazine SCI-FI and FANTASY MODELS. Kalmbach Books' FAMOUS SPACESHIPS OF FACT AND FANTASY AND HOW TO MODEL THEM also has some excellent photos of the TV model, many taken during the first restoration for the Smithsonian in the mid 1970s. This book also has some interesting info about the TV model and useful tips on building AMT-Ertl's kit.
 

Most of the "blueprints" available, including those in Franz Joseph's STAR TREK BLUEPRINTS and his STARFLEET TECHNICAL MANUAL are incorrect. They are based not on the TV model, but on drawings which were first published in 1968 in THE MAKING OF STAR TREK (right). Later on, the same drawings would appear on the model kit's box. These drawings more closely resemble AMT's model kit than the real thing.     For more accurate drawings, look for the "Bonhomme Richard class" starship U.S.S. Essex (2257) in SHIPS of the STAR FLEET, Vol. One, a fan-published listing of Star Trek era vessels. The drawing below is modified from that blueprint.

  At the time when I built the Enterprise, home computers had not yet become commonplace and Internet Access was something that the U.S. Department of Defense and Al Gore had not yet made available to the general public. Today, however, the Internet makes available many resources for model research. Without listing them all, two excellent websites are Starship Modeler and CultTVMan. Both of these sites have links to many other sites that offer a wealth of information on any topic Trek.
 

In 1989, when I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to photograph the studio model for research into building the kit, the model was in poor condition. Along with missing pieces and water stains on the paint, nearly all of the lights had burnt out. The spinning effect of the Warp engines was replaced by a very sad looking blinking light effect. Also of note was the fact that the model was painted a uniform shade of light gray without any sign of weathering. The model's "restoration" in the 70s also left it with some badly inaccurate parts, particularly the main sensor dish and the illuminated saucer domes.

This was still a better look at the model than anything else that was available at the time, save for a couple of black & white publicity stills that appeared in THE MAKING OF STAR TREK. All of the color stills available were simply screen shots taken from prints of the show which were too blurry to be of much use. Even in high quality video prints of the show, the fact that the ship was always shown in motion made it difficult to discern details that were clearly visible when looking at the actual model. Despite being hung from the Museum's ceiling about 15 feet off the floor, I was able to take many useful research photos.

Science Fiction Spaceships

The History of Space Exploration

Model Automobilia

Figures: People, Creatures and Dinosaurs

Model Aviation