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Star Trek Model Kit: Boldly Going…
Have you heard that we are developing a new Star trek model kit of the TOS Enterprise in 1:350 scale? We assigned the job of putting together the plans for the ship to Gary Kerr. I hope to interview Gary at some point to give you some of his background. Although he isn’t really a modeler in the sense of one who builds them. Though, he makes the yearly trip to Wonderfest. I got to meet him there last year. Bob had already started a dialog with him about the project. Gary has been around the Trek universe in a way many of us could only dream of. He has actually gained access to review and document the actual filming models used for the Star trek TV shows and movies including the 11’ model of the TOS ship.
Gary has already dipped a toe into the model making pool. Actually more like jumped into the deep end and swam like Michael Phelps when he joined forces with one of our friendly competitors to help them plan a highly detailed kit of another iconic sci-fi subject. (sorry can’t advertise for them here)
So about a month ago or so (or was it longer…) we received an email from him saying he was nearly done with the plans and would start emailing them over. The first batch was 26 sheets. They detailed the nacelles… That’s right, 26 pages covered just the nacelles. He continued to send batches over the next couple of days until we had the entire ship documented. Let me tell you, Gary is thorough and particular. There are very well spelled out details in his plans that, in all honesty, I don’t think you will pick up on in the model even at 1:350 scale. I can’t wait to get started. Since receiving the plans, we have gotten approval from the guys up stairs to get costs, etc to start the mock up. That was great news to hear. It will all happen one step at a time. It’s almost time to reserve the space in the dry dock…
Great news – I’ll be following this story! Sounds like this kit is going to be fantastic.
Are we still looking at a 2011 release date? I am anxiously awaiting this kit!!! I alreay have ideas on how to do the spinning fan blades in the nacelles.
This is great news, I’m really looking forward to this. I would like this model to be an acturate version of the original TV ship, but would also like the same options that you gave us with the 1/1000th version of doing the pilot version(s) of the Enterprise.
Tommy
I want:
-A fully detailed shuttle bay with a motor-driven rotating turntable
-Two shuttlecraft, one with alternative decals (“Galileo” and “Galileo II”)
-A top deck that lifts off revealing the bridge, complete with accurate blinking lights on all the panels
-Little corridors that you can see if you look in the windows, complete with tiny model crewmen
-Alternative “melted” nacelles that look *exactly* like the ones in the original version of “The Doomsday Machine”
-Alternative “inaccurising” parts that faithfully reproduce the look of the 70s AMT kit, including lettering in the wrong font
-Raised panel lines on the primary hull with exhaustive instructions on how best to sand them off
-An included twenty-foot-wide ‘galaxy barrier’ made of sculpted neon tubes and fibreglass.
26 sheets? On the nacelles alone, that’s not good.
Those took more time to make than the original models.
So why are you guys still using plans?
Nomad,
-You forgot to add the big hand of Apollo.
take care
cr
I hate to wish time away but I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these. From what is written above it sound like it will be the next best thing to actually owning the studio FX model.
Go ahead and use whatever resources and take whatever time you need to get it right. Please include all of those details you mentioned above and we can determine if they are visible at 1/350 scale. It looks as if you are planning to include many of the building options of the smaller kit in building either of the pilots or production versions. I hope that this is so.
This is shaping up to be the flagship kit of your line. I’m certain that the extra effort will pay off in sales. I will see to that!
Keep up the great work!
Cool, sounds like this kit will be impressive.
What I would like to see is similar to a few of Nomad’s comments, only a bit more “affordable”.
Full shuttlebay with 3 regular shuttles: Galileo, Galileo II, and Columbus. I would also like the shuttles from the animated series: Aquashuttle, Long rang shuttle, and I think there was one other.
Keep up the good work.
Hmmm, going with what Nomad said, it would be awesome to include a giant, clear-molded space ameoba to stick the ship in for a display. Would be a beast to paint, but well worth the effort. Come to think of it, a tiny engine room with real glowing impulse reactors would be awesome.
But seriously, a detailed, lightable shuttle bay, clear bridge dome with a detailed insert of some sort depicting the bridge, impulse engines, bussard domes and windows that can be illuminated would be awesome. I have several of the 1/1000 scale kits (love to *attempt* to kitbash ships out of them) and the detail there is pretty darn good. My only gripe is with the bussard domes. If the domes themselves were separate from the necelle components (flux restrictors, I believe?) and were just the domes themselves it would make painting and illuminating the engines that much easier.
Three most important things…
Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy.
I think everyone agrees that’s what we all want and are willing to pay a premium to get it. In other words, even if the kit is a bit more expensive than other kits of similar stature, but super accurate and thoughtfully designed, we’ll all jump for joy!
In other words, we’d all want a kit whereby there will be no need for anyone to make “accurizing kits” for the model.
Don’t all of you agree?
Can I get a “Whoa… ROUND 2!!”? 😀
(Those of you who’ve watched “Married With Children” know what I mean by that!) 😀
saucer options to make the 33 inch study model!!!
(so nobody has to go through the headaches that David Shaw went through)
i’d pay for the extra plastic knowing i could build the original study/studio model in 1/350!!! AND of course if you still have the other options, as with the smaller re-issued 1701,one could do the pilot or production versions!
Im only interested in the accuracy of the exterior and not for anything extra of the interior!JUST SEEMS LOGICAL….1/350…= 33″ study model!!!
YOU COULD BUILD 4 to 6 VERSIONS(3 FOOTER or 11 FOOTER=PILOT1,PILOT2,SERIES)
WITH…JUST…”O..N..E”…MODEL…. KIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANX FOR YOUR TIME…RICH.
“and it wont be soon enough for me”…
What were the results of the survey from wonderfest this year? I know I filled out one in favor of the original 1/350! Can’t wait for this kit, you can put me down for at least 5 🙂
I sincerely hope that this kit is still in production and on schedule for an early 2011 release. This has been my “grail” kit for over forty years, now.
I currently have plans that would require at least four cases of these kits in order to satisfy.
Hi,
Are the windows going to be cut out, or pop out able like election chads? That would be real helpful. Is there a way to pre-order it. Does Round 2 have any idea when the release will be in 2011? Will it be in 2011?
Thanks
Also like most of Round 2’s models, will this 1/350 tos enterprise continue to be made indefinetly, or will it be a limited run.
Thanks
Any news to report?
I’m sure that there are thousands of modelers in addition to myself who passionate about the release of this kit, and are anxiously awaiting any tidbit of information about the project. We’re just afraid that if it doesn’t happen now, it may never happen.
If the decision-makers at Round 2 are concerned about potential sales numbers with this kit – don’t be. There are plenty of us out there that will make certain that this kit is an absolute success and top-seller for the company. Just make sure to make large enough runs to keep up with the demand!
In a recent issue of Fine Scale Modeler, the results of this year’s most-wanted kits poll ranked the 1/350 scale TOS Enterprise as one of the top most-wanted sci-fi kits (again).
I sincerely hope that the ‘powers that be’ at Round 2 took notice, and that the project is still moving forward for a 2011 release.
Can you please give us an update for us?
Thanks,
-Jim
Nothing definite worth reporting. It definitely won’t be early 2011. We are exploring a few ideas to make the kit earn back its tooling investment quickly when the product hits the market.
Thank you for the update sir.
Maybe adding a light kit or a spinning nacelle light kit wouldn’t be a bad idea?
I have a suggestion to aid in your earnings exploration. Start taking advance orders. (Please, take my money!) If the sale of prior models has given you concern for this venture’s profitability, it shouldn’t. I don’t think you can compare this venture with anything from your (or any other company’s) past. This is the “Holy Grail.” This is the model I wanted when I purchased my first scale model (the 18″ Enterprise) in the early 70’s. This will be the first model kit I’ll have purchased in nearly twenty years.
Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to all these comments. I’m sure you have better things to do than listen to us whimper “please, please, please…” over and over again!
I would very much like to hear of this TOS 1/350 scale USS Enterprise NCC-1701 ship model project still has life in it, and when it might be released? I am so much looking forward to it, please don’t let it die!