Rewatching Nemesis today and noticed this hull marking on the E E front of the saucer That wing like motif? anyone any idea if it's a technical doodad or an insignia marking of some description?
Yeah, if I recall from better pictures of the model, as well as other diagrams of the ship and retail model versions, those are transporter emitters.
They were always rectangles before, (or at least how I remember them on the "D") but I guess they wanted the ones on the front of the "E" to be a bit more stylin'.
I could have sworn those were supposed to be cargo bay doors. I'm pretty sure I saw a diagram label them as such, but such "official" sources also label phaser strips as sensor arrays, and Warp Nacelles as Impulse engines. I guess we need to get ahold of John Eaves and ask him.
Has anybody got an intact copy of Eaves' ST MOVIE SKETCHBOOK? Pretty sure there are starship porn pics in almost STAR WARS CHRONICLES/SCULPTING A GALAXY-level detail in the FC section.
I do, on a shelf in my parents' house, although it's barely holding itself together at this point... and yes, it's quite detailed about the design and construction process for the Enterprise-E. I'm pretty sure those are indeed more angular versions of the traditionally rectangular transporter pallets; certainly the fairly accurate AMT kit produced them as such.
...or perhaps its a redneck thing. Its the 24th century version of Bullhorns on a hood of a car...its bullhorns on the front of a starship... :P