Smithsonian returns restored Starship Enterprise model to public display

[BeatleJWOL]

I wonder what type of touching up they did to the top level of the saucer? I know that it was still the original paint but was cracking in some areas. Did they repaint it or somehow clean it up while still keeping it original?

I did find this:

Using the original paint on the top of the saucer as a reference, conservators returned the ship to its proper color by removing paint applied during previous restorations and adding new paint where needed. “People are going to say it looks too green now, but it looked more gray on TV because of the powerful incandescent studio lights,” Collum says.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/expr...-smithsonians-basement-into-the-main-gallery/

 

[Joe_Atari]

And while the miniature will not be illuminated all the time, fans can rest easy. The current plan is to light the model for 10 minutes three times day, 11 AM, 1 PM and either 3 or 4 PM. (I originally assumed it would jusr be special occasions like major holidays or something. But this schedule gives it a kind of "Old Faithful" quality. "Return right after lunch, 1 PM for the next 'show'!"

Why am I finding that even cooler than keeping them running all the time?

Also, at 1:50, the "tallywacker"!

 

[Jeyl]

Apparently they went with motors after all.

That's what I was talking about Maurice. Those spinning bussards in the nacelles cannot possibly be replicated faithfully using LEDs.

 

[ST-321]

Beautiful. I'm not sure when yet, but my wife and are are going to make a trip to DC (from San Diego!) just to see it (and the other cool stuff there too).

 

[RunawayStarShip]

The restored Enterprise looks beautiful over YouTube. I wish I had the disposable income to go see her in person.

 

[Galileo7]

Finally she's back, the Enterprise looks right again.

 

[Maurice]

That's what I was talking about Maurice. Those spinning bussards in the nacelles cannot possibly be replicated faithfully using LEDs.

They're not bussards. And Khan's not an "augment". I hate retcons.

 

[Kirk1980]

Haven't seen it look that good since I was there in 1990. That early 90s restoration...oof. I remember staring at it in shock when I was back there again in the mid-90s.

But this....this is beautiful.

 

[Search4]

It's a bank of LEDs that have been programmed to light up in a specific animated sequence to simulate the light patterns generated by the original mechanicals.

EDIT: Actually, that was a plan. Apparently they went with motors after all. See below.

I was involved in all of these. Net-net: the LEDs were close (i can show the test movies...) but not close enough.

The Advisory Committee was "Very" persuasive about getting it right.

 

[Warped9]

In the end the Big E was treated the right way and they did right by her.

 

[Maurice]

Bill George told me yesterday. "It was a crazy project." I look forward to hearing his reminisces.

 

[F. King Daniel]

She looks beautiful. A labour of love.

 

[Michael]

Wow, very impressive work on the restoration! I hope I'll be able to see it in person once in my lifetime. I'm glad this was done by people who knew what they were doing and respected the original choices by the people who actually build that model.

They're not bussards. And Khan's not an "augment". I hate retcons.

Honest question: Do you feel the same way about retcons that happened during the original run of Star Trek? I mean things like “James R. Kirk”, “UESPA > Starfleet” or the changing timeframe in which the show takes place. I ask because I personally don't really see a difference between these kind of retcons and things like “bussards” or “augments”.

 

[Maurice]

I hate them because they were decided by people far removed from the original production.

 

[Warped9]

TOS was a work in progress as they sought to nail down and flesh out their ideas. Later it became about retconning and revisionism.

 

[MarsWeeps]

I was involved in all of these. Net-net: the LEDs were close (i can show the test movies...) but not close enough.

The Advisory Committee was "Very" persuasive about getting it right.

Did they keep the paint original on top of saucer or repaint it?

 

[MarsWeeps]

Honest question: Do you feel the same way about retcons that happened during the original run of Star Trek? I mean I ask because I personally don't really see a difference between these kind of retcons and things like “bussards” or “augments”.

TOS never referred to them as bussards on the original ship. It's irrelevant what they were called on newer ships.

 

[Forbin]

Did they keep the paint original on top of saucer or repaint it?

Still original.

 

[Jeyl]

They're not bussards. And Khan's not an "augment". I hate retcons.

Well if it's not called a bussard, ramscoop ect, what are they called? I tried calling it a Nacelle cap in my original question since that is what everyone else was calling them, but you thought I was talking about the lights behind it for some reason. There's a pretty big distinction between a physical thing that spins around thanks to a motor and LED lights.

 

[trekker670]

I was involved in all of these. Net-net: the LEDs were close (i can show the test movies...) but not close enough.

The Advisory Committee was "Very" persuasive about getting it right.

I'd love to see those!