I've seen people say it first appeared in "Ships of the Star Fleet 2290-91" by Todd Gunether and Aridas Sofia, 1987. But I've just realised that it actually appears as an Illustration in the "Avenger-class Frigate Blueprints" by David Nielsen, dated 1983. I gather that Michael Morrissette and Todd Guenther were also involved in the latter, so is it Todd's design?
Question- Who invented the Surya-class Frigate?
- Thread starter Stibbons
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I think it first appeared in the Franz Joseph StarFleet Technical Manual, of 1975.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Star_Fleet_Technical_Manual
dJE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Star_Fleet_Technical_Manual
dJE
Not the Surya, although the Ptolemy class Tug was definitely a starting point/influence for the design ?
Correct, the Surya doesn't appear in the FJ Technical Manual, neither does it appear in Aridas Sofia's "Federation Reference Series" of 1985, the Technical Manual's "spiritual successor" as it were. Volume 1 has all the FJ ships plus the Movie Era Avenger (later Miranda) Heavy Frigate. If the Surya was Todds design, Aridas doesn't seem to have picked up on it yet.
As to whether the Ptolemy was the actual inspiration for the Reliant, well given that the design was originally meant to be with the nacelles on the top and only got built the way it was because someone had the artist's sketch upside down, I'd say no.
As to whether the Ptolemy was the actual inspiration for the Reliant, well given that the design was originally meant to be with the nacelles on the top and only got built the way it was because someone had the artist's sketch upside down, I'd say no.
This is the book I first saw it in:
https://www.amazon.com/Ships-Star-Fleet-One-2290-91/dp/B0006EZCH6
https://www.amazon.com/Ships-Star-Fleet-One-2290-91/dp/B0006EZCH6
The Avenger blueprints of 1983 predate the Ships of the Star Fleet book I'm afraid. That's the oldest occurrence of the design and name "Surya-class" that I can find.
https://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/general-plans-uss-avenger-class.php
Sheet 6 is the one with the Surya.
https://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/general-plans-uss-avenger-class.php
Sheet 6 is the one with the Surya.
I think we should have an all out fight between Aridas Sofia and David Nielsen (sorta like the junkyard fight from Superman III) to see who is the real designer. What a battle that would be!
But yeah, it is Aridas' work and 1983 is the first time I recall seeing it (and again in 1987 in the silhouette chart).
But yeah, it is Aridas' work and 1983 is the first time I recall seeing it (and again in 1987 in the silhouette chart).
aridas sofia and David Nielsen are engaged in a lifelong battle between a guy who thinks Star Trek was a childish waste of his time and a guy who would live on the Enterprise if he could. They tore at each other until David designed Surya to appease aridas, who would never be appeased and insisted on more and more and more. Like, 500 more and counting. :P
I designed it for the first Avenger plans back in 1982 (published in 83) to show where the Reliant design originated - as a refit to a Surya-class frigate. It did indeed appear in a slightly altered form in the first SotSF volume.
Very amazed and pleased to see it still so well regarded some 37 years later.
I designed it for the first Avenger plans back in 1982 (published in 83) to show where the Reliant design originated - as a refit to a Surya-class frigate. It did indeed appear in a slightly altered form in the first SotSF volume.
Very amazed and pleased to see it still so well regarded some 37 years later.
Thanks for the clarification. Turns out there was already a thread here that addressed the question, should have done a better search.
https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/on-our-way-–-u-s-s-surya.287738/
But the Surya-class is definitely my favourite non-canonical TOS era ship design (with the FJ ships of course). If I might ask, why ddn't you put it in the Federation Reference Series?
(Also, has anyone got a spare FRS No.4? Only one I'm missing, can swap you a FRS No.1 or a couple of Size Comparison Chart duplicates I have).
https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/on-our-way-–-u-s-s-surya.287738/
But the Surya-class is definitely my favourite non-canonical TOS era ship design (with the FJ ships of course). If I might ask, why ddn't you put it in the Federation Reference Series?
(Also, has anyone got a spare FRS No.4? Only one I'm missing, can swap you a FRS No.1 or a couple of Size Comparison Chart duplicates I have).
Another six volumes of the FRS were planned and partially written/laid out. Surya would have been in volume seven iirc. On the FRS website several years ago I did a series of FJ TM pages covering ships Enterprise might have seen on her 5YM, and several Surya variants were covered there, as well - at SB 4 during “Court Martial”, in the task force sent to confront the Klingon fleet at Organia, etc.
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As is ALL your work, sir.
Indeed. It’s provided years of inspiration for many of us.