Enterprise Era Starship Thread

[SCE2Aux]

That is indeed a very neat idea. Something that would allow the ship to easily enter atmospheres and land, avoiding the need for shuttlepods and transporters, where necessary. If you strip away all that 24th century detailing, and replace it with 22nd century stuff, I think you'd have something there. Like a slightly more streamlined looking Conestoga.

I'd like to imagine that the Warp Deltas were capable of planetary landfall as well, as a very early ship design might require such a feature.

 

[Praetor]

I honestly expected semi-routine landings on a prequel show, if only as a wink to the fact that "TOS" didn't have the effects or budget for it and effects have come a long way.

At minimum, I'd have liked to have seen a Warp Delta landed myself.

I feel the need to render a landed Conestoga now.

 

[SCE2Aux]

I mean it makes sense, from a tech point of view: They'd want to be able to land in order to deploy large scale exploration equipment, ground vehicles or colony gear etc. Not having a transporter makes that more difficult, and landing the whole ship would solve that.
Also, depending on the level of in-space infrastructure, the Warp Deltas might need to land on runways and be towed into a futuristic equivalent of one of these:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbiter_Processing_Facility

 

[FederationHistorian]

Another sketch of a possible NX-01...

and the NX-refit aka Columbia class for comparison. Personally, I think the sketch looks more like a ship at the turn of the century.

Here's a concept for an ENT-era Kzinti police ship for the Kzinti episode "Kilkenny Cats" that was never made, and supposedly never in the works at all.

And here is a D4 class aka Dama class, the Klingon ship that was supposed to be in "Unexpected", as opposed to the D7/K't'inga they ended up using for that episode instead.

 

[Rahul]

The NX-01.

I've always thought she was one of tbe most beautiful starships in the franchise. She's so perfectly balanced and well thought out. Everything has a purpose.

Both inside and out, I love the futuristic, but not too futuristic look they managed to achieve. She genuinely, in my opinion, looks like a predecessor to the Constitution class. Especially when you throw Strange New Worlds into the mix.

I always loved the level of detail & realism of it.
However my main complain still exists: it's just so flat.
The Akira had a certain height to it. The NX-01 looks great from above. But not that great from the side.

I love the look of the Earth Cargo Ships. They remind me of semi-trucks and I've always loved the idea of Space Truckers. Regular Joe's in space. Not for the grandeur of exploration, but simply to make a buck. And it becomes a lifestyle for them.

I remember some people at the time had an issue with it. Saying it looked too advanced compared to the one seen in TOS or even SNW. But then I think of automotive design and remember that this.......

Is older than this....

And suddenly, the older BoP looking all curvy and advanced makes perfect sense.

Might as well bring up the Romulan Drone Ship. It's an interesting design that actually reminds me of the Narada from Star Trek '09. Perhaps they share a design firm within the Romulan Star Empire.

They also make it somewhat more believable that no humans ever recovered any bodies from destroyed Romulan ships during the war.

These three are some of my absolute favourite Star Trek starship designs!

I would also add the Vulcan D'kyr class & the Andorian ships.

ENT really had the best world building regarding alien & human ships.

Even John Eaves said that this was the 'whatever' version hehe
Those nacelles...

Huh? Where is this concept art from? Is there more from that?

 

[fireproof78]

Huh? Where is this concept art from? Is there more from that?

Not a whole lot more. From John Eaves blog.

 

[Saul]

Another sketch of a possible NX-01...

Can't imagine this was ever seriously considered. Way too close to TOS.

Before the design for the NX-01 was decided, there were a few other designed floated.

Saucer with fins attached to the nacelles.

A coleopteric warp drive aka warp ring ship with saucer, with nacelles. A successor to the XCV-300

An ancestor to the Enterprise on SNW.

The first two designs would have helped the show feel more primitive than it did.

Just to note, those aren't the original versions of these concepts. Those were unfortunately lost on Doug Drexler's hard drive. But you can find small blurry versions online.

 

[rhombusjones]

First time poster here. A friend of mine once remarked to me that the Enterprise era has the best/most interesting visual aesthetic in Star Trek in terms of ship designs, and I have to agree. So many of the early Starfleet designs are such a cool mix of aesthetic influences from TOS and aviation and spaceflight designs, all with the distinct visual fingerprint of John Eaves, of course.

 

[Dukhat]

First time poster here. A friend of mine once remarked to me that the Enterprise era has the best/most interesting visual aesthetic in Star Trek in terms of ship designs, and I have to agree. So many of the early Starfleet designs are such a cool mix of aesthetic influences from TOS and aviation and spaceflight designs, all with the distinct visual fingerprint of John Eaves, of course.

You’re absolutely welcome to think that, and I’m not going to try to persuade you otherwise. However, as far as many of the designs went, I would have to disagree. I dislike the overall derivativeness of Eaves’s designs, the complete lack of understanding about era-specific design attributes, and his obsession with planes and pilots. I’m sure he’s a great guy personally, but his work has a lot to be desired.

 

[Tuskin38]

, the complete lack of understanding about era-specific design attributes

If something is out of place, it's because his higher ups wanted it that way

He can make Era appropriate designs when asked to

 

[Dukhat]

You know, you don’t have to be an apologist for Eaves every time I post about not liking his design aesthetic.

 

[Tuskin38]

You just keep saying things about him that aren't true.

 

[fireproof78]

If something is out of place, it's because his higher ups wanted it that way

He can make Era appropriate designs when asked to

That's some nice work. I really like the Top Gun style shuttlepods. See some TOS influences there.

 

[Dukhat]

You just keep saying things about him that aren't true.

I beg to differ.

 

[Tuskin38]

I beg to differ.

Not everything, but some things.

 

[fireproof78]

First time poster here. A friend of mine once remarked to me that the Enterprise era has the best/most interesting visual aesthetic in Star Trek in terms of ship designs, and I have to agree. So many of the early Starfleet designs are such a cool mix of aesthetic influences from TOS and aviation and spaceflight designs, all with the distinct visual fingerprint of John Eaves, of course.

I think there's some amazing design work in Enterprise. I love the blend of more industrial, and some smoother lines. It's not perfect, but it definitely has a good appeal to me.

 

[Dukhat]

Not everything, but some things.

If you say so. I stand by what I wrote, and have nothing further to say on the matter.

 

[HotRod]

I would have to disagree. I dislike the overall derivativeness of Eaves’s designs, the complete lack of understanding about era-specific design attributes

I've never thought Eaves designs for Enterprise era Earth ships were that controversial.

I mean, the Intrepid is a clearly based on Drexler's NX-01, with the parts simply rearranged. That's pretty much Starfleet design 101.

The Warp Delta, which is a very simplistic design that I think goes well with the era.

I'll give you that the Sarajevo design kinda sticks out, but I kinda just view it as an Earth Design and not Starfleet.

The Freighters I think look stellar. Perfectly primitive for the era.

What else is there? Artic One and the Shuttlepods?

 

[Dukhat]

I've never thought Eaves designs for Enterprise era Earth ships were that controversial.

I mean, the Intrepid is a clearly based on Drexler's NX-01, with the parts simply rearranged. That's pretty much Starfleet design 101.

The Warp Delta, which is a very simplistic design that I think goes well with the era.

I'll give you that the Sarajevo design kinda sticks out, but I kinda just view it as an Earth Design and not Starfleet.

The Freighters I think look stellar. Perfectly primitive for the era.

What else is there? Artic One and the Shuttlepods?

Did Eaves design the Intrepid and the warp delta? I thought Drexler did (or at least I remember the warp delta being based on the Emmette seen in in the opening credits, which was designed by Drexler.)

 

[HotRod]

Did Eaves design the Intrepid and the warp delta? I thought Drexler did (or at least I remember the warp delta being based on the Emmette seen in in the opening credits, which was designed by Drexler.)

I believe so. Memory Alpha says the designs were based off his sketches. Plus I'm pretty sure Eaves also designed the Emmette.