Sad thing is, that number comes from the initial format pitch in '64, when the ship, still named the SS Yorktown, was assumed to be the size of a standard Navy cruiser, which is a lot smaller than an aircraft carrier.
Established Trek Starship Sizes
- Thread starter Mike Have-Not
- Start date
Which is still odd, though, since it's still a lot heavier than a carrier at 195,000mt. Also, the ship kept getting bigger from the pitch to 1st pilot to 2nd pilot to production. It's kinda nutty. Still, we get the 195,000 figure from Gene himself (well, his ghost writer) come the novelization of TMP.
Pretty much definitive to me.
I don't remember that being mentioned in the TMP novelization...
Depends heavily on the version you have (the TMP novelization has a couple of variants out there, to say nothing of many differences in translations). The 'technical details' of the ship are mentioned in two paragraphs as Kirk sees the uprated ship for the first time.
If this isn't enough (which would be understandible), don't forget that Gene ALSO signed personally every single sheet of the Technical Manual and Blueprints as approval before they were formally published.
I guess Gene said it best when discussing his ideas for TNG and it was pointed out that some of his ideas contradicted stuff from TOS: "Allow me the consistency of my inconsistencies."
Well it is NOT in my copy of the paperback 1st edition.(Pocket Books, December 1979, ISBN 0-671-83088-0)
Which blueprints and tech manuals?
The FJ blueprints were only signed by FJ and only on the front sheet. GR's name is in block letters. They list 190000 as gross deadweight metric tonnage. His tech manual repeats this figure (Still no sigs from GR btw).
The TMP blueprints have GR's signature on every page but do not list any displacement or mass info for the ship.
The ST Starflight Chronology which came out in 1980 list the ship at 190 million kg
Just checked. Not in my copy either. Not sure how something like that would fit in, anyway, given Kirk being reminded of Venus rising from the water when he saw the Enterprise in all her glory.
I had it in my Science Fiction Book Club edition, but it wasn't in the paperback I had. I've heard often that it's in the translated books, but I've never checked one.
He signed both the tech manual and blueprint pages for approval. GR personally signed the sheets as well (the convention versions, which are hella expensives, but are obtainable).
Quote, ISBN, something? Even still some off-the-wall "deleted scenes" version of the novel could hardly be characterized as "Still, we get the 195,000 figure from Gene himself (well, his ghost writer) come the novelization of TMP."
Which doesn't say the same thing as this:
GR may have signed off on the publication of FJ stuff but I would hardly say that that qualifies as fact-checking every little detail of said material. Autographing stuff for fans at a convention definitely doesn't imply said fact-checking.
Do you have any idea how much trouble it is was to re-typset a book back in 1980? I seriously doubt there are actually variations on this novel other than language translations.
The physical dimensions of the Enterprise-class, or NCC-1701 Refit, do not appear in GR's ST:TMP novelization but only in Jesco von Puttkamer's German-language translation of the TMP novelization (as TGT pointed out in this thread):
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?p=2594552
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?p=2594552
Leave it to The God Thing to dig up this chestnut...
If I may quote Jesco von Puttkamer's German-language translation/expansion of Gene Roddenberry's ST:TMP novelization (Star Trek: Der Film, Moewig Verlag, 1980):
"Langsam umrundeten sie das gigantische weiße Schiff: seine elegant gewölbte, 146 Meter weite, scheibenförmige Primärhülle, die geschweifte, an einen Schiffssteven erinnernde Verbindungs- „Finne“ zur langgestreckten zigarrenförmigen Sekundär- oder Maschinenhülle, und die beiden 155 Meter langen, je 31 000 Tonnen schweren Haupttriebwerksgondeln an ihren schräggestellten, 60 Meter langen Auslegern. Die Länge des gesamten Schiffes maß 305 Meter, sein Gewicht betrug 190 000 Tonnen."
"Slowly they circled the huge white ship: the elegantly arched 146 meter wide disc-shaped primary hull, the curved, prow-like "fin" connecting it to the cigar-shaped secondary or engineering hull, and the two 155 meter, 31,000 ton main engine nacelles mounted on their sloping 60 meter long pylons. The entire length of the ship measures 305 meters, its weight 190,000 tons." (*)
Take from that what you will.
TGT
* Any native German speakers passing through this thread are, of course, more than welcome to correct my undoubtedly clunky translation.
There are other differences in the Book Club edition (supposedly an 'expanded work'), but it's been years since I've had it. Anyone around here have that one to look? (I remember a lot more of the 'cut' scenes being in the book, as well as an AWFUL lot of prologue about new humans, etc, that's a lot shorter in the main run.)
Specifically the Science Fiction Bookclub hardback from 1980... It was a special release.
