Seperated at Birth?

[Mysterion]

Separated at birth? A lot of folks have made ssue of the similarity of the NX class to the Akira class. But I think there is a more glaring comparison to be made. You decide:

NX Class (Star Trek: Enterprise):
http://www.shipschematics.net/startrek/images/federation/cruiser_nx.jpg

Akyazi Class (Ships of the Star Fleet, Volume 2):
http://www.shipschematics.net/startrek/images/federation/perimeteraction_akyazi.jpg

Not only are the hull configurations very similar, if you look up the specs/dimensions for the two classes, they are also pretty close.

For the record, the Akyazi class appeared in print about ten years before the premiere of ST:E.

 

[Timo]

There's also the even older Loknar class frigate from the FASA RPGs, the only difference being the lack of the between-booms pod:

http://home.comcast.net/~ststcsolda/federation/loknar/loknar.html

Really, it has long been recognized that if one wants to create a starship that is smaller or humbler than the TOS hero ship (and contrary to the stereotype, many fanboys aim to do exactly this), one doesn't get very far simply by making the ship out of smaller parts. It doesn't look smaller that way. The answer is to cut pieces out of the hero ship - to use the "nibbled-on" saucer that is found on the Akyazi, Loknar, Akira and dozens of other such designs.

I would be pretty surprised if Eaves and Jaeger came up with the bow cutout by looking at old fan blueprints. The idea seems obvious enough. It makes the ship "lighter" but also more complex and businesslike. Cutting the aft half is also common practice, and was used for effect in STXI but only after being the staple of 1980s fan designs.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Hatchet2k4]

Heh that ship reminds me a lot more of the Intrepid ship that shows up on Enterprise (I don't think it was ever given a class name tho). Same cutout style saucer and nonexistent secondary hull in both.

 

[FordSVT]

Sure there are similarities, there are similarities between every starship we've seen on Trek since the original 1701. Design lineage is a good thing, and I can't imagine the designers would be doing their jobs correctly if they hadn't looked at a massive amount of Star Trek material and took note of dozens or hundreds of fan designs as well in the process. It's design lineage, it's a good thing, it keep the universe consistent for the fans.

Saucer with aft nacelles parallel to the plane, above the plane, below the plane, above the saucer, below the saucer, a cut-out hull or two... hard to come up with dozens of entirely unique starship designs based on the single concept.

And hell, the saucer/nacelle designs are damned good ones, that's why the shape of the Enterprise is so recognizable the world over after forty years even amongst people who don't watch Star Trek.

 

[sojourner]

Separated at birth? A lot of folks have made ssue of the similarity of the NX class to the Akira class. But I think there is a more glaring comparison to be made. You decide:

NX Class (Star Trek: Enterprise):
http://www.shipschematics.net/startrek/images/federation/cruiser_nx.jpg

Akyazi Class (Ships of the Star Fleet, Volume 2):
http://www.shipschematics.net/startrek/images/federation/perimeteraction_akyazi.jpg

Not only are the hull configurations very similar, if you look up the specs/dimensions for the two classes, they are also pretty close.

For the record, the Akyazi class appeared in print about ten years before the premiere of ST:E.

Well, Doug Drexler did reveal that the powers that be wanted to use the actual Akira model with no changes for Enterprise.(thank god they were talked out of that bit of idiocy) So, it stands to reason why the ship we got bares such a striking resemblance.

 

[Timo]

I'm still highly sceptical of that "statement" (more like an anecdote) being literally true. It sounds more probable that the usual thing happened: TPTB said "we want this", pointing at the Akira, with the implicit understanding that the Art Department would reinvent this particular wheel and turn it into the new hero starship by taking appropriate, small but decisive steps.

Mr Drexler is free to set me straight on this, but really, I think we're assuming way too much by taking literally what was supposed to be but a mood-setting story.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[sojourner]

I'm still highly sceptical of that "statement" (more like an anecdote) being literally true. It sounds more probable that the usual thing happened: TPTB said "we want this", pointing at the Akira, with the implicit understanding that the Art Department would reinvent this particular wheel and turn it into the new hero starship by taking appropriate, small but decisive steps.

Mr Drexler is free to set me straight on this, but really, I think we're assuming way too much by taking literally what was supposed to be but a mood-setting story.

Timo Saloniemi

I don't know, he seems pretty matter of fact in this post:

http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/alex-jaeger-week-the-akira-class/