December 29, 1964.
I have a bunch of pictures of it assembled in the street in front of Volmer Jensen's Production Models Shop in Burbank on that day. I'll put them together before the 29th.
A Two-Thirds 33 inch Enterprise
- Thread starter Shaw
- Start date
I have a bunch of pictures of it assembled in the street in front of Volmer Jensen's Production Models Shop in Burbank on that day. I'll put them together before the 29th.
A bunch of pictures? All I've ever seen is the one. 
So back in December I started in on a second attempt at this model at 22 inches (some images are shown a few posts up thread). I thought I'd post a series of images showing my progress to date.
It isn't all that different from my first attempt... just a little better thanks to the skills learned from the building of the last model. Nothing is really glued together yet, just a test assembly to make sure everything is fitting together correctly.
It isn't all that different from my first attempt... just a little better thanks to the skills learned from the building of the last model. Nothing is really glued together yet, just a test assembly to make sure everything is fitting together correctly.
Lookin' good so far.
Thanks for the encouragement guys!
At any rate, few more progress shots...
And a couple comparisons with the first model (even though none of the major piece of the second have been glued together yet).
On screen... the 11 foot version. But in person I've always wanted my models of the Enterprise to look like the Enterprise as it did while sitting on the table in Requiem for Methuselah. And there is the added bonus that the 33 inch version has been almost completely neglected over the last 40 years by model builders, which means I end up with the subject pretty much to myself.
At any rate, few more progress shots...
And a couple comparisons with the first model (even though none of the major piece of the second have been glued together yet).
Shaw, this thing is astonishing. I just can't believe you're making it by hand and achieving this kind of result. If I attempted anything like this, I'm convinced it would come out a warped, droopy mess with so little resemblance to the original subject that I'd have to tell people, "It's the Enterprise!" And at that, I'm sure any expressed recognition would be nothing more than an attempt to humor me.
Is there any chance to see video of part of the creation/forming process?
Also, a few months ago, you mentioned having pictures from the delivery day of the 11-footer. Can you share them?
Is there any chance to see video of part of the creation/forming process?
Also, a few months ago, you mentioned having pictures from the delivery day of the 11-footer. Can you share them?
Yes, emphasis on the plural, pictures.
It is such a slow process that I'm not sure a video would make a good format for showing it. Plus I don't have a video camera (the good pictures are taken with a friend's camera).
I'm considering doing it again (this summer) for the 18" model, so I'll try to figure out a better way of documenting what I do then.
Sure...
It is interesting in that Datin is wearing a black shirt in the images above, and seems to be wearing a black shirt in the 33 inch model delivery images (his arm is the one holding the model in the top set) as well.
Thank you, Shaw.
Do you know if these images were photographed at an exhibit? The second, and perhaps the first show what seems to be a reflection of the photographer.
I certainly understand about the difficulty of providing a how-to video for your technique. However, some 3D artists use a timelapse trick to record a build. It's fascinating to watch any detailed, prolonged process this way, and I bet you'd be able to put together a popular YouTube or Vimeo video from five or six frames per second ... there's even software for driving some still cameras via computer this way.
I'm in no way trying to suggest this is the way you should approach your next project -- that's certainly your business. I just marvel at your results and would love to understand how you achieve them.
Do you know if these images were photographed at an exhibit? The second, and perhaps the first show what seems to be a reflection of the photographer.
I certainly understand about the difficulty of providing a how-to video for your technique. However, some 3D artists use a timelapse trick to record a build. It's fascinating to watch any detailed, prolonged process this way, and I bet you'd be able to put together a popular YouTube or Vimeo video from five or six frames per second ... there's even software for driving some still cameras via computer this way.
I'm in no way trying to suggest this is the way you should approach your next project -- that's certainly your business. I just marvel at your results and would love to understand how you achieve them.
Using those photos and a few other facts, I managed to track down the location on Google Maps.
Is the weather in that part of the country so nice that these folks are likely to standing around in short sleeved shirts on a late December evening?!
Is the weather in that part of the country so nice that these folks are likely to standing around in short sleeved shirts on a late December evening?!
I grew up in San Diego... Yeah, it is that nice.
Though it should be noted that that December (in 1964) was one of the more rainy months in Southern California, so the fact that it was clear and dry on both the 14th and 29th is pretty amazing.
I believe the second is from the Smithsonian... those three were the highest resolution versions of each I had collected (though I have multiple versions of the first two, I have only one of the last).
I'll put some thought into a video demo like that when I use the technique again this summer.
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It's extraordinary down in San Diego.
It just rained and everyone thinks the world is ending.
By coincidence, my pa has a copy of one of those photos - he got a few Volmer Jensen-related materials when he was working on his hang-gliding documentary film.
It just rained and everyone thinks the world is ending.
By coincidence, my pa has a copy of one of those photos - he got a few Volmer Jensen-related materials when he was working on his hang-gliding documentary film.
Yeah... there is good reason for it.
If it doesn't rain for months (which is often the case in San Diego), the oils from the cars collect on the roads and freeways. For the first few hours after a rain, the roads won't absorb the water and they become really slippery.
It is pretty scary because even the slightest rain can cause it.
And then my wife wonders why I drive as if there is ice on the ground when it rains here.
That has to be awesome. I only wish they had taken some while they were building it.
Of course, building it in three weeks most likely didn't leave a lot of time for things like taking pictures.
Have you ever thought about drawing the flat saucer 33-incher as the USS Constitution "as built." (First pilot style, with the very flat bottom) above Masao's nice drawing of the Constitution "as proposed."
Enterprise would thus be your first 33-inch attempt as it was modified to stand atop Flint's desk from that episode, since it's bottom is a bit rounder. That would be Enterprise "as built," and Casimiro's drawings to show the rest of the TOS series look. The Constitution "as built" drawing would then evolve to Aridas Sofia's Constitution II or Tikopai class (Phase II) send ups since those designs have that same saucer bottom in some respects...
Vektor's design might be the Enterprise from Killing Time or the Mirror Universe refit (STTMP's refit would be delayed a bit) and Deg 3Ds Enterprise would be how the old girl looked right before its refit in the standard TOS Universe.
This deserves to be included in the Haynes manual compared to the revised timeline JJprise, or perhaps in a newer version of Mr. Scott's guide to the Enterprise. I think bad health and Pocket getting out of the oversized Tech Manual type books put a temporary kibosh on that--but Haynes might be open to including some of these fan designs.
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Mr._Scott's_Guide_to_the_Enterprise
Enterprise would thus be your first 33-inch attempt as it was modified to stand atop Flint's desk from that episode, since it's bottom is a bit rounder. That would be Enterprise "as built," and Casimiro's drawings to show the rest of the TOS series look. The Constitution "as built" drawing would then evolve to Aridas Sofia's Constitution II or Tikopai class (Phase II) send ups since those designs have that same saucer bottom in some respects...
Vektor's design might be the Enterprise from Killing Time or the Mirror Universe refit (STTMP's refit would be delayed a bit) and Deg 3Ds Enterprise would be how the old girl looked right before its refit in the standard TOS Universe.
This deserves to be included in the Haynes manual compared to the revised timeline JJprise, or perhaps in a newer version of Mr. Scott's guide to the Enterprise. I think bad health and Pocket getting out of the oversized Tech Manual type books put a temporary kibosh on that--but Haynes might be open to including some of these fan designs.
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Mr._Scott's_Guide_to_the_Enterprise
Finally finished off this model, and I'm now researching how to build a one-to-one scale version made of wood that will match the original. In the mean time I have this to look at from across the room.
