Some Stuff I've Been Working on...

[judexavier]

Federation Mann-Class:

Mercy! Always liked the SFC Mann class...this is awesome.
Love the details, especially that front sensor cavity(? or are they torp launchers?) ...Nice change for the glowing bussard placement too.

Aye its a sensor/deflector array, and i wanted to try something new with the nacelles to not make them just attached to the hull, so I gave it pontoons that then became the nacelles, which in turn allowed me to drop in some bussards .
BTW I must apologize for some of the off perspectives in some drawings here and there, I have been doing everything freehand and 'eying' it, especially with the Mann, as the actual drawing is only 4inches long.

No apologies necessary(!?) These are great thumbnails. They remind me of the images you'd see in 1970's-80's
Movie Art "Making of" books I find these sphere/ellipse curvy shapes to be very headache-inducing to render in 3D, on paper. (I try, then I revert back to simple side/top orthos...lazy I know ) Your detail/panel/"greeblie" work is great on these, and gives a great sense of scale and "character".
Looking forward to more.

 

[Kaiser]

Federation Mann-Class:

I as well enjoy your take on the Mann class

 

[Patrickivan]

That is an odd looking design... It reminds me more of a piece of equipment rather then a ship.

 

[TheSeeker]

^You mean something like Suzanne Somers would put between her thighs?

Seriously though, I think this is yet another way-cool design.

 

[erifah]

To be honest, this ship is the type of thing where, when I first look at it, I scratch my head and say, "hhhhhmmmmmm, no, I don't care for it." Then I look at it some more, with my head tilted and a quizzical look, like a dog listening to a high-pitched sound (Like a Nancy Pelosi speech.) And I keep looking at it, stroking my chin thoughtfully. Then I say to myself, "self, you ought not dismiss this design so quickly."

There's something intriguing about it, and I cannot look away.

 

[TheSeeker]

^It is definitely thinking outside the box.

 

[B.J.]

Considering this is a redesign of an existing design, this is about as much *in* the box that Atolm gets!

 

[TheSeeker]

Ah. Well, I'm not familiar with the design is it looks outside the box to me!

 

[BolianAuthor]

To be honest, this ship is the type of thing where, when I first look at it, I scratch my head and say, "hhhhhmmmmmm, no, I don't care for it." Then I look at it some more, with my head tilted and a quizzical look, like a dog listening to a high-pitched sound (Like a Nancy Pelosi speech.) And I keep looking at it, stroking my chin thoughtfully. Then I say to myself, "self, you ought not dismiss this design so quickly."

There's something intriguing about it, and I cannot look away.

LOL... I love the wording in your post, lol. The Mann isn't my favorite, but I do like the design, and think it fits well in the lineage, along with the Daedalus. So far I like Atolm's take on the ship.

 

[Atolm]

Federation Mann-Class, USS Aspinok refit:

 

[The Inquisitor]

^ Cool! Reminds me a lot of the Star Wars 'Blockade Runner', which is also badass.

 

[Kaiser]

^ Cool! Reminds me a lot of the Star Wars 'Blockade Runner', which is also badass.

I agree 100%

 

[YARN]

I think the front end should be a classic saucer - this design does not give a clear line of sight to the ram-scoops.

 

[Albertese]

I think the front end should be a classic saucer - this design does not give a clear line of sight to the ram-scoops.

FEH!

--Alex

 

[Irishman]

I think the front end should be a classic saucer - this design does not give a clear line of sight to the ram-scoops.

Well, see, the thing about the Mann is that it never has given clear line of sight to the ram-scoops. The original version didn't HAVE ram-scoops.

 

[Vincent Law]

I don't think it really matters all that much, though an alternative would be to place them at the front of the ship. Of course then it would lose something of it's charm, in my opinion.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

I think the front end should be a classic saucer - this design does not give a clear line of sight to the ram-scoops.

Who says Roddenberry's Rules are canon (have appeared onscreen)?

The answer is "noone", good day sir.

 

[Atolm]

Here was a quick bussard study that I did to help with the "proof-of-concept"

 

[Albertese]

Interesting. If I understand the technical objection some may have to this, it's that the collectors gather interstellar hydrogen while traveling at warp speeds, meaning that the incoming particles are approaching from essentially only the vector of flight, which would practically be just straight forward. The actual ramscoop is a magnetic field projected from just behind the collectors in order to funnel a maximum of said particles, but still the primary vector is essentially just straight forward. This is why Roddenberry wanted largely unobstructed view from the front ortho. (That, and to discredit the Star Fleet Technical Manual) However, seeing as how the TNG Tech Manual explains that the collectors are only used as a secondary method of fuel replenishment, I think you're good. Perhaps the big long boxes on your Mann design are super overpowered field generators to draw the hydrogen in from steeper angles...? Why not?

--Alex

 

[YARN]

I think the front end should be a classic saucer - this design does not give a clear line of sight to the ram-scoops.

Who says Roddenberry's Rules are canon (have appeared onscreen)?

Well, I say that this rule HAS appeared on screen. We have seen odd numbered nacelles, but I cannot, however, think of a significant Federation ship that had an entirely obstructed frontal path to the Bussard collectors.

Canon-shmanon? Fine! But why even bother with traditional warp engines? Why put the ole orange-capped tubes on a "new" Federation ships anyway? The answer is that our "designers" are trying to maintain a family resemblance. Well, a clear line of sight to the Bussard collectors is a feature that all members of this family share on screen.

Beyond this I'd like to see a saucer version for aesthetic reasons (i.e., it might look cool).