In Search of the Galileo...MYSTERY SOLVED!

[Captain Robert April]

Where's Leonard Nimoy when you need him?

The mystery of whatever happened to the Galileo has been solved!

Here are the details!

So, anyone got a hundred grand they don't need?

 

[MarsWeeps]

Good news if it's true. It would be nice to see someone restore it to its former glory.

 

[FalTorPan]

Dunderhead? You had and still have no idea of what the owner has endured in owning that behemoth.

 

[Gary7]

At first I'm like "What?"... I mean, that video is old. OLD. It's the 1980's original video taken over a decade ago of the Galileo being salvaged.

The OP started this from a blog about another Star Trek props sale that CBS has planned (50th anniversary). The blogger tucked in that old Galileo video among the other postings, and said nothing else about it.

Then there's this "Lyndie" fellow (recently joined mind you) who started chiming in over at the HobbyTalk forum, claiming to be the current owner of the Galileo, saying this:

I have spent over $100,000 over the years trying to restore and to store the thing. The photo of it in a "Scrapyard" was actually where it was parked undergoing restoration from a guy with whom I had contracted the work. I was called one day and told get it out of here you have one day to do so. I had it hauled to another location where it is in storage.

The guy I learned went to jail and his business sold. He basically ruined alot of the work that had been done by leaving it sit out in the rain.

[...snip...]

I originally pruchased this to "save" it, but who will save me lol. My Mother always said I had better build a bathroom in it as I would end up living in it. Obviously she disapproved, and as in many things looking back she was right.

This thing will either save me or destroy me. After 23 years I am about to sell it one way or the other. Anyone who would buy it look to EBay in the near future. If it does not sell for more than the mimimum then I guess it will either continue to be stored or maybe a partner will help me finish restoring it.

I am hopeful that there is someone out there who has an interest in owning and finishing the restoration. There have been comments about it's destruction or missing parts. The parts are safely stored separate from the main shuttle, as they are restored and I did not want them to be stored outside somewhere.

Well, the guy linked to the same old video and offered no new photos. I have to say that I don't believe whatever he says, until I see some photos and/or video of the Galileo wherever it is right now....

 

[Captain Robert April]

Dunderhead? You had and still have no idea of what the owner has endured in owning that behemoth.

I apologized for that remark, and explained the growing frustration over the lack of any news regarding the status, or even whereabouts, of the Galileo.

Frankly, if I can't convince her to ship it out here to the Wings Over The Rockies museum, where it'd have a nice warm home and lots of restorative love and affection, I hope she opts for the Phase II bunch, where it'll (hopefully) have a nice warm home, lots of restorative love and affection, along with being used in some future production.

I really hope it doesn't just get handed off to some rich dude to hide in his barn.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I see that someone over at HobbyTalk, evidently possessed of no skill or talent of their own, had to take a swipe at Ed.

In fact, a lot of the responses over there pretty much confirm "Lyndie's" decision to remain anonymous all of these years - a great lot of pompous nonsense and very little real help. A lot of us might do a lot of things if we had 100,000 dollars, but that's not the same as actually being of any use whatever.

And, for those of you with advice. It is appreciated, but nothing I haven't heard over the past 23 years.

Indeed.

 

[Maurice]

I see that someone over at HobbyTalk, evidently possessed of no skill or talent of their own, had to take a swipe at Ed.

In fact, a lot of the responses over there pretty much confirm "Lyndie's" decision to remain anonymous all of these years - a great lot of pompous nonsense and very little real help. A lot of us might do a lot of things if we had 100,000 dollars, but that's not the same as actually being of any use whatever.

I think the suggestions of the Wings Over The Rockies and the Science Fiction Museum are good ones. The thing shouldn't be used in a fan-film, as it's a genuine artifact and not be put to production use. It needs restoration and preservation, not use.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

It should be bought by whoever owns the Batmobile that Barris converted from the Futura, and travel to car shows all over the country every weekend. George Takei can sit at a table selling autographs.

 

[Forbin]

I see that someone over at HobbyTalk, evidently possessed of no skill or talent of their own, had to take a swipe at Ed.

In fact, a lot of the responses over there pretty much confirm "Lyndie's" decision to remain anonymous all of these years - a great lot of pompous nonsense and very little real help. A lot of us might do a lot of things if we had 100,000 dollars, but that's not the same as actually being of any use whatever.

I think the suggestions of the Wings Over The Rockies and the Science Fiction Museum are good ones. The thing shouldn't be used in a fan-film, as it's a genuine artifact and not be put to production use. It needs restoration and preservation, not use.

It was MADE to be filmed. I have no problem with it being used - lovingly - in a fan film.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I see that someone over at HobbyTalk, evidently possessed of no skill or talent of their own, had to take a swipe at Ed.

In fact, a lot of the responses over there pretty much confirm "Lyndie's" decision to remain anonymous all of these years - a great lot of pompous nonsense and very little real help. A lot of us might do a lot of things if we had 100,000 dollars, but that's not the same as actually being of any use whatever.

I think the suggestions of the Wings Over The Rockies and the Science Fiction Museum are good ones. The thing shouldn't be used in a fan-film, as it's a genuine artifact and not be put to production use. It needs restoration and preservation, not use.

Agreed.

 

[GSchnitzer]

It should be bought by whoever owns the Batmobile that Barris converted from the Futura, and travel to car shows all over the country every weekend. George Takei can sit at a table selling autographs.

George Barris still has his original Batmobile--the one made from his old Futura. James and I visited George's shop not long ago:

You can see it at George Barris' Barris Kustom Industries shop on Riverside Drive in North Hollywood. (And yes, that's K.I.T.T. behind James.)

Recruiting the knowledge and resources of a car customizer like Mr. George Barris or Mr. Dean Jeffries, or certainly and most obvioulsy, the man who built the Galileo originally Mr. Gene Winfield would probably figure into any restoration plans.

But restoration is farther down the checklist--and final disposition of what is arguably a wonderful museum piece is even farther down the list. Making sure the artifact is secure and not in danger of further deterioration would be much higher priorities.

 

[Captain Robert April]

I see that someone over at HobbyTalk, evidently possessed of no skill or talent of their own, had to take a swipe at Ed.

After what he did to the Enterprise, he's earned a swipe or two.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

In a way, trekkies are fortunate in being able to treat these old props and set pieces as icons and relics (in the religious sense) in that Paramount disposed of most of them so quickly after TOS ceased production. There was Mork's/Colonel Green's outfit, of course, but otherwise fans were spared seeing bits of the bridge or the shuttlecraft or the Dayton model of the Enterprise itself repainted and recycled through endless ABC Movie-Of-The-Week sci-fi thrillers and low-budget series pilots in the 1970s.

 

[Redfern]

Ooh, good point! I remember reading an article describing how one of the Jupiter 2 models (I think the two footer) had additional windows cut and then perched upon a "tower" to served as part of an underwater city in a later IA production. Or, the "hero" B9 costume/prop from LiS used in a Saturday morning live-action series titled "Mystery Island". The custom crafted "bubble" was replaced with a cylindrical "cake dish"; the neon section was covered and the whole thing was painted white.

Imagine, the 11 foot Enterprise "could" have been "beheaded", discarding the engineering hull and nacelles, leaving only the primary hull to serve as some generic "flying saucer" in a drive-in flick.

I could describe other "horrors", but I don't want to leave any fans shuddering in a dark corner.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Captain Robert April]

The deflector dish and forward nacelle domes probably got recycled into something else.

 

[TOSalltheway]

Star Trek the New Voyages had an episode where Matt Decker was found living in the late 20th century after escaping the Doomsday Machine. In a garage they had a pretty authentic looking Federation shuttle. Anyone know anything about that prop ?

 

[Kelso]

^ It was CGI, as I recall.

 

[Captain Robert April]

It was some sort of optical, that's for sure.

 

[22 Stars]

Ya, that was not a full scale Shuttle. Looked great but yes, CG.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Not sure the shuttlecraft would fit very well in a standard garage...