Enterprise Cutaway Coming From Dragon Models

[Racer_X]

The Startrek.com website just announced a few products coming out later this year, including a cutaway model of the original USS Enterprise from Dragon Models. The high-res photo looks like it'll be based off of the Drexler cutaway diagram. It's 18" long, all for the low, low price of $175! With a lot lower price, it might be a cool novelty item to have, but at $175, I dunno....

 

[Albertese]

Hmm... Looking at the picture... I'm not too impressed. I think the most I'd pay for that would be about $35 USD. Heck, I could BUILD a better one at twice that size for the money, as that's about what a PL 1:350 TOS-E plus the extra plastic for the cut-a-way details would cost....

--Alex

 

[Mytran]

Interesting idea to use transparent perspex, but not really enough detail for my liking.

 

[Robert Comsol]

"Hmm... Looking at the picture... I'm not too impressed. I think the most I'd pay for that would be about $35 USD. Heck, I could BUILD a better one at twice that size for the money, as that's about what a PL 1:350 TOS-E plus the extra plastic for the cut-a-way details would cost...."

My thoughts exactly.

And you could realize a cutaway version that's much more "screen-accurate"

Bob

 

[137th Gebirg]

Needs a bowling alley.

 

[B.J.]

Sounds like it's a new mold, not the same one that was produced a while back (1990s?). But from the pic, it doesn't look like it's that much better. Hrm. I'm with Albertese, it looks like it's worth around $35, not $175.

 

[Mytran]

You mean this one?

This fellow has done a video on his assembly of the kit:


(click for link)

 

[Robert Comsol]

You mean this one?

Hmm...I think I don't know this one, the jetstream emanating from the warp nacelles would have been something I definitely would have remembered.

Bob

 

[137th Gebirg]

^^^ IIRC, that was SciPubTech's TOS cutaway poster from many many years ago. Around the same time, AMT/ERTL released a slightly larger-than-classic version of the 1701 which included a cutaway component. While still inaccurate in many respects, it was definitely a step up from the the original version that's been around since the 60's. Aside from that, I'm not familiar with any other mass-produced TOS cutaway efforts.

 

[Albertese]

^^^
Nope. I believe this is art for the Cut-away model kit from AMT that you mention. The Sci-pub-tech poster presents the ship at a totally different angle.

--Alex

 

[137th Gebirg]

^^^ Yes, I stand corrected.

My memory really sucks lately.

 

[blssdwlf]

I agree with Albertese's assessment. $175 is way too much, IMO.

 

[SchwEnt]

Which would be better?

A partial cutaway model, with only certain sections exposed as seen in this model

-or-

a full cutaway, right down the middle, see the whole guts of the ship bi-sected?

 

[Robert Comsol]

Which would be better?

A partial cutaway model, with only certain sections exposed as seen in this model

-or-

a full cutaway, right down the middle, see the whole guts of the ship bi-sected?

I'm somewhat undecided but if Dragon Models is listening this is what I would like the best:

A model kit of the original studio set like the one Matt Jefferies did with paper to help the TOS directors plan their camera positions at 1:32 or 1:35 scale !!!

(the old AMT command bridge and shuttlecraft were one of these scakes, I believe).

Have this one with movable walls (like the original set) and forget about that LEGO stuff. I'd have a wonderful time with my two boys building new corridors and new sections of the ship on a weekly basis and eventually make a deck by deck Enterprise in 1:35 scale (needless to add it would be more fun for all our deck plan blueprinting projects if you were able to do that in real 3D - especially if you are not a CAD wizard ).

Now, that's something I'd be willing to pay 175.00 $ without a moment of hesitation.

Bob

 

[Good]

I bought several of the old cutaway when they were on close-out at Big Lots. This was back when there wasn't a good TOS 1701 plastic kit out there. My plan was to combine the two into a non-cutaway full version. I tested it out by using the extra parts to make a Saladin. It turned out pretty well, but right before I finished it, I had to pack it up in my parents basement and move to another state. I recently got it back out. This makes me think I might need to try and finish it.

 

[Forbin]

A lot of people made a complete non-cutaway E out of that cutaway model. It's more accurate than the ol' AMT kit, but still has its problems. I never tried it myself, 'cause I have no confidence that I could get rid of that seam when you put the saucer pie slices togather.

 

[Racer_X]

Some pictures from the New York Toy Fair are showing up, giving us details of the topside of the saucer.

Image 1

Image 2

 

[Mytran]

That's the saucer cutaway? It seems to be lacking some...er...details?

Or are those boxes actually what the common crew have to sleep in? I guess rank does have its privilleges!

 

[Albertese]

Yeah... I'm not impressed. The more I see this thing, the more tragic it all seems...

--Alex

 

[137th Gebirg]

This is a shame. What I suspect will happen is anemic sales due to the lack of detail/quality shown in recent photos. That will likely lead to the bean-counter argument that TOS toys are no longer worth doing if nobody buys them, making it a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is much like putting a niche fan-favorite TV show in a difficult time slot doomed to failure.

Sad indeed.

The only thing we can hope for, is that this is but a prototype and the production model will have more detail. Unlikely, though.