I re-watched the end scenes and it looks like the stock easily rotates depending on where it is resting. It's more apparent when in motion as the screenshots usually catch the stock tucked between Kirk's side and right arm which puts it in a vertical position. But when it leans against him without his arm forcing it vertical it leans to the body or sometimes goes horizontal. http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x03hd/wherenomanhasgonebeforehd630.jpg http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x03hd/wherenomanhasgonebeforehd858.jpg Maybe the stock worked loose during filming and Shatner was consciously holding it that way to keep the stock vertical?
Decided to do a quick re-paint to envision what the rifle would've looked like had it made it to regular series production, giving it the same colors as the Phaser 1&2 combo and changing the copper to a more brass feel. Not sure if I like it just yet, just experimenting!
The description from the auction guide was very illuminating; the phaser rifle always seemed like a bit of an oddball design, not entirely fitting with the aesthetics of other TOS props designed by Matt Jefferies and Wah Chang, and this explains why.
Beautiful work. Any thoughts that the vertical "antenna" might be retractable/telescoping into the handle as suggested in the auction guide? Turn the rifle "on"; the lights come on and the antenna extends.
I checked the instruction manual: "The antenna is a wireless power receiver from orbiting starships for higher external power. With the power coils rotated out of alignment the rifle will switch to wireless external power." (just kidding) Or alternatively it could also be a datalink between a networked group of phaser rifles and orbiting control for coordinated fire.
I love the retro aesthetics of the phaser rifle, there's something about it that just makes it a thing of beauty.
Yes. Although it doesn't quite fit in with the aesthetics of TOS, I can totally see it dating from "The Cage" era, where ST had a bit more of the flavor of Forbidden Planet.
Yep, the three cylinders seems to tie in to the rotating barrel of the Cage laser pistols, so it's a nice fit for that pre-TOS aesthetic.
@Donny I just staggered through the last episode of Discovery and was wondering if you were ever going to model that ship and see if you can make those wonderful turbolifts fit inside...? On a related note, the WNMHGB phaser rifle is a thing of beauty!
A particular scene in the finale made it even worse. Made the Disco look like it should be as big as the Enterprise-J on the inside.
Indeed. There are many things about Discovery I really enjoy. In fact, I think this was their best season yet overall, but the turbolift fight scene was just a tad-bit over the top for me.
In Spoiler for Donny's sake: Spoiler: Turbolifts https://youtu.be/75Pp-Hele7M It still reminds me of riding Space Mountain when I was a kid.
I remember not liking Donny's earlier phaser renderings--until I saw his exploded version, and suddenly a light bulb went off. I could see the bones of the old Phaser II within the cowling, and it all made sense. Same deal here. I always thought the phaser rifle was hokey '60s Flash Gordon that didn't 'fit' with Starfleet design. Once again, Donny, you've done the impossible and made that old phaser rifle prop greater than the sum of its parts, so to speak. I love your repaint job especially. <offtopic> I (deliberately) haven't watched Disco at all. I want to be sure it ties into canon eventually, or I'm not going to waste my time on it. So far it ain't lookin' promising, and that clip of a hollow ship full o' turbolifts makes WTF amounts of sense. Why, oh why, can't Star Trek come up with ship designs that make sense anymore? A shuttlebay or a rec deck that doesn't quite fit in the hull is one thing...but this is redonkulous. </offtopic>
Pardon this bump, but I was poking through some of the Roddenberry papers and ran across an overage report which indicates the curved walls of the pilots' briefing room featured some kind of "plastic". Dunno why they decided to "remove" whatever this plastic was four days before filming began. Also, notice the mention of the "Elevator Wall to Briefing Room" and "Backing Wall". In Pilot 1 the only door we glimpse in that room is identically metallic to the doors on the bridge (the other doors seen on the ship are not metallic). As Pike heads to his cabin through that room that suggests he came out of the lift into that room and then into the corridor beyond. My guess is the notes re this wall and door for the 2nd pilot indicates they changed it to be an exit to a corridor by putting a corridor backing wall beyond.