From "WNMHGB", it would seem Kirk's mission is to probe beyond the galactic rim. Obviously, this mission is completely abandoned after that episode, so it would make sense to consider "WNMHGB" and the 5YM two separate entities.
Also, while Kirk is on a first-name basis with Mark Piper and nobody else (except of course Gary) in the pilot episode, he's still much closer friends with Mr Spock as far as the drama goes. Perhaps the good Captain just endeavors to get on the good side of the medical brandy cabinet keyholder ASAP. McCoy is portrayed as more than just a close colleague from the get-go, and it would be wise to assume that he is an old friend recently reunited with Kirk.
A fairly short time between "WNMHGB" and "Corbomite" would be nice for explaining why Spock is suddenly sitting on two stools, why Sulu has changed professions rather radically, and why Uhura is in the process of changing uniform color. That is, the casualties to the command structure are recent and still not completely compensated for!
As for refitting the ship, I'd argue that no refit (apart from a quick bridge module swap and minor internal cosmetics) took place. After all, we still see the ship in her "WNMHGB" guise during the regular episodes, in brief glimpses of stock footage. Probably the ship simply always had retractable spikes on the nacelle front ends, and a variable-geometry sensor/deflector dish. And the spherical mufflers over the nacelle exhaust ends are retracted for occasional purges of stale plasma, or something.
As for Kirk's youth, he might be speaking out of his demented ass in "The Deadly Years" and is in fact 38 or 42 years old there. OTOH, he's probably a mere Commander in the pilot episode, as indicated by his sleeves - a rather young fellah for commanding such a big starship, to be sure, but also an eminently expendable one for this high-risk sortie out of the galaxy...
Timo Saloniemi
Also, while Kirk is on a first-name basis with Mark Piper and nobody else (except of course Gary) in the pilot episode, he's still much closer friends with Mr Spock as far as the drama goes. Perhaps the good Captain just endeavors to get on the good side of the medical brandy cabinet keyholder ASAP. McCoy is portrayed as more than just a close colleague from the get-go, and it would be wise to assume that he is an old friend recently reunited with Kirk.
A fairly short time between "WNMHGB" and "Corbomite" would be nice for explaining why Spock is suddenly sitting on two stools, why Sulu has changed professions rather radically, and why Uhura is in the process of changing uniform color. That is, the casualties to the command structure are recent and still not completely compensated for!
As for refitting the ship, I'd argue that no refit (apart from a quick bridge module swap and minor internal cosmetics) took place. After all, we still see the ship in her "WNMHGB" guise during the regular episodes, in brief glimpses of stock footage. Probably the ship simply always had retractable spikes on the nacelle front ends, and a variable-geometry sensor/deflector dish. And the spherical mufflers over the nacelle exhaust ends are retracted for occasional purges of stale plasma, or something.
As for Kirk's youth, he might be speaking out of his demented ass in "The Deadly Years" and is in fact 38 or 42 years old there. OTOH, he's probably a mere Commander in the pilot episode, as indicated by his sleeves - a rather young fellah for commanding such a big starship, to be sure, but also an eminently expendable one for this high-risk sortie out of the galaxy...
Timo Saloniemi
