BLSSDWLF's TOS Enterprise WIP

[Robert Comsol]

I finally published today my revised draft of Engineering Deck 11.

In other news I discovered today a photo of all the original 11 foot VFX model and flight deck text signs (see post 11-13-12).

As we know from Richard Datin's website these text signs were used on the flight deck model miniature (i.e. two text signs from the small print were used on the exterior of the 11' model while obviously the bigger ones were used for the flight deck model).

Though it's practically impossible to read the text in the original TOS shots, we can see two words on the port side white panel, which therefore can either be:

• OXYGEN VENT
• GROUND LOCK
• HYDRAULIC ACCESS

For the larger equipment bay on the starboard side, the photo in Allan Asherman's Star Trek Compendium reveals that it apparently is a text sign consisting of two words in two lines (top line wider than bottom line):

• EQUIPMENT / HATCH
• EXPLOSIVE BOLT / ACCESS

A forensic analysis of the available shuttlebay miniature shots may reveal where to place which text signs once we know the proportions of the text (just to have all the texts in readable form really made my day today).

Bob

 

[Mytran]

The Asherman photo:

 

[blssdwlf]

@Bob - that's a great find!

@Mytran - excellent photo as well!

Does anyone know where this is from? I took a snap of it while researching with google but I didn't remember to write down where it came from:

 

[Robert Comsol]

Amazing find, blssdwlf! In your shuttle storage thread Mytran presented what would be the corresponding close-up shot of the embayment on the starboard side.


I did express some doubt whether the pictures are authentic (compare the proportions of the embayment to authentic VFX model shots). They could simply be a fan's reproduction of the original model (did this come from a modeler's magazine???).


What confuses me here, is that Richard Datin (he knew best) claimed that texts of the text sign sheet had been used for the flight deck signage, but none of these signs in these close-up shots do feature any of this text and apparently use a different font style for the lettering.


Apparently Richard Datin had high resolution shots of the original flight deck miniature with text, but what he posted on his startrekman.us website lacks the necessary resolution to decipher the text.


Unless I'd see solid evidence to the contrary, I'd assume the close-up shots to come from a fan reproduction.


Bob

 

[blssdwlf]

I did express some doubt whether the pictures are authentic (compare the proportions of the embayment to authentic VFX model shots). They could simply be a fan's reproduction of the original model (did this come from a modeler's magazine???).

They might be reproductions. OTOH, in the Photo Request thread, USS Mariner posts some pics (which unfortunately are no longer there) in #16 which Professor Moriarty used in his CGI model. FalTorPan comments on it in #37 and he mentions seeing "Fueling Station". I wonder if the pics posted by USS Mariner had close ups in it?

In either case, for my purposes since it isn't readable it can mean anything. "Fueling Station" makes sense but if I had to pick from the decal sheet, "Ground Lock" and "Oxygen Vent" have my vote.

 

[Robert Comsol]

There is another tiny but noticable discrepancy between the color close-up photo and the original black & white photo of the original VFX miniature.

In the original miniature the direction triangle is outside the white text frame while in the model reconstruction it is inside and next to the text.

I presume the small print texts on the decal sheet would have gone into the smaller white frames.

I concur, but I'd prefer "Oxygen Vent" over "Ground Lock". The thingies on the wall could be oxygen vents and I think that has a "stay clear" character.
On a pressurized flight deck you try to keep fuse cutters and the like out of this area, while on a decompressed deck you wouldn't want to stay near these vents in an EVA suit.

Might blow you straight from port to starboard.

Bob

 

[blssdwlf]

Haven't posted to this thread in a while. Been busy with work but hope to return to it soon.

Just for grins, an early horizontal intermix shaft

http://www.retronaut.com/2013/03/the-great-paris-exposition-telescope/

 

[Robert Comsol]

^^ Absolutely cool, no wonder the company went bankrupt when nobody bought their "intermix shaft".

Which brings me inevitably to the question how should we imagine a TOS intermix shaft?

Can't help the feeling that Mike Minor was on to something: http://ottens.co.uk/forgottentrek/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Mike-Minor-Engineering-concept-art.png (and they actually built the first set as Mike Minor had envisioned it for the original "Phase II").

Bob
http://ottens.co.uk/forgottentrek/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Mike-Minor-Engineering-concept-art.png

 

[blssdwlf]

I would imagine a TOS intermix shaft or energy conduit to have all these metallic shielding plates around it

I saw this today with Shatner vs the Gorn and cracked up laughing. (It's an advert for a AbramsTrek video game, but the promo is with Shatner and a replica Gorn.)

http://observationdeck.io9.com/shatner-vs-the-gorn-462116804

 

[TIN_MAN]

The tubular thingy Floxx sabotages "in A Mirror Darkly" was based on original plans from the phase II production; if you look closely, you can see a "family resemblance" to Minors vertical intermix chamber.

 

[blssdwlf]

I've thought about that although I'm still in the boat of segregating Enterprise episodes as their own continuity from TOS and counting that USS Defiant not as the same one lost in the original TOS episode.

 

[Timo]

...Or that it is, but that it never was identical to the Enterprise. The sixty-plus ships built in between might have taught Starfleet a thing or two...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Warped9]

I've thought about that although I'm still in the boat of segregating Enterprise episodes as their own continuity from TOS and counting that USS Defiant not as the same one lost in the original TOS episode.

 

[TIN_MAN]

I've thought about that although I'm still in the boat of segregating Enterprise episodes as their own continuity from TOS and counting that USS Defiant not as the same one lost in the original TOS episode.

Oh, I reach ya, just thought I'd throw that out there for what it's worth. Just food for thought, that's all; and not saying you have to use the "IAMD" tube thingy "whole cloth", just take anything you may like about it and Minors original, and combine it with a more TOSy feel, like the conduit evil Kirk phasers in "The Enemy Within" for example, and your off and running?

 

[blssdwlf]

No worries. I've got some ideas

 

[Robert Comsol]

I've thought about that although I'm still in the boat of segregating Enterprise episodes as their own continuity from TOS and counting that USS Defiant not as the same one lost in the original TOS episode.

I agree that TOS and the spin-offs are different continuities and entities, however I'm happy each time there's a new set that could be retroactively fit into the TOS Enterprise without contradicting available TOS footage, regardless whether it's from TAS or ENT.

If we invent new spaces previously unseen it's still entirely conjectural and open to debate and taste, once we integrate spaces seen in other "spin-offs" we'd reach a larger audience and it'll be more palatable...

Bob

 

[blssdwlf]

If we invent new spaces previously unseen it's still entirely conjectural and open to debate and taste, once we integrate spaces seen in other "spin-offs" we'd reach a larger audience and it'll be more palatable...

First, it is already conjectural and open to debate and taste regardless if I use something that appears in a "spin-off". Would that space exist on the TOS Enterprise in the TOS continuity if we saw it on another ship that is from an unconfirmed-to-TOS-continuity? We don't know - thus we're guessing already.

Second, it is a slippery slope for me to do so that will take me outside of the scope of this project. If I incorporate "In A Mirror Darkly" or more closer to home "Trials and Tribblations", do I then accept the historical and technology implications that come with the Enterprise-continuity and/or DS9-continuity? I already include the TOS films (up to ST6) and that's as far as I'm willing to take it.

One of these days after I finish this project, I might take a shot at other continuities or try my hand at integrating an "ideal" version that has all the continuities blended to one.

 

[chronografer]

I must (and it is a personal "must") agree with blssdwlf.
There is room for both (or all) approaches, of course. But for me, I have an emotional and life-experience attachment to the original series and ship. It pulled me in and opened up new possibilities when I saw the very first episode the very first time it aired. That is canon for me. When other series or movies depart from that, I recoil and cringe. It is actually very visceral (no examples named so as not to derail things.
My point is 1) my canon is like blssdwlf and it is an emotional decision for me, and 2) it simplifies my universe to allow me to enjoy what I like best about it.
Life is full and good, but I cannot take it all it. I must limit my scope.

 

[Timo]

On the other hand, it's pretty damned difficult for any incarnation of Trek to really step on the toes of another, because none of the incarnations has been anywhere near exhaustive in its description of Kirk's starship. If we took everything shown in TOS and everything shown in the six TOS movies, we could basically shove it all inside one and the same hull, the bridge and the shuttle hangar notwithstanding - with room left over for interiors of one's personal liking.

There's no need to do that, of course, what with the "refitting"/"new ship" thing between the show and the movies, but it's a good indication of how much is possible with the integrating of TOS with TAS or with the DS9/ENT retrospectives on TOS...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[blssdwlf]

@chronografer - Thanks!

@Timo - I half agree. The TOS movies and TOS play fairly well together. It's the spin-offs that is problematic with their differing histories and technologies. I'd rather not cherry pick from the spin-offs and keep this project simple. The areas we don't see on the TOS Enterprise in this project will be extrapolated from the TOS episodes (not new-FX TOS) and movies although they may not agree with any of the spin-offs' interpretations.