Bringing back to life the Apollo Class

[Starship]

Well... again, a loooong time has passed since the last update in this thread...

Familly and job takes precedence and don´t let me to much free time. Anyway, I´m playing with sketchup again, trying one more time to build a new incarnation of the old Apollo Class, a ship designed by Eric Peterson loooong time ago (1998), when the Wolfpack team still walked on Earth. Since my mesh isn´t totally true to the original version, I will call it the MKII. In the current stage, the sensor/weapons pod and naceles are still placeholders which I got from and old low polly from Bridge Commander game, but the main shape is there. Still a lot to do:

 

[Rekkert]

Always good to see you back at it, nice (re)start!

 

[Kaiser]

looks good so far

 

[Atolm]

This is a really beautiful ship and mesh bro! I have always wondered 2 things concerning the sensor pods: First-If they are attached on what appears to be seperated "pylons" are they modular individually from each other? Second-Has anyone ever flipped those pods backwards? As in the front being the wider part of the pods leading into the trailing longer, thinner sections. Just wondering is all.

 

[Finn]

I love that.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Always loved this design - much better than the Nebula, IMO. Can’t wait to see the final product!

 

[Starship]

This is a really beautiful ship and mesh bro! I have always wondered 2 things concerning the sensor pods: First-If they are attached on what appears to be seperated "pylons" are they modular individually from each other? Second-Has anyone ever flipped those pods backwards? As in the front being the wider part of the pods leading into the trailing longer, thinner sections. Just wondering is all.

Thanks Chris!
Yeah, the ship has two pods and two pylons, which also have weapons in the middle
About a version with pods flipped backwards, I don´t know... I never saw a version like this. Therefore, I saw a version with just one rounded (dish) pod, like the one we see in nebula class variant.

 

[Sqweloookle]

Very awesome the Apollo-class! Thank you for sharing! I wonder what it would look like using Sternbach's Ambassador's saucer and engineering hulls.
It also looks like the pods struts can bring the pods up and down! That is cool.

 

[Starship]

Since the old days of the Wolfpack group (1998), I always admired the Apollo Class buit by Eric Peterson in the old 3ds Max 2. Along the years I tryed to built her several times. In all of them until now, I got frustated.
After many years of abscence and, after to see the brilliant work of Marc Bell, Chris Kuhn, Alexander Klemm, Gidian Plebuch, Gerard Duffy and others, I tought it was the time to try again, and for the first time I believe that I can do some justice to Eric Peterson. Of course that I can´t compare my wip with the masters pointed above, but it isn´t that bad this time, right?
Bridge and neck are still placeholders. After to build them, will be the time to add details.
So, here it goes the updates.

 

[publiusr]

I sometimes wonder if the Nebula’s second pod and the Cardassian “wings” came from the same mold

 

[137th Gebirg]

Interesting thought! I went back to look at them and I'm thinking likely not. Here are some shots of the never-used Neb pod:


And here's the Galor class:

While the two shapes look similar, the Galor wings are definitely flatter, and possess more detailing than the more smooth Neb pod. The Galor wings also have more angular edges, whereas the pod has a smoother overall outer curvature.

 

[Starship]

That never used pod looks to much interesting!
Maybe I´ll try to build a variant. Thank you for the pics.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Anytime!

Looking forward to seeing the finished pics.

 

[Starship]

Well, after to see the pic of the unused concept pod for the nebula class posted by 137th Gebirg, I´m thinking about a sister to the NCC-10570 - USS Apollo. Why not the NCC-10575 - USS Artemis? The sister wil have a pod based upon that unused concept, and a "cave" in the secondary hull, like the Excelsior.
What do you think?

 

[137th Gebirg]

Great start!

I think, though, based on how the pod strut is angled (forward) on production Nebula types, and based on the direction the Miranda weapons pod is pointing on the original, I would flip it 180 degrees.

 

[Dukhat]

I can't believe in the 9 years this thread has been in existence, I've just stumbled upon it now. In a nutshell, I've always loved that Eric Peterson design, because:

1. I've never accepted that those Vulcan freighters were supposed to be Apollo class Starfleet starships;

2. The Ambassador class never had a single canon variant class, like how the Constitution had the Miranda, or the Galaxy had the Nebula;

3. The official registries for the Apollo class ships are contemporary to the U.S.S. Ambassador's registry;

4. It's just a damn good design.

With all that said, I really love all the refinements you've made to the design. Keep up the good work.

 

[JES]

I'm sorry, but that alternative pod design just is not working for me as it is. It's just weird seeing the torpedo pod set right on top of the sensor platform. Makes it look too much like a kitbash that belongs in a ragtag Rebel fleet, as opposed to a sophisticated piece of equipment.

And Artemis was used by a ship around the same time, listed on Memory Beta as a Reliant class. Of course, the Miranda class would be getting old by then, so I'm been thinking of using the Mediterranean class as a platform for a TLE Light Cruiser, using the same FASA registries. Yet another one of my TLE project I'd like to do...

Then again, I think it's ridiculous that Starfleet would continue to use the same hull part from 2265 to 2320. For all I know, this could be the Reliant class, and the McQuarrie design seen in the BOBW could be an Apollo class, or the other way around.

 

[Dukhat]

I'm sorry, but that alternative pod design just is not working for me as it is. It's just weird seeing the torpedo pod set right on top of the sensor platform. Makes it look too much like a kitbash that belongs in a ragtag Rebel fleet, as opposed to a sophisticated piece of equipment.

And Artemis was used by a ship around the same time, listed on Memory Beta as a Reliant class. Of course, the Miranda class would be getting old by then, so I'm been thinking of using the Mediterranean class as a platform for a TLE Light Cruiser, using the same FASA registries. Yet another one of my TLE project I'd like to do...

Then again, I think it's ridiculous that Starfleet would continue to use the same hull part from 2265 to 2320. For all I know, this could be the Reliant class, and the McQuarrie design seen in the BOBW could be an Apollo class, or the other way around.

I also think that overscaled Reliant torpedo pod doesn't really fit in with the aesthetic. It turns a nice looking ship into a more kitbashy-looking one. Perhaps if it didn't look exactly like the Reliant's pod...

And the McQuarrie model was used in Unification, not BoBW.

 

[JES]

I also think that overscaled Reliant torpedo pod doesn't really fit in with the aesthetic. It turns a nice looking ship into a more kitbashy-looking one. Perhaps if it didn't look exactly like the Reliant's pod...

And the McQuarrie model was used in Unification, not BoBW.

Hmm, I thought I read somewhere that it was also amongst the 359 wreckage, or reused footage from Unification.

 

[Starship]

I'm sorry, but that alternative pod design just is not working for me as it is. It's just weird seeing the torpedo pod set right on top of the sensor platform. Makes it look too much like a kitbash that belongs in a ragtag Rebel fleet, as opposed to a sophisticated piece of equipment.

Well, it is based upon the unused concept, but I´m not happy with that piece too and I´m looking for alternatives.

And Artemis was used by a ship around the same time, listed on Memory Beta as a Reliant class. Of course, the Miranda class would be getting old by then, so I'm been thinking of using the Mediterranean class as a platform for a TLE Light Cruiser, using the same FASA registries. Yet another one of my TLE project I'd like to do...

First, Memory Beta is a non-canon Star Trek wiki.
Second, Artemis is the sister of Apollo in greek mithology.
So, I will keep the name.

Then again, I think it's ridiculous that Starfleet would continue to use the same hull part from 2265 to 2320. For all I know, this could be the Reliant class, and the McQuarrie design seen in the BOBW could be an Apollo class, or the other way around.

The Apollo class was built by Eric Peterson around 1998 or even before. I will keep the name of the ship the class too.
About starfleet to use or not the same hull parts, who knows? It is all fictional.