"Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

[Maurice]

Hey all:

I was just at the Star Trek Experience in Vegas and shot a lot of photos of Greg Jein's Daedalus class model, which he built for The Star Trek Chronology book, and which later appeared on SIsko's Desk (I believe). I've not seen a lot of detailed photos of this, so I thought I'd share.

Excuse the fuzziness of some of the images. I was doing handheld in low light with no flash and sometimes my hands weren't as steady as I'd like!

Full photo set here!

 

[FredH]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

Interesting that the side decal says "United Federation," rather than "United Federation of Planets" (under the NCC registry on the seccondary hull).

 

[Lieut. Arex]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

Is that ship drooping?

 

[Maurice]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

I think gravity is having an effect on the model, yes.

 

[Horizon]

Thank you very much.
Those were the best pictures of that model that I've seen.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

FredH said:
Interesting that the side decal says "United Federation," rather than "United Federation of Planets" (under the NCC registry on the seccondary hull).

Not only that, but the typeface for the ship's lettering is that from TMP and other post-TOS shows and movies.

IMO, I don't think this was a model that was ever to be looked at too closely...

 

[Captain Robert April]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

It's also a good demonstration of why it was rejected as a final design for the Enterprise.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

The design looks so fragile.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

I know there are a lot of people who hate this design and are quick to slap on the "fugly" or "garbage-can" term on it, but I think it works as a ship that predates the Constitution-class by a century or so. To me, its fragility and less-sophisticated design is appropriate for an early and no-frills starship class. I mean, it wouldn't be right for it to look like it can beat the Constitution-class, IMO...

 

[Ronald Held]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

I think there is some logic in that analysis.

 

[USS Valkyrie]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

I remember seeing that model when I was 13 and went to the Experience. Oh, and I digress....
Anyway, that design works quite well as a precurser to the Connie. And before we go nailing it to the wall for having the wrong font on it *rolls eyes*, I feel I should point out that this was just supposed to be a model to decorate the DS9 sets. And for the record, that thing gets the big FUGLY sticker across the front of the.....sphere.

 

[sbk1234]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

Those are great photos. I've never seen this ship from so many angles. I think it could have worked as a hero ship from an earlier era. But they never asked the fans...

 

[Starlock]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Desk

One of the only problems I've ever has with this design is resisting the temptation to say "Open the Pod Bay doors, HAL" everytime I see it.

 

[ProwlAlpha]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

Honestly, that ship would not make a great Hero ship. It has really no appeal design-wise, and eye-pleasing. Besides, the higher ups would have that vessel up close, because as we all know, fans are stupid and think that vessel is the Discovery, or the Constitution Class Enterprise.

 

[Wingsley]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

Why can't we accept the design as a prototype, or one of the "early" samples of this class of starship, and that the "final draft" for this class was improved?

My theory on the Daedalus was that it was a prototype, rushed into service during the Earth-Romulan conflict. The prototype was an early experiment into the technologies that would eventually be used in various classes of early Federation starships. When Earth needed ships to fight off the Romulans, the Daedalus Project was hurriedly expanded to include serveral copies. A design flaw was discovered in combat: the joining of the tubular neck/dorsal and the nacelle pylons made for a severe "Achilles heel", the Romulan mines found tempting. Though vulnerable, the Daedalus Project still proved a valuable test bed for many starship technologies, including a new generation of highly refined laser-weapons. The Daedalus Project was retired after the war's end, but the design was quickly resurrected in 2161 to form the basis for a new "frigate" class of Federation starships fitted with the new "Warp 7 Engine".

(Here's what the Daedalus-class Federation starfrigates might look like
http://www.karimnassar.com/design/daedalus.php

Though no Federation starships would reliably sustain Warp 7 for another 60 years, and the Federation would not be able to produce a reliable Warp 8 engine until the late 2250's, descendants and derivatives of the Daedalus Project design would serve the Federation clear through the 24th century.

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

I just love how the primary hull looks like a water bottle.

 

[ancient]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

I love this ship. A very cool design.

 

[Wingsley]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

Trekker4747 said:
I just love how the primary hull looks like a water bottle.

That could be addressed by modifying the Karim Nassar design.

I'd like to see a more Constitution-like front end on the cylindrical secondary hull. I'd also like to see the nacelle pylons replaced with tubular ones whose finish mimicks the corrugated surface of the rest of the ship's design.

 

[Timo]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

I still really like the design as is, looks-wise, and as a predecessor to the ENT era vessels, pseudohistory-wise.

Given the lack of visible weapons (as opposed to the very visible ones of ENT era ships), she could be an unarmed survey vessel from the 2130s, a type that doesn't need to keep up with the Joneses because the survey profession undergoes none of the constant escalation that the military profession does. Federation Starfleet would adopt the old designs without hesitation, just painting on new registries and pennant colors, and never bother to refit them much. They'd be dumped in the 2190s after running out of structural life.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Outpost4]

Re: "Daedalus" class model from Chronology & Sisko's Des

I've thought of the Daedalus Class as the equivalent of the Liberty ships of World War II - something cheap and easy that could be turned out in great numbers during wartime.

In my timeline, the Daedalus Class was created for the Earth-Romulan War as general purpose ships. They had some weaponry, mostly for self protection, but otherwise could serve as troop and cargo haulers. After the war, their great numbers insured they would be central to exploring the galaxy during the early years of the Federation.