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Enterprise A, Salcombe and Reliant

It looks to me that the Reliant has a secondary hull in place of the Armstrong's middle third nacelle.

I don't think so. The Armstrong's center nacelle is larger than the other two, which accounts for the difference. It's actually the side-mounted ones that look funny to me, since they don't seem to have the unlit cap of most Kelvin-nacelles. And, of course, the bussards have been recolored to blue instead of red, but that would've been a quick change. Not that making the caps glow would've been much more work, especially if it was only going to be seen from a distance.

I figured if anything that Armstrong-esque ship would be the Stargazer NCC-2893, namedropped immediately afterwards over the PA while the Enterprise crew disembark

After I saw the movie the first time, I hoped that the Stargazer was actually the under construction soon-to-be Enterprise-A, but on further listening, the message is phrased in such a way that it has to be referring to an operational ship.
 
I'm totally reading "Salcombe" as "Slocombe". :lol:

The captain is probably a Caitian ;)

I don't think so. The Armstrong's center nacelle is larger than the other two, which accounts for the difference. It's actually the side-mounted ones that look funny to me, since they don't seem to have the unlit cap of most Kelvin-nacelles. And, of course, the bussards have been recolored to blue instead of red, but that would've been a quick change. Not that making the caps glow would've been much more work, especially if it was only going to be seen from a distance.

The "Reliant" is actually seen at the end of the movie during the time-lapse of the Ent-A's construction. It's at the top of the screen and moves off to the right as the time-lapse begins. It's as large as the Ent-A, so it's definitely not an Armstrong-type.
 
The one reason to think it would no longer be a middle nacelle is that it has a bow that's different from the side nacelles, right? But within the limits of resolution, that bow is the original nacelle bow, with the middle cap, so how much weight does this piece of evidence really carry?

In-universe, perhaps Starfleet upgraded the ramscoops of the side nacelles but not that of the middle nacelle... Or perhaps the cap is the navigational deflector, and Starfleet decided this ship no longer needed three, and simply yanked out two. Or then the outer nacelles are undergoing repair that makes them look odd.

Out-universe... Who knows. Possibly deliberate modification never was a goal here, and the VFX artists just ramped up some parts of the glow more than they "should" have?

Timo Saloniemi
 
To be fair, once the technical manuals were published it created a whole new realm of fan nitpicking trying to rationalize a decidedly non-canon book that influenced some of the TV series with plot conceits and small inaccuracies. I'm not sure I'd want to paint myself into that corner.
 
For me, though I am interested in the ships, I am more curious about the many auxiliary craft - the shuttles - that were seen in the last two movies. Aside from brief glimpses, there is not much information on these background craft.
 
In light of the trio of movies, it would seem safe to assume that the big shuttles from the first one were not standard Enterprise gear but purely Earth craft that got stuck aboard the ship because she had no shuttles of her own yet for the Vulcan mission. For operational use (at least on certain types of mission), the starship would only embark a single compact type, just as supposedly in TOS. Although I wouldn't rule out special craft being stowed belowdecks or just outside camera view in both cases.

The additional "design" from ST:B is a bit silly - why take the standard shuttle and just move the nacelles to the upper corners? If there was no time to create true original-looking variety, just reuse the big shuttles from the first movie. Or give us a better look at the "flatbed" variant used by the Vengeance construction crews.

Does the shuttle of ST:ID and ST:B have an aft ramp? There are no good stern views in the movies.

Timo Saloniemi
 
Here is a better shot of that Armstrong or whatever it is. The two end nacelles look like the Constitutions.

JkUtv62.png


I don't think so. The Armstrong's center nacelle is larger than the other two, which accounts for the difference.

the Armstrong's centre nacelle is the same size width and height as the other two, it is only longer.
 
In this better view, my easily deceived eyes finally see the faint outline of the familiar roll bar. Also, the center thingamabob appears to be the same diameter as the outriders, only unlit...

It is sort of weird that the dockyards would be in long and narrow tunnels where the ships have real difficulty passing each other.

Timo Saloniemi
 
the Armstrong's centre nacelle is the same size width and height as the other two, it is only longer.

Maybe. Is the center nacelle pylon in the same place? The third nacelle could be set slightly aft of the other two.

Almost like...the AFT NACELLE. ;)
 
I've seen the first 3d printed model of the E-A of good quality out there. I really want a version of it soon.
 
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