Enterprise D or E

[GameOn]

I was never a fan of the Enterprise-D because of its massive top heave saucer but seeing it in HD has given me a new appreciation for its design. The Enterprise-E was a slick looking ship but it some ways it felt like a step backward as it lacked the smooth curves of the Galaxy Class. The lack of a neck between the primary and secondary hull bothered me too because without that it sort of stops being a traditional Star Trek ship in my eyes.

 

[The Emissary]

On the commentary for INS given by Frakes and Sirtis. Frakes says that the joystick controller for the Enterprise was added by Rick Berman. He thought it would be something that would appeal to the gamer crowd. Why the fuck did no one challenge him or say that idea was stupid?

A joystick appeal to the gamer crowd? Yeah maybe circa 1985! Berman....ugh.

Anywho, my favorite of the two is Enterprise-D. The E isn't terrible, but it certainly does not carry that majestic feel the D did. The E seems like the spiritual successor to the Excelsior-class to me.

 

[Dream]

All the Enterprise D model shots in Generations are the only reason I tolerate that movie!

 

[Viper78]

On the commentary for INS given by Frakes and Sirtis. Frakes says that the joystick controller for the Enterprise was added by Rick Berman. He thought it would be something that would appeal to the gamer crowd. Why the fuck did no one challenge him or say that idea was stupid?

A joystick appeal to the gamer crowd? Yeah maybe circa 1985! Berman....ugh.

Anywho, my favorite of the two is Enterprise-D. The E isn't terrible, but it certainly does not carry that majestic feel the D did. The E seems like the spiritual successor to the Excelsior-class to me.

I'm not sure where I read it but I believe the Sovereign class was meant to be the replacement for the Excelsior class & not the galaxy. Probably the reason it was a lot smaller.

I'm sure if the Ent-D had survived it would have continued as the flagship for many more years.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I'm not sure where I read it but I believe the Sovereign class was meant to be the replacement for the Excelsior class & not the galaxy. Probably the reason it was a lot smaller.

I think the idea that the Sovereign-class was intended to be a replacement for the Excelsior-class came from fans (while other fans had the idea that the Sovereign-class was a replacement for the Galaxy-class).

 

[Push The Button]

I'm not sure where I read it but I believe the Sovereign class was meant to be the replacement for the Excelsior class & not the galaxy. Probably the reason it was a lot smaller.

I'm sure if the Ent-D had survived it would have continued as the flagship for many more years.

I'm remembering Adm. Riker's three nacelled hotrod version of the D from "All Good Things", with that giant blaster-cannon. That is the Enterprise that should have been in First Contact.

 

[C.E. Evans]

There are really only two Star Trek ship designs that I really don't like and that three-nacelle Enterprise-D is one of them. It was just way too fanboyish for me with all that extra stuff slapped onto it.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

While fanon may insist that the Enterprise-E was designed more for combat more than the Enterprise-D, there was really no difference in regard to both being hero ships capable of doing whatever was demanded of them.

Ultimately, you're right that the writers would fit it into the story as they wanted. However, I don't see 1701-E, by its design, fulfilling the roll of flagship as well as D. I think that D looks more like a complex symbol of not simply military power, but diplomatic and economic prestige, closer to Air Force One than a stealth fighter.

 

[C.E. Evans]

While fanon may insist that the Enterprise-E was designed more for combat more than the Enterprise-D, there was really no difference in regard to both being hero ships capable of doing whatever was demanded of them.

Ultimately, you're right that the writers would fit it into the story as they wanted. However, I don't see 1701-E, by its design, fulfilling the roll of flagship as well as D. I think that D looks more like a complex symbol of not simply military power, but diplomatic and economic prestige, closer to Air Force One than a stealth fighter.

Well, that's exactly what I meant--we fans may think one design is better suited for this or that, but they're otherwise used in the exact same way onscreen. There really wasn't any mission the Enterprise-E could do that the Enterprise-D couldn't (and vice-versa). And if the story (or executive producer) demanded it, the Enterprise-E could be taken out just as easily as the Enterprise-D.

 

[USS Firefly]

I choose for the Enterprise D

 

[Praetor]

While my starship aesthetic tends to drift towards the long and sleek, there's just something about the D... plus, First Contact onward never fully felt like TNG to me partly because of the IMO unnecessary loss of the D.

 

[Relayer1]

E.

Always hated the D. Squat, wide, ungainly. Ugly.

 

[Captain_Q]

It could just be that I grew up with watching TNG that the D is my absolute favorite Enterprise. If I could be the captain of a starship I would want to captain the D. The E kind of reminds me of "Yesterday's Enterprise" where the timeline got messed up and the D was more warlike. I'm not a fan of war and the D just reminds me of happy times I guess. But I love that Enterprise. I cried when I watched Generations because she was destroyed.

 

[MacLeod]

TSFS did a far better destruction scene for the 1701 than GEN did for the 1701-D.

 

[R. Star]

TSFS is a far better movie than GEN.

Fixed it for you.

 

[Praetor]

Eh, it could do without the 'far.'

 

[Gojira]

E.

Always hated the D. Squat, wide, ungainly. Ugly.

I grew to tolerate the D but I agree with the rest of your sentiments.

 

[C.E. Evans]

E.

Always hated the D. Squat, wide, ungainly. Ugly.

While one is always entitled to a personal opinion or preference--for example, "ungainly" and "ugly" could also be applied to the Enterprise-E for someone inclined to think so--the Enterprise-D really isn't squat at all and actually was one of the last "tall" ships designed for Trek (later designs--including the Sovereign-class--have been designed to be more longer and more "squished down").
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8792/3axissizecompare.jpg

 

[kgartm1185]

E.

Always hated the D. Squat, wide, ungainly. Ugly.

Squat? Last time I checked the Enterprise D's height, at about 195 meters, was more than double the height of the Enterprise E, at 88 meters.

And I wouldn't really call the Enterprise D ugly when it compares to this =

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[Herkimer Jitty]

"All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by."

The -D