Galaxy Class Refit Model

[ClericWill]

Hello, All -

First off, I am a long time reader...first time poster here at the TrekBBS. I have posted maybe once in the past 7 years or so.

As I prepared to move for the first time in a number of years I found myself with a bunch of Star Trek models, some assembled others in pieces, which almost went straight to the garbage. Then I got to thinking it might be fun to put one more Star Trek model together...and I thought what better then to attempt to create a possible version of a refit Galaxy Class starship.

I did some research on the web but could not find any real models outside of the odd CGI image and the AGT version of the Enterprise-D (which I've never been a big fan of). But I did take quite a few notes of people's suggestions for a refit Galaxy (including many from threads on TrekBBS).

To begin with I made a consolidated list of reasonable upgrades for the 20+ year old Galaxy class:

• Upgraded warp drive
• Independent warp drive for the saucer section
• Upgraded weapons including additional phaser arrays, torpedo launchers and quantum torpedoes
• Enhanced sensor arrays
• Upgraded hull design
• Upgraded hull armor
• Upgraded impulse engines
• New main shuttlebay on stardrive section

I then took a look at my two favorite starship designs, the refit Enterprise 1701 and the Enterprise-E and tried to take the things I liked most from each and incorporate them into the refit Galaxy.

I also was limited by the half completed/broken model reminants that I had kicking around.

After I completed assembley and painting I decided I liked the design enough to purchase a set of custom decal sheets from starship modeller. That being said I present the USS Challenger (the name picked b/c of the NASA shuttle and b/c of the 5 names on the decal sheet I thought it was the best ).

Disclaimer: I am not a pro model builder and this is all in good fun...I am sure I am breaking canon or some GR starship building rules.

Enjoy!

links to imageshack

http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=refitgalaxy001el6.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=refitgalaxy002lz6.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=refitgalaxy003cd6.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=refitgalaxy004yt8.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=refitgalaxy005yr8.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=refitgalaxy006qf0.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=refitgalaxy007do0.jpg

 

[Plecostomus]

Not a pro my ass. That looks very good.

So what is that greble at the bow of the saucer? A weapon or an deflector for the saucer-warp?

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

If I could model half as well...

Some awesome use of leftover parts. I think I spot a couple of D'Deridex nacelles hiding in there.

(Nope, no GR design rules borken... most of em are kinda arbitrary anyways)

 

[JNG]

I must say that the appeal of the blue stripes is somewhat lost on me. Warp in the saucer section is rather a dramatic retrofit; to change a spacecraft to an entirely different flight regime would not seem to be occasioned by any massive breakthroughs in warp technology since the commissioning date of the early Galaxy-class ships. (Of course the Prometheus has got something similar going on, albeit engineered that way from the start--and maybe we can say it is okay because the saucer is designed to "coast" down to sublight safely or something, since there's plenty of room in there for new equipment...whatever works.)

These points aside, it is cool to have made something new out of half-completed model parts and such and I am glad you had fun building it. Thanks for sharing your work.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

The model is well-done; however, my only critique is that some of the newer additions like the new nacelle pylons and the rear shuttlebay breaks up the smooth silhouette of Probert's original design and goes against his fluid aesthetic. It also makes the design seem more jagged from the rear and dorsal views.

Warp drive in the saucer section... genius!

 

[ClericWill]

I must say that the appeal of the blue stripes is somewhat lost on me. Warp in the saucer section is rather a dramatic retrofit; to change a spacecraft to an entirely different flight regime would not seem to be occasioned by any massive breakthroughs in warp technology since the commissioning date of the early Galaxy-class ships. (Of course the Prometheus has got something similar going on, albeit engineered that way from the start--and maybe we can say it is okay because the saucer is designed to "coast" down to sublight safely or something, since there's plenty of room in there for new equipment...whatever works.)

These points aside, it is cool to have made something new out of half-completed model parts and such and I am glad you had fun building it. Thanks for sharing your work.

Thanks for the comments so far, all! I must admidt the blue highlights are a non functional, non relevant indulgence on my part. I suppose from an "I am an Admiral and this is my ship" perspective, the blue highlights would be there in homage to the ships which came before. In practical desgin, blue wouldnt be there.

Insofar as the saucer warp design, I agree that the overhaul is a major design change. But, so what? The original design accounted for "coasting" out of warp without the aid of a deflector array. Admittedly my model accounts for sustained warp which IMHO is a design improvement over the 20+ year old design. Why "coast" to warp away from those nasty Borg or Species 8472, when you can maintain warp away from them?

It was a blast to build though! And great catch on the Romulan Warbird spare parts for the warp nacelles...