Lit nacelle trenches?

[Albertese]

There is a recently (2016) published book called The Enterprise NCC-1701 and the Model Maker by N. Datin McDonald and Richard C. Datin Jr. (I find no publisher information, so I assume it's a sort of vanity press project, clearly made without the aid of professional editing, but available on Amazon and a very interesting read.)

It is a biography of Richard Datin written by his children. More than half of the book is devoted to his time working on Star Trek. The memo referred to upthread is pictured in it's entirety in the book (pages 75 - 78).

I will here copy some of the relevant sections:

To: Robert H. Justman
cc: H. Solow, M. Jefferies, B. Heath, Anderson Co.
Date: April 7, 1966
Subject: SPACESHIP MODEL

Bob, here is a resume of our discussion of changes in the large model as per the Anderson Company drawing and cost list:

BALL POWER NODULES ON FRONT OF THE TWIN NACELLES.
(....)

TIME AND PRODUCTION SCHEDULE.
(....)

FILLIGREED PANELS ON TWIN POD STRUTS.
We see this marked as "painted". We were of the impression we were going to use some applique which gave the illusion of something like solar cells. We're willing to go any intelligent way here, but wonder if this is an error.

ROUNDED DOMES ON REAR OF TWIN NACELLE PODS.
We see no estimate for eliminating them. What is the minimal cost of putting a steady light source illumination in them? Incidentally, we do feel they should be somewhat the same color as the front pods, carrying out a feeling of the same power engines running through the whole pod.

HANDLES ON TWIN NACELLE PODS.
We wanted these handles improved to look less like "handles", but wonder if it cannot be accomplished in some way at less cost than $180.00. Or, understanding that this is an estimate, could we review the cost of this shortening? At any rate, let's assume this is one of the last things we'll do, something which could be cut if our cost gets too high.

BRIDGE DOME.
(....)

ADDITIONAL LIGHTED WINDOWS ON SHIP.
(....)

MISCELLANEOUS DETAILING.
(....)

LIGHT SOURCE ON INSIDE AREA OF BOTH PODS.
We'll omit this item and cost of $300.00, discuss with Matt Jefferies an applique metal grid overpaint or something else which will require no structural change. And we'd like to have some sort of estimate on this or whether it can be included in the overall detailing figures. Incidentally, this eliminates Anderson's next quote about possible rebuilding of pod, an item for which he was going to give us a price later if it becomes necessary.

SMALLER QUARTER SIZE MODEL.
Does the price of revamping this smaller model include some lights in the pods? it seems to us this is one change, since it involves elimination, that would affect any shooting of the smaller model, even if it's flashing by. Would like Anderson to tell us if, perhaps, we could do away with the fluctuating aspect of the lights here since it most often will flash past us very fast. Or, if we do need the fluctuation here, possibly we can do with a standard fluctuation and do without any change of intensity.

LETTERING AND ARTWORK.
(....)

GENERAL "AGING" OF VESSEL.
(....)

STEP BY STEP REVIEW AND APPROVALS.
This U.S.S. Enterprise is terribly important to us -- if the audience does not believe it, they are not going to beleive a multimillion dollar series investment. Therefore I want to suggest and emphasize that I am making myself available to come by and review, discuss, and approve all these changes as they are going on. (....)

GENE RODDENBERRY

It's an interesting memo. The aft balls were hoped to be lit with a matching effect to the front domes, and there were hopes to light up the inner tracks as early as April of 1966. Though no color is established, the note on the color of the aft domes, the idea that the color should match the front domes in order to suggest the same energy throughout the whole engine, would suggest to me that the inner tracks would likely have been colored to match those as well.

Also it seems as though there was discussion over lighting at least the front engines domes of the three-footer to be used in shots requiring a lot of movement. I am reminded of the 32 inch Millennium Falcon built for The Empire Strikes Back. It, too, was used as a "stunt model" to film scenes where the five foot model would have been too heavy and ungainly to work with. Though as we know, lighting the "quarter scale" Enterprise was not in the cards and we got the 11 footer used throughout the series (exception: most shots for the first pilot.)

Also, I find it interesting that the darker panels in the inside surface of the pylons were supposed to be solar panels. I'm going to be using this tidbit in my own fan work of the ship.

--Alex

 

[alensatemybuick]

Yes, an older thread, but not that old, and has a subject line specifically related to my question. I'd asking to see that evidecce, in the form of the April 6 1966 memo from Anderson Co. with estimates for the lighted inner nacelles and other changes made to the filming model prior to its use in the regular series.

I think I found a source for the memo here:

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Constitution_class_model_(original)

The memo specified,13. Lightsource on inside area of both Pods $300,00.
14. New left side pod – quote to follow later
Items 13 & 14 – in the event that opening up the sheet metal pods for this work, the metal goes out of shape to render further work on existing pods useless – new pods will have to be made. (Sci-fi & fantasy modeller, Vol. 26, p. 45)

 

[alensatemybuick]

And many thanks, Albertese, I have in fact see that memo by Gene Roddenbery. but what I was curious about seeing was the memo from Anderson Co. from the previous day (April 6, 1966), which I think would help put the memo you quoted in even better context. I THINK it was reprinted in the magazine I mentioned in my previous post.

 

[Forbin]

Not solar cells, but "something like" solar cells - the look, not the purpose.

The lighting of the aft balls is new info to me! :O

 

[Warped9]

Not solar cells, but "something like" solar cells - the look, not the purpose.

The lighting of the aft balls is new info to me! :O

Fifty years on and still learning new things.

So many years past I sometimes thought the aft spheres were lighted given the way they sometimes appeared onscreen.

 

[Redfern]

Given this new information, who will be the first to depict the "Big 'E'" with the iconic spinning/twinkling effect in the main domes, aft domes and pulsing along the "trench"?

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Captain Rob]

I think that it was Deg3D's concept TOS Enterprise that had a segmented circle of light around those aft domes. That looked cool. Just a little light to add interest. Oh, and registry lights on the sides of the nacelles.

 

[Maurice]

Yes, an older thread, but not that old...)

The moderators' general rule of thumb is not to revivify any thread that's been inactive for more than a year.

 

[alensatemybuick]

Yes, I got the message; I revived this thread and one other before understanding the policy. The other one was closed, thus giving me the last word. . I won't do it again.