Ranger Class WIP sketching

[CaptainHammond]

Sadly I’m no expert when it comes to computer design so I’m dabbling with good old fashioned hand drawn pencil scribbles.

Here’s an early attempt with a precursor to the old FASA Ranger Class scout, a port side profile and cutaway view. I’ve seen various interpretations of a TOS version of this ship which falls under the Jeffries rules of Starfleet design, with everything mostly enclosed within the hull.

I've gone for a few sources of inspiration for the warp nacelles; a bit of everything, but I do like the Bussard cowling, adds a little something different.

The dimensions are probably a little different to those semi-established for this little ship, but it definitely doesn't work to the three full height decks as indicated in the 'Strider Incident', as you'll see from the cross section sample to the right hand side of the cutaway view, taking into account hull plating and decollating, I think you could get two full height TOS decks in there with one sub deck containing machinery etc, accessed with a network of Jeffries Tubes.

The bridge sits neatly under the housing for the navigational deflector, with a nod to the Enterprise bridge in DISCO from it's cross-sectioned shape, but throughout the design I'm dabbling with there are nods to the Connie from the 2250's, DISCO Enterprise, TOS Enterprise and other interpretations of the Ranger Class, I've come across..

With a ship of this size including all the tech it would house plus, laboratories , I can't imagine with two decks you'd get a crew larger than 6 officers and 27 enlisted, but hey, stick around this thread, I'm working on deck plans too.

I haven't drawn starships in nearly 15 years, and that's something considering I broke my hand many years ago and hadn't drawn since... hurts like hell, but by god it's therapeutic.

Alas I could go on with rambling about this design but heck I'm sure there will be questions, so why not start a thread on this design, fire away everyone.

 

[CaptainHammond]

* taking into account hull plating and deck plating... I was meant to say, damn autocorrect, how do you edit posts on this thing or is it like twitter on here?

 

[137th Gebirg]

I think you get the ability after you’ve posted several times. You’re still considered a “Newbie” by the software. Can’t remember the exact counts you need before other functions start opening up.

Nice work!

 

[ashleytinger]

Very nice work!

 

[Cyfa]

I'm not a fan of the Ranger - something about the odd shapes and proportions don't sit well with me, but I do REALLY like your drawing (and your lettering).
White on black - is that pencil crayon, or some sort of chalk pen or something? And how big is it/what size paper are you working on?

 

[Atolm]

Awesome. I've always liked the Ranger

 

[Mage]

Wow, that's amazing.... Handdrawn? Damn.....

 

[CaptainHammond]

Thank you so much for the comments everyone.

So far this is just hand drawn on A4 paper with a graphite automatic pencil, black on white. The image is then inverted and the colour adapted to give the impression its almost painted on dark blue grey sheet.

When I move away from just scribbles these will be redone on cleaner paper I can rescan and then any lettering can be typed and formatted and the same process redone, re: the colour to give it that impression of being a studio drawing. Hate to use the inspired word again here, but I was inspired, or at least I remembered that Matt Jefferies (spelt it right this time) early drawing of the Enterprise, and loved the colouring, the lighter coloured sketch against a dark background that is. I'm guessing Matt used paint on a chalk framework.

The Ranger is a fascinating design, sure she's a bit clunky in places, but with most starships, there's never perfect angles all round; I remember documented comments made by the special effects team on ST:TWOK, that they found Reliant a better model to work with (sacrilegious I know) because they could get more beauty shots outs of than they could with the Connie. Will be interesting to see with other views of the Ranger I'm working on whether that holds water, see if she's a lady.

The real challenge will be the internal arrangement of compartments, machinery; it's a saucer approx. 55 meters across, not a lot of room, but I may have a design solution, you'll just have to wait and see.

 

[CaptainHammond]

** Typos again - '...because they could get more beauty shots out of it, than they could with the Connie.' Was meant to say.

 

[CaptainHammond]

So, because I was itching to figure out the internal arrangement, I've started sketching out Deck 2 of the Ranger Class, and I mean 'sketch', so the image below might be hard to see. I'm trying to gauge where the compartments go and how it's laid out, which presents two challenges.

The Ranger is not built for combat, but also needs to be arranged in a way where everything is self contained and accessible for maintenance and repair. A single saucer shaped hull is not as ideal as some would think, as it can be easy to be wasteful with space.

So let's address the combat issue first. This version of the Ranger is probably a build circa 2245-ish, she's equipped with two fwd phasers either side of the navigational deflector fairing, a single fwd firing torpedo launcher, and a single aft firing torpedo launcher. She's a scout not a frigate at the end of the day, so the design flow needs to look at the internal arrangement from a safety point of view; so how can the ship function with combat damage should it find itself in that situation.

The solution is to arrange, main systems and compartments through a central section that runs through the ship from bow to stern, and non-essential compartments that flank either side in a radial arrangement. These non-essential compartments would be crew cabins, lounge, briefing room, the mess etc, because in a combat situation it would be all hands to stations, which are manned in the central section; so the ship in theory could take collateral damage in the flanking radial sections which ultimately protects the central section. All hands should be safe because no crew stations exist in the radial sections.

Because much of the main machinery exists on the sub deck (Deck 3) this frees up much vital space on decks 1 and 2.

Deck 1 houses much of the crew cabins for enlisted personnel, crew lounge, mess hall, galley and gym, in the radial sections. The central section of this deck houses the science labs the main deflector, the aft torpedo launcher, brig, fire control and hanger deck, which the shuttle can access by way of a platform that elevates to the outer hull above.

Deck 2 being sketched out below, houses the main bridge behind an extra hull plated fairing in the bow, then behind that continues the central section, with the sickbay, two transporters, atmospheric processing and platform control for the hanger bay above it, main engineering, machine shops, and the impulse engine deck. On either side are ships stores on the inner radial sections, the outer radial sections contain officers cabins, staterooms, officers/diplomatic lounge, briefing room, offices and airlocks.

Movement on deck from port to starboard can be achieved either via corridor or turbo lift, and in case of emergencies a Jefferies tube linking radial sections to engineering and the central section.

Right I've waffled on long enough, the sketch so far is below, let me know what you think.

 

[CaptainHammond]

Still tweaking...

 

[Kaiser]

Awesome FASA Ranger Class TOS version

 

[publiusr]

Do some more FASA ships

 

[BorgMan]

I actually remember seeing this design. I didn't think of it much back then, but this makes it actually look plausible. Good work! Might even be worth making a model out of it. It doesn't look like a lot of work, even with the guts included...

 

[CaptainHammond]

There have been various iterations of the Ranger from TOS to TMP variations as well as the obvious FASA version, many of these inspired this version. I was always intrigued by it but disappointed that any designs didn’t delve deeper. It’s a such a simple Starfleet design it’s difficult to stray too far from the basic structure, so most designs will always be familiar but it’s a ship I’ve always felt needed some more detail or clarity and reason behind the design, so I’m hoping this thread will be unlock some of the few ideas about this ship that are bouncing around the internet as I think this could be a good example of Matt Jefferies design and philosophy of form and function in a single hull Starfleet vessel.

 

[CaptainHammond]

What does everyone think about her so far and information outlining her internal structure?

I should be posting views of the bow and stern later today, still working on deck 2 compartments at the moment.

 

[CaptainHammond]

Trying to arrive at the final format of how all the schematics will appear, tweaked the colour a little and added more detail and scale.

 

[Santaman]

Nice work.

 

[Psion]

I liked the hand-lettered sheets. They're like engineering notes taken from the design phase for the Ranger.

You're definitely onto something with this project ... keep it up!

 

[CaptainHammond]

First draft of Outboard Bow and Stern Elevations. Will likely continue with deck plans next, still drafting out the Main service deck, that's deck 2.