Silver model mystery SOLVED!

[F. King Daniel]

Remember that silver AMT/Ertl USS Enterprise which kept cropping up in Next Gen episodes, with the nacelles on backwards and the window panels missing? I was watching season 2 episode 1 of The Toys That Made Us and right at the end it's revealed that it was made and painted by none other than Rod Roddenberry.

EDIT: Seems the nacelles were sideways, not backwards.

 

[Gepard]

The old Nitpickers Guides loved to point that model out. I always assumed some model ship guy built it in a hurry and accidentally left off some parts.

 

[Finn]

Um....screenshots please.

 

[F. King Daniel]

"The nacelles are on wrong."

"Gene's kid made it, put it front and centre."

 

[feek61]

I saw that also and thought it was interesting. Rod said he decided to build one of the many Enterprise models laying around and painted it silver and presented to his dad who put it in TNG. A pretty cool story.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Remember that silver AMT/Ertl USS Enterprise which kept cropping up in Next Gen episodes, with the nacelles on backwards and the window panels missing? I was watching season 2 episode 1 of The Toys That Made Us and right at the end it's revealed that it was made and painted by none other than Rod Roddenberry.

EDIT: Seems the nacelles were sideways, not backwards.

And now that design is canon, because it was on screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Finn]

What do you mean "now"? TNG has been off the air for 24 years....

 

[Dukhat]

"The nacelles are on wrong."

"Gene's kid made it, put it front and centre."

Actually, those look like two different models. The first silver model does indeed have its nacelles glued on backwards. The whiter model has its nacelles facing the right way but on their sides.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Actually, those look like two different models. The first silver model does indeed have its nacelles glued on backwards. The whiter model has its nacelles facing the right way but on their sides.

*squints really hard at picture*
Okay maybe you're right. But since there's a couple of years between the pictures and the window panels are missing from both, it's possible the nacelles were removed and re-attached, either intentionally or due to an unfortunate mishap.

My old AMT/Ertl Enterprise's nacelle pylons broke off so many times...

 

[Timo]

Of course, all this can be directly applied in-universe, too. A crew member's kid made the faulty model, it was proudly displayed, and then broken and mended possibly many times over... Because the kid or her pals or, say, Riker kept bumping on it, or then taking it off the mount and flying it around, with appropriate wooshing sounds.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Spot261]

Actually I built it, but got called away on important business so left the nacelles to @Nerys Myk.

Such a disappointment to me....

 

[Tuskin38]

It was also in Picard's ready room

 

[Timo]

...Proof positive of the wooshing theory!

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Dukhat]

I just watched the episode. When Rod Roddenberry talks about building the model, the accompanying footage is actually the model in Picard’s ready room that was swapped for one episode with the Stargazer model. Which I believe is also a different model than the two pictures above. It has the window inserts and looks to only have one nacelle and pylon. At least the nacelle is placed correctly

http://tng.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x09/thebattle_hd_304.jpg

 

[F. King Daniel]

I just watched the episode. When Rod Roddenberry talks about building the model, the accompanying footage is actually the model in Picard’s ready room that was swapped for one episode with the Stargazer model. Which I believe is also a different model than the two pictures above. It has the window inserts and looks to only have one nacelle and pylon. At least the nacelle is placed correctly

http://tng.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x09/thebattle_hd_304.jpg

That's what I get for using Google and EAS for my pictures.

But now I'm imagining one model which underwent some unfortunate mishaps and was rebuilt with various levels of success.

And I guess Rod isn't to blame for her eventual bizarre nacelle placements. Sorry, Rod.

 

[Dukhat]

So if it was just one model, then chronologically:

1. It was first built with one nacelle and pylon missing; then

2. The second pylon and nacelle was added, but the nacelles were backwards (which means that the original starboard nacelle was detached, turned around, and reattached the wrong way; then

3. Both nacelles were detached and reattached on their sides, and then the window inserts were removed.

Based on this, I’m thinking they were three different models, not one that was constantly being broken and repaired.

 

[thribs]

It was also in Picard's ready room

Back when the Stargazer was originally a Connie.

 

[Qonundrum]

"The nacelles are on wrong."

"Gene's kid made it, put it front and centre."

Never saw the season 2 reference, oops. I did see it in "Booby Trap" and wondered if engineers use those mock-ups as brainstorming. "What if, knowing how nacelles work, if we re-positioned them, then drank some coffee spiked with booze, and see what happens."

 

[Qonundrum]

Back when the Stargazer was originally a Connie.

"Connie"?

You must wait at least 1 seconds before performing this action.

 

[thribs]

"Connie"?

Constitution Class. Picard’s previous ship was going to be one. So much so that they even filmed it with them saying Constitution Class. It was later de dubbed to Constellation.