Smithsonian returns restored Starship Enterprise model to public display

[urbandefault]

I think one method would be to light her up and film her with multiple cameras from every angle against a blue screen or green screen and then you could pretty much recreate any of the shots in TOS. Sounds easier than it is I'm sure but maybe they could try it with a few episodes and then see if there's any interest in fans purchasing yet another copy of the series. You can sign me up right now.

If that were to be done it would have to have been before the model went into the climate controlled display case. I don't think she's coming out again any time soon.

I admit the thought crossed my mind as I looked at her in all her restored glory, but I think that window has probably closed.

 

[Firebird]

Any chance we'll get some killer blueprints out of this project?

You know, 50th and all.

I think I heard that Gary Kerr was working on updating his plans from the research gathered during the restoration project.

 

[The Old Mixer]

It would be a joy to see some new vfx made with her now restored.

I'd say that the old girl has earned her retirement, volunteering at the museum.

 

[RAMA]

Crap there was live video of last night's event...

 

[Kemaiku]

Yeah, best not risk any damage to the model after all this. They had the oppertunity to look the model over and photograph/record everything in detail. No doubt a pretty close replica could be made given the recent work, if they wanted to go down that route.

 

[Search4]

Was any type of cleaning done to it or any protective coating added? Based on the before photos it looks better, the registry decals look darker, I don't see as many flaws. Maybe just an illusion because the rest of the ship was redone?

The top was lightly cleaned. 50 years of dust and all that.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

Get yer bibs on. Trekcore has posted a gallery full of pictures of the restored model in situ...and they are spectacular!

http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=132

 

[Warped9]

Get yer bibs on. Trekcore has posted a gallery full of pictures of the restored model in situ...and they are spectacular!

http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=132

Oooo...

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Get yer bibs on. Trekcore has posted a gallery full of pictures of the restored model in situ...and they are spectacular!

http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=132

Thanks for posting that; I would have missed it. It looks like they came as close to theoretical perfection as we could ever hope for. It's like a dream.

The photos are well done too, especially this one:

http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/smithsonian-model-june16/ent-smithsonian-june-2016-08.jpg

It captures one of the coolest angles used in the original fx.

 

[The Old Mixer]

She's truly never looked better...'60s TV didn't do her justice.

 

[Forbin]

If anybody is interested, Gary Kerr has been keeping us fascinated with all the little details he and the crew discovered during the restoration, in this thread over at Hobbytalk:
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/99-sc...-original-nacelle-domes-11-ft-enterprise.html

 

[BeatleJWOL]

Gary Kerr has been keeping us fascinated with all the little details he and the crew discovered during the restoration, in this thread over at Hobbytalk:
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/99-sc...-original-nacelle-domes-11-ft-enterprise.html

Fun reading! I see our esteemed @Shaw posting in that thread as well.

 

[Green Shirt]

Wow, two of the best things in the Smithsonian are back — Enterprise and the National Coin Collection. Time to take that 40 minute ride to visit.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I made this one my wallpaper yesterday, and I swear, every time I bring my desktop up, it makes me gasp a little.

 

[Green Shirt]

^ That photo is the all-time best centerfold model in starship porn.

Can't wait to see that one photoshopped.

 

[The Old Mixer]

(Sorry, lads, new avatar.)

 

[Green Shirt]

^ Don't blame you.

 

[urbandefault]

I made this one my wallpaper yesterday, and I swear, every time I bring my desktop up, it makes me gasp a little.

Just beautiful. Can't get over how good she looks. Long overdue.

 

[Shaw]

Fun reading! I see our esteemed @Shaw posting in that thread as well.

Actually, I've been quiet in that thread for a while and don't want to distract from Gary Kerr in that thread now that the Enterprise has been revealed. Kerr and his team deserve all their current glory, and I don't want to undermine it in any way.

Honestly, I had a long list of gotcha details I fully expected the restoration team to screw up (based on what Kerr knew of the model as a model going in), and when I saw the photos of the large poster boards with his drawings for the restoration I truly believed that most of my worst fears were going to be realized.

Now that I've seen shots of the restored model, that list has essentially evaporated. I never thought we'd get to see this artifact this way ever again... and yet there she is.

The one item that remains from my list is more for future clarification at this point, that being the nature of the forward port side rim window. In my notes I have it as being an actual physical window rather than a painted feature. In some of my reference photos it looks like there is a plexiglass piece there (which would have shown up clearly in the x-rays even if covered over in later restorations).

But if that is what is left of my concerns from going into this restoration, then this is nothing short of a miraculous job! The team deserves all the praise (and much much more) that they are getting for their accomplishments here.

 

[Doug Otte]

I stopped by today w/ friends on the way to the Folklife Festival on the Mall.

The model looks spectacular. I took a good look from all angles, and the restoration is beautiful. I took a few photos w/ my phone, but I'm a poor photographer, so trust me that the ones that have been posted are much better.

We happened to be there when the nacelle lights were on, and they look great. We actually stopped by several hours later, and they were off, so we were lucky the first time.

Something else that was interesting was that the windows were lit with different colors and different patterns. I especiallly noticed this on the neck supporting the saucer. One window might be clear green, and the next window was orange w/ a stripe pattern, etc. I don't know if this was in the original design, or was artistic license on the part of the restoration team, but I like it.

Also, the model is now displayed lower so it's much easier to see it from all angles (although you have to squat down to see the lower saucer and underside of the main hull). When it was down in the gift shop, it was mounted higher, so you couldn't really see the top of the saucer.