The Enterprise's unfinished business...

[Warped9]

It's well known the 11 ft. Enterprise miniature was finished only on one side (starboard) and the other side (port) was left unfinished and never expected to be seen because it is where the wiring harness was attached to light the miniature.

But was that always the case? Does anyone know if the port side was always unfinished or was it finished for "The Cage" prior to the lights being added for the 2nd pilot and later the seies?

 

[Maurice]

It was always unfinished. Richard Datin told me so in an email. The boxy thing next to the sensor/deflector housing with the pennant is entirely missing on that side and you can tell that from forward shots. There’s no ‘trench” on the inside of the starboard nacelle, it’s just faked with paint. Likewise, there are only two rectangular plates under the nose domes of each nacelle, the ones facing portside absent.

They did paint a pennant high on the portside nacelle, presumably as a test.

 

[Warped9]

^^ Good to know. Thank you.

 

[Maurice]

Shared this way back (link) but here's a relevant email exchange with Mr. Datin in 2005. I underlined the bit about the left side of the model:

Hi Maurice:

See below for my replies. Please remember quite a "few" years have passed since I worked for the show--thusly the memory banks have fallen on lean times.

> Hi Richard,
>
> Thanks for taking the time to write back!
>
> Please excuse me if I ask you questions you've answered a billion times
> before.
>
> Here we go...
>
> 1. I saw there was an article about you in the Star Trek magazine. Are there
> other interviews you've done that you feel give a fully rounded picture of
> your work on the show?

No, but take a look at Wm McCullars website IDICPage.

> 2. Space Station K7. I enjoyed seeing the S-IV B pieces that were in its
> construction. Can you tell me what kind of modifications you made to the
> Douglas pieces, and what the rest of the station was composed of, and what
> markings it had? I've heard that you felt the model used in "Trials and
> Tribbleations" wasn't accurate. Is this so?

There was a considerable amout of work to convert it to the K7. That model was entirely too large. The modelers who built it never contacted me for info, though they were well aware of who built it. Someone told me that they were too busy due to the sho schedule. The original pieces of the Douglas model was made of some sort of plastic that I was not familiar with at the time. It had a rubbery feel to it and not easy to work with.

> 3. Was there any indication from Jeffries as to what some of the elements on
> the ship were supposed to be? For instance, the little window above the
> hangar deck doors.

No.

> 4. Why does the large Enterprise model lack the indented detail near the
> front of the engineering hull on it's left (port) side? I'm curious why it
> was left off.

Do you mean the secondary hull? I don't know of the "indented detail" you speak of. Are you referring to the "restored" Enterprise model at NASM in DC? If so, that was the side of the model never photographed. The Enterprise flew from left to right on the screen so it was not necessary to detail the other side..

> 5. Would you have liked an opportunity to restore the model, rather than
> what happened to it?

No, not after all those years had passed, besides I no longer lived in LA. It was not a craftsman type of restoration!

> Thanks in advance, sir!

You're welcome!​

 

[ZapBrannigan]

There's also a book about this stuff:
https://www.amazon.com/Enterprise-NCC-1701-Model-Maker/dp/1518644880/

 

[Warped9]

There's also a book about this stuff:
https://www.amazon.com/Enterprise-NCC-1701-Model-Maker/dp/1518644880/

Yep, thanks. I’ve had that book for several years and may have to reread it.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Yep, thanks. I’ve had that book for several years and may have to reread it.

Yes. It's very down to earth, unpretentious prose, and fast reading. And a perspective we didn't get elsewhere.

 

[alchemist]

But was that always the case? Does anyone know if the port side was always unfinished or was it finished for "The Cage" prior to the lights being added for the 2nd pilot and later the seies?

The nacelle on that side was detailed with the registry number and graphics before it was modified to accommodate the wiring. Not sure about the secondary hull.

 

[publiusr]

It would be nice to see a 1:1 version with modern materials finished on both sides.

And launched into orbit as a camera inspector for ISS.

imagine seeing that in the cupola...