Okay, I've just finished reading everything related to the development of the 1/350 TOS E in the recent issue of Sci-Fi & Fantasy Modeller Vol. 26.
Phew! I can't recall the last time I was so engrossed in an article. Part of me wanted to race ahead while another held me to catch hint every word. Gary Kerr has evidently put a lot of his heart and soul into an accurate TOS E and it shows. The photographs of the forthcoming kit are breathtaking. The attention to minute detail and accuracy are incredible.
One thing that comes across even in quickie f/x shots of the first kit build-up (the one seen at Wonderfest 2012) is how much more impressive this looks compared to what you see in TOS-R, at least to my eyes. Hell, it's a real model, an actual physical object for light to play on its surfaces naturally. The large scale of the model also helps impart a real sense of mass. It's no surprise the original 11 footer made us feel we were looking at a truly massive object. I can imagine seeing this model assembled in front of you should be impressive.
These articles have neat bits of trivia included regarding details we might otherwise never be privy to, such as how a slight innaccuracy found its way onto the PL 1/1000 TOS E but would hardly be noticeable at such a small scale. Another was that Gary actually had an opportunity to get some measurements and photos of the original full-size shuttlecraft mock-up (so he's already got some start on the 1/32 scale Galileo)
The other remark was that Lynne Miller (then owner) said Matt Jefferies had told her the mock-up was only 3/4 scale. The mock-up is only about 22ft. long so that means the real shuttlecraft is 29-1/3ft. long? Really? I find this revelation rather goes against the grain for me---I don't wish to misbelieve anyone, but this nugget really catches me by surprise. A 29ft. shuttlecraft strikes me as just a bit too large to be accommodated properly within the Enterprise's hangar facilities. I had my shuttlecraft drawings at 28ft. once and still found that too big to accept. I'm afraid I'll have to see/hear more supportive evidence to buy it whole.
Nonetheless these articles and pics were well worth the wait and I can't wait to read the followup articles in the next two issues.
Phew! I can't recall the last time I was so engrossed in an article. Part of me wanted to race ahead while another held me to catch hint every word. Gary Kerr has evidently put a lot of his heart and soul into an accurate TOS E and it shows. The photographs of the forthcoming kit are breathtaking. The attention to minute detail and accuracy are incredible.
One thing that comes across even in quickie f/x shots of the first kit build-up (the one seen at Wonderfest 2012) is how much more impressive this looks compared to what you see in TOS-R, at least to my eyes. Hell, it's a real model, an actual physical object for light to play on its surfaces naturally. The large scale of the model also helps impart a real sense of mass. It's no surprise the original 11 footer made us feel we were looking at a truly massive object. I can imagine seeing this model assembled in front of you should be impressive.
These articles have neat bits of trivia included regarding details we might otherwise never be privy to, such as how a slight innaccuracy found its way onto the PL 1/1000 TOS E but would hardly be noticeable at such a small scale. Another was that Gary actually had an opportunity to get some measurements and photos of the original full-size shuttlecraft mock-up (so he's already got some start on the 1/32 scale Galileo)
The other remark was that Lynne Miller (then owner) said Matt Jefferies had told her the mock-up was only 3/4 scale. The mock-up is only about 22ft. long so that means the real shuttlecraft is 29-1/3ft. long? Really? I find this revelation rather goes against the grain for me---I don't wish to misbelieve anyone, but this nugget really catches me by surprise. A 29ft. shuttlecraft strikes me as just a bit too large to be accommodated properly within the Enterprise's hangar facilities. I had my shuttlecraft drawings at 28ft. once and still found that too big to accept. I'm afraid I'll have to see/hear more supportive evidence to buy it whole.
Nonetheless these articles and pics were well worth the wait and I can't wait to read the followup articles in the next two issues.
