WIP - USS Enterprise: the R-Protocol

[Orne]

EXCERPTS FROM USS ENTERPRISE / NCC-1701 COMPUTER-ARCHIVES:

EYES ONLY / StarFleet Command:
Recognizing the enormous expenditure required to build and equip Enterprise-Class Primary Hulls, StarFleet Command issues the following secondary-protocol in the event of self-destruct order given in event of hostile-takeover, and urges implemenation by all starship-commanders in lieu of absolute destruction of their vessels:

Self-Destruct R-Protocol:
Starship systems will be hardwired.....activated by voice-command.....ForceShields shunt incoming transport of boarding party to Secondary Hull.....airborne nerve-toxin to render comatose boarders whom enter Primary Hull through physical means.....Saucer/Primary Hull separates prior to Secondary Hull destruct-sequence.....nearest Federation StarFleet beacon.....engages impulse-engines and/or maneuvering-thrusters for automatic course-return.....

Incoming StarFleet all-sectors alert from Sigma Five deep-space array:
Signal received from USS Enterprise, NCC-1701. Ship self-destruct activated per
R-for-Robert Protocol. Secondary Hull with engineering section and warp-nacelles jettisoned following engagement with Klingon warship and destroyed in orbit above Genesis Planet. Whereabouts of command and crew unknown.

ALPHA COMMAND AUTHORIZATION - USS Montgomery, NCC-1954, from StarFleet Command:
Priority One Intercept of Primary Hull, USS Enterprise, NCC-1701. Determine cause of Enterprise self-destruct, disposition of crew; undertake all measures necessary to return Primary Hull to secure StarFleet dock-facility.

StarFleet Command from USS Montgomery, NCC-1954: Despite several attempts by Klingon forces to intercept and claim Primary Hull of USS Enterprise, and Genesis-related material in its computer-core, with the aid of StarFleet Taskforce 65 diverted to aid the recovery, Primary Hull has been handed over to StarBase Seventeen Command for spacedock inspection.

StarBase Seventeen, Initial Findings of Inspection:
Primary Hull USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is generally in good condition in view of recent events, and some creative command-systems alterations by Commander Montgomery Scott. (See separate Report of Findings from StarFleet Intelligence regarding computer-core retrieval protocol, RE: Genesis.) Recommendation: Complete necessary structural-repairs, update all systems on par with current Starships, and mate Primary Hull with new-build secondary hull and warp-drive section.

StarFleet Command from Federation High Council - RE: USS Enteprise, NCC-1701.
A decision has been unanimously arrived upon that, due to the historic significance of this starship in the Federation, and even among our adversaries, that the vessel will not only be rebuilt, but that it shall benefit from any and all resources available to bring it back to operational flagship-status. Selection of commander and crew will be decided following completion of this effort.

StarFleet Command from Starship Construction Division:
Per request regarding upgrades to USS Enterprise, NCC-1701
.....due to the poor showing of USS Excelsior, and Command's decision to revisit its many faults prior to commissioning - along with Excelsior's sister-ships in the construction-cycle - we recommend utilizing sub-systems, secondary hull, and the improved Mk. XIV warp-drive/nacelles from the alternative Enterprise-class replacement, USS Discovery, NX-2001. While this design does not offer the theorized potential for trans-warp as Excelsior, we believe that it's dual nature as a force-projection asset (fourteen phasers, six mega-phasers, fore/aft photon-torpedo launchers, with a wing of fighters and support shuttlecraft) and long-range exploration ship (enhanced sensors and sciences modules an order of magnitude above both Enterprise and Excelsior ship-classes), will benefit probes far beyond Federation borders. The sole necessary interface between
the Enterprise Primary Hull and the Discovery secondary hull/warp-drive dictates a modified dorsal main-pylon. As the Mk.XIV warp-drive has proven markedly
more efficient than the prior installation aboard Enterprise, with a generally smaller volume, it will not be necessary to replace the impulse-engine/crystal
housing of the Primary Hull. If the order is recieved to go forward with these modifications, and as several Discovery-class Secondary Hulls are nearing completion
in the pipeline, the ship should be ready to embark for a shakedown-cruise within two months.

Captain James T. Kirk, from StarFleet Command:
Per the decision of the Federation High Council, you will re-assume command of USS Enterprise, NCC-1701.


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I have long concurred with many others that the original Enterprise shouldn't have been destroyed. No less than Gene Roddenberry was angry with the entire turn of events seen in ST III, and had said during production that instead the saucer from the ship be jettisoned, brought back to spacedock, and rebuilt with a new engineering section. And as it worked out in ST IV - replacing the ship with a direct copy - what was the point beyond poor storytelling and the need to blast the ship to pieces for a cheap PR stunt? (How many times could they have Kirk fall out of the Captain's Chair berating "Klingon bastards!" after killing his son?)

Anyway, putting forward (above) my own take on how an alternate scenario would have played out, with a twist to the finale of that particular trilogy - proof that the Enterprise was not truly wiped from existence as believed, and was now a more formidable starship than the cadet-training vessel that had warped out to Regula I.

.....and for those wondering, "R(oddenberry) -Protocol".

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The model:

-- R2 1/1000 scale Enterprise Refit kit saucer, nacelle pylons. and deflector assembly.
-- Rebellion Creations 1/1000 USS Discovery (final work on the Discovery saucer in-progress 1/1/12); Secondary Hull with Mk.XIV warp-nacelles. A month solid of kitbashing, scratchbuilding, and tooling the secondary hull dorsal-area from Sculpey. Engineering Hull and Warp-nacelles available as separate sets from www.rebellioncreations.com

Shots of the parts laid out, and assembly prior to final painting and decals. Using two sets of the aztec decals because of the larger area and size of the parts.


http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=19
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=17
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=18
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=37
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=38
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=39
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=40
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=41
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=42
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=43
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=44
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=45
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/14#photo=46

 

[Kaiser]

Cool ship

 

[baxart]

While I like your argument and reasoning, and the new nacelles look nice... I can't say I like the dual shuttle bay.

 

[Avon]

that ship has arsecheeks

 

[Nightfall to-Ennien]

I regret to say it, but she's not a looker. The proportions are unbalanced, and the secondary hull has a bit of a chunky, ungainly look that doesn't really mesh well with the sleek, poised elegance we've come to expect from Starfleet vessels. It feels like something Jeremy Clarkson would have bunged together on a Top Gear challenge, not something Starfleet developed whole cloth.

 

[The Axeman]

I have to agree, the dual rear end looks a bit odd. Wouldn't they have made one large bay, which would have given them more leeway in what could dock with it?

 

[Orne]

Debated whether to go with a single large hangar opening, but think that was pushing the era's hull engineering capabilities (nothing of that size was seen until the debut of the Enterprise-D, and that had the benefit of an energy-shield to prevent de-pressurization in an emergency). Didn't like the aesthetics of the Excelsior secondary hull, which basically is stretched enormously to accomodate its shuttle-bays. The dual shuttle-bays seemed the best way to go, limiting de-pressurization events, and adding two dedicated hangar doors - each one is roughly thirty percent larger than the original Enterprise setup, and can take aboard larger auxilary spacecraft - which meant the ship could simultaneously launch and recover much like a modern carrier. The design also offered less of a target than Excelsior, and would be less wieldy to maneuver. And it frees up a lot of volume in the central core of the secondary hull for a number of missions, I.E. long-range stores, extra shuttlecraft, or exploration modules.

 

[Wingsley]

I think the twin secondary hull would work better if it were balanced with a larger (Ariel) saucer and longer wings for the nacelles.

 

[NickInABox]

You know... I looked at this and said to myself, this person is a fucking lunatic.

But then I did more looking.

It's bold. It's beautiful.

 

[The Axeman]

It's bold, certainly.

 

[Orne]

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

But I recall this other phrase, seems right.....

"To Boldly Go....."

 

[publiusr]

I like it myself. Those are the most elegant nacelles I have ever seen.
You might want to share your Charger pics here as a refresher.

 

[Orne]

Done.

http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/7/WORKBENCH#photo=5
http://infinityreach.multiply.com/photos/album/7/WORKBENCH#photo=8

Nacelle set available separately for 1/537 scale conversions. Resuming work on this soon as I get current projects finished.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

I'm not keen on the design in general, but the nacelles are hotness. And nacelles are always the hardest to get right.

 

[sojourner]

The "tailfins" on the nacelles look like left over casting from the model molds.

 

[publiusr]

He's not done with it--but it looks great as is.

And nacelles are always the hardest to get right.

Ain't that the truth. I did like the nacelles as drawn by an individual who calls himself justicar.

Orne's are just perfect for Aridas concept of an Advanced Circumferential Engine

I think the twin secondary hull would work better if it were balanced with a larger (Ariel) saucer and longer wings for the nacelles.

I can see that. Corey Brown was working on the Ariel--or had put it aside. Orne you might have an interest in picking that up for a physical model:
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=144181
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=130992

Didn't like the aesthetics of the Excelsior secondary hull, which basically is stretched enormously to accomodate its shuttle-bays.

That's more true on Ingram http://federationreference.prophpbb.com/topic7-710.html#p13502
http://federationreference.prophpbb.com/post13797.htm

Excelsior itself only seems to have that little dome on the very back--and that doesn't extend so very far.

What you have done is to imagine a follow-on the the Enterprise refit that has nothing to do with Excelsior or any of its lineage--but to continue the refit era design and take it to the next level, for which I am thankful in that not enough has been done.

I've seen some stretched secondary hulls but they are a little simple and flat. You also lowered the saucer and raised the nacelles giving the ship that muscle car look

 

[Orne]

Sojourner - that isn't excess resin-flash, but the very thin nacelle extensions past the rear-housings; not painted yet, but the end-plates are auxilary impulse-engines.

Have seen the Ariel. If you compare that design with the plans for the Discovery I linked, altho the Ariel saucer looks more like a flattened discus, there's general similarities despite the several decades lying between the times pen was put to paper. (Yep, the originals are real inked plans; still hand-draw most of my work.) But the intent was spelled out in the back-story for the model, to use the original refit saucer as is; it might look a bit smallish fitted to the Discovery hull/nacelles, but not freakishly out of scale.

Publishr - agree with you not enough done in Trek canon to evolve the refit design. Seems each time the producers go to a new series/movie-arc, they just summarily dispense any more references to the primary ship-designs.

The 'muscle-car look' isn't hard to come by for me with a '69 Charger sitting only a few feet away in my garage. (NX-1969 takes some cues from my ride.)

 

[sojourner]

Sojourner - that isn't excess resin-flash, but the very thin nacelle extensions past the rear-housings; not painted yet, but the end-plates are auxilary impulse-engines.

I know it's not resin-flash, but that's what it looks like. Not enough bulk there for an impulse engine. It's just too thin.

 

[Orne]

The impulse-engines are in the end-plates on either side of the fin-extensions, not the extension itself.

 

[sojourner]

Bringing us full circle to the fins looking out of place. Blatant aerodynamics like that just don't look right and would serve no purpose.