# Original TOS E Studio Model Weathering



## Sparky (Feb 21, 2004)

The weathering decals for the 350 TOS Enterprise are apparently are recreating the pattern in this photo: 
http://www.modelermagic.com/wordpre...03/kg_star-trek_tos_1701_studio_model-001.jpg

But this looks like the saucer was stored vertically (lettering at bottom) and humidity/heat over time caused the rust ring and saucer paint to streak. I thought the decals represented an originally present but light paint feature simulating space damage. By weathering, maybe we are we talking about the weathering (aging) of the studio model itself?


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## jheilman (Aug 30, 2001)

I believe the weathering decals are based on quality, color photos taken during production. Not sure about that.


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## Sparky (Feb 21, 2004)

That's what I have been assuming but looking at this photo made me wonder. The decals certainly well represent the model at this point either way.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Sparky said:


> But this looks like the saucer was stored vertically (lettering at bottom) and humidity/heat over time caused the rust ring and saucer paint to streak. I thought the decals represented an originally present but light paint feature simulating space damage. By weathering, maybe we are we talking about the weathering (aging) of the studio model itself?


I think the streaks were there originally. The original model was weathered but that usually didn't show up on screen. I don't think the weathering was enhanced any by age. The color of the hull paint _might _have turned a little more greenish which some paints are prone to do but other than that, I'd say the original weathering was fairly well preserved. The top of the hull was supposed to have been left as is.


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## jheilman (Aug 30, 2001)

The ship was stored mostly assembled, I believe. That's how it arrived at the Smithsonian in 1974. The above pic was during the 1991 restoration. There are probably pics online taken at the Smithsonian in the 70s and 80s that would confirm the state of the upper saucer.


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## Sparky (Feb 21, 2004)

I guess given how grainy a lot of the original Enterprise shots, surface detail like weathering is probably hard to see: 
http://www.cloudster.com/Sets&Vehicles/STEnterprise/ent37.jpg

The studio lighting (as has been covered on the Botany Bay thread) might have also reduced the visibility of any weathering added to the studio model.


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## Opus Penguin (Apr 19, 2004)

Well, I used the picture in the above post as a reference when I did mine, and this was how it turned out (I did not use the weathering decals, just pastel chalk). To be honest, I am very happy with how the model looks now along with how it turned out on mine. If you do have bright lights on it, the weathering washes out a little matching what we see on TV. I even painted and weathered over the infamous "bow light" as Gary Kerr recommended to match the studio model so it does not light up nearly as much as the rest, similar to the show.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

Opus Penguin said:


> Well, I used the picture in the above post as a reference when I did mine, and this was how it turned out (I did not use the weathering decals, just pastel chalk).


Nice job! You fooled me for a second. Thought I was looking at a reference photo! :thumbsup:


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## PixelMagic (Aug 25, 2004)

This may be accurate, but I don't want my Enterprise to look this dirty. I'm not even sure I'll do a rust ring. Haven't decided. What do you guys think about rust rings?


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## jheilman (Aug 30, 2001)

I will definitely add one to mine. I certainly don't view it as rust. Just rust colored.


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## crowe-t (Jul 30, 2010)

I like the rust ring and will add it to mine, subtle of course.


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## jgoldsack (Apr 26, 2004)

I will not have weathering on mine... it will be freshly refitted between Pike and Kirk, fresh from the intergalactic paint shop...

Because I won't be using decals at all, and I suck at weathering...lol


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## Sparky (Feb 21, 2004)

Opus Penguin said:


> Well, I used the picture in the above post as a reference when I did mine, and this was how it turned out (I did not use the weathering decals, just pastel chalk). To be honest, I am very happy with how the model looks now along with how it turned out on mine. If you do have bright lights on it, the weathering washes out a little matching what we see on TV. I even painted and weathered over the infamous "bow light" as Gary Kerr recommended to match the studio model so it does not light up nearly as much as the rest, similar to the show.


Very nicely done. The weathering is just right. I did entertain using the weathering decals and I know that they do a good job matching the studio model however it looks like the Enterprise was on the losing end of a paintball fight.

I am planning go with a rust ring, Lou's aztec templates (probably with some modification), and some similar pastel weathering.


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## Opus Penguin (Apr 19, 2004)

Sparky said:


> Very nicely done. The weathering is just right. I did entertain using the weathering decals and I know that they do a good job matching the studio model however it looks like the Enterprise was on the losing end of a paintball fight.
> 
> I am planning go with a rust ring, Lou's aztec templates (probably with some modification), and some similar pastel weathering.


Thanks for the compliment! I thought about the decals but felt they were too prominent. However, some may feel mine looks the same way. I worked hard to get this to match the studio model because that is what I wanted. I had done weathering with pastel before and felt I could do a better job with it than decals anyway.

I also agree weathering seems a little much and a bit odd for a ship that was originally supposed to have been built in space, but I don't know how dirty a ship gets going through nebulae, or comet tails, or whatever over time.


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## Sparky (Feb 21, 2004)

Opus Penguin said:


> Thanks for the compliment! I thought about the decals but felt they were too prominent. However, some may feel mine looks the same way. I worked hard to get this to match the studio model because that is what I wanted. I had done weathering with pastel before and felt I could do a better job with it than decals anyway.
> 
> I also agree weathering seems a little much and a bit odd for a ship that was originally supposed to have been built in space, but I don't know how dirty a ship gets going through nebulae, or comet tails, or whatever over time.


Really the rust ring makes totally no sense. Why would a ship that doesn't typically enter the atmosphere of a planet have a ring of rust? Why just that part of the ship? It does look cool though so I want to include it also. Yours has that nice subtle look that I like.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

Sparky said:


> Really the rust ring makes totally no sense. Why would a ship that doesn't typically enter the atmosphere of a planet have a ring of rust? Why just that part of the ship? It does look cool though so I want to include it also. Yours has that nice subtle look that I like.


I'm pretty sure the phrase 'rust ring' is more about the color and appearance and not, actually, anybody thinking the E had oxidized metal on it. 

I've assumed it's just a different metal that fulfills some need for that area. Kind of like the different uses of Magnesium, Aluminum, Steel and Titanium on aircraft. 

Why there? Because it helps define the bulge of the hull and somewhat makes the hull registry stand out a little more.


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## Sparky (Feb 21, 2004)

It's kinda funny in a way that you see weathering on numerous Enterprise builds but Galileo shuttle builds (at least every one I've seen) are generally clean as a whistle. When a PL Galileo kit is hopefully produced one day mine is going to get some serious weathering. Trek shuttles ought to be dirty. 

I probably should have "dirtied up" the little Galileo in the shuttle bay.


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## Sparky (Feb 21, 2004)

Steve H said:


> I'm pretty sure the phrase 'rust ring' is more about the color and appearance and not, actually, anybody thinking the E had oxidized metal on it.
> 
> I've assumed it's just a different metal that fulfills some need for that area. Kind of like the different uses of Magnesium, Aluminum, Steel and Titanium on aircraft.
> 
> Why there? Because it helps define the bulge of the hull and somewhat makes the hull registry stand out a little more.


That makes sense the color doesn't necessarily indicate oxidation.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I am not convinced that the Smithsonian photo of the Enterprise saucer, taken perhaps a decade or more after the show was filmed, depicts the ship properly. Stuff in storage gets battered around, dirty, dusty, and can age and weather on its own. The rust or red color on the model may be due to post-filming events and not depict the ship as she looked in 1966.


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

djnick66 said:


> I am not convinced that the Smithsonian photo of the Enterprise saucer, taken perhaps a decade or more after the show was filmed, depicts the ship properly. Stuff in storage gets battered around, dirty, dusty, and can age and weather on its own. The rust or red color on the model may be due to post-filming events and not depict the ship as she looked in 1966.


The rust colored ring and al the other streaks are clearly present on the model during filming from the 1960's. :thumbsup:


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

But did the model always look that way? I mentioned 1966 as I want to make the pilot model, which I understand was not weathered.


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

djnick66 said:


> But did the model always look that way? I mentioned 1966 as I want to make the pilot model, which I understand was not weathered.


The pilot Enterprise was a clean hull from all the photos I have seen of it during filming. The surface detail was added for production filming.


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## Gregatron (Mar 29, 2008)

The first pilot model was most definitely weathered--and rather heavily.

This appears to have been mostly eliminated (at least on the saucer) for the second pilot, when the painted-on registry markings were changed to decals.

A different weathering pattern (with the rust ring, gridlines, etc.) was added for the production version.


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Gregatron said:


> The first pilot model was most definitely weathered--and rather heavily.
> 
> This appears to have been mostly eliminated (at least on the saucer) for the second pilot, when the painted-on registry markings were changed to decals.
> 
> A different weathering pattern (with the rust ring, gridlines, etc.) was added for the production version.


Got any pics showing the difference that you would like to share?
I, for one, would love to see them and add them to my growing collection of TOS E pics (dont have many clear pilot pics).
Jim


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

RSN said:


> The rust colored ring and al the other streaks are clearly present on the model during filming from the 1960's. :thumbsup:


Blu Ray screen cap, I take it?


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## Moderbuilderzero (Mar 29, 2013)

Could the rust ring have been caused on the hull not by weathering, but perhaps a slight metal reaction in that area due to shield generators or warp travel slowly compromising the metallurgy of that specific part of the upper hull?

Just playing devils advocate here, and throwing out other possibilities!

Sincerely,
MBZ. :wave:


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

Chrisisall said:


> Blu Ray screen cap, I take it?


Wouldn't matter if it was Blu Ray, DVD, VHS or Beta, it was there at the time of filming in the 1960's! :thumbsup:


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## robn1 (Nov 17, 2012)

Weathering was visible even in The Cage.


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## Chrisisall (May 12, 2011)

Good one, Rob.


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