# Hey NX01Rob What is that ship at the beginning of Enterprise?



## Heavens Eagle (Jun 30, 2003)

There is a ship we see at the end of the beginning credits. It is flying away and looks a little like the back end of a Romulan ship. What is it? Can you post up any other views of it?


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## Babaganoosh (Dec 16, 2004)

from Ex Astris Scientia:

1) The ship shows up in the opening credits of Enterprise just before the NX-01. The ship can be seen only from behind, but with its old-style rocket engines it is obviously supposed to be less advanced than Enterprise. It has been suggested that this might be supposed to be the SS Valiant (considering that the opening credits shows major breakthroughs in space flight), but any proof is missing.
2) The design is often identified as "Moon shuttle". While it is true that the shuttle is seen above the Moon surface, why would it need warp nacelles? It has also been suggested that the engine pods are actually not warp nacelles. But then the ship wouldn't fit into the design lineage at all. Moreover, the existence of large and brightly lit (sublight) engine exhausts leaves no other interpretation than the pods being warp nacelles.


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## spe130 (Apr 13, 2004)

My assumption has always been that the ship in question was the S.S. Valiant - it fits nicely with the "exploration" theme of the opening credit images.


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## Tyboy4umodels (Apr 26, 2005)

Will there maybe someday be a kit made for the valiant?


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

How funny! I didn't realise other people were named nx01Rob!!!! :tongue: 

It's called the Warp Delta and it represents the first warp capable "starship". It has appeared a few times in different episodes, and was used recently flanking the "mirror" Universe NX-01 in the "In a mirror, Darkly" opening credits (In mirror universe markings, of course). 

That's the poop.


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

Kewel pic! Thanks for sharing, Rob! You DaBomb! :thumbsup:


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## tripdeer (Mar 7, 2004)

Oh wow! I didn't realize that was the same ship! Cool!

Dan


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## Prince of Styrene II (Feb 28, 2000)

And we were told before that no other views existed! :lol: Once again, Rob, you 'da man!!

Now on to scratch building!


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## sbaxter (Jan 8, 2002)

nx01Rob said:


> How funny! I didn't realise other people were named nx01Rob!!!! :tongue:


It's a suprisingly common name! 

Qapla'

SSB


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## tripdeer (Mar 7, 2004)

I have a cousin nx01rob... she's kinda weird... :lol:


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## alpha-8 (Oct 31, 1999)

Ha! If I knew it was that easy...

nx01rob,
Could you post some ortho views of the Intrepid?

Thanks much

Dave


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## norge71 (Apr 13, 2004)

I agree with alpha-8. I'd love to see some "official" views of the intrepid. It looks like it might be fairly easy (but what do I know) to convert an NX-01 into it. Might make me buy a few more copys of the 1/1000 when it comes out.


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

I was wondering why you guys keep saying it's the "Intrepid"? Where did you get that. Was that "official"? (Really, I could have missed it. Wondering the source for that name. I don't remember anyone naming it on Enterprise)

Also, as an addendum to the models history, it originally was designed just from the back end for the opening titles. The next season when we needed some "older" Starships (than NX-01), John Eaves went ahead and truly finalised the complete shape as was seen in the episodes. However, since this was considered a more advanced production version, the back end old style rocket exhausts where deleted and replaced with more "advanced" nurnies and greebling. The first appearence of these ships was not on one of my shows, so that is to the best of my recollection.


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## omnimodel (Oct 9, 2004)

Thanks for posting the pic. The Romulan BOP in TOS "Balance of Terror" was supposed to be based on stolen Starfleet plans. I don't know if it was intentional, but it looks like it could have been based on this ship. I love those little kind of details.

By the way, nx01Rob: I was watching the special features on the Voyager Season 6 box set... was that you being interviewed in the 'Red Alert: Special Effects' segment?


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## justinleighty (Jan 13, 2003)

nx01Rob said:


> I was wondering why you guys keep saying it's the "Intrepid"? Where did you get that. Was that "official"? (Really, I could have missed it. Wondering the source for that name. I don't remember anyone naming it on Enterprise).


[geek mode] The Intrepid was named in the 3rd season (Xindi arc) episode "Twilight," which is largely set in the future, where Earth has been destroyed, and Enterprise leads a small fleet protecting the 6,000 remaining humans. One of the other ships is the Intrepid, which Malcom Reed was just promoted to captain of, and the ship has a nacelle blown off in a battle toward the end of the episode. [/geek mode]

It's the triangular one that looks NX-ish, though I'm not certain whether it's the same triangular ship from the view you posted earlier.


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## norge71 (Apr 13, 2004)

I'm thinking the Intrepid was the one with half a saucer. Check out http://www.stguardian.to/fed/starships/earthshiptwilighttype2g.jpg for a pic. 
I'm not really sure who started calling it the Intrepid but without any confirmation from offical sources you have to call it something. Can't just keep calling it "you know that un-named ship from Twilight". Maybe that ship in "Twilight" was called Intrepid?


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

norge71 said:


> I'm thinking the Intrepid was the one with half a saucer. Check out http://www.stguardian.to/fed/starships/earthshiptwilighttype2g.jpg for a pic.
> I'm not really sure who started calling it the Intrepid but without any confirmation from offical sources you have to call it something. Can't just keep calling it "you know that un-named ship from Twilight". Maybe that ship in "Twilight" was called Intrepid?



How funny, we kept calling them, "Half Saucer" and "Delta"...we never gave them a name class.


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

omnimodel said:


> By the way, nx01Rob: I was watching the special features on the Voyager Season 6 box set... was that you being interviewed in the 'Red Alert: Special Effects' segment?


Yep that was me...thanks for finding it!


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

justinleighty said:


> [geek mode]
> It's the triangular one that looks NX-ish, though I'm not certain whether it's the same triangular ship from the view you posted earlier.


Same ship.


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## spacecraft guy (Aug 16, 2003)

If the ship in the credits that we're talking about is the Warp Delta, what is the ship that young Jonathan Archer built a model of and is painting in the first few minutes of "Broken Bow?"

The one with the 2 pilots in the cockpit, and Jonathan is painting as he talks with his father about his ship, and how the Vulcans are stonewalling his father's warp program?

It's not the NX-Alpha, the prototype ship that launched from a rail like Fireball XL-5. Or was it supposed to be?


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

Good god I have no idea. It looked like a Warp Delta toy to me. You can't take these things too seriously. I mean, I've seen GI joe toys (and many others) where the toy pilots and cockpits are way out of scale with the actual aircraft.

Anyway, I am starting to see the "fan zeel overthink" happening: People, production environment. Sometimes I'm surprised people in the show have the same name from week to week!  Everyone in production was certainly always trying to make continuity work, but things sometimes just get lost or forgotten in the mad scramble to stay afloat and get the job done. (Not to mention Producers occasionaly deciding to change previous continuity for storytelling sake)


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## norge71 (Apr 13, 2004)

You've got to forgive the tech geek in some of us (like me) who can be really anal about this stuff. But I've got some production questions for you Rob: Did it bother you guys much when the Producers or someone else changed continuity? I mean, did anyone point it out to them, if you were even aware of it? Or is it like most jobs where you want to keep your job and so you don't rock the boat much? I know you had nothing to do with the writing, so just wondering.


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## spacecraft guy (Aug 16, 2003)

nx01Rob said:


> Good god I have no idea. It looked like a Warp Delta toy to me. You can't take these things too seriously. I mean, I've seen GI joe toys (and many others) where the toy pilots and cockpits are way out of scale with the actual aircraft.
> 
> Anyway, I am starting to see the "fan zeel overthink" happening: People, production environment. Sometimes I'm surprised people in the show have the same name from week to week!  Everyone in production was certainly always trying to make continuity work, but things sometimes just get lost or forgotten in the mad scramble to stay afloat and get the job done. (Not to mention Producers occasionaly deciding to change previous continuity for storytelling sake)


 This is a board about building models. 

For the first time in all the Trek series and films, we got to see someone actually _building and painting a model on screen._ Not a toy. The sequence focused on paint being brushed onto a _model_. I was just curious as to what ship that model was supposed to represent. Given the amount of time it got on screen, _in close-ups_, I would have thought that a backstory for it would have been created. 

In the entire run of all the Star Trek series and movies, there have been models displayed in ready-rooms, quarters and offices. In the books, encyclopedias and DVD commentaries about the series and the films, what these models were and where they were placed are pointed out - usually to let the audience know that they were placed there as a tribute to the space program today or to past Star Trek history. That isn't "fan zeal overthink." That's official, _Paramount produced and sanctioned _product content. Usually done by Mike and Denise Okuda. 

It's appreciated that someone working in the production of the shows posts here with behind the scenes info. Please reconsider making condescending posts about "fan zeal overthink" and "taking the subject too seriously." A simple "Sorry, I don't know the answer to that question" is more than suffcient.


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

I was just trying to point out that the importance you place on model vs toy was pretty much non existent to the producers (I'm sure that Mike and Denise made it work as best they could. They get overidden too). My sarcasm was really in gest as I am also a fanatic when it comes to ships so I was poking fun at myself as well. Working on the show cured me of some of my analism as I see how hard it is to just get the stuff done sometimes. The schedules, the changes, the new changes, the late hours, the exhaustion,etc. It's just not the same as sitting there and having hours/days/years to go frame by frame after the fact with the VCR/DVD toggle.

I do apologise though as I know, probably much like me, you just want it to make sense.


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

norge71 said:


> You've got to forgive the tech geek in some of us (like me) who can be really anal about this stuff. But I've got some production questions for you Rob: Did it bother you guys much when the Producers or someone else changed continuity? I mean, did anyone point it out to them, if you were even aware of it? Or is it like most jobs where you want to keep your job and so you don't rock the boat much? I know you had nothing to do with the writing, so just wondering.


It did bother many of us who were fans. When it dealt with VFX, I can say that I and others pointed it out, but were most often told, "that's what they want" and at that point you have to let it go. It's there show. Occasionaly they would heed our comments and change things or let us have our way. Also, many of the guys doing the FX were not Trek fans and therefore just didn't know there was anything to "catch" continuity wise. Absolutely no malice on there parts. Personally, I always tried my best!( Much to the annoyance of my co-workers on occasion!!  But that's another set of stories....  )


I know that Doug, Mike and Denise over in the Art Dept always tried there darndest to keep the continuity in everything they did and could influence. The keepers of the flame! They really, really cared and did all they could, all the time. Even when continuity was broken, they had the knack of still making it fit later!


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## TheYoshinator! (Apr 2, 2004)

spacecraft guy said:


> It's appreciated that someone working in the production of the shows posts here with behind the scenes info. Please reconsider making condescending posts about "fan zeal overthink" and "taking the subject too seriously." A simple "Sorry, I don't know the answer to that question" is more than suffcient.


Rob has always been courteous. Either you choose to take a joke he makes as negative or you take it as tounge in cheek. It's your choice. But from everything Ive seen- his nature seems quite light-hearted and easy going and very approachable. Which is why he's so liked here. Sorry, Rob. I for one got what you were saying. Maybe we should move on. :wave:


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## Griffworks (Jun 24, 2002)

nx01Rob said:


> I was just trying to point out that the importance you place on model vs toy was pretty much non existent to the producers (I'm sure that Mike and Denise made it work as best they could. They get overidden too). My sarcasm was really in gest as I am also a fanatic when it comes to ships so I was poking fun at myself as well. Working on the show cured me of some of my analism as I see how hard it is to just get the stuff done sometimes. The schedules, the changes, the new changes, the late hours, the exhaustion,etc. It's just not the same as sitting there and having hours/days/years to go frame by frame after the fact with the VCR/DVD toggle.
> 
> I do apologise though as I know, probably much like me, you just want it to make sense.


Well, just so's ya know, I didn't take your comment as anything other than it was intended - a tongue-in-cheek commentary on us Treknology Geeks. We get anal about some of the silliest stuff, but I think it's background details that need to be addressed, if only for the sake of continuity. All too often the folks putting together the background stuff just don't really care about the "why" of some stuff. When you've got folks who do care, you can usually tell. 

Thanks again for posting here and giving some insider info, Rob. It's greatly appreciated! 

Side question, if I may...? Do you know the registry of the _Nebula_-class starship _U.S.S. Bonchune_ that appeared in the VOY episode that involved the Prometheus? Is it NCC-70915, perchance? Appreciate any confirmation you can give.


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

Well, you already knew the answer!! Never thought anyone would notice the name...


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## spacecraft guy (Aug 16, 2003)

Rob, and all -

I've enjoyed reading the posts with all the behind the scenes info that you've posted in the past, and admire your work very much. 

But like many who post on these boards, I'm an industry professional myself - and familiar with the production environment, killer schedules and working with clients who want the job done yesterday and want you to pay them for the privilege of working for them rather them actually paying you fairly for your time and effort. You, of course had no way of knowing that. 

The only reason I asked about that model building scene was because it was a model building scene - thought that the story behind it would have been interesting to fellow readers of this board. Believe me, I don't have the time to go through a scene from anything frame by frame - the deadlines I have for works in progress mean that I have to make the time to keep current with the news here. I'm not going to be able to watch both of the Enterprise Mirror Universe episodes until tomorrow afternoon. I won't be able to tackle the Refit Enterprise for a few months. 

I'm sorry if I misinterpreted a post that you were intending to be a gentle poke at those of us who may care a little too much about the details - I guess I just missed what you were trying to get across. 

I've had the misfortune of seeing people "in the business" blow off a curious fan/model builder who approached them with a question they thought was beneath their dignity to answer, with the response from them usually being something very much like (and occasionally the same as), "Good God, I've no idea," "I just wanted to get the **** thing out the door; who cares?," and "You are taking this way too seriously." The look of humiliation on that curious modeler's face as he/she walks away isn't easily forgotten. 

I'm done. Let's move on.


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## norge71 (Apr 13, 2004)

nx01Rob said:


> It did bother many of us who were fans. When it dealt with VFX, I can say that I and others pointed it out, but were most often told, "that's what they want" and at that point you have to let it go. It's there show. Occasionaly they would heed our comments and change things or let us have our way. Also, many of the guys doing the FX were not Trek fans and therefore just didn't know there was anything to "catch" continuity wise. Absolutely no malice on there parts. Personally, I always tried my best!( Much to the annoyance of my co-workers on occasion!!  But that's another set of stories....  )
> 
> 
> I know that Doug, Mike and Denise over in the Art Dept always tried there darndest to keep the continuity in everything they did and could influence. The keepers of the flame! They really, really cared and did all they could, all the time. Even when continuity was broken, they had the knack of still making it fit later!



That answers my question and then some. Thanks for trying to keep it right. I've felt that continuity is perhaps the biggest problem with Enterprise (and some of the other series' as well). We really do appreciate all this info you've been sending our way. But back to my original question a few posts back: Got any pics of the "half-saucer" ship you could share with us? The best I've seen are on the Guardian of Forever site but those are just screen grabs. You've already been awesome with the pics you've given us so Thanks again.


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## nx01Rob (Mar 1, 2005)

About the model of the Delta, I agree that there is probably a good story behind it production wise, but that was handled by the Art Dept and the set/prop builders, of which I had no part of and just never heard any stories about during production. I agree, I should have just said "I don't really know"!


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## spacecraft guy (Aug 16, 2003)

nx01Rob said:


> About the model of the Delta, I agree that there is probably a good story behind it production wise, but that was handled by the Art Dept and the set/prop builders, of which I had no part of and just never heard any stories about during production. I agree, I should have just said "I don't really know"!



Hey, that's cool. Thought maybe someone had gotten the backstory and passed it on or seen the work order for it. It was 4 years ago. If anybody knows, please post.


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## Samael (May 20, 2005)

nx01rob,
Could you post some ortho views of the warp delta?  

Thanks much :thumbsup: 

Sam


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