# Ralph McQuarrie style Starship scratchbuild



## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

I know many people do not like this design but I am going to have a go at it. I built one around 25 years ago, pretty much a copy of the design for "Planet Of The Titans" but I was never really happy with it. I altered the model a few years later but again was not pleased with the design so I scrapped it. With Discovery using the McQuarrie design as inspiration I have decided to have another go at it, adding my own ideas that I used on my rework of the original that I built all those years ago. The one thing that bugged me was the primary hull, it had little or no resemblance to any Federation design so that is where I am starting with this model. 

I am going to use flat surfaces to make up the primary hull, similar to how McQuarrie rendered the secondary hull, a loose interpretation of the constitution class hull:




























I know this thing will be fugly, but hopefully in a good way.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

I think the problem with the design is that it just doesn't have enough 'common design' elements with the 'past' to work in the context of "Trek that we knew".

I suspect that if one rounded the engineering hull some and gave it warp nacelles somewhat in keeping with TOS or even 'as shown' TMP design, and balanced out the different masses (Saucer, Engineering and Nacelles) better we would have fallen in love with it. 

And of course an argument could be made that the changes I suggest above are exactly what resulted in the 1701-D. Except that kinda goofy oval saucer.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Finally settled on a shape for the secondary hull stern section and made the internal former for the secondary hull.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Did some framing on the secondary hull. Decided to have the shuttle bay open as in some of the illustrations.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

I really like this build of yours- looks pretty accurate to his design sketches.
While his concept was a fair bit removed from traditional Trek ships, the Federation is a big place with lots of alien races contributing their expertise. I can easily accept some Starfleet vessels which are not just a recombining a dozen or so shapes.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Richard Baker said:


> I really like this build of yours- looks pretty accurate to his design sketches.
> While his concept was a fair bit removed from traditional Trek ships, the Federation is a big place with lots of alien races contributing their expertise. I can easily accept some Starfleet vessels which are not just a recombining a dozen or so shapes.


Thanks, I am departing from the McQuarrie design in a couple of aspects, the saucer and the engines. To me the saucer in the original design looked like a Frisbee, I also altered the size of the saucer, making it larger. To me this looks more balanced. I will also make engines that resemble the standard original series design engines. I will keep the bank of what appears to be impulse engines that are under the hanger deck and add an impulse deck to the saucer as well. 
I haven't decided where in the Trek timeline this belongs but I am leaning towards placing it after the building of the Constitution class ships and before the Refit design of proposed Phase II series and The Motion Picture.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Boxed in the shuttle bay area, wish I had more time to work on this tonight.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

More framing done on the secondary hull, will try to get the dorsal section made as well tonight:










Wasn't happy with the shape of the upper hull of the saucer, so I removed and remade it, making it flatter, looks much better:










Finished the rough design of the lower hull:


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Basic form of the dorsal section made and in place:










Worked out the basic shape of the impulse section of the saucer:


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

A quick test fit of the two main sections of the model:


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

I love this build so far!
One issue- The connecting dorsal seems a bit off- IMO it should lower and raked forward more. I know the ship was rendered several different ways according to the scene he drew- this one does look like the one view from inside spacedock of it's arrival- all the pylons were stretched higher in that one.
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-medi...l_progressive,q_80,w_636/18lsjl7zqudg1jpg.jpg


I think this view is the best of the concept drawings- and it should look even better with your saucer being larger-
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-medi...l_progressive,q_80,w_800/18lsjl7zu3nqljpg.jpg

Just my opinion-


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Richard Baker said:


> I love this build so far!
> One issue- The connecting dorsal seems a bit off- IMO it should lower and raked forward more. I know the ship was rendered several different ways according to the scene he drew- this one does look like the one view from inside spacedock of it's arrival- all the pylons were stretched higher in that one.
> https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-medi...l_progressive,q_80,w_636/18lsjl7zqudg1jpg.jpg
> 
> ...


I am just using McQuarrie's illustrations as a starting point and throwing in my own ideas. The triangular shape that is present for the engine pylons is not the final shape. I just added those as a stiffener to keep me from breaking them off since I included the uprights on the stern bulkhead of the model when I cut it out. I may rework the dorsal since I am not truly happy with it, it does need to be lower. 
One good thing about this, all of the plastic I am using is free, so mistakes only cost me time.


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## publiusr (Jul 27, 2006)

Some resources for you:

Virtual Study Model - Star Trek: Planet of the Titans
2013-07-29101740.jpg Photo by pfontaine2 | Photobucket
Modeler's Miniatures & Magic
Another Planet of the Titans Enterprise | The Trek BBS
http://www.trekbbs.com/threads/uss-malverne-fredrikstad-class-shuttlecarrier-project.143861/
http://www.trekbbs.com/threads/u-s-s-ariel-federation-shuttlecarrier.144181/page-3
http://www.catspawdynamics.com/star-trek-star-fleet-technical-manual-v2-0/

I might make the neck shorter, perhaps the saucer slinner, but with Star destroyer level surface detail around the bridge..
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3243/2872163834_7290dcb4cc_o.jpg
The Adam-McQuarrie Enterprise - Star Trek: Planet of the Titans

As you can see the saucer can be looked at as quite wide and flat
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3545/3351497986_11ecc354ff.jpg

I like that you narrowed the rectangular section of the sec-hull as it moves forward.

Your saucer would look nice on a more traditional secondary hull, or maybe as an excelsior study model:
http://www.trekbbs.com/threads/uss-excelsior-study-model-named-uss-xavier.255706/page-2

Speaking of which
http://s149.photobucket.com/user/pauly1972_photos/library/Apollo Class USS Gage?sort=3&page=1
http://s149.photobucket.com/user/pauly1972_photos/library/USS Liberator?sort=3&page=1

Paul Cairncross does a lot of good work--but yours is the largest model I have yet seen. Can't wait to see more!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Was not happy with the dorsal design, so it had to go:










A comparison of the old dorsal shape with the new one:










New dorsal built and in place:


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

Really like the new Dorsal!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Saucer test fitted to the new dorsal. I will probably thin down that "barn door" engine strut.




















OK, I see what the problem is with the engine struts, they are too tall!


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

krlee said:


> One good thing about this, all of the plastic I am using is free, so mistakes only cost me time.


I found a place to buy 4x8 from, but they wouldn't cut it or let me cut it to sizes that would fit in my car. Apparently, the need to keep people, even their own employees from injuring themselves on the business property was paramount. Insurance reasons. 

I haven't bought from them. Unfortunately, no one else in Tucson allows sheets that size to be bought by the public.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

charonjr said:


> I found a place to buy 4x8 from, but they wouldn't cut it or let me cut it to sizes that would fit in my car. Apparently, the need to keep people, even their own employees from injuring themselves on the business property was paramount. Insurance reasons.
> 
> I haven't bought from them. Unfortunately, no one else in Tucson allows sheets that size to be bought by the public.


I work in a Walmart, a lot of the signage in electronics is printed on .050 and .060 styrene. When the old signs come down I grab them. Got two pieces today, 9 inches wide by 3 ft long!


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

Thanks, Krlee! I will check into that! There's one not 5 miles from here!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Crap, just noticed that my secondary hull has a bad warp in it, when looking at it from the front the hull is noticeably twisted when compared to the dorsal. Will have to rebuild the entire section.










Should be able to salvage the dorsal section.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

New stern bulkheads made, larger shuttle bay opening more accurately reflects the McQuarrie design. That shuttle bay would be at least 6 times the size of the one on a Constitution class ship.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

New stern section made.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

The larger shuttlebay really helps the wedge hull- looks like there is a reason for the shape. Just having a design to look different of a rearrangement of modules with a function behind it ruins things for me. Machines are designed with a purpose in mind and form follows function. The huge triangular secondary hull should look like that for a reason- larger shuttle operations (face it- the Constitution class had pretty small facilities when you scale it to the ships length), or the long forward sides are lined with high resolution sensors to augment the main dish...


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Impulse deck done, time to move on to the delta wing shape, hope I don't screw this one up!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Central core section of delta wing shape installed. Building this up as a series of sub assemblies in order to prevent the warping of the hull that happened before.


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## wpthomas (Apr 28, 2005)

So cool seeing a physical build of this ship! Great work!


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

I'm enjoying this build.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

One of the delta wing sections done and started on the dorsal section. Originally I had planned to re-use the dorsal from the warped hull, but it was just easier to rebuild it. I am still playing around with whether or not to mount the dorsal flush with the leading edge or offset it back a little.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

krlee said:


> ...I am still playing around with whether or not to mount the dorsal flush with the leading edge or offset it back a little...


I thought the offset was perfect. Then I did some quick editing of your photo in Photoshop and moved the dorsal forward so the leading edge would be flush, in order to compare the two side-by-side. Now I can't decide which I like better. I really like the offset, but I think flush actually works better with the overall design.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Decided to go with the offset dorsal. Delta wings and dorsal finished, screwed the saucer down to the secondary hull just to see how it will look. I ordered some clear plastic test tubes, I will use those as the basis for my engines, they will provide the bussard domes as well as the upper and lower sensor domes.

The camera angle makes the saucer seem to droop, but it is level with the horizontal c/l of the secondary hull.










This is a good angle:


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Started adding the nacelle struts, decided to go with the lower profile struts.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

First pass with the nacelle, shape is close, but I will need larger tubes. I am thinking at least 3/4 inch in diameter, what I have is only 1/2 inch.


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## Captain Robert April (Jul 5, 2016)

Ya might even want to try a full inch.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

New saucer section, decided I did not like the original design. This is a view of the underside, a modified version of my original design, the rim, instead of angled will be curved and the top will be more in line with the McQuarrie design. The edge of the cone will be blended in to the hull with putty to get a smooth transition. The small disc at the apex of the cone will keep the step but I will add quarter round to the edge of it to make it look better, there will also be a sensor dome added. With all of the revisions that I have done to this there is nothing left of the original model I started a month ago!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

The adventure continues, added the top hull to the saucer, already looks better.










A beauty shot, really beginning to look like the painting!










Underside saucer detail, I will add a sensor dome and I am thinking about adding phaser turrets to the rim around the bottom piece.










Saucer edge detail, really thinking about doing this on the leading edges of the wings and dorsal.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

Looks great!
Are you going to fill the gap with sensors? That would help explain the unusual secondary hull shape (can't do the same thing effectively with a cylindrical hull) ...


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

*Beautiful!!!*:nerd:

-Jim G.G.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Richard Baker said:


> Looks great!
> Are you going to fill the gap with sensors? That would help explain the unusual secondary hull shape (can't do the same thing effectively with a cylindrical hull) ...


I had actually thought about that for the leading edges of the wings and dorsal. My idea is to use a thinner strip to separate the quarter round pieces and use tiny bits glued into the gap to busy it up, giving the impression that there is something there. I may also space that out with smooth areas that will have window decals applied. 
I have also decided on the scale for this model, the same scale as the 18 inch AMT Enterprise, that means that this ship is much larger than the Enterprise. I haven't measured it to get a size yet, but somewhere around 300 to 400 ft. longer than a Constitution class ship.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Lower sensor dome in place.


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## Captain Robert April (Jul 5, 2016)

I guess it's too late in the game to consider lights...


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Captain Robert April said:


> I guess it's too late in the game to consider lights...


When I had to rebuild the secondary hull a few weeks ago I considered it but decided against it because I thought I had finalized the saucer section. After that I decided to rebuild the saucer and I could have added lights then but I was happy with the secondary hull and did not want to cut into it to do that. If I ever do another one I will light it.


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

But your version of the saucer bears no visual relation to the Baker/McQuarrie design which had a very oblate sphereoid (basically a radically squashed ball) for a saucer.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Owen E Oulton said:


> But your version of the saucer bears no visual relation to the Baker/McQuarrie design which had a very oblate sphereoid (basically a radically squashed ball) for a saucer.


I am not actually trying to copy the McQuarrie design, just putting my own ideas into a similar design. I never really liked the saucer design of the original so I am making something that looks like it fits into the Trek universe.


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## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

krlee said:


> I am not actually trying to copy the McQuarrie design, just putting my own ideas into a similar design. I never really liked the saucer design of the original so I am making something that looks like it fits into the Trek universe.


Cool enough. You're closer than the Discovery, anyway.


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## publiusr (Jul 27, 2006)

You might have to raise the nacelles just a tad.

I love that secondary hull.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Got the bridge dome and lower sensor domes done:


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Bridge turbolift detail:










Basic shape and size of warp nacelle worked out:










Close up of nacelle:










Decided on a scale of 1:500 for this model, making the ship 1000 ft long and the saucer 425 ft in diameter, one deck thick at the rim. I also place this design, (at least in my mind) at around 20 to 25 years before the construction of the Constitution class. 
I know the original McQuarrie design was intended to be a replacement for the original Enterprise but this just makes more sense, especially with the design of the Discovery coming 10 years before Kirk takes command of Enterprise.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

I like this nacelle size much better- it looks capable of moving a ship this size and configuration...


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Second warp nacelle made and in place. Nothing left now but saucer impulse deck, shuttle bay interior and small details.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Gorgeous!:smile2:

Jim G.G.


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## Steve H (Feb 8, 2009)

How very much nicer than something thrown together out of foam board and marking pens. 

Can't wait to see the paint!


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## Captain Robert April (Jul 5, 2016)

[Cartman voice]

Shweeeet!

[/Cartman voice]


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

A "small" update, basic shape of the 1:500 scale shuttle craft with some photo etched people to go in the shuttle bay with it.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Added the curved edge to the leading edge of the wings, will also add this detail to the leading edge of the dorsal.










More work done to the tiny shuttle.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Tiny shuttlecraft almost done, now I need 2 or 3 more! I made it slightly different than the Original Series shuttlecraft because this one predates that design by around 20 years in the Trek timeline.


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## Captain Robert April (Jul 5, 2016)

You know you're making the rest of look bad, right?


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Captain Robert April said:


> You know you're making the rest of look bad, right?


Just keeping myself sane (that's what I tell myself, others may not agree)! The implants make this tiny work possible, four years ago that tiny shuttle would have just been a fuzzy blob to my old eyes.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

One of the things I'm really liking about this build-up is that the design creates it's own forced perspective. View it from the rear, and the primary hull/saucer section looks smaller than it actually is; view it from the front, and the secondary hull looks smaller than it actually is:



krlee said:


>





krlee said:


>


Wonderful effect!


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Care to put a soda pop can beside her , for scale comparison?:nerd:
Thanks,
-Jim G.G.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

JGG1701 said:


> Care to put a soda pop can beside her , for scale comparison?:nerd:
> Thanks,
> -Jim G.G.


No problem!


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

What scale would you say that is?


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Fozzie said:


> What scale would you say that is?


1:500 scale. In my mind, this ship design predates the Original Series Enterprise by at least 20 years. Instead of placing this design after the original series I think it fits in better as a predecessor to the design of the U.S.S. Discovery in the upcoming series.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

krlee said:


> 1:500 scale. In my mind, this ship design predates the Original Series Enterprise by at least 20 years. Instead of placing this design after the original series I think it fits in better as a predecessor to the design of the U.S.S. Discovery in the upcoming series.


My guess was 1:500 and I agree that it looks more like a predecessor rather than a descendant.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Got some work done on the shuttlebay, a few more details to add in there yet.


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## TheKitBase (Jul 23, 2016)

You can clearly DO THE DEW, very nice!


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

krlee said:


> No problem!


Thank you sir.
A work of art in the making.:smile2:
-Jim G.G.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Creating a version of the Matt Jefferies shuttle craft design to also go in the shuttle bay. Still a little rough around the edges.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

More work done on the tiny Jefferies shuttlecraft. For size reference, the squares on the board are 1 CM, 10 MM or slightly larger than 3/8 of an inch.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Work on such a tiny scale always impresses the heck out of me. They both look great!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Started the saucer impulse deck










and added the curved leading edge to the dorsal.


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## lebrunnz85 (Jan 22, 2017)

New to the forum, just wanted to chime and say this is a cool piece..


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## tracy.net (Aug 30, 2009)

This model needs a name . This one seems to me to be a great candidate to be the never seen SS Valiant lost during the expedition to the galactic barrier where the Valiant encountered a magnetic space storm that overwhelmed her impulse engines and swept the vessel into the energy barrier at the edge of the galaxy. Great work!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

More detail work on the impulse deck










and on the warp nacelles.










think I am finished with the warp nacelle details.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

Tiny nacelles glued on to the Jefferies shuttle. I am going to need a microscope to paint this thing!


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

The two tiny shuttles posed on the fantail.










Thinking of adding a "control tower" over the center of the hangar bay entrance and possibly a sensor dome centered top of the hangar bay structure.


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## krlee (Oct 23, 2016)

tracy.net said:


> This model needs a name . This one seems to me to be a great candidate to be the never seen SS Valiant lost during the expedition to the galactic barrier where the Valiant encountered a magnetic space storm that overwhelmed her impulse engines and swept the vessel into the energy barrier at the edge of the galaxy. Great work!


Good idea but the timeline is wrong for this to be that Valiant. I see this ship as the predecessor to the USS Discovery from the new TV series. I imagine that this class ship predates the Constitution class ships by around 20 years, launched around 2225. I thought about using one of the Space Shuttle names but that brings up the specter
of there being yet another Enterprise in the timeline, and I don't want to open that can of worms. I am actually thinking of calling it the USS McQuarrie, but that is not set in stone.
After looking online I find no ship or class of ship with the McQuarrie name so I have decided that this is a McQuarrie class ship, still thinking about the name for this ship.


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## Captain Robert April (Jul 5, 2016)

USS Bellerophon, NCC-347?


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## publiusr (Jul 27, 2006)

NCC-9961

That's 1966 upside down

That shuttlebay is a great piece of art.


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## Richard Baker (Aug 8, 2006)

publiusr said:


> NCC-9961
> 
> That's 1966 upside down


The USS Palindrome :smile2:


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## publiusr (Jul 27, 2006)

Here are some links that may inspire future models

he USS Republic 
50th ANNIVERSARY DOWNLOAD THREAD : Federation Reference Online - Page 3 

Drydock 
50th ANNIVERSARY DOWNLOAD THREAD : Federation Reference Online - Page 2 


Phase II model 
https://www.fpkclub.com/ugh-models/?page_id=204&model_number=UGH055 





Un-used concept art 
https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/what-is-your-favorite-unused-concept-art.286432/ 

D-10 
Revised Klingon D10 class Heavy Cruiser | STSTCSOLD&A 
Sketchup Stingtongue | STSTCSOLD&A 

The Robert April 
Oops, there was an error! | STSTCSOLD&A 
My kitbashes | STSTCSOLD&A


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## Kevin Maloney (Sep 4, 2020)

Steve H said:


> I think the problem with the design is that it just doesn't have enough 'common design' elements with the 'past' to work in the context of "Trek that we knew".
> 
> I suspect that if one rounded the engineering hull some and gave it warp nacelles somewhat in keeping with TOS or even 'as shown' TMP design, and balanced out the different masses (Saucer,
> 
> ...


When the Enterprise was designed in 1975 for the movie there was no design lineage for any of the ships other than the original series designs. So the new designs would have been state of the art at the time. In the seventies the straight edge and wedge were


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Kevin Maloney said:


> When the Enterprise was designed in 1975 for the movie there was no design lineage for any of the ships other than the original series designs. So the new designs would have been state of the art at the time. In the seventies the straight edge and wedge were


Very good points. I've sketched out some designs for the overall transitioning from spherical primary hulls to saucers and the wedge-type secondary hull, IMHO, works very well with both--and looks archaic enough to work with designs for that time period in Starfleet history.


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