# TOS era Combat Cargo Ship



## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

The U.S.S. Archernar, NCC-3217, is an Andromeda class "attack cargo ship". Originally designed to transport and support the landing of troops, heavy equipment, and supplies, the Andromeda class typically operated with heavy war ships during planetary assaults. Twenty-one years into its service life, however, the Archernar was re-tasked as a "seed" ship, assigned to establish colonies and science stations on the edges of Federation space.










Features of the Andromeda class include a large hanger bay, advanced sensors, several pairs of heavy phasers, six cargo transporters, and heavy lift capabilities in the form of two exchangeable cargo modules. In addition to a sensor dome similar to the one found on Constitution class starships, the Andromeda class features two additional sensor units which provide greater scanning resolution to assist with planetary mapping and colony deployment.










While a single Andromeda class ship is easily capable of establishing a small outpost or science stations, it typically takes 3 or more Andromeda class ships to deploy a small to medium-sized colony.

The Andromeda class is a larger, manned version of the Sherman class robot cargo ship. 










*The original U.S.S. Archernar (AKA-53) was an Andromeda class attack cargo ship built at Federal Kearney and commissioned on January 31, 1944. Attack cargo ships were U.S. Navy ships designed specifically to carry troops, heavy equipment and supplies in support of amphibious assaults, and to provide naval gunfire support during those assaults. With the larger types of Landing Craft, the combat-loaded AKA's and APA's formed the core of US Amphibious Forces. Operating inshore, they discharged toops and cargo off beachheads, loading their self-borne small Landing Craft, and providing considerable fire-power to cover the operation.

**Archernar is the brightest star in the constellation Eridanus and the ninth-brightest star in the night sky. Of the top ten apparent brightest stars (excluding our Sun)—Sirius, Canopus, Alpha Centauri, Arcturus, Vega, Capella, Rigel, Procyon, Achernar and Betelgeuse—Achernar is the hottest and bluest. It lies at the southern tip of the constellation.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

This model was built primarily from sheet and strip styrene. The warp engines and pylons, deflector dish, and bridge decks are from a Polar Lights 1:1000 _Enterprise _kit. The model also utilizes two components from Modular Models: 1) the Multi-era/multi-scale Lower Sensor Dome, and 2) the TOS-era Primary Hull Expanded Engineering module. Decals from the Polar Lights kit, Absolute Models, and JTGraphics were used.

This model started out as a scratch-building exercise but came out well enough that I decided to finish it off with a paint job and decals. The finish is not all that good because of the cheap primer I used and the fact that I didn't work the seams as well as I could have, but I didn't intend/expect for this to be a display model when I started it. It looked so cool, however, that I thought it deserved a spot on my shelves. I have always loved those robot drone ships from TAS. 

This is only my 3rd scratch-build (or is it a kit-bash?) attempt and easily the best of the three. I'm learning.


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

To cool Fozzie!:thumbsup:
I love TOS era ships!
-Jim


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Looks very nice! 

Thanks for the photo's and nice back story.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

MOST excellent!!! :thumbsup:

Great to see TOS era variations!


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Excellent work, you've have gotten the rusty wheels turning in my head, I haven't done any Star Trek stuff in a while, this inspires me.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Coolness!


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## Edge (Sep 5, 2003)

Very cool build. Yet another reason to love the affordable 1/1000 Enterprise kit.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Thanks, guys. This was a fun build!

A few more details about the build...I'm curious as to whether or not you all think I made the right choices.

1) I took the "bend" out of the primary hull markings and made the registry number straight. With the red lines in the corners, I am really happy with how this looks. What do you guys think?

2) Likewise, I took the primary hull pennant and put it on the sloping piece on the side along with some windows. Again, I think this looks nice.

3) The pilot bridge and pilot deflector dish both seemed to scale better with this model than the production versions--agree or disagree?

In case it isn't clear, the two ribbed grey boxes hanging below the main decks are the cargo modules which can be swapped out. You can't see it in these pictures, but they are each individually numbered, and on the next mission the ship is likely to have two totally different modules hanging there. (I wanted to attach these via magnets but thought of it too late.)

The bussards were made by putting crumpled up aluminum foil inside the inner transparent dome, which was painted Tamiya clear red. The vanes on that dome were painted copper. The outer dome was then painted Tamiya clear orange. I love how they came out!


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## kenlee (Feb 11, 2010)

Good choices all the way around. I may build a similar one. I always liked this ship design ever since I saw it in the Animated Series.


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## BolianAdmiral (Feb 24, 2009)

I quite like this little ship... it fits well within the universe and period.


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Excellent build! I really like the look of it, such a perfect TOS ship.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

I especially liked the ribs you put on the top section behind the bridge. Very good detailing, IMHO.

The cargo module beneath the hull makes perfect sense. A square or rectangular sided container is the most efficient use of space in most cases.


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## Trekkriffic (Mar 20, 2007)

A simple, clean original series design. Very utilitarian. No doubt in my mind... this looks like a cargo ship!


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## Jafo (Apr 22, 2005)

looks great. I find my self looking for phaser banks, am I missing them?


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## cozmo (Nov 29, 2004)

I like it, very nice.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

Jafo said:


> looks great. I find my self looking for phaser banks, am I missing them?


Phasers! Glad you brought that up. I wanted to include several of them at strategic points but was stymied because...well, what does a TOS era phaser bank look like? There was nothing definitive on the _Enterprise _model.

Thoughts, guys? How do we represent a TOS era phaser bank?


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

*Starfleet Technical Manual Addendum 2.0 (revised Edition)*

I am not sure if anyone has brought this up before but , I was doing a search and stumbled across this..........................................
http://www.starshipsaladin.com/index_files/SFTM_ADDENDUM_2.pdf
Lots of interesting stuff. Maybe some helpful info. for you Fozzie.
-Jim


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## dreadnaught726 (Feb 5, 2011)

Very unique build. This is what modeling and creativity is all about. That's what makes it fun. Great job!


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## MadCap Romanian (Oct 29, 2005)

Nice stuff! I'd like to see this in the same scale as the original kit though. 1/650th?


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

MadCap Romanian said:


> Nice stuff! I'd like to see this in the same scale as the original kit though. 1/650th?


Oh my...what a thought! 

One of the things I had to refrain from doing was detailing it _too _much. TOS ships were relatively smooth and I was constantly fighting the urge to "greeble it up".


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## roadskare63 (Apr 14, 2010)

WOW!!! what a neat ship and awesome build:thumbsup:


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## fortress (Apr 1, 2006)

Nice build job fozzie!!! Wish somebody had come up with
A aftermarket kit for that design. Thanks for the post.

Fortress


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Kewl!

btw, it's "Achernar" with no R after the A. I pronounce it wrong all the time too.


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## Fozzie (May 25, 2009)

John P said:


> Kewl!
> 
> btw, it's "Achernar" with no R after the A. I pronounce it wrong all the time too.


Thankfully the spelling is right on the model if not in the description! LOL


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## Bernard Guignar (Sep 9, 2006)

Nice work there


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