original enterprise in smithsonian

breen2057 · 08-17-2010, 05:50 PM

pictures of the original enterprise model hanging in the smithsonian National Air and Space museum gift shop

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40460675@N07/4902142893/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40460675@N07/4902142893/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4046067...n/photostream/

it was so cool seeing the model in person.

hankey01 · 08-17-2010, 05:52 PM

Link takes me to main RPF forums...

MooCriket · 08-17-2010, 05:57 PM

I see it here:
Flickr: breen2057's Photostream

Looks great! Do you know how long it is going to be there? I am hoping to swing by there before school starts with the family.

phase pistol · 08-17-2010, 06:04 PM

The 11-footer has been hanging in the NASM since around the mid Seventies I think. They moved it a couple times, now it's down in the basement gift shop.

Definitely a must see! She has been refurbished in the past (only the top saucer is untouched I'm told), but wear and tear is taking its toll on this wooden and plastic masterpiece. See her while you can!

Karl

breen2057 · 08-17-2010, 06:21 PM

you should go its worth the visit also they have the mothership from close encounters of the third kind in the NASM Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. and D.C. is well worth a visit so much cool stuff to see.

so go and enjoy.

go to the national archives and get a decleration of independce like nick cage.

saarno · 08-17-2010, 06:25 PM

I saw it there in the mid 70's when I was there last. Wow. Looks like the nacelles are a little crooked. Guess she is getting on in years, but still looks great!

feek61 · 08-17-2010, 06:41 PM

Yes, it's been about 20 years since it was "renovated" (or ruined depending on your view-point). It's time!!!

CessnaDriver · 08-17-2010, 07:39 PM

I got a little insight into how things work, I was given a tour of the museum by the curator of that section.
I think to get a new restoration, It's going to take a big donor to the museum to get things rolling.
For instance if Paul Allen made a contribution and then pressed to get the work
done it would probably happen. Anything short of that won't work in my view.

Money money money. They have bigger priorities with actual aerospace hardware then our poor little movie prop.

They also needed to correct the plaque, it had some bad info on it, don't know if that got done. The ship registry was NOT taken from Jeffries personal aircraft as is popularly thought. He got that aircraft after the show had been cancelled.

It was combining North American aircraft registrys NC and the Soviet CCCP...

Thus NCC. The numbers were only meant to be easy to read on TV so kept simple.

Junk Pilot · 08-17-2010, 07:48 PM

I'm sure there was an article in the magazine Fine Scale Modeler in the late 80's about one restoration the Smithsonian did. Unfortunately I no longer have those magazines so I can't help out with the article but maybe someone here does.

Thorn · 08-17-2010, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junk Pilot

I'm sure there was an article in the magazine Fine Scale Modeler in the late 80's about one restoration the Smithsonian did. Unfortunately I no longer have those magazines so I can't help out with the article but maybe someone here does.

I have an old Sci-Fi & Fantasy Modeler from '96 documenting some of the restoration process that was completed in '91. The author hints that the next crew to do a restoration may find a little time capsule in one of the engine tubes.

feek61 · 08-17-2010, 08:14 PM

Here is a unique photo of our beloved ship:

Image Detail - Star Trek "Enterprise" Model Restoration - X-Ray Image - Hull Composite

Roger Ramjet · 08-17-2010, 08:36 PM

I get depressed seeing it there to be honest. Hanging in the gift shop is not the setting where the old girl needs to be. There is a guy in Seattle (Redmond Actually) that would give it the care it needs and a nice place to "Grow Old".

BrundelFly · 08-17-2010, 09:01 PM

Sorry.
They RUINED it when they "restored it".

it looks like crap.

Im actually in DC at the moment.

feek61 · 08-17-2010, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrundelFly

Sorry.
They RUINED it when they "restored it".

it looks like crap.

Well, yes!

phasersonthrill · 08-18-2010, 06:50 PM

SPOCK: AHHHH, PAIN! That paint job, PAAIN! Those gird lines, PAAAIN!

That's all I got captain, waves and waves of searing pain, its in agony.

faustus100 · 08-18-2010, 08:01 PM

I will never quite understand why these models are treated so badly.They are iconic pieces of art that should be treated as such.The new paint job on the restoration bothers me as well,not to mention shots Ive seen of both the Falcon and the Galileo after production stopped

Bryancd · 08-18-2010, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrundelFly

Sorry.
They RUINED it when they "restored it".

it looks like crap.

Im actually in DC at the moment.

Seriously, why did they think that was an appropriate paint job?

belleauwood · 08-19-2010, 05:58 AM

Isn't the top "unrestored"? I may have to dig through my NASM pics from 2 years ago, IIRC I got some decent shots.

Sad its by the freaking bathrooms and buried

Ryan

MrSparkle · 08-19-2010, 12:35 PM

We really ought to lobby the museum to move this model to a more appropriate place. I too hated the fact that it was placed in the gift shop.

trekriffic · 08-19-2010, 12:47 PM

Here's a link with pics taken during the last "restoration" in 1991:
TOS 11 Foot USS ENTERPRISE 1701 Studio Model Restoration

And these are pics of it afterward in the gift shop:
Star Trek: NCC1701 "Enterprise"

28injection · 08-20-2010, 11:41 AM

Thanks for the links Trekriffic, its nice to see pics from before it was last restored. The current restoration is awfull, its overdone and not as i saw it on screen. The previous resto was just fine.

feek61 · 08-20-2010, 12:41 PM

Keep in mind that it was "restored" before it ever went on display back in the 70's. Everything was repainted except the top of the saucer which is the ONLY part not touched. Even the bridge and B & C decks are replacements. It was a mess from laying around the prop storage at Paramount so the "professionals" restored it by repainting it, adding a horrible gold bowl for the deflector dish and bright red domes at the warp engines.

CessnaDriver · 08-20-2010, 12:52 PM

What sucks is the model was in pretty good shape when Paramount lent it to a college for a space day display or some such thing. They had to replace some of the Christmas lights in the domes but they did get it running with the orginal control box and everything. I think only the dish was missing at that point. There is a pic or two of this event out there somewhere.

The guy that did the footwork to borrow it made a comment that he might have been able to buy it from them but he had no place to put it. Can you imagine? I think this was like 1971 or so. After it went back to Paramount it got trashed to the point you see it was in when the Smithsonian got hold of it.

feek61 · 08-20-2010, 01:47 PM

This I believe was two or three years before it arrived at the Smithsonian (photo from 1971 or 72)

I have often wondered what the condition was like when it was returned. I know the guy in the photo ended up keeping some replacement decals so is it so far-fetched that he kept the domes as well?

Here she is when she was uncrated at the Smithsonian:

And put together for inspection:

CessnaDriver · 08-20-2010, 01:53 PM

She was in near top form wasn't she at that point?

I keep hoping somehow more pictures from that event will surface someday.
You just know they are sitting in old photo albums, I know lots of people must have taken pictures of the exhibits.

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08-17-2010, 05:50 PM	#1
breen2057 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Killoughrim, ireland Posts: 197 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	original enterprise in smithsonian pictures of the original enterprise model hanging in the smithsonian National Air and Space museum gift shop http://www.flickr.com/photos/40460675@N07/4902142893/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/40460675@N07/4902142893/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/4046067...n/photostream/ it was so cool seeing the model in person. Last edited by breen2057; 08-17-2010 at 05:59 PM.

08-17-2010, 05:52 PM	#2
hankey01 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: High River (Smallville), Alberta Posts: 1,226 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian Link takes me to main RPF forums...

08-17-2010, 05:57 PM	#3
MooCriket Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Baltimore MD Posts: 5,161 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian I see it here: Flickr: breen2057's Photostream Looks great! Do you know how long it is going to be there? I am hoping to swing by there before school starts with the family.

08-17-2010, 06:04 PM	#4
phase pistol Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New York Posts: 14,351 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian The 11-footer has been hanging in the NASM since around the mid Seventies I think. They moved it a couple times, now it's down in the basement gift shop. Definitely a must see! She has been refurbished in the past (only the top saucer is untouched I'm told), but wear and tear is taking its toll on this wooden and plastic masterpiece. See her while you can! Karl

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08-17-2010, 06:21 PM	#5
breen2057 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Killoughrim, ireland Posts: 197 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian you should go its worth the visit also they have the mothership from close encounters of the third kind in the NASM Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. and D.C. is well worth a visit so much cool stuff to see. so go and enjoy. go to the national archives and get a decleration of independce like nick cage.

08-17-2010, 06:25 PM	#6
saarno Join Date: May 2010 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 92 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian I saw it there in the mid 70's when I was there last. Wow. Looks like the nacelles are a little crooked. Guess she is getting on in years, but still looks great!

08-17-2010, 06:41 PM	#7
feek61 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NOT Russia Posts: 1,274 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian Yes, it's been about 20 years since it was "renovated" (or ruined depending on your view-point). It's time!!!

08-17-2010, 07:39 PM	#8
CessnaDriver Banned Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 5,487 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian I got a little insight into how things work, I was given a tour of the museum by the curator of that section. I think to get a new restoration, It's going to take a big donor to the museum to get things rolling. For instance if Paul Allen made a contribution and then pressed to get the work done it would probably happen. Anything short of that won't work in my view. Money money money. They have bigger priorities with actual aerospace hardware then our poor little movie prop. They also needed to correct the plaque, it had some bad info on it, don't know if that got done. The ship registry was NOT taken from Jeffries personal aircraft as is popularly thought. He got that aircraft after the show had been cancelled. It was combining North American aircraft registrys NC and the Soviet CCCP... Thus NCC. The numbers were only meant to be easy to read on TV so kept simple.

08-17-2010, 07:48 PM	#9
Junk Pilot Formerly Reckless Pilot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 344 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian I'm sure there was an article in the magazine Fine Scale Modeler in the late 80's about one restoration the Smithsonian did. Unfortunately I no longer have those magazines so I can't help out with the article but maybe someone here does.

08-17-2010, 08:14 PM	#11
feek61 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NOT Russia Posts: 1,274 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian Here is a unique photo of our beloved ship: Image Detail - Star Trek "Enterprise" Model Restoration - X-Ray Image - Hull Composite

08-17-2010, 08:36 PM	#12
Roger Ramjet Banned Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Real RPF Posts: 797 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian I get depressed seeing it there to be honest. Hanging in the gift shop is not the setting where the old girl needs to be. There is a guy in Seattle (Redmond Actually) that would give it the care it needs and a nice place to "Grow Old".

08-17-2010, 09:01 PM	#13
BrundelFly Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 2,464 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian Sorry. They RUINED it when they "restored it". it looks like crap. Im actually in DC at the moment.

08-18-2010, 06:50 PM	#15
phasersonthrill Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: United States Posts: 102 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian SPOCK: AHHHH, PAIN! That paint job, PAAIN! Those gird lines, PAAAIN! That's all I got captain, waves and waves of searing pain, its in agony.

08-18-2010, 08:01 PM	#16
faustus100 Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 123 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian I will never quite understand why these models are treated so badly.They are iconic pieces of art that should be treated as such.The new paint job on the restoration bothers me as well,not to mention shots Ive seen of both the Falcon and the Galileo after production stopped

08-19-2010, 05:58 AM	#18
belleauwood Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Castle Rock CO/Colorado Springs CO Posts: 250 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian Isn't the top "unrestored"? I may have to dig through my NASM pics from 2 years ago, IIRC I got some decent shots. Sad its by the freaking bathrooms and buried Ryan

08-19-2010, 12:35 PM	#19
MrSparkle Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 34 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian We really ought to lobby the museum to move this model to a more appropriate place. I too hated the fact that it was placed in the gift shop.

08-19-2010, 12:47 PM	#20
trekriffic Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 412 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian Here's a link with pics taken during the last "restoration" in 1991: TOS 11 Foot USS ENTERPRISE 1701 Studio Model Restoration And these are pics of it afterward in the gift shop: Star Trek: NCC1701 "Enterprise"

08-20-2010, 11:41 AM	#21
28injection Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 239 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian Thanks for the links Trekriffic, its nice to see pics from before it was last restored. The current restoration is awfull, its overdone and not as i saw it on screen. The previous resto was just fine.

08-20-2010, 12:41 PM	#22
feek61 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NOT Russia Posts: 1,274 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian Keep in mind that it was "restored" before it ever went on display back in the 70's. Everything was repainted except the top of the saucer which is the ONLY part not touched. Even the bridge and B & C decks are replacements. It was a mess from laying around the prop storage at Paramount so the "professionals" restored it by repainting it, adding a horrible gold bowl for the deflector dish and bright red domes at the warp engines.

08-20-2010, 12:52 PM	#23
CessnaDriver Banned Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 5,487 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian What sucks is the model was in pretty good shape when Paramount lent it to a college for a space day display or some such thing. They had to replace some of the Christmas lights in the domes but they did get it running with the orginal control box and everything. I think only the dish was missing at that point. There is a pic or two of this event out there somewhere. The guy that did the footwork to borrow it made a comment that he might have been able to buy it from them but he had no place to put it. Can you imagine? I think this was like 1971 or so. After it went back to Paramount it got trashed to the point you see it was in when the Smithsonian got hold of it.

08-20-2010, 01:47 PM	#24
feek61 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NOT Russia Posts: 1,274 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian This I believe was two or three years before it arrived at the Smithsonian (photo from 1971 or 72) I have often wondered what the condition was like when it was returned. I know the guy in the photo ended up keeping some replacement decals so is it so far-fetched that he kept the domes as well? Here she is when she was uncrated at the Smithsonian: And put together for inspection: Last edited by feek61; 08-20-2010 at 02:39 PM.

08-20-2010, 01:53 PM	#25
CessnaDriver Banned Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 5,487 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: original enterprise in smithsonian She was in near top form wasn't she at that point? I keep hoping somehow more pictures from that event will surface someday. You just know they are sitting in old photo albums, I know lots of people must have taken pictures of the exhibits.