Star Trek TMP phaser prop

[Howard]

Here's a rough size comparison - note the differences in the 'nose' areas.

 

[Gregatron]

Well, and don’t forget that one of the TMP Hero Phasers actually made an appearance (with only two lights illuminated on the control keypad, indicating the “stun” setting) in the hand of Admiral Kirk in the Regula One beam down scene…

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Here’s my replica of this version of the Admiral Kirk Trek II Hero Prop, built up from a heavily customized HMS kit:

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The best part is that, in the same scene, McCoy is holding what appears to be the Terrell hero phaser, complete with chasing “kill” setting lights (despite Kirk’s order to “set phasers on stun”), and he’s pulling the trigger, causing the phaser to “fire”, with its emitter all lit up.

 

[Benjo]

The TMP Hero props appear to be a dark gray color. I know that Dove Gray has been cited as the base color, for years, but that does not appear to be the case. It seems that poor photography has led to this assessment.

For contrast purposes, here is a high quality photo of a TMP Hero (from the Art of Star Trek TMP book), next to my Dove Gray Dustbuster Phaser.

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“BMW Anthracite Gray” is also cited as the color of the Hero TMP Phaser. A 1979 BMW painted “Anthracite Gray” is captured below:

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According to the owner of an original TMP Tricorder, the closest match to the base color of the TMP Phasers and Tricorders is Tamiya XF-75 IJN Gray.

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As far as the WOK vacuform Phasers (hand-me-downs from TMP) the color is definitely a different “metallic blue” color that is similar to the TOS Phaser Rifle color.

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Thanks a lot, this TMP grey paint was a huge question for me.

 

[Benjo]

Here's a rough size comparison - note the differences in the 'nose' areas.

I'd say the nose seems closer to the real deal on the DST despite its size (that stuff seems HUGE in comparison)
I would also point at the tapered shape. The screen prop seems slimmer and more tapered on the back part than almost all replicas.
the TWOK stunt prop appears to be narrower than the hero version but it's hard to tell due to the view angles on most the pictures.

There's also another detail that bothers me: the handle shape. On the sreen prop the handle seems much more ovale and rounded than it is on replicas

screen props

replicas (Roddenberry and HMS)

 

[Benjo]

I recently found out some new pictures of the TWOK hero phaser prop, taken at the exhibit "Star Trek: exploring new worlds" that took place in 2021 at the Seattle Museum of pop culture.

the handle and trigger area shapes appear more clearly

 

[pengbuzz]

This reminds me: once we're settled in from moving (in a couple of weeks), I need to build myself one of these out of wood or something....

 

[Benjo]

This reminds me: once we're settled in from moving (in a couple of weeks), I need to build myself one of these out of wood or something....

I'd really love to see that.

 

[WinstonWolf359]

It's worth pointing out that since the vac-formed props were a left and right half, the wide/narrow body and oval/round grip are both affected by how that particular pull was cut and sanded.

There also seem to have been two different molds for the TMP phaser, judging by the wide and low vs. tall and narrow bezel around the "dilithium crystal" light on the back.

It's really hard to be sure, but someone could probably convince me that the phaser with the wide and low bezel on the right is also ever so slightly wider through the whole body, when looking at how much of the body you see on either side of the control panel.

 

[Benjo]

It's worth pointing out that since the vac-formed props were a left and right half, the wide/narrow body and oval/round grip are both affected by how that particular pull was cut and sanded.

There also seem to have been two different molds for the TMP phaser, judging by the wide and low vs. tall and narrow bezel around the "dilithium crystal" light on the back.

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It's really hard to be sure, but someone could probably convince me that the phaser with the wide and low bezel on the right is also ever so slightly wider through the whole body, when looking at how much of the body you see on either side of the control panel.

Well it's hard to say due to the two different view angles. They both seem to have the same width though if I look at how much of the body I see on the control panel sides on the two models.
Anyway I very much agree with your statement, these are vacform pulls cut and sanded differently., it easily explains the difference in width and shapes. The seam line is off centered on the TWOK stunt model and some of the props have very thin lines on either sides of the control panel.

I seriously wonder if the handle has been reshaped on the HMS replicas. Screen props were thin vacform shells, the HMS was meant to be a resin kit with thick walls to be more durable, wich means less room for electronic. They might refleshed the handle, made it slightly larger to keep enough room for battery or electronic components.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Awesome. Did they made bigger props to have enough space for electronics? That one looks like the Ed Miarecki version. Indeed the first version of the TMP phaser was larger. I have an article where Brick Price talks about the prop conception, he talks about the first bigger version.

Yes, pictures of this first—and substantially larger—prototype TMP Hero Phaser do exist.

Here is an old copy of Enterprise Incidents in which Brick Price Supplied photos of the unit.

 

[Gregatron]

Well it's hard to say due to the two different view angles. They both seem to have the same width though if I look at how much of the body I see on the control panel sides on the two models.
Anyway I very much agree with your statement, these are vacform pulls cut and sanded differently., it easily explains the difference in width and shapes. The seam line is off centered on the TWOK stunt model and some of the props have very thin lines on either sides of the control panel.

I seriously wonder if the handle has been reshaped on the HMS replicas. Screen props were thin vacform shells, the HMS was meant to be a resin kit with thick walls to be more durable, wich means less room for electronic. They might refleshed the handle, made it slightly larger to keep enough room for battery or electronic components.

I my research on the TMP tricorder, I noted some major variances in terms of how the scanner heads were trimmed and attached to the bodies, so this makes sense.

 

[Benjo]

Yes, pictures of this first—and substantially larger prototype—TMP Hero Phaser do exist.

Here is an old copy of Enterprise Incidents in which Brick Price Supplied photos of the unit.

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Thx a lot ! I always wanted to see that thing. I must say I finally much prefer the second version , much more Star Trek than this huge square stuff in my opinion.
I'm pretty sure I have seen an old sketch pretty close to that version.

 

[publiusr]

Yes, pictures of this first—and substantially larger prototype—TMP Hero Phaser do exist.

Here is an old copy of Enterprise Incidents in which Brick Price Supplied photos of the unit.

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That’s what I remember…anyone ever do one?

 

[pengbuzz]

I'd really love to see that.

UPDATE on that: I didn't want to wait that long (and I wanted a project "ready to go" as soon as we get settled in), so here's the start of it:
Hoping to get more done on it; I have half of the upper body cut out and the grip.

Stay tuned...

 

[Benjo]

UPDATE on that: I didn't want to wait that long (and I wanted a project "ready to go" as soon as we get settled in), so here's the start of it:View attachment 1731001
Hoping to get more done on it; I have half of the upper body cut out and the grip.

Stay tuned...

I can't wait to see more of your progression !
I've just finished my TMP phaser, based on the background version

 

[Gregatron]

I can't wait to see more of your progression !
I've just finished my TMP phaser, based on the background version
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Modded DST?

 

[Benjo]

Modded DST?

Nope, I've made it from scratch. I had an old resin pull from an older attempt to recreate the prop (totally made from scratch), I've just resculpt it to try to have something that look roughly right.

 

[Gregatron]

Nope, I've made it from scratch. I had an old resin pull from an older attempt to recreate the prop (totally made from scratch), I've just resculpt it to try to have something that look roughly right.

Impressive! It certainly passes the first-glance test.

 

[Benjo]

Impressive! It certainly passes the first-glance test.

Thank you very much

 

[pengbuzz]

How do they get that prismatic, "engine-turned" effect down the side of the phaser?