star-art
Sr Member
This is the first time I have participated in the whole "red ring" discussion so I don't want to rehash all that has gone before. I have no idea what the arguments are for and against. I simply offer this:
1. Greg Jein added it based on the incomparable research done by Gary Kerr (the pre-eminent expert on this model).
2. It is clearly visible in the attached color "beauty shot" made back in the day. Now I don't recall where I got this, from whom, or under what conditions. So I am not posting the entire photo. But you can see how clear the ring is and the copper color. It's not red.
3. It is clearly visible in the attached screenshot I got from Custom Replicas when I was assisting Jim Key with his TOS E recreation project. I don't know what episode this is from. But, since it is a screenshot, there is nothing secret or proprietary about this image so I see no problem in posting it.
There you have it. Based on this, it was definitely there -- at least at one point. That does not mean it was not later painted over or altered. Using Smithsonian photos is not useful to figuring this out since the model was not necessarily in original condition even when it first arrived there. Neither is referencing photos taken during the Pilot era since the ship was altered substantially after that. From various interviews we also know it was changed during the series run to modify the weathering and perhaps some surface details as well. Thus, this copper ring may have been present at one time but not others. . .
Hope this helps.
1. Greg Jein added it based on the incomparable research done by Gary Kerr (the pre-eminent expert on this model).
2. It is clearly visible in the attached color "beauty shot" made back in the day. Now I don't recall where I got this, from whom, or under what conditions. So I am not posting the entire photo. But you can see how clear the ring is and the copper color. It's not red.
3. It is clearly visible in the attached screenshot I got from Custom Replicas when I was assisting Jim Key with his TOS E recreation project. I don't know what episode this is from. But, since it is a screenshot, there is nothing secret or proprietary about this image so I see no problem in posting it.
There you have it. Based on this, it was definitely there -- at least at one point. That does not mean it was not later painted over or altered. Using Smithsonian photos is not useful to figuring this out since the model was not necessarily in original condition even when it first arrived there. Neither is referencing photos taken during the Pilot era since the ship was altered substantially after that. From various interviews we also know it was changed during the series run to modify the weathering and perhaps some surface details as well. Thus, this copper ring may have been present at one time but not others. . .
Hope this helps.
