I have no plans for a gangway hatch. I feel it's unnecessary when the ship will have plenty of docking ports. We saw the Enterprise-D docked at Starbase 74 with a gangway hooked up to its neck docking port in the episode 11001001.
Really nice work Chris.
Though I am not a fan on the cut outs for the airlocks. I think they need to have some sort of sliding cover on them, when not in use.
I thought about doing that, but decided against it. I've done airlocks this way before.
I figure there's no need for aerodynamics on a space ship.
The only reason to put a cover on those is aesthetics and an extra layer of protection for the airlock. I figure they could go either way, especially as the TMP ship has at least 5 unprotected airlocks on it.
Yeah, I just have to decide how much having the square holes in the sides of the saucer really bothers me. Right now, it's not bothering me all that much. Making doors wouldn't be particularly challenging or time consuming, but it would cover up the airlock that I spent time working on. It's not massively detailed, but it still took a little while to make.
Airlocks are weird details to do anyway. You're putting a flat object onto a curved shape. It's one of several details they didn't bother with for TOS but they did for TMP and everything that came after. (one would assume the TOS ones were behind panels)
Apparently, I've been doing that style of docking port cutout longer than I thought.
That model is from my Truespace days. I also found this one:
That's one of my older Enterprise redesigns. It's a fairly hideous looking model, but the saucer docking port looks interesting on it. It looks like I did the cutout much smaller, barely larger than the port itself. This "breaks up" the saucer a bit less. It also looks like my intent was still to have the port extend outward. If I redesign the door to something more like what was on the NX-01, that is something else I can do for this ship. (the advantages of doing a reboot is that you can decided what details like doors look like) The doors are a separate piece, so I can easily redo those.
Also, interesting thing to note: I did some research on docking ports on canon Star Trek ships. It's really interesting to note how many canon ships don't have them. Usually, they were models that were built in a hurry for TNG or CG models that weren't designed to be seen up close.
Definitely looks better. Nice touch with the continuity as well. What's the clearance on that furthest back phaser bank? It looks like a rather tight line of fire.
Just a couple more quick things. I decided to put the photon torpedo launchers in the saucer, since that was where the torpedoes came from in TOS. I also did something else in that general area. It's not big, we'll see if people notice.
Then I went and put grid lines and windows in the neck. I may add a couple other things to the neck, but probably not much more.
I've spotted it. Subtle but definite improvement. I don't think the neck really needs anything else. It's not as though there could be much of utility in there.
I don't think the neck really needs anything else. It's not as though there could be much of utility in there.
It's really just for connecting the primary and secondary hulls. The deck plans drawn up by Franz Joseph, while not canon, do make sense. They show the neck decks mostly as lounges, with some machine rooms too. They're essentially big open rooms with turboshafts in the middle and gangways and whatnot. Presumably, Jefferies tubes also run through the neck.
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I have no plans for a gangway hatch. I feel it's unnecessary when the ship will have plenty of docking ports. We saw the Enterprise-D docked at Starbase 74 with a gangway hooked up to its neck docking port in the episode 11001001.
I thought about doing that, but decided against it. I've done airlocks this way before.
I figure there's no need for aerodynamics on a space ship.
But, you never know, I may still add it.
Airlocks are weird details to do anyway. You're putting a flat object onto a curved shape. It's one of several details they didn't bother with for TOS but they did for TMP and everything that came after. (one would assume the TOS ones were behind panels)
That model is from my Truespace days. I also found this one:
That's one of my older Enterprise redesigns. It's a fairly hideous looking model, but the saucer docking port looks interesting on it. It looks like I did the cutout much smaller, barely larger than the port itself. This "breaks up" the saucer a bit less. It also looks like my intent was still to have the port extend outward. If I redesign the door to something more like what was on the NX-01, that is something else I can do for this ship. (the advantages of doing a reboot is that you can decided what details like doors look like) The doors are a separate piece, so I can easily redo those.
Also, interesting thing to note: I did some research on docking ports on canon Star Trek ships. It's really interesting to note how many canon ships don't have them. Usually, they were models that were built in a hurry for TNG or CG models that weren't designed to be seen up close.
It not so much in your face like the cut-out one is.
Hm, didn't notice that. Those may have to be removed.
Just a couple more quick things. I decided to put the photon torpedo launchers in the saucer, since that was where the torpedoes came from in TOS. I also did something else in that general area. It's not big, we'll see if people notice.
Then I went and put grid lines and windows in the neck. I may add a couple other things to the neck, but probably not much more.
It's really just for connecting the primary and secondary hulls. The deck plans drawn up by Franz Joseph, while not canon, do make sense. They show the neck decks mostly as lounges, with some machine rooms too. They're essentially big open rooms with turboshafts in the middle and gangways and whatnot. Presumably, Jefferies tubes also run through the neck.
The secondary hull is next. I don't know when I'll get to the deflector specifically.
If you put it in the very bow and had a window flanking it to either side, it would echo the three small dish deflectors.
I could see a dock port travel pod in the very now with a “harbor pilot” steering the whole of the ship from there.