USS Buran

I've been a bit quiet here this year, but here's a post to end 2018 on....

A few pictures of my USS Buran model from the Star Trek Discovery Starships Collection from Eaglemoss, with the usual post-production done to them.

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 14 - USS Bozeman, SS Xhosa and USS Enterprise (Star Trek Beyond)

Box opening of the USS Bozeman, SS Xhosa and USS Enterprise (Star Trek Beyond) from the Star Trek Starships Collection by Eaglemoss.

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 13 - USS Enterprise Phase II and USS Shenzhou

Feeling like we're one of the last to receive these, finally we get to open the USS Enterprise Phase II Concept, and the long awaited issue 1 USS Shenzhou from the new Star Trek Discovery Starship Collection.

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 10 - Shuttlecraft Set 3

We look at the Shuttlecraft Set 3 models from the Star Trek Starships Collection from Eaglemoss.

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 9 - Challenger Class, Tellarite Cruiser and Enterprise XCV-330

Last video for 2017.  We look at the Challenger Class Starship, Tellarite Cruiser and the USS Enterprise XCV-330 Special model from the Star Trek Starships Collection from Eaglemoss.

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 8 - USS Defiant Glow in the Dark

Box opening of the special Glow in the Dark USS Defiant model from the Star Trek Starships Collection from Eaglemoss

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 7 - NX01 Enterprise Jumbo

Box opening of the NX 01 Enterprise Jumbo XL model from the Star Trek Starships Collection from Eaglemoss.

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 6 - USS Titan

Box opening of the USS Titan - a part of the Eaglemoss Star Trek Starships Collection

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 5 - Deep Space Station K7, Klingon Bird of Prey, Kazon Raider

Some more box openings from the Star Trek Starships Collection from Eaglemoss.  This time, we open the 10th special in the series - the Deep Space Station K7, Klingon Bird of Prey in Attack Mode, and the Kazon Raider

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 4 - USS Jenolan and Smugglers Ship

Some more box openings from the Star Trek Starships Collection from Eaglemoss.  This time, we open the USS Jenolan and Smuggler's Ship.

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 3 - USS Enterprise E Jumbo Model

Box opening of Eaglemoss's, Jumbo Enterprise E model, and a quick look at the graphic novels (16) Ghosts and (17) Mirrored.

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 2 - Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 2 - Vidiian's, Klingon's and Swarm Ships Oh My!

Box opening of Eaglemoss's, Vidiian Warship, Klingon D5 Battle Cruiser and Altamid Swarm Ship, as well as the latest Graphic novels - Vulcan's Vengeance, The Newspaper Strips Vol1. and the Star Trek / Planet of the Apes Crossover (The Primate Directive)

Trekkie Dad and Super Sophie Episode 1 - USS Enterprise D Jumbo

My poor, poor neglected blog.

As most of you may already know, I love Star Trek and have been collecting the Star Trek Starships Collection models from Eaglemoss since 2013. 

Now, my daughter Sophie has really got interested in Star Trek recently and loves it when I have a delivery of new ships.  So much so that we both decided to do some box opening/reviews on YouTube of the collection.

So here's the first video of Sophie and I opening the Enterprise D Jumbo model.

Star Trek The Official Starship Collection - Various Models

A couple more 'photoshopped' photographs of my Eaglemoss Star Trek Starships Collection models.  All taken with my new Canon EOS 600D with the following settings :-

f-stop - f/22
Exposure Time - 30 seconds
ISO Speed - 100
Focal Length 18mm

Cardassian Galor Class Battlecruiser

USS Defiant

USS Defiant

USS Enterprise (Star Trek 09')

USS Equinox

USS Equinox

Enterprise NX-01

 

Ferengi Marauder

USS Dauntless

 

 

Star Trek - The Official Starships Collection Issue 4 and 5 Review (Enterprise NX-01 and Romulan Warbird)

 

It's always exciting when I get a phone call at work from the wife saying that my next Star Trek Starship Collection models have arrived.  This time, it's the Enterprise NX-01 and Romulan D'deridex class Warbird.

Neptune and back in 6 minutes

Say what you want about Star Trek Enterprise (especially the third season Xindi story arc), but I loved the show and was gutted when it was cancelled in 2005.  The Enterprise NX-01 was designed to look like a pre-original series starship (before the Federation was even formed), but to be instantly recognisable as a Starfleet vessel, and this model shows the fine detail that went in to designing this truly gorgeous ship, right down to the detailed hull plating.  After the slightly disappointing issue 2 Enterprise refit, I was pleased that issue 3's Klingon Bird of Prey was back to the standard of issue 1, and now that issue 4 and 5 are here, the amazing quality of the models has returned, and my faith in the collection has been restored.

The Romulan Warbird was never one of my favourites.  Maybe this was due to the limited views of the ship in the early episodes of Star Trek The Next Generation.  But as special effects got better and the VFX people were able to do more with the model during the space battle scenes in Star Trek Deep Space Nice, I've come to appreciate the design much more now, and the model is quite a nice ship, showing plenty of detail (in particular the windows on the main "head" or primary forward hull section).  My only criticism with this model is the stand which the ship fits in to.  It isn't the most secure out of the current 5 ships, and Warbird is prone to falling off if you have not pushed it in hard enough.  The problem is, by pushing it in, I feel like I'm either going to break the ship, or break the plastic clips that hold the ship to the stand. 

"Your presence is not wanted. Do you understand my meaning, Captain? We... are back!"

As a subscriber, I was also lucky enough to receive my first free gift (apparently worth £20) - A USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D dedication plaque, as seen on the Bridge of the starship.  Now obviously, it's not a full size replica plaque, and measures only 8 inches long but has been well made and features the Starfleet logo and words USS Enterprise raised, with the rest of the text slightly engraved in to the plaque.  It isn't some cheap plastic item either, and is actually quite heavy for its size.  A very nice bonus that will look great alongside the other ships in the collection.

Now, as I've said before, the main reason most people are buying this collection are for the models, but each issue also includes a detailed magazine about the ship.  Although interesting to read, many of the pictures featured have been seen elsewhere in other books or publications and I've noticed the odd mistake here and there, but now 5 issues in and I still can't believe that they are still making some silly factual and spelling mistakes!  For instance, as shown below "The moment seemed right when Leonard Nimoy was directing Star Trek VI"... Erm, don't you mean Nicholas Meyer?  And also, on the back page, advertising the next issue, "Concept artits Rick Sternbach's original designs for Voyager".  ARTITS???  Hmmmmmm. 

Erm, when did Leonard Nimoy direct Star Trek VI?

Artits?

 

I'm not complaining though.  I've been really pleased with every issue so far, and still believe they are well worth the £9.99 each.  Outstanding! 

Star Trek - The Official Starships Collection Issue 2 Review

I've just received the latest two issues of Star Trek - The Official Starships Collection.  Issue 2 is the USS Enterprise refit (NCC-1701) from Star Trek - The Motion Picture.

Compared to the Enterprise D model, this one lacks the detail that made the D look so good.  The actual model itself is not bad, and does look very much like the original movie Enterprise, but seems that extra fragile - don't let the kids play with this one, otherwise you might find yourself having to superglue the nacelles, or the primary hull back on!  Windows, docking ports and small details are present, but what is lacking is the 'aztec' style texturing on the hull (which apparently is present in the future Reliant, Excelsior and Enterprise A models).  I like the transparent plastic which they have used in the nacelles.  When held up to a light source, they glow as if the ship is in warp.

As with the previous issue, the magazine is nice - nothing special.  Some nice photos of the actual movie prop used in the original movies, and some information about the ship, where it had its refit, and when it was destroyed - pretty much everything a hardcore Star Trek fan will already know!

 

The model is 135mm long, with a width of 62mm

 

Conclusion : - Although nowhere near as detailed as the Enterprise D (which is a shame since this is my favourite version of the Enterprise), it is still a very good model and will look great alongside the other ships in the collection.  I'm hoping that Eaglemoss will correct the issues with the model when they release the Enterprise NCC-1701-A further in to the collection.

Star Trek - The Official Starships Collection Issue 1 Review

I'm not one for subscribing to magazines - after all, most of the stuff I want to read can be found on the internet for free.  In fact, the last magazine I did subscribe to was the Commodore 64 mag "Zzap 64" in the late 80's!  However, after watching an advert on TV last Tuesday about a new series of Star Trek magazines that come complete with a detailed model ship with each issue, I just had to subscribe...

Today I got my first issue of "Star Trek The Official Starships Collection", and with it came a fantastic model of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D from Star Trek : The Next Generation.  The magazine itself is nothing special - a glossy mag with a few original drawings by Andrew Probert, some other photos which can be found online or in other books, and a bit of information about the ship.  To be honest, the magazine is just a bonus extra as I'm sure most people will be buying this series solely for the models, although with the binder that will be available to subscribers I'm sure the magazines will become a nice library once complete.

The model itself is not very big and measures about 140mm in length, but what is impressive is the amount of detail on the ship.  You can see windows, escape pods, and texturing on the hull is fantastic.  Also, the model has been made using die-cast metal and ABS plastic, so it doesn't look cheap.  This is no toy, but it does seem strong (and heavy) enough to take a bit of punishment from young hands.  Fortunately it comes with a nice display stand which is individually numbered.

Issue 1 cost a silly £1.99, so for that price, you can't really complain.  Issue 2 comes with the USS Enterprise Refit from Star Trek The Motion Picture and will be priced at £5.99.  All subsequent issues will then be £9.99 each which does seem a lot, but if the quality of the models remain the same as this, then I think it's a price worth paying.  The publisher Eaglemoss Collections hope to release 70 issues at least (once a fortnight), not including specials, and have issued a tentative list of all issues and ships (which you can see below).  Personally, I can't wait for issues 8 and 11 (USS Excelsior and USS Reliant)!

Provisional list of issues

◾01 USS Enterprise-D
◾02 USS Enterprise (refit)
◾03 Klingon Bird-of-Prey
◾04 Enterprise NX-01
◾05 Romulan Warbird
◾06 USS Voyager
◾07 K't'inga-class
◾08 USS Excelsior
◾09 USS Defiant
◾10 Borg sphere
◾11 USS Reliant
◾12 Ferengi Marauder
◾13 Akira-class
◾14 Vor'cha-class
◾15 Prometheus-class
◾16 Valdore-type
◾17 USS Equinox
◾18 Bajoran Solar Sailer
◾19 USS Enterprise-E
◾20 Xindi-Insectoid starship
◾21 Raptor-class
◾22 Jem'Hadar fighter
◾23 Nebula-class
◾24 Suurok-class
◾25 Delta Flyer
◾26 Breen warship
◾27 Krenim weapon ship
◾28 USS Enterprise-C
◾29 Galor-class
◾30 USS Stargazer
◾31 Borg Queen's vessel
◾32 Jem'Hadar battle cruiser
◾33 Maquis fighter
◾34 Romulan Bird-of-Prey (23rd century)
◾35 Hirogen warship
◾36 T'Plana-Hath (starship)
◾37 Prototype Klingon Bird-of-Prey
◾38 USS Enterprise-J
◾39 Son'a Command ship
◾40 Runabout
◾41 D-5-class
◾42 Romulan drone-ship
◾43 USS Enterprise-B
◾44 Jem'Hadar battleship
◾45 Malon export vessel
◾46 Federation mission scoutship
◾47 Scimitar
◾48 USS Relativity
◾49 Tholian starship (22nd century)
◾50 Goroth's starship
◾51 USS Kelvin
◾52 Son'a collector
◾53 Xindi-Reptilian starship
◾54 Oberth-class
◾55 Suliban cell ship
◾56 Phoenix
◾57 Fesarius
◾58 Steamrunner-class
◾59 Xindi-Aquatic cruiser
◾60 Vulcan Long range shuttle
◾61 Saber-class
◾62 Hideki-class
◾63 USS Enterprise-A
◾64 Romulan Bird-of-Prey (22nd century)
◾65 USS Dauntless
◾66 Federation holoship
◾67 Scorpion-class
◾68 Norway-class
◾69 USS Enterprise
◾70 Species 8472 bioship

NO NUMBERS
◾Borg probe
◾Cousteau (Captain's Yacht)
◾Borg cube
◾Galileo

SPECIALS (available to Subscribers only)
◾Deep Space 9
◾USS Enterprise (alternate reality - ST2009 and STID)
◾Future USS Enterprise-D ("All Good Things...")
◾Space Stations

The mag. Highly recommended.