Star Trek: The Official Starship Collection

[AndyWoodall]

Hi all, only recently discovered this section, and although not a modeller I am a collector of all this sci fi and starship shaped from BSG to Trek to Star Wars and all the stuff inbetween.

This new collection from Eaglemoss (they did the Batman cars earlier this year) launches today and looks to be pretty good for us Trek starship fans...

http://www.startrek-starships.com/eng/index.asp

I've collected everything I could lay my hands on from the Trek universe, from Playmates to Micromachines to Furuta to Art Asylum/DST to Johnny Lightning to Corgi to Hot Wheels and now this. Whats really exciting to proper ship geeks is some of the highlights from the planned list which includes classes never seen before, Akira class, some nifty alien ships, its a long list...

Got the Enterprise D issue today, its a nice model, for those that are familar with the various mini ship releases over the years the size range is somewhere larger than a Furuta or a Johnny Lightning but smaller than the more recent Hot wheels releases. Detail is good, packaging is nicely hassle free and although the stands are a bit awkward they do work and are nicely weighted.

Absolutely can't want for the NX-01, Defiant and ultimately that Akira, which has to be one of the most eagerly awaited trek ship ever having never been released in any offical form.

Anyway, any other folks out there into this sort of stuff?!

[AndyWoodall]

Running order for the first 30 or so here (some of the images are incorrect but there you go)...

http://www.startrek-starships.com/eng/ship-order.h...

And some info about the full list can be seen on Memory Alpha...

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Off...

[AndyWoodall]

M4FFU said:

Oh, some of those ships are going to be super as models. Hmm. Temptation...

Yep, some of the more memorable alien designs will be particularly exciting to see 'in the metal', I'm thinking the Jem'Hadar and a lot of the stuff from the Enterprise series.

The real joy is for the Starfleet ship geeks, I've never seen quite some many proposed. Steamrunner, Norway, Saber, Constellation, a few shuttles (although not as many as I'd like).

[AndyWoodall]

Yep, first issue is £1.99, second £5.99 and then the full whack is £9.99.

Although there are lots of whinging on the FB group about the price, personally I think its competitive, if you were to buy one of those Hot Wheels Trek ships that have been around the last few years from Forbidden planet it would cost at least £15-20. Granted, they are larger, (although some have less metal than these Eaglemoss ones), but I think £9.99 feels about right.

[AndyWoodall]

Rick_1138 said:

I did the 'Build the Bismarck' thing a few years ago, and it cost some £700 all in once done but its what I enjoy and its something that has given me years of enjoyment doing bits n bobs now and then, plus its mahoosive!

£10 a month isn't bad, I am cancelling my audible account at £15 a month so it pays for it.

GF has sort of given permission!!

Well its an issue every two weeks, so really its more like £20 a month, but I'm sure our man logic will cover the accounts of this easily enough.

I managed to collect every Star Wars Titanium (little Die-cast SW ships made by Hasbro) between 2004 and 2009 and although I can't say that my wife didn't notice, becase they are small she didn't notice how MANY came into the house.

Realistically, unless I become wealthy in the next few decades I'm never going to be able to get everything on display. My idea with the Star Wars titaniums is to give them all to my children (if we ever get around to it)one year and have the most amazing unboxing party with X-Wings and Jedi Fighters everywhere. Thats if they are into sci-fi and space ships, which they will be.

In terms of display I only really have out a few Star Trek hot wheels ships, a couple of Johnny Lightnings and the absolutely stunning (but short lived) Corgi star trek ships from about 2005. A mere fraction of my total collection, but until I have my man barn its the best I can get.

[AndyWoodall]

g3org3y said:

Thanks for this. Having a look at the models, they seem decent. I'm probably most interested in the ones from the original movies and a couple of bits and pieces from Next Gen.

Apparently my local Tesco and ASDA are stockists so will check it out on the way home.


OP, do you have any recommendations for bigger scale models of the Enterprise etc?

Edited by g3org3y on Wednesday 21st August 14:58

Well, models I have little to no experience of since the 90's, I had a refit Ent (released around the time of Star Trek V) that was lovely except the nacelle pylons kept coming off. Had all of them, Ent D, B, E, Defiant, Voyager but could never paint them well and my Dad was crap at such things so never really got into what I'd call 'successful' hobby modelling.

Anyway, the only larger ships I have experience with are the Art Asylum/Diamond Select Toys (I did have the playmates toys from the 90's, but they are expensive having been out of production since the 90's and are more toy than screen accurate model), have you heard of them?

I was discussing them in the model zone thread, and personally unless you can afford the Master Replicas massive TOS Enterprise or the very latest QMX replicas ($4-6000? I've no idea) then they are the best out there for the price. Is that what you are after?

Rick_1138 said:

Just looking at the website the subscriber options look interesting as you get a cube and a future enterprise D from 'All good things'

Reaches for wallet....

The Cube is really rather big, I've no idea what I'm going to do with it. Probably decorate our future childs bedroom with it or something. Because putting the starship of a race of cybernetic beings bent on total galaxy domination is perfectly normal.

[AndyWoodall]

Best group shot I can find on a google search of the AA/DST Starship Legends is this, which should give you an idea on scale. I'd never heard of Art Asylum until the NX-01 was in Forbidden Planet one day in 2002. They are lovely ships but their size, although not massive, means you need the room or an understanding wife.







This year they've released the Enterprise B and Bird of Prey which are brand new, and released the TOS Ent, Ent refit and Ent-E which are re-releases. All are worth picking up, Forbidden planet have them for a reasonable price on line, or if you can find a model zone with stock that hasn't closed yet.

I've got every release bar the battle damaged and mirror universe variants. They are pretty tardy with releases (it was 2009 when the Ent-D came out and only this year that we got the next release, the Ent-B), but they are fantastic.

[AndyWoodall]

Yeah, I've been in touch with them once about subs, and they were great.

The Facebook group is full of complainers though. I do sort of agree with the feeling that its a bit unfair to make subscribers wait for their issue when you can go and get one from WHSmith now, but there you go. I'm going to buy doubles of some of the never before seen stuff before anyway. Especially the Defiant and Akira.

[AndyWoodall]

He he, I'm in no way under the employement of Eaglemoss, just a ship geek who wants them to do all 70 and beyond.

Really looking forward to some of the Ent era alien designs, Xindi especially. Shame theres no Andorian cruiser though, was always impressed with the design.

[AndyWoodall]

The big WHSmith in a god awful large shopping centre near where I work had loads of stock, I had three of them so a bit greedy, but at £2 a pop it meant I could adorn my work desk with one. We have a small branch of WHSmith in the small town I live in, will check there as I'd like them to regularly carry it so I can pick up extras easily.

I enquired with Eaglemoss last night to clarify the lateness of subscriber editions and apparently they ship two ships at a time so you get one slightly late and one slightly early, which seems perfectly fine to me.

Rick_1138 said:

Got the Ent D issue on way home. It's a good quality, base is solid and has proper fuzzy base to stop slipping.

Quite impressed, will see what issue 2 Ent 1701 Tmp is like before I sub.

Of the ones we've seen close up shots of, the Ent refit isn't the best looking, although that might be because the Johnny Lightning diecast a few years back did it so well. Personally if you were holding for quality, look at the NX-01 which is issue 4 I think. It looks brilliant and reviews on the net say its really very good.

The fuzzy base is such a simple idea that I've never seen previous companies bother with in the lower priced collectables market, expensive stuff yes, but never for mini ships like this, very impressed with details like that. The stands do look clunky compared with the usual hole and peg method, but you can't deny they work and hold the ships in really well so no slip angles or constantly adjusting to get all the ships at the correct matching angle. Not that I've ever done that. Ahem.

Really glad some folks have picked them up on the strength of this thread, happy to share!

[AndyWoodall]

Civpilot said:

Picked one up a short while ago and the quality really does look great in the box.

I say in the box as it was only when I got home that I noticed the blasted thing is broken (snapped at the base of the nacelle) so need to take it back and change it for a non broken one. Blast it.

Having said that the only thing stopping me subscribing right now is space issues. Where the hell to put them all

Yeah, they aren't drop proof really either and might be liable to breakages during house moves unless you keep the original boxes. Actually the boxes are worth noting because unlike many others (Star Wars Titaniums being the most guilty) you can actually reuse the boxes with ease.

[AndyWoodall]

Issue 2, the refit 1701 Enterprise is out today (or yesterday in some parts of the country). Picked up a couple as the subscription copies don't arrive on release day.

Its not as good as the Enterprise D from issue 1, but its respectable enough, strange battleship grey colour which isn't the same as every other model of the refit I've seen which is a pearly off white or white. I actually quite like it as it looks like the colour used for the CGI Mirandas in Deep Space 9. Some detail lacking compared with issue 1, particularly the shuttle bay but again, no great loss for £5.99 is perfectly fine.

Annoyingly, this one doesn't sit in its stand as nicely as the Ent-D, but its a trek ship so I'm happy. For those interested in such things I'd say the Johnny Lightning refit Ent is a slightly better representation.

[AndyWoodall]

Some pics of all the refit/movie style Enterprise that I have. Eaglemoss on the far left, Johnny Lightning to the right and on the top row you have the Furuta and Hotwheels.



Plus heres all of them with an Art Asylum/DST Starship legends Enterprise...



Was maybe a little harsh on first evaluation about the quality of the Eaglemoss, its not great, but stands up well against other previous releases for the most part.

[AndyWoodall]

Excellent, I don't know if I'm biased as the refit Enterprise is the first I can remember, but to me the design has just never gotten old, its perfect. While I enjoy the JJ films that design of Enterprise isn't going to stand the test of time design wise IMHO.

[AndyWoodall]

So, being a subscriber after issue 1 you get two issues posted at a time, so I've just had a package with Issue 2 (Refit Ent as already posted) and Issue 3 (The Klingon Bird of Prey). Pics comparing with other BOP's below...



Its really rather nice, much better detail than the refit Ent and is of comparable quality to the Enterprise-D from Issue 1. The pic above shows the Eaglemoss on the left with the Hot Wheels version in the middle and the Corgi on the right. The wings don't move like the hot wheels version, and are fixed in the 'flight' position whereas the Corgi's are fixed in the 'attack' position. Some people will be bother about the lack of movement, personally I think its fine.

Eaglemoss have been doing some sharing of late, pics of future issues here...

Much anticipated Akira class...


Miranda Class...


Nova Class...


Those who subscribe, the free gifts start coming now, I had the binder with the Issue 2 and 3 delivery, next is the Ent-D commissioning plaque, then the Future Ent-D model I think.

[AndyWoodall]

Rick_1138 said:

How big are the packs where you receive the issues as a subscriber?

I ask as I am about to move into my new flat and start subbing but its just a letterbox and I have a nextdoor neighbour who can sign for stuff but I just don't want it left outside the door as its on a main road so would just get picked up.

cheers

Its probably not going to fit in a letter box, well certainly doesn't fit in ours, its bigger than an A4 sheet of paper and about 4-5 inches deep perhaps. Will check later.

Luckily we have a very helpful neighbour also.

[AndyWoodall]

Well, funnily enough when my subscription copy of Issue 1 arrived the chap at the sorting office (I'm lucky to have a sorting office in our small town literally 1 min drive or 5 min walk away) asked me if it was a subscription (I've no idea how he knew, he's never asked about all the other small parcels I've had delivered over the years from ebay!) and asked me if it was a regular thing which neighbour would I like it left with.

I'm not sure if Eaglemoss allow special delivery instructions, I didn't noticed when I subscribed.

[AndyWoodall]

geeks said:

Well I have subscribed, when it arrive and the wife gives me that look I shall just blame you lot!

He he, I've been having a sort out (well, move around, nothings going!) and now my wife doesn't work away from home as she used to it means I was 'caught in the act' last night while trying to better arrange about 10 boxes of the larger AA/DST starsips pictured above in a cupboard.

She expressed concerns that we have too many of such 'junk', I placated her by saying these Eaglemoss ships are 'only' 14cm long so are much more space efficient than other parts of my trek ship collection. She didn't seem convinced.

[AndyWoodall]

For the non-subscribers out there, issue 3, which is the Klingon Bird of Prey is out today.

Having got loads of BOP's in various guises I'll probably skip getting extras of this (until I see one in WHSmith later and change my mind) as now the price is upto the usual full £9.99.

At that price I'll get multiple Defiants, Nova's, Akira's but not the ones I'm not desperate to get.

[AndyWoodall]

Issue 4, the NX-01 is out today.

Did my usual trip to WHSmiths, they had very low stock, only 4 on the shelf and they weren't there last night so either someone had raided the place before me or they are ramping back on their orders since the price rise to £9.99.

Anyway, its very nice, I think perhaps the best yet, lots of detail and the build is very good.

My subs copy of this issue and issue 5 (Romulan Warbird) should arrive early next week, so will let you know what the big green bird is like (looks good).