The 11 foot filming miniature of the Starship Enterprise was one of two models initially created for the production of Star Trek: The Original Series. A 33" inch or "3 foot model" was also constructed by model maker Richard Datin, and is often seen in a famous publicity shot being held in the arms of William Shatner as Captain Kirk; yet the eleven foot model was the piece that was extensively used for approximately 90% of the special effects photography filmed for the series by the Howard A. Anderson studio in Hollywood, and so can truly be regarded as the "true" Enterprise. It was constructed at the Los Angeles model shop of Volmer Jensen; an aviation colleague of Star Trek Art Director Matt Jefferies. Below is a famous picture of the completed 11 foot model as it awaited crosstown transport to the Anderson special effects studio.
Some facts and figures on the model:
Total Length: 134” (or 11 feet 2 inches)
Engine nacelle length: 72.25”
Main Saucer section diameter: 60” (Thickness at outer rim: 3”)
Secondary Hull length not including Sensor Dish: 49” (53.5” with Sensor Dish)
Centerline to Centerline distance between nacelles: approx. 40”
Front nacelle dome diameter: approx. 7”
Weight: 220 pounds
Construction materials: Saucer section is Royalite vacuuformed plastic supported by a series of wooden ribs; Bridge dome is wood; Engine nacelles are wood (forward of the support pylons) and rolled thin sheet metal over wood supports (behid the support pylons); Secondary Hull is wood
Produced in 1964 at a cost of approximately $3000, without functioning electronics or lighting; upgraded with internal lighting effects during August – September 1965 at the cost of an additional $3000. In the spring of 1966, the red nacelle domes were replaced with the now familiar spinning light effect nacelle hemispheres.
The following photos were taken at the Howard Anderson special effects studio during the production of TOS ...
