Below are some photos of a small control panel that was used by Lt. Commander Sulu to fly the Enterprise NCC-1701 as part of the redesigned Helm and Navigations Console after the starship was "refit" upon completion of her five-year-mission for Star Trek: The Motion Picture; the first appearance of the Enterprise and her crew since the completion of TOS production in 1969. As seen in the screenshots from the feature film that follow the prop photos; this panel was backlit so that the 38 dome shaped control buttons would appear a light blue in color. When the 2nd major Star Trek motion picture, The Wrath of Khan, was filmed; the entire appearance of the Bridge was redesigned, and this panel was no longer utilized.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sulu Helm Panel from Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Some screenshots from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979):
Mr. Sulu's original Helm control panel from TOS: