A couple of years ago, Tomy decided to get into the Star Trek starship model business. There first release was the original TV series USS Enterprise model. With the success of that offering, they announced the movie version of the same ship, last year. Being the Trekkie that I am, I had to order this model as well. You cannot just have one large starship model!
When they did the campaign, they upped the target amount, so a few more of these would be made. The campaign for the first ship went a little slow, so I was worried it would not happen. In the end, they squeaked through and the ship was delivered as promised. In the case of the motion picture version, this was not an issue. I think they hit their target within a few hours and even went way over it. I got my order in and waited the model. There were a couple of delays, as they made some late changes and production changes.
Well, the day finally came and my large box was delivered! The shipment comes in an outer shipping box and inside decorative model box (it is mostly black with some stars printed on it). I got my knife out and started the unpacking ritual!
The exterior box is tight fitting, as is the interior foam of the decorative box. Being so large, it was a bit tricky to get everything out! The model is set in a large piece of styrofoam and fully assembled (the other ship had a separate saucer). So, you just have to fold back the wrapping and remove a foam block to pull out the ship model. You have to mostly grab it by the saucer, as this portion is heavy and you do not want to damage the engine struts. You also want to have a piece of cloth or carpet to set the model on, while you are getting the other stuff out.
The model base is a separate single piece also. There are a couple of small parts and bits in the section below the saucer. This includes the shuttle bay doors (which are removable), the Vulcan shuttle and a tool to pop of the shuttle doors easily.
There is also a colored instruction model (which has been superseded by an online version) and the certificates of authenticity. You get multiple, as they are all in different languages.
What you do not get, is a power cord. The base uses a USB-C, but no power cord. If you do not have one, you will have to order one. Just be careful that you get the right voltage! I did not do that and had to order another one, after I realized my mistake!
The ship pops right on the base and connects into the bottom of the hull. I did not want to use the saucer support struts on the base, but the front of the ship is quite heavy and the base pole is plastic and not solidly set, so the ship will tilt forward (probably fall over over time and maybe break the connections. So, I sent ahead and put these in (the supports are actually metal with plastic caps, where they touch saucer. I am going to cut out some paper and insert it in between, as I do not like that the hard plastic is up against the paint job, at the bottom of the saucer.
The base has three upward lights, to simulate some of the exterior lighting. It also has two buttons for controlling the lighting. The first controls all the ship lighting (windows, floods, engines, interior spaces). Depending on how many times you press the button, different lights come on. This also controls the color changes in the sensor dish and engine bussards. I think there are six different options.
The second button controls the weapons, by turning different ones on (phasers and torpedoes). There are no sound effects, just the lights. I am not sure why they needed the second button, as there are only a couple of options for this.
I have not figured out how to turn the lights off though.. So, I have been cheating and just removing the USB-C to shut it off. I need to fiddle with it a bit more I guess!
The model itself is made of die caste metal, with plastic details. This is mostly all the windows, interior details and other lighting effects areas. The base is solid plastic, with metal forward struts.
The entire model is done in an eggshell paint job, to simulate the motion picture version of the ship. The exterior detail painting is amazing! They have also done a great job of hiding the screws. Tomy clearly learned a lot from the previous model.
In addition to the main model, you also get a Vulcan shuttle model (also from ST the Motion Picture). It is a two part model, so you can theoretically attach the upper section to the saucer for docking (like in the movie). The ship is all plastic (not die caste). It comes with a wound base and two different support struts. I think, so you can display it together or separated.
The lighting is very impressive (and bright) and is all along the ship. You can clearly see inside the observations decks on the saucer and main section. The shuttle bay is also fully lit and detailed. The shuttle doors is a piece that can be removed or kept in place. You do need to use the little plastic pick they give you to get it off the model. Being round, there just is nothing to grab onto. I am curious how long it will take me to loose this tool! I think it is a good idea to tape it someplace!
All the panel lines and letter/numbering is done very well. Depending on the lighting, the panel lines give different levels of visibility, which adds to the effect. The seams are well done and a definite improvement over the older models. Between the paint and lighting, this is just a stunning display model.
There are a couple of negatives, in my opinion. First, I think they still need to do some work on their bases. For the pice point, the base seems cheap to me. Further, the base should have a solid metal construction and support, so the forward struts are not necessary. Maybe we can hope they crowd fund some premium bases for their ships in the future (probably unlikely, but we can dream).
The Vulcan shuttle is an interesting accessory. However, being moulded color plastic, I think this looks a bit cheap too. If they did not do it in meal, they should have at least done it as a painted/weather version, like in the movie. The stand seems a bit cheap too. The main ship is on a black base, but this one is on a clear base. Why not do them both on black bases?
The final thing is the lack of power cord. I suspect they did not want to deal with different national standards… This also lets the owner pick how long of a cord they want and decide on battery or outlet source. With that said, I think it should have a base cord and people can replace it if they want.
I would have like to have some shuttle craft, like the other model. I think they look neat in the shuttle bay. I think they had some issues with the other ones. Maybe it is just the movie ones varied and they are not as iconic as the TV series versions. In any case, it would have been a nice to have.
Having said all that, those are somewhat minor quibbles. The model it self is very nice and makes for an impressive site on a display table. With the lights on or off, it is a head turner. I am very glad I have it to add to my collectibles collection. If you are into this type of collectable and can manage the price, this is a must have and worth every penny!
- Manteuffel