I now have access to the blueprints of the original Enterprise as dictated by Franz Joseph Design going way way back.
I dug out my unbuilt cutaway Enterprise and it’s evident that the model bears little relation to the blueprints.
I’ve heard that most builders of the cutaway Enterprise don’t include the cutaway features, and just seal it all up.
Looking for input from those who built it, or those in the know. Is it worth trying to make according to blueprints? I’d think there would be some major surgery involved to make it an accurate cutaway.
If not, is it worth making as a whole model (i.e. all sealed up)?
I’ve never scratchbuilt before, but since I have access to the blueprints would love to make a larger-scale cutaway that is done right next year.
Don’t know about correcting the cutaway version as a cutaway but there are several good builds of this kit sealed up. It was the most accurate (but not perfect) kit of 1701 before the new Polar Lights kit. Is also the largest kit of this version. There are several correction kits out there for specific areas on the kit (but not interior). Check out the models at http://www.culttvman.com/trek.html
and here http://www.starshipmodeler.com/trek/trekship.htm
I believe the cut-away-model is more accurate to the theorized interior than the Franz Joseph design blue prints. I have a cut-a-way poster of the TOS 1701 done by Scipubtech Publishing and they are like the cut-a-way kit. I do not know the whole story to it but I know that just looking at the engineering sections alone, the kit makes mor sense than the blueprints.
Here’s a link to the poster. The image is too small to use as a reference but you can get the actual poster for not too bad a price ($19.95) from the www.scipubtech.com website.
Philp and Aurora-7, thanks for the info and links. I’m not sure now if I’ll seal it up, or go by the poster. In any case, I think I’ll scratchbuild a cutaway Enterprise in the years ahead going by the Franz Joseph Design blueprints. If I do the cutaway kit as cutaway I might add 1/700 Gold Medal Models figures, and 1/600 figures made for architectural models.
