Discoprise: Extra Large

Taken a while to get hold of this one but it would be remiss not to review one of the mot controversial starship designs of the franchise. Is there any chance that tinkering with the classic TOS USS Enterprise design isn't going to anger anyone/everyone?

Eaglemoss have two versions of this one around. One a part of the now defunct (also read amalgamated into the larger Starships Collection) Discovery series. The box is a familiar size to anyone who's dipped their toe into the Specials (or the other XLs) with the USS Enterprise nestled nicely in secure polystyrene along with its chunky stand. 

Love it or hate it, this is an impressive model. A good mix of metal and plastic she's naturally front heavy due to the weighty saucer with the detail and quality evident all over the hull. The finishing pattern isn't the aztec you would expect, offering much more of a worn, beat-up and asymmetrical look that adds a few years onto the Federation flagship. 

Now it's hard to be a reimagining of such an iconic ship much less the Star Trek franchise where fans can be less than forgiving at the best of times and whether you like it or not, Eaglemoss have certainly recreated a more fitting and realistic starship here. Ok, the upper senor dome over the bridge is a little too clean for my liking but the detail, ringing of the saucer the phaser emplacements and the substantial increase in windows are all signs of just how much model making and CGI have moved on since 1966. There had to be adjustments for the TVs of today which have 1080dpi of unforgivingness built in. 

The secondary hull mirrors what's started on the saucer with extensive windows reminiscent of the movie refit and the connecting neck section a slight bit more squat and angular. Even the Federation pennants on either side of Engineering are embossed onto the hull and look better than ever. 

Remember too that the special issue here was produced off the back of a sole appearance at the end of season one of Discovery when we were still waiting for more tantalising season two detail. There are a couple of evident join lines in the underside of the saucer and around the forward piece of the secondary hull a few centimetres behind the main deflector dish although that's as big a gripe as I can manage. Will there be an updated Strange New Worlds super version - you can bet on it.

What I don't want to do is descend into the rabbit warren of critiquing the ship based on its representation in the series as much as the model is a quality reproduction of the rebooted Enterprise. Eaglemoss have excelled in it into the angled engine pylons and the envisaged more primitive nacelles that are something of a mix between the NX-01 units and the tubular propulsion of the TOS starship. Wisely Eaglemoss went with translucent orange bussard collectors and warp field grilles to give the design a touch of tangible realism to the replica. 

The more you look - and you can have a good look all over - the more you see how John Eaves pulled elements from other ships in the franchise history to keep the lineage in there but still managed to update and keep true. Yes, the shuttle landing deck is larger; yes the impulse engines are meatier and the deflector grid lines right across the hull surface are more distinct, but these are necessary conceits to move things on. 

As for build quality, the Enterprise is incredibly solid. The thickness of the engine pylons helps with this plus the scale means that those more flimsy parts on the small magazine scale ships are avoided. Where these larger ships do succeed even more - and it's easy to see here - is the accuracy of window and paint alignment. The embossed pennants are a good nod to that as are the secondary hull windows. The painting as a whole seems much more in sync with the body of the ship and stabilises the impressive nature of this replica.

Older fans and those who are more inclined towards TOS may well be offended but for anyone who is interested in Discovery, maybe an Enterprise completist or intrigued just how a classic is brought into the 21st Century, this is a good illustration of that CG progress.

The magazine accompanying is very two-sided with a quick series of stats from Pike's USS Enterprise before an in-depth look at how such a classic was rethought for Discovery along with even more extensive photos and first person accounts from (re)designer John Eaves. There's a lot of get into here both in the written word and the photos with a decent explanation of why the ship evolved into its Discovery form. 

As a model, Eaglemoss have been faithful in every way to recreate the Discovery-ised starship and it's a credit to them that it's come out so well and so fascinatingly well made. I think it's a great ship with a lovely, faithful update although it's not to everyone's tastes I understand. To have every iteration of the USS Enterprise you are going to need this on the shelf but whether you do... that's a hard question!

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