XL USS Pegasus

Unusually for an XL, the name has been changed on this occasion.

The original collection version took the details of the USS Grissom from The Search for Spock while this upsized edition acquires the registry of the infamous USS Pegasus otherwise known as the testbed for the controversial phasing cloak.

Now before we get into how and why that certain piece of technology contravenes the Treaty of Algeron let's see what this huge upscaling of the Oberth Class has to offer.

On first inspection it's easy to tell there have been some key changes to the model that bring it in line more with the screen used item. The Grissom suffered from an incredibly dark paint scheme with blocky, dark grey segments not just around the bridge but also on the warp engines. Those engine panels are now gone and the darker grey has been turned down to a much less glaring shade that works better with the equally dialed down off-white of the main hull. 

Looking at the images of the Grissom from The Search for Spock it's evident that the original collection model wasn't all that aligned. We also have to remember that the Pegasus was the reworking of a model that had been in the Star Trek system from 1983 and had appeared as several vessels during the 10 years it had been used. 

That said, the Pegasus retains a light and dark contrast particularly round the bridge and with the silver elements that cover off the front of the secondary hull but it's more subtle in its appearance.

Windows on the hull are better defined here (but not better aligned) and the deep panel lines of the original are less severe. This in turn lets the aztec paint scheme flow more naturally across the hulls and actually add more detail to the large flat area to the rear of the dome. 

It's the little details too. The striping on the dome and the engine tops has less width to each of the lines but is more precise. The dark grey behind the bridge no longer slaps you in the face with the detail again a more realised blend of colours than a paint by numbers block. 

While Grissom onscreen did have a sequence of darker panels on the engines, they didn't seem to be as glum as those on the first version. Here on the Pegasus Eaglemoss have chosen to keep the units covered with the main paint scheme that in turn allows for the Starfleet pennants to stand out even more obviously against the lighter base coat. Check out the grilles to the back which aren't block painted but instead have each of the vanes coloured in. Big step up on the quality.

Also spot the removal of two darker panels from the pylons and a touch of highlighting just under the grilles to the rear of the engines themselves. Now both that  block on the pylon and the recessed detail panels on the underside of the primary hull are given a light blue paint up that offers up a less visceral contrast. At the thinned rear there has been a removal of, again, the darker panelling and in its place, the aztecing. On my original edition the painting at that point was pretty grim and feathered but not here.

Now, we have to take anything beyond about a third of the way along the Pegasus hull with a pinch of salt since it was all buried inside an asteroid but you can't deny that the painting changes make a huge difference to the look and feel of this impressive XL. 

As for the build itself, all the hallmarks of a revision to the original kit are there. The upper panel of the secondary hull fits more seamlessly, the definition of the warp field generator by the bridge dome is clearer.

On the underside - something that we didn't see clearly on screen - there's an additional Starfleet pennant on the forward silver hull section and I have to wonder if that ship registry shouldn't be the other way round. On the Grissom it could be read from the front while here the Pegasus registry arcs the wrong way. 

The model is pretty heavy too with the majority of that primary hull section coming in metal and the lower hull in plastic. But it just goddamn works in every sense. Ok, some of the screen accuracy versus the Pegasus has to be taken lightly but there's no question that the rehacking of the paintwork alone takes this XL up more than just a notch from the Grissom. 

Ok, some of the decals and windows on the dome are more than just a little out and this pisses me off royally however the positives very clearly outweigh the negatives. As we saw with the size increase for the Runabout, Delta Flyer and the Equinox, the smaller vessels do receive the best attention and upgrades when it comes to this larger scale. The detail possibilities go to a new expectation. 

I recall when the Grissom arrived I was a little dishearted but with the Oberth Class version because of that colour scheme which made it look more toy than starship. Here that's been obliterated with a lot more attention to that finishing look. Of course the larger size offers more significant panel definition from the off and that in turn just adds to both a more impressive visually and tactile response to the product. 

Let's just say it straight, Eaglemoss smashed it out of the park with this one and by some distance. There's no way I would choose to have the Grissom on the shelf when there's a Pegasus rocking it out (unless I was REALLY pushed for space!) but hands down this is one of those XLs that everyone just needs to get. This is an XL where Eaglemoss have learned, revisited their source material and made some strong design choices.

In the magazine we have a recount of The Pegasus from TNG's seventh season before diving right back into The Search for Spock and behind the scenes material from the key third movie. 

It's a brilliant package and one that eclipses the original by a country mile - quite a contrast to the 2009 USS Enterprise which didn't make that many step ups (reviewed yesterday). One hundred percent a core starship to add to the collection and even if you do have the regular-sized edition it's not even a thought that you'll need to add this.

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You can find out more on the Star Trek Online Official Starships Collection by visiting the Hero Collector website HERE

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