Mid-Titan: More of Eaglemoss' Unreleased Treasure Trove

Designed for a book cover in the mid-2000s, the USS Titan has since gone on to become almost as iconic a starship as the lead vessels in each Star Trek series.

Eaglemoss did produce a smaller bonus model in line with their regular collection back in 2017 which reflected the original Sean Tourangeau design (2005) for the Pocket Books competition which led to the book cover for Sword of Damocles. 

While Star Trek Online would enthusiastically include the Titan and therefore the Luna Class in its digital universe, the ship would only gain its first onscreen, canon, appearance in Lower Decks' season one finale, No Small Parts.

Featuring a radical new paint scheme and some other alterations for the animated series, the Titan made a big impression, receiving an XL model as part of the Eaglemoss collection. 

But there was more because along with the USS Cerritos and USS Vancouver (and apparently the Yosemite shuttle!), the Titan was to be featured in the Star Trek Universe series of mid-sized starships. This has now been dropped to the world thanks to Master Replicas finding a load of them in one of Eaglemoss' multiple warehouses and it's a blinder.

Doing away with the two tone flat grey colour scheme of the original model, the Lower Decks USS Titan explodes with colour. It retains the darker grey base coat but has the phaser bank arc in a striking blue with the recessed sections of the hull in a light purple/lilac that draws out the detail on the hull.

Comparing the two, the basic primary hull panelling is near identical although the lifeboat hatches are more defined. The paint scheme is the big winner in really bringing this model to life. Reflecting on the original, it might have been accurate but it was incredibly bland. The siing up has meant that lines have been crisped up and the markings especially behind the bridge just sit more prominently.

The number and alignment of windows has also been changed with those at the outer edge of the saucer moved closer to the lip and a second set now added inside the phaser ring where there was only one previously.

Note too that the registry is a more realistic size and less crammed into a tiny space between the phaser bank and the recessed hull detail. Even the NCC code has an added red border which was conspicuous by its absence on the original. Even the navigation lights have been added to the front, port and starboard positions on the saucer making this a superior replica at every step.

Ok, so this is the animated version so it is brighter and perhaps not the way it would be portrayed in a live action series but Eaglemoss have produced one of the most exciting and vibrant ships in their collection with the Titan. 

The pod sitting atop the saucer seems to be a little longer on this edition and has equally received a repainting with the recesses in blue rather than the inset squares. This did bear the navigation lights but only as painted on features while the mid-size version has them as raised elements. It has also gained an upgraded paint job with the panelling itself remaining unchanged in layout.

Moving back along the Titan, the lilac/grey split colouring continues and draws the rear lifeboats and shuttlebay doors out. Eaglemoss have added landing strip detail here as well which was absent previously.  The pylons now bear more lilac than grey and this is where the most updates seem to have occurred. The ridging on the pylons is now painted up and navigation lights added to the tops of the engines.

Eaglemoss retained the painted in warp engine grilles but the front of the nacelles have had a massive revamp as evident on screen. The tips are now slimmer and have lost the split casing in favour of much rounder sections connecting to the translucent bussard collectors.

With the pennants, the wording is more in line with the scale and "Starship" has been added before USS Titan with the red striping extending to the halfway mark. The registry to the rear is now in a more suitable font (as per main hull) with the red edging in place.  In every sense it's a big upgrade that sings of better precision and maybe half a decade of learnings from the series as a whole. 

If you think you can't love it any more, take a look underneath. The underside of the saucer is alive with colour and more rows of windows painted onto the raised panelling. The features once more mirror the original down to the number of lifeboat hatches and the lower sensor platform at the centre. The colours just work here even though there's probably no difference in the way that the panel levels are defined against the original. 

On the smaller version the paint wasn't too heavy so the detail wasn't lost as it had been on the issue six Voyager and it's just built on here. Importantly and something that is new is the separate piece used for the deflector dish. Not just a painted (poorly) circle now, the deflector is an individual section slotted into the front of the hull and the colour seems much more suitable. It's even in a translucent blue just to drive home the point.

The build overall is very solid with the main hull in metal linked to the plastic secondary hull, pod and engines. There don't seem to be any evident gaps or dodgy seams either which is very reassuring but also a gut punch since this was to have been one of the later models released. It showed a lot of love for Lower Decks and one of Star Trek's most interesting designs.

As with the engines, the pennants along the sides of the small secondary hull have been reworked and refined to a better scale. Yes, the original was constrictive when it came to the script but lessons have been learned and scale increased to produce one of my favourite models from the whole collection.

Yes, even I'm shocked I've gone that far but it truly is just exciting to look at from every angle and adds that "ping" that a shelf of grey starships might just need sometimes. If you can find one, get it, you won't regret it.

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Kayshon, His Eyes Open: Lower Decks S02 E02

As if the references and links to the golden era couldn’t get any stronger with Lower Decks, this weeks instalment blows it out of the water.

In a quick overview, the Cerritos is tasked with assisting in the cataloguing of a Collector’s vast collection as well as the arrival of a new Security chief with Starfleet’s first Tamarian Officer.

On the Titan, Boimler is still right at the cliff face of the action dodging phasers and torpedoes every second and ending up making some big decisions.

Perhaps not as impactful an episode as Strange Energies, Kayshon works purely as a vehicle to introduce a mass of familiar concepts into the formula of Lower Decks. The return of a collector a la Kivas Fajo from The Most Toys is an Easter Egg fan’s wet dream. The scenes in amongst the artefacts are incredible and packed full of things to look out for in every corner. Problem is, there’s so much that it starts to distract from the main thread of the episode and dilutes a lot of the impact.

I’m stating now that it’s essential to watch this one twice so as to keep up with events after you spend the first time through going ‘Isn’t that…’ and ‘Look! Over there it’s a…’ plus other predictable quotes. 

Kayshon is a clever introduction thanks to, but not limited to, his multiple Darmok references through his universal translator. He also completely mirrors his predecessor Lt Shax in attitude and mannerisms providing a new dynamic on the bridge of the Cerritos. With a sash perhaps more as a nod to Worf than the Tamarians, his appearance in the episode contains the best twist in what is pure escapism from start to finish.

But let's delve a little deeper here. The mission against the Pakleds with the Titan's covert squad is excellently played out and offers up an interesting view of how the rest of the fleet might view the Enterprise-D's adventures. Is it jealousy? Do others think that Picard and co were a bit "less" Starfleet? It does allow for Boimler's rather brilliant speech about the purpose of Starfleet itself which, if you read a little more into it, could be a prod at both Discovery and Picard which have chosen a more action heavy path than we were used to in the '90's.

Plus the whole battle sequence with the Pakleds is gorgeous to watch with the Titan having received (as with the Cerritos) some serious visual upgrades since season one. The flexibility with animation shines through in every frame and slightly more so in that we have the Titan flipping around to combat their enemy. 

While the Titan arc brings us full circle with Boimler back to No Small Parts via a pretty brilliant twist and hat tip to TNG, the big draw will be that A-story and the Kerner Hauze collection that's booby trapped against anyone removing any part of it. Filled with references to just about everything (yes, that's Khan's necklace...yes, that's a Picard bust from The Pegasus...) the attempted escape is pretty solid with Jet taking on some parts of the usual Boimler role but managing to nark off Mariner even more quickly.

Jet is in himself a classic - one that appears with no backstory or explanation (that's sort of
pointed at from the start) and then is gone by the closing credits. It's not just a reference to characters in Star Trek that have come and gone but a lot of series across the breadth of TV. I somehow don't think he'll show up again!

It's also nice here that we haven't got that Tendi/Rutherford versus Mariner/plus one split which bodes well for the remainder of the season and does demonstrate that the writers are purposely avoiding something that was a heavily used plot point in season one. 

If you thought that Crisis Point in season one was a love letter to the franchise with its take on the movies then this is a must see. Drawing on TNG lore to provide a scenario to overload even the most hardcore fan is damn fine impressive and one of the best things to have ever popped into the mind of a Star Trek writer. Kayshon triples down on just about everything from the opening moments in the sonic showers to the final seconds. I'm not going to give anything away about how the episode ends but it absolutely fits with the ethos of the series.

Lower Decks has easily excelled when its not taken its heritage too seriously and utilised it for the better of its own stories and continuity. This is 100% where it succeeds over other recent arrivals and will continue to do so. Lower Decks is actually funny and even more hilarious if you're aware of all the running jokes tacked in. It's great to be in a time where you're genuinely excited to see the next episode!

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Strange Energies: Lower Decks S02 E01

How I've waited for the return of Lower Decks and episode one was well worth it.

Following up on the events of the first season finale, Mariner is now best buddies with her captain mum and given virtual free reign over her own side missions whenever she wants. Tendi is concerned that Rutherford's implants aren't working correctly (he has an obsession with eating pear now) and Boimler... well he's over on the USS Titan with Captain Riker.

Revisiting the second contact mission structure that we were introduced to in season one's starter, Ransom is sent to finish off the mission while Captain Freeman allows Mariner to do some jet washing of their buildings and ignore the first officer's orders.

Tendi spends the episode trying to prove that there's something up with Rutherford which is very similar to the time when Mariner was convinced something was all weird with Boimler's girlfriend.

The opening scene is fantastic. Mariner is apparently captured by the Cardassians and attempts an escape, leaving Boimler (still not forgiven him for leaving) chained up. Taking her own torturer with her, the pair board a conveniently parked Miranda Class ship and head out, only for us viewers to discover it's all a holodeck "workout" simulation for Beckett Mariner.

The attention to detail is immense. Mentions of lights, the registry on the Miranda Class ship, the appearance of Hideki fighters and the classic movie era bridge replete with pink chairs is more than enough to hook you in from the first minute. Lower Decks is back and proving straight off that this season is business as usual.

Mariner's good intentions with the Apergosians do, of course, take a comical turn for the worst when she manages to activate an ancient system that turns Commander Ransom into a god-like being. Another great call out here to Gary Mitchell and Where No Man Has Gone Before even down to how the first officer is ultimately stopped. 

The pacing of Strange Energies is superb. We're into the action and the twists right from the start and it runs right the way through. There were more than a couple of laugh out loud moments but they tended to be on the more Star Trek in jokes that perhaps more seasoned fans would get. Casual Lower Decks viewers might also find this first episode a little confusing since there are several nods to the events of season one so it would be well worth a quick refresher on those ten episodes. I for one am glad that I've done a run through in the last week or so as there were things I'd clearly forgotten.

With Boimler out of the picture for a good 99% of the episode, Mariner s very much on her own and the way in which the character has turned does suggest that Brad was an anchor to keep her level in the same way Rimmer was for Lister in Red Dwarf. Boimler is her conscience and sensibility an without it Mariner really is out of control. 

This means we also see Tendi and Rutherford paired up again and while it was great, we were told that there would be less of these distinct pairings for season two - but clearly not in episode one. Not that it distracts from the story which is absolutely spot on.

Parodying every time some form of unknown powers crop up, Strange Energies is both poking that little bit of fun at the franchise and an early overused concept plus honouring and hat-tipping to the classics. Lower Decks has dipped a little bit of continuity in here with links to No Small Parts plus a call back to Rutherford’s date from Second Contact but it feels more welcome development than ongoing storyline.  However I’ve been more impressed that it has, for the most part, stayed away from overly huge story arcs that have pervaded Discovery and Picard. Yet, these are early days and there’s no certainty that season two won’t start to build on Lower Decks’ place in the galaxy. 

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Picard: Nepenthe

Picard certainly hit us with the emotional punch this week. 

Off the back of his and Soji’s escape from the Artifact, Jean-Luc is reunited with former crewmates Riker and Troi at their home on the planet of Nepenthe. Certainly times have changed for the Rikers since their marriage in Nemesis. 

Their time aboard starships is over (although Will is still listed on the reserves list) due to a change of family situation however they are without hesitation when it comes to offering help to their former captain. The episode is a return to the more relaxed pace of the season after the series of frantic events that closed out The Impossible Box with Nepenthe feeling, at its core, as the biggest piece of fan service the show has produced thus far and by god is it sublimely executed. 

The reunion of the three iconic The Next Generation characters is masterfully carried off and just as you would wish it to be. The emotions feel so real you can taste them. The Rikers provide both familiarity and a level headed opinion of Picard’s predicament in what might be construed as a ‘breather’ before the closing three episodes of this first year.  The revelation that the Rikers’ oldest child, Thad(dius) Troi-Riker died die to a disease that could have been cured with positronic technology which had been outlawed is heartbreaking while also providing that little edge of tension and conflict not visually but more from within these characters. Note; the name of their son comes from one of Riker’s ancestors who was mentioned in Voyager’s Death Wish. 

Marina Sirtis thoroughly deserved to be listed on the opening credits as Special Guest Star offering up some fine Deanna moments and even slipping slightly into that classic counsellor role for which she was known on the Enterprise. Along with Frakes, her appearance here goes above and beyond anything she's done since All Good Things... and finally casts aside, for me, the rather poor material she had to work with on Nemesis (nothing awful about the Voyager eps but this is far better and more natural!).

Their daughter on the other hand is named in memory of Deanna’s older sister, Kestra, famously played by Kirsten Dunst in The Next Generation’s final season episode, Dark Page. While Will and Deanna allow for a more personal approach to Picard’s mission and two people he can rely on, Kestra acts in the same manner with Soji has she begins to come to terms with the fact that she is an android and not a human as she was led to believe and truly believed. Kestra is a free spirit if ever there was and surely her return to Picard has to be guaranteed. She's a wonderful addition to the crew/family and fits right in with the direction the family has taken.

The relationship between Thad and Kestra is mentioned a lot; the theme of family is therefore right at the front of this week's story in multiple forms from the bond of the three former Starfleet officers through to the bond that Kestra and Soji have. The little nuances that Isa Briones adds into her role emphasise that link to Data and clearly wash away any suggestion that they may be linked to Lore. However, we do know that the Romulans are intent on finding the homeworld of these Soong-esque synthetics and who knows what else will be discovered there before the season is out.

Nepenthe  is the episode fans have wanted and have finally been delivered after 20 years. Riker is probably at his best since The Pegasus, clearly relaxed and at home in his shielded house complete with its outdoor pizza oven. Frakes carries off the older, wiser but still active and fun Will with aplomb and y'know, he's on the reserve list so there's always a chance to get him back on a starship...

Over on the Artifact there's a lot less joy as Hugh and Elrond are attempting to make their escape from the Romulans. Hugh's fellow XB's are executed under orders from Narissa  while Narek takes out a rather funky new Romulan scout class ship to hunt down Soji by following the La Sirena.

Our opening flashback actually reveals a little bit about what's going on in the present, taking us back three weeks to when Commodore Oh met with Jurati before she joined the crew. Certainly the mindmeld indicates that Oh is a Vulcan but potentially she might be one from the future who has seen the carnage unleashed by the synthetics and has come back to work with the Romulans to "save" the galaxy. Might this explain Oh's sympathies to the Federation's former enemy? It does however answer how Narek is able to keep up with the La Sirena even with some nifty piloting from Rios.

The thought that Jurati was playing a different game has been subtle for the last two weeks but in Nepenthe there's the dawning realisation that assisting Oh is definitely not one of her best life choices. While she has been less than forthright and displayed a very nervous disposition since day one, Agnes' ultimate choice helps her crewmates over the Romulans.

Alison Pill has been incredibly understated in Picard and the twist we now find her character in make her even more fascinating - in fact as does everyone in the show. There are many more layers here than Discovery  and not necessarily just the story but in the development of the people.

Over the last two weeks for example, Elrond has frankly had sod all to do but in Nepenthe he's elevated from sidekick to be able to do what he was brought into the crew for. With a swift fighting style he's able to dispatch Romulans at pace and is thrown into a well crafted one on one hand to hand duel with Narissa. 

Hugh's appearance here acts more to assist Elrond's escape but it's not all happy endings for everyone and there's certainly a jarring event that comes unexpectedly out of nowhere to make the episode feel ever much more grounded. Hugh's last revelation that Elrond will need to get a part-Borg to help him activate the transporter Picard used to escape only goes to ensure that a certain Fenris Ranger will be back on screen next week.

The split between the Artifact and Nepenthe was always going to be 25% to 75%. This is too big an opportunity not to enjoy the return of two The Next Generation characters and it's done in precisely the right way. They're people beyond the uniforms of Starfleet and their life choices - particularly based around giving the chronically ill Thad a "home planet" are totally believable. There's real depth to their story and the way in which it ties to the overall narrative is equally as solid a part of the series. 

Nepenthe is simply superb. The mix of classic and new absolutely plays on the heart strings and is emotionally satisfying at every single turn. The Troi-Rikers' return is played perfectly, gives us a break from the oncoming storm and proves firmly that Picard is doing the right thing by the fan base. t is new and different but Star Trek can exist and evolve without having to be set purely within the ranks of Starfleet. It has and always will be about people, characters and relationships and here, for 45 minutes, they absolutely nailed it.

Catch up on all our Picard season one episode reviews here.

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Thanks to Chris Groves for assistance with screencaps

Riker's Ride: The Official Starships Collection Bonus Edition Three - USS Titan

How one online petition can make all the difference.

When the Official Starships Collection launched, the demand for ships outside of TV and film canon was immediate. One was the Enterprise-F from Star Trek Online but the one that really captured the fan imagination was USS Titan.

Led by The Trek Collective, a petition was launched with Ben Robinson stating that if it gained 5000 signatures then the Titan would happen. Guess what happened..

A product of one line from the end of Nemesis wherein Riker is given command of the ship, the Titan took on a life of its own in the novels that followed spawning its own line as well as appearing alongside the Enterprise-E in the expanded The Next Generation story and even dropping by larger story arcs such as the recent The Fall five book series that included elements from Deep Space Nine.

It has become ridiculously popular over the years and the ship itself is the result of a competition to design her which was won by one Sean Tourangeau. As I'm writing this review, the Titan is already sold out on the UK webshop with a smattering of craft still available in the US and there won't be any resupply in the near future. I'd suspect we'll be seeing these kinds of demands when the USS Aventine, another from the expanded universe, arrives in October so be prepared.

This new "bonus" edition of the collection is in the standard size box as per a regular issue so she'll slide in nicely alongside Voyager or your Steamrunner Class. Construction is the usual metal and plastic mix and on first impressions when you get her out of the box it's a decent enough model. Indeed, most of the Starfleet ones are - but more on my thoughts about the Swarm Ship special in an upcoming piece...!

The slightly eliptical primary hull of the Titan is in metal and there's a surprisingly large amount of detail given the scale of the ship. Fortunately it's not the detail overkill that we got with the Sovereign Class back in issue 20 and the final product is a good, restrained replica of the craft.

The saucer bears some striking and familiar hallmarks of 24th Century design that were key to the original concept such as the shoulders protecting the bridge and that slab of sensor pod. Slight disappointment is the inaccurate ship name and registry font and the omission of the red bordering on the letters - luckily I know a man who can fix that. 

As for feature definition, the Titan’s top is cleanly moulded with the lifeboat hatches, windows and even RCS thrusters etched out. Here too the windows are spot on since there are no grooves for them to sit into however the phaser strip isn't as distinctly marked as I would have expected.

The sensor pod is fitted very securely to the upper hull and is actually set square to the saucer. The detail and greebling on the surface here are just as good and well laid out. As with the hull it doesn't feel overloaded with finishing touches.

The recessed impulse engines at the rear of the saucer are, although you might not believe it, transparent however they're so deep in the hull you're barely able to tell. 

From there the saucer leads into the engineering hull, the topside of which is metal and a continuous piece from the primary hull. The surface mechanics continue too down to the shuttlebay with its distinctive "landing strip" marked out in the darker grey tone which is also used across the hull for panelling highlights. The shuttlebay doors and the strip are well designed and presented in the model with it being one of the Titan's more distinctive features.

Moving sideways onto the engine pylons there's the two tone grey paint scheme in great evidence and there's good support with these two struts being attached to the single metal backbone of the ship that runs back to the tip of the saucer. The pylons are really strong and supportive - there is literally no give or movement in them because they are part of that central structure.

The nacelles are another story and probably the most disappointing part of this rather fine series addition. The shape and form of the warp engines is, as you would hope, spot on, however the finish is less than acceptable, I would have hoped for translucent warp grilles but instead we have blue painted sections on either side. The bussard collectors are translucent but the choice to go with painted grilles does cheapen the overall effect. Noticably the ship registry and pennant is on the wrong angle of the engines. It should be one drop lower rather than right butt up against the grilles.

Over on the belly you can see the design nods to the Sovereign Class as well as Excelsior in the shape of the hull. The rear (the underneath of the shuttle landing strip) continues in the metal of the topside but the bulk of the secondary hull and the inset portion of the saucer are all plastic. You can also just make out the captain’s yacht positioned just behind the lower sensor done which shows this model is based on the final design rather than Tourangeau’s original plans. 

The dark grey panelling is also a lot less frequent on the bottom of the Titan with the secondary hull only having a few surface details to breakup the smooth finish. Tragically the recesses for the window - as always - don't line up with the markings and the larger arboretum windows reminiscent of the movie Enterprise aren't even coloured. Now I love the ship but this bottom section looks horribly half-arsed and unfinished. At least it's got the Starfleet pennants on either side and the deflector is painted pretty accurately within the lines.

The underside of the saucer has a lot more windows marked out just at the edge of the inset plastic section. Cleverly this runs just behind the phaser strip and hides the join rather impressively. There is a lot of detail around the hull here with lifeboat hatches and panelling galore but as with the topside the registry is missing its red lettering trim and some of the finishing red trim is also conspicuous from its absence on several surfaces. 

To the special edition magazine and it’s odd not to be discussing an episode as here we have some background on the introduction of the USS Titan and its role within the expanded Star Trek universe courtesy of the novels. As someone who missed the earlier Titan stories this is a good opportunity to fill in some knowledge gaps and get a better look at the ship as it appears on numerous covers.

The back story to the design takes up the rest of this standard length bonus issue featuring a conversation with designer Sean Tourangeau. His design was chosen as the winning entry in a competition to come up with the Luna Class and it transpires he was further included in the development of the craft to the final result which saw inclusions of more phaser strips and the captain’s yacht.

We are fortunate that the mag includes some of his early concepts for the ship as well as Tobias Richter’s incredible final CG versions which definitely helped ramp up the ship’s popularity. 

This is a great and welcome addition to the Starships Collection and demand has well outstripped supply already so I’ll be grabbing an Aventine asap when it goes back up for ordering. It’s one of those ships we’ve never had in any form apart from CG and to actually have it recreated and available is fantastic. She has her niggles as we have noted but for fans of the expanded universe this is one you can’t afford to miss because of its prominence in the ongoing novel series.

I’ll be getting her up there alongside the rest of the fleet straight away and I’m very glad I took a punt before it was too late on the first run. A great ship and a great model - better than some of the regular issues if I'm honest! Real shame if you miss this one due to supply but apparently it will be back in stock...at some point.

Did you purchase a USS Titan? What did you think?

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Titan Time: Orion's Hounds

As we continue our voyage through the post-Nemesis reading list, Ian Kimmins takes us back on-board the USS Titan under Captain Riker. 

Orion's Hounds is written by regular Star Trek writer Christoper L Bennett and features the "star jellies" from Encounter at Farpoint. If you cast your mind back to that episode (has it really been 30 years?!) you will remember that they communicated via telepathy so you know this is going to be a Deanna Troi story and Bennett doesn't disappoint. 

As we kick off the novel, Titan has been given orders to explore the Gum Nebula - a region of space still unexplored by the Federation. As they arrive to begin their mission they discover the star jellies under attack by the Pa'haquel. Titan decides to intercede to resolve the issue but soon realises the issue is far more complex than they could ever imagine. 

The character work in this novel is excellent. Riker and Troi's relationship is moved on well here with first officer Christine Vale still struggling with having Riker's wife on the command crew. We even get excellent characterisation for some secondary characters such as Tuvok's wife T'Pel who fits seamlessly into the story. Tuvok also comes across as a much more interesting character than he did for most of Voyager. The only one I feel that suffers is Riker as outside of his relationship with Deanna he seems very like a "generic Starfleet captain". 

In short Orion's Hounds is a well written story and while not the best one in this continuity it is the best Titan book by far. 

Google Image of USS Titan from Tobias Richer's Lightworks.

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100 - Our Top Ten Regular Issues and Looking Ahead

With the Eaglemoss Starships Collection hitting its 100th regular issue we decided it was time to club together and come up with our definitive top ten starships from the ton of models to date. 

Be ready for a few curve balls as we pick out the ones that made us smile and a few that didn't...! Welcome back to Tiff, Chris and Rob to help pick out our selection.

Enterprise NX 01

Everything that came after issue 4 was rated against the quality of the NX-01. The Aztec panelling, the lines, the clean finish and the beauty of the thing all worked harmoniously together to create Eaglemoss' most near perfect model. Whacking a Terran Empire sticker on her was just a blatant excuse to get it again. 

Armoured Voyager

"A daring and radical choice for Eaglemoss." says Chris. Too right because it was the first time the collection had effectively duplicated a ship (issue six being the original Voyager). This one came from the end of the show's finale, Endgame with the starship covered in ablative armour to shield it from the Borg. A beautiful if simple finish and a good tester for future modded issues such as the Rhode Island also from Endgame!

ECS Fortunate 

Another Enterprise winner which benefits from gorgeous finishing detail on such a small and thin frame. An utter surprise at how great this was on arrival have etched it firmly into our top ten ships from the collection. 

The Runabout

"Bit clunky but spot on." says Rob while Chris comments; "Great size, solid as hell and they really nailed the detail. It also had the torpedo rollbar which was effing cool."

Very cool indeed and the size of the model really played to the collection offering the chance to get a fantastic replica. 

Romulan Shuttle

A real stunner that benefited from being a regular issue rather than being crammed into an alien shuttle set of four. Popular from the moment it made its one and only appearance during In the Pale Moonlight, Eaglemoss crafted a replica that had to be bought. Well made, well finished and a classic stand out issue.

Romulan Drone

I'd say this is the most intricate model the regular editions have produced with antennae sticking out all over the place and a body that is split into multiple armoured sections and then covered with various holographic projection points. While it's not one of my favourite ships, the model here was spell-binding and a real work of art. She displayed well and was intriguing from every angle. A true collection masterpiece if not one for everybody.

USS Centaur

Explains Rob; "The greatest kitbash! Right down to the spindly nacelles and the tiny greebles!" 

Yep, a very popular ship from the latter 50 to date and one that opened up a whole new range of possibilities for Eaglemoss and hope for collectors that a lot of ships would get variants. Step forward Saratoga et al...

USS Appalachia; 

Steamrunner Class

One that Chris and I agree on is this classic from First Contact. "...unlike the Akira Class it has epic tattoo effect aztecing despite the rubbish deflector. It's a tough ship and looked badass."

Yep, I'd still have to class this among the best of the collection not just because I love the class but because it's a well-crafted tank of a starship. Gorgeous to the tip of its nacelles.

Jem'Hadar Fighter

Another early issue but a good one nonetheless. A simple two-tone silver and purple paint scheme highlights an incredible level of hull detail from bow to stern. The "bug" aesthetic really shone through on the model for the Dominion starship and made it an essential for all collectors. 

USS Horizon

Rob is all over the 100th issue, adding it straight into the top ten; "It's a model I never thought I would get to own. It has origins right back to the creation of Star Trek and is a fantastically simple design that Eaglemoss has managed to improve with the addition of sensor palettes, hatches, weapon points and the deflector. It fits right in!"

And the Worst...

Malon Freighter

Hilariously referred to in certain circles as the "poop ship", the Malon Freighter is just, well, brown and dull. Modelling-wise it has some fine detail in there but it's a brown slab from front to back that packs all the excitement of an empty chocolate wrapper. Uninspiring but necessary.

USS Enterprise 

NCC-1701 Refit

Or "How to Disappoint Your Collectors in One Move", the second issue of the collection was a bit of a disaster. The NCC-1701-D was gorgeous and a treat for starters but this was awful. Bad joins, wonky engines, a terrible paint job with no aztec scheme and a badly stuck on deflector dish. Not up to scratch in any way and the "A" variant 70 issues later only corrected a few of the blips.

Federation Holoship

If the Malon Export Vessel was the "Poop Ship" then this is the TV Remote. No offence to the John Eaves design but this is essentially two pieces of plastic stuck together. Best they could have done? Quite possibly but it's a real oddment from the series that sets course for Boredom.

Previewing...

Now onto the next few issues and our usual glance to the future of the collection - what are we looking forward to...?

Klingon D5

One for the Enterprise fan among us but no question this will be a high detail extravaganza as any of the prequel models are. Always good to see the Klingons but not one that many will really remember even though it is a lovely design.

Anticipation Level: 2/5

Vidiian Starship

Looks weird, flies weird, it's pink. The Vidiian starship is a big chunk of kit and we are promised that the Voyager baddies' ship will carry a subtle aztec paint scheme. Personal opinion this one should have been done a lot earlier. Now, which way round is it....

Anticipation Level 3.5/5

USS Jenolan 

One more for the kitbashers with the ship from the brilliant Relics. Formerly an executive shuttlecraft in The Undiscovered Country it got flipped and nacelled up to become the Sydney Class NCC-2010. Very much wanted and very much looking forward to this one. Model looks good from the preview pic.

Anticipation Level: 4.5/5

Smugglers' Ship

Previewed recently in its full model mockup, the ship from Unification makes a wanted appearance and ahead of any news on the much-used craft from The Next Generation's Gambit. One of those briefly seen ships, this craft has been on a few must have lists I've seen dotted around. Early shots look good.

Anticipation Level: 3/5

Kazon Warship

Another one as with the Vidiian starship that should have appeared some time ago BUT saying that it would mean that we were just getting oddballs every issue. A very distinctive shape, the Kazon vessel will keep a lot of Voyager fans happy but seeing as this and all the other versions are virtually identical except for size I doubt we will see any others.

Anticipation Level: 3/5

Klingon Bird-of-Prey 

(attack formation)

Waaaaaaaaaaay back in issue three the Klingon's most distinctive starship appeared in its cruise configuration with wings up and open. Now we have one of the rare variants within the series following on from the likes of the Reliant/Saratoga and the standard and armoured versions of Voyager.  One I have seen requested but I don't think we will get a 'landed' option anytime soon. Should be well detailed and will be interesting to see if the modelling has moved on much since those early days.

Anticipation Level: 3/5

Cheyenne Class

The second of the infamous Wolf 359 collection kicked off with the New Orleans Class USS Kyushu in issue 95. More compact, this kitbash is sure to be a huge success when released because we all love a good Federation starship especially one that doesn't get much press. Love the styling with the quad-engines here and those pencil warp nacelles.

Anticipation Level: 4/5 

Borg Queen's Diamond

Wow. The preview pic on this looks absolutely gorgeous. Without even a blink of an eye this has to be the best Borg ship to date and is based on the design used in Voyager. Fingers crossed that the preview is the finished item with this one!

Anticipation Level: 5/5

Springfield Class

Straight from Ben Robinson on his birthday came this new shot of the USS Chekov; a curvy screen-filler that is the third of the Wolf 359 quartet. Nothing seen of this one except those lovely original model pics but promises to be a stunner from all angles. There's clear echoes of the Nebula and Galaxy Classes here but I'm most intrigued about those back end lines - one of the more bizarre Federation starship designs if ever there was. Glad I held off posting this up until this shot appeared!

Anticipation Level: 4/5

Captain Proton's Rocket Ship

Another one we've had a shot of recently in all its monochromatic glory. Have to admit this wasn't one I was expecting at any point in the series namely because, technically, it doesn't actually exist being only a recreation on the Voyager holodeck. If nothing else that fact alone makes it unique. The Rocket Ship will most certainly stand out from the other ships because of its distinctive '50's paint-job and styling. Really excited for this one just because it's different!

Anticipation Level: 4.5/5

USS Phoenix

These issues after 100 are sure supplying a lot of variants with this being one more on the pile. The big difference between this and the USS Bonchune Nebula Class from issue 23 will be the AWACS style read pod that adorned this, the first of the Nebula Class ships to appear in The Next Generation. I'm not gagging for the arrival of the Phoenix but the collection would feel incomplete without it. Just need a USS Bozeman now and everyone's happy.

Anticipation Level: 2.5/5

Lokirrim Fighter

A modified Akritirian warship, the fighter and the warship versions of the craft were not dissimilar in the Voyager episode Body and Soul. One of the more random alien craft from the show it makes me wonder when things like the Vaardwar fighters might make an appearance. Am I bothered about this one? Only to complete the set. Possibly my most unanticipated ship of the series which means it'll be an absolute blinder.

Anticipation Level: 1/5

Challenger Class

Just when you think they're all done along comes the fourth and final ship from the Wolf 359 fleet. This one has some weird lines - just look at the nacelle angles on this Rick Sternbach kitbash photo. Admittedly it was a quick fix for the graveyard scene in The Best of Both Worlds, Part II and whether Eaglemoss make adjustments will be interesting...

Anticipation Level: 3.5/5

Tellarite Starship

The Lokirrim fighter is one thing but this is another entirely. While they are an oft mentioned race it is again one of those that won't be on many - if any - must have lists. A reuse of a season two Enterprise guest craft (Arkonian Destroyer) it would see action again as the Xindi-Arboreal ship. Bit meh in my opinion and again an issue filler. Best pic I could find is this rendering from Reddit

Anticipation Level: 1.5/5

Shuttles Pack Three

We already know that pack three will contain the Observation Pod from the classic movies, the Work Bee alongside the Type-11 shuttle from Insurrection and finally the Argo from Nemesis. The first two have already been teased and look stunning so I can only believe that the latter pairing from The Next Generation movies will be just as damn gorgeous. While the pod will have a blanked out windscreen, the Work Bee WILL have clear plastic to show off the interior. Definite plus points and a first for the collection.

Anticipation Level: 5/5

USS Aventine

One from the ever-continuing novel series and under the command of Ezri Dax, the Vesta Class starship's arrival is the result of The Trek Collective's online petition to have her and the USS Titan included. The recent preview pic has given us all hope that this will be an awesome model and one that will be quickly snapped up by collectors. I'm impressed!

Anticipation Level: 4.5/5

USS Titan

Riker's command after the end of Nemesis is a big fan favourite from the novel series and the Tobias Richter designed Luna Class is another ship destined to be in the online shop soon. The preview pic here to the left looks a lot lighter than the model we saw on Ben Robinson's desk a few weeks earlier so I'm anticipating that this has been photo-shopped down a couple of shades as it looked better in the darker grey. 

Anticipation Level: 4.5/5

And that's your lot! A good range of ships to come and now that we can say these are the ones due out between issues 102 to 115 plus the two "novel" starships I'm happy to preview with some certainty! What are you excited about?

USS Horizon image courtesy of Rob Gibson

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