Terran Empire Movie Era Heavy Cruiser

[Griffworks]

This is my version of a Movie Era Terran Empire heavy cruiser, in 1/1000 scale. The base model is printed from MadMan's Shipyard, where Ricky calls it the MadMan's Shipyard Constellation. Sort of a Kelvin-prise design.

Show for size comparison next to a TOS ISS Enterprise my youngest son made several years ago.

I'm calling it the Refit Enforcer-class heavy cruiser of the Terran Empire, based off the predecessor Subjugator-class. This one is set in the Movie Era of the Mirror 'Verse. After the events of "Mirror Mirror", set in 2267, the Empire made it a priority to find a way to crossover to That Other Place. So, the best kinds of the Empire were given the task of doing so.

After nearly 5 years - and 24 dead scientists and their families later - Chief Imperial Scientist Richard Daystrom developed a way to view into another universe, as well as to viewing into the recent past of that universe. Using this Remote Viewing Device (RVD), Daystrom was able to watch technology as it evolved in the other universe, and developed very similar technology and also adopted those designs for the Empire. The ships were better designed with defensive, and more importantly, offensive capabilities. This allowed the Empire to not only consolidate its hold on rebellious systems, but to reinforce its borders.

And, of course, the Universe they viewed was the Kelvin Timeline from JJ-Trek. I just like the idea of things going a bit differently in the Mirror 'Verse than in the Prime 'Verse. At least, in my Trek 'Verse.

The model it's is printed, as mentioned, and comes in 13 parts. Each of the parts is no bigger than roughly 3.5" / 9cm in length. The overall length of the assembled model comes out to roughly 12.25" / 31.2cm. I added an extra, resin-cast Excelsior bridge in place of the supplied piece, a modified the lower sensor array to accept a resin-cast TOS lower sensor on top of it, and an Excelsior navigational deflector dish from the graveyard o' parts section of my SRSR (Styrene and Resin Strategic Reserve). I plan to further modify the model to have a much larger photorp deck with better details, and maybe an aft facing photorp deck opposite the forward tubes, or perhaps a single tube located at the same level, possibly mounted to the lower secondary hull.

I've also not yet decided on a paint color, decal arrangement, or font style to use. I do plan to utilize Terran Empire emblem decals that I have on-hand from several different PNT Models decal sets. I'm leaning towards a TOS-ish color for the main hull, with large TE emblems on the top and bottom of the primary hull, and smaller emblems on the nacelles and secondary hull.

More to come, obviously.

Pics here.

[SKO]

That's a really cool looking ship. It looks like an even more plausible/awesome Phase II type bridge between the TOS Connie and the Refit than the actual Phase II ship. Also even though DS9 is probably my favorite Trek show of them all I will still never forgive the writers for getting rid of the Terran Empire. The fun of the mirror universe was the humans as the bad guys, not sympathetic rebels.

[RogueWolf]

A Cool looking ship and a great backstory! WOOT WOOT!!

[Griffworks]

Thank ya kindly, fellas! I appreciate it.

Also even though DS9 is probably my favorite Trek show of them all I will still never forgive the writers for getting rid of the Terran Empire. The fun of the mirror universe was the humans as the bad guys, not sympathetic rebels.

Agreed. While I kinda like them showing some possible hope for things getting better for humanity, I like them as the enemy of everyone, too. Main thing I like from the MU, tho, is how they're mostly all Opposites of the characters we all know and love.

And like you, I wish that they had shown the MU TE to have continued on as it has in the MU novels. The ships and people have continued on, just twisted from what we know them to be. I especially enjoy reading the ship descriptions from the TNG / DS9 / VOY Era.

BTW, I'm taking suggestions for this ship. As I mentioned above, this is an Enforcer-class Battlecruiser, tho I don't want to name her Enforcer or Enterprise - I'll buy and build another for Enterprise down the road. I also don't want to go with Defiant, either for two reasons - 1) I intend to honor the two-part ENT episodes "Through a Mirror, Darkly" by building a PL/R2 TOS Defiant, changing the markings to that of the Terran Empire; and B) the Emperor wouldn't want a newbuild ship that could be used as a sumbol for rebellion.

And yeah, I know - "but yer keepin' TOS Defiant in the Emperor's Fleet!" Yep, that's a symbol of his defiance over what could be construed as a destiny to be more humane and generous.

A few names I've considered:
Emperor's Hand
Emperor's Sword
Emperor's Sword Hand (j/k!)
Phillip Green - or Col. Green
John Frederick Paxton - or JF Paxton
Kodos
Tarsus IV
Garth of Izar
Axanar
Sun Tsu

Please, feel free to join in!

[Burke]

Where did you buy this and how much?

[Griffworks]

Howdy. The link is in the first paragraph of the OP. I think it was $40, plus shipping, tho you’ll have to contact Ricky thru his website.

[generalrose]

The amount of sanding/filling to do on a 3D printed kit is so daunting to me. Although, $40 isn't a bad price for this bad boy

[el gato]

The amount of sanding/filling to do on a 3D printed kit is so daunting to me. Although, $40 isn't a bad price for this bad boy

Ricky from Madman says the type of plastic he uses is similar to styrene and uses the same grit of sandpaper on these 3D printed models that he uses for other types of model. If sanding's not your thing (and I have yet to find someone who does like sanding), there's a new product called XTC-3D, which is a liquid surface leveler for 3D printed models. I have not used it yet (hoping for a warm weekend so I can finally do it), but others who have said it works really well and smoothed out their models.

[Griffworks]

I've got some of that XTC-3D that I'll use on a couple other builds. I don't know how it would react to already having primer on the model, as I have it now. I guess I could take the base that came with the kit - an asteroid - , shoot it with primer, let it fully cure, then try out the XTC-3D. Kind of a science experiment!

Here's what I'm looking at choosing from for the decal markings. I'll possibly commission some specific hull registry markings, tho go with some of these for the Terran Empire markings. These are all from PNT Models and can be purchased from Federation Models.

At the FedMods site, click on Decals, select PNT Models, then scroll down thru the TOS section.