STAR TREK FROM REVELL - TEST SHOTS OF FEDERATION AND KLINGON STARSHIPS

SMN report:

Like Star Wars, the Star Trek universe just keeps rolling on, with new movies, collectibles, and now, more scale models from Revell. Due to hit the stores shortly are these two fine spacecraft models, both to 1:600 scale, making them a decent size when constructed, and - interestingly - to a scale that means they are common with a great many ocean-going ship models, though sad to say, not Revell’s own USS Enterprise aircraft carriers, which are to 1:720 and 1:1200 scales.

Biplane vs Warp Factor?

Even so, this modelmaker itches to make a ‘what-if’ diorama featuring a Revell Klingon starship dicing with, let’s say a squadron of Swordfish torpedo bombers from the flightdeck of the same-scale Airfix HMS Ark Royal. Now that’s a sci-fi project that’s just waiting for one of the dark winter nights to come!

Federation Starship

The USS Enterprise kit looks reasonably simple, with 71 parts, and when assembled, it will measure some 481 mm (18.9 in) long. As fans will tell from the test-shot images here, the model features the NCC-1701 from the original Star Trek series. 

Five year mission

As envisaged, NCC-1701 is a Constitution class starship, built primarily for scientific research and exploration in the far reaches of the universe. NCC-1701 is best known for its five-year exploration mission: "To boldly go," beginning in the year 2265 under the command of Captain Kirk from Earth, and First Officer Spock from the planet Vulcan.

Klingon Battle Cruiser

Revell’s other 1:600 release is a D7-Class Klingon Battle Cruiser, from the same Star Trek series. This kit has just 65 parts, and is somewhat smaller than the Enterprise, measuring 380 mm (14.9 in) long. 

Despite the smaller size, Klingon D7s come armed with photon torpedoes and heavy disrupters, and of course are crewed by the aggressive Klingons, seemingly always ready for a space battle. According to Revell, the D7 is a Year 2247-vintage machine and is slightly faster than the Enterprise, with a maximum warp factor of 8.5 against the Federation vessel’s Warp 8.

Both kits ought to be a treat for all sci-fi fans.

UNIQUE HALLMARK CHRISTMAS KEEPSAKE ORNAMENTS OFFER SOUND AND LIGHT

Christmas is coming, and for those living in the US at least, it’s also time for the Hallmark Corporation’s annual Keepsake Ornaments to decorate the tree. Hallmark’s early Keepsake offerings (the line started in 1973) included Santas, fairies, elves, polar bears and the like. But today Keepsake subjects range across the spectrum.

Still, that’s good for us model fans, as Hallmark includes items that are much more interesting than a bunch of mere elves. 2009 includes sci-fi offerings such as the speaking Robby the Robot from the movie Forbidden Planet as featured by Mat Irvine in our video above. The picture shows another movie tie-in, the Ecto-1 Cadillac from Ghostbusters, to roughly 1:50 scale. It too has a good quality sound chip, this time with an excellent rendering of the Ghostbusters musical theme.

Earlier Hallmarks have included spacecraft and characters from Star Trek and Star Wars. You knew Christmas was changing forever when you were presented, not with a festive Santa, but a laser-firing Klingon Cruiser! Hallmark's earthbound styles of transportation currently include both American pickup trucks and classic American cars. Although the scales are not stated, they are pretty detailed representations.

Robby the Robot is in the ‘Nostalgia and Fun’ section of Hallmark’s Keepsake Ornaments site here.

To give you a feel for prices on older items, there’s a collectible Star Trek shuttlecraft on eBay here.

There are other collectible Forbidden Planet items to look at here, and Ghostbusters stuff here.