[THE DC]

You are very astute.

Lighting radically changes any set or model. The original Enterprise was a combination gray-greenish tint. This wasn't because that was supposed to be "the" color, but the model makers knew how lighting would affect the final look. They wanted a matt finish but with a neutral background that permitted the changing of the look of the model, scene to scene, to give it life and personalty. In the series, the ship appeared bluefish, reddish, and gray or white, pending the intent of the scene. Gene Roddenberry wanted the Enterprise to be a character, with mood.


The shuttle prop hull was made a light gray color on the hull with the engines a steel-silver gray. The filming model was colored slightly different that the full sized set prop, but the effort was to make them similar.

The shuttle that you did was made by a different producer. It was built by AMT model corporation in trade for the rights to produce a series of kits in the 60s. The company clearly got their investment back. As a result, the hull of the shuttle's slightly different from the look Matt Jefferies intended, as seen with the Enterprise and the Klingon ship. He wanted a hull appeared to suggest advanced engineering principle that conveyed reflective properties that suggested radiation and other protections. Jeffrey's was an aviation aficionado and consulted NASA engineers at the time for advice on the most believable principles for futuristic properties. The point was to advance the principle of intelligent entertainment; create for the smartest man in the room. This value was not as strongly held as others took over production.

That was way before my time.

In the 80s, lighting, gels, and filtering had advanced enough for a white hull, matt finished, that permitted altering the finished image to look white, blue, or even silver. I was able to see that movie magic and those models were amazing, even in person. Most movie model work is usually rough and looks lame to the eye, with the maker doing only what is necessary to look good on the film. But the expense put into the Trek models was significant, in both construction, finish, and armature points for filming angles. They were work of detail and art in their own right.


Your graphics are spot on and the best of any attempt of this ship. Lettering, etc., can really make or break a finished kit. I think graying the hull would be cool but I'd offer the white version too, as that's how most people think of it. There's a difference between the casual viewer's screen perspective and the modeler's eye for detail, right?