Studio models (VOY)

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Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)

Chronological list of studio models and props appearing in Star Trek: Voyager.

This list is of all new model designs that first appeared in VOY. Information on models that represented a single design can be found in the articles linked below. Information on models that were recycled or refurbished to represent different vessels or props from different species in all series' will be listed herein.

1 VOY Season 1
2 VOY Season 2
3 VOY Season 3
4 VOY Season 4
5 VOY Season 5
6 VOY Season 6
7 VOY Season 7
- 7.1 Subspace warhead
- 7.2 SC-4

VOY Season 1Edit

Intrepid classEdit

See main article: Intrepid-class model

Caretaker's arrayEdit

No information yet

Kazon fighterEdit

The Kazon fighter was a design by Dan Curry. At the time, the production team of Star Trek was spread thin as several productions were in various stages of development (Star Trek Generations, TNG: "All Good Things...", DS9: "The Jem'Hadar" and VOY: "Caretaker" as well as the documentary Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation). The regular design team for Voyager had their hands full hammering out the details for the USS Voyager and the Caretaker's array as was related in the book A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager. To ease the workload, Curry, whose regular function was that of Effects Supervisor, pitched in by tackling the Kazon ships, wanting to imbue the ships with that culture's "rough, low-tech retro" look. (Star Trek: Communicator, Issue 105, p.59) For the same reason the build of the models, once the design was approved, was sub-contracted out to an outside vendor, WonderWorks Inc., who delivered the models as per specification.[1].

"About six weeks into motion control photography, the producers decided to change the Kazon Fighter design. I mocked up possible design modifications for producers to look at.", David Stipes recalled.[2] Stipes embellished the studio model with various cardboard add-ons, amongst others the aft and front fins for assessment. Once approved, the modifications were made permanent at Tony Meininger's Brazil-Fabrication & Design. The modifications meant that the footage of the model, shot until that time, had to be re-shot in late October/early November 1994. (Star Trek: Communicator, Issue 105, p.59) Part of the modification was the decision to have the model, which was originally conceived as a fighter craft only, to double as the as larger conceived Kazon raider as well. This was achieved by fabricating a cockpit module and a bridge module which were interchangeable on the model, confirmed by Rick Sternbach in correspondence with Ex Astris Scientia, "I recall the model only vaguely. It was a Dan Curry design and I don't have any details, but essentially you're correct, the model was modified to be either one."

The late decision to have the model design modified, was reflected in the release of Galoob's Micro Machines (Set 66128), that showed the fighter in the configuration of the studio model as originally delivered by WonderWorks.

When Caretaker was being filmed neither module was used, either because they were not constructed yet or because they were not conceived yet. Instead a smooth feature was applied to the area of the model were the bridge or cockpit were supposed to be in later episodes. As such it can not be ascertained with absolute certainty what class of vessels the Kazon ships were intended to be in the episode. In this configuration, the model is featured at Image G in the VOY Season 1 DVD, Red Alert: Visual Effects Season One special, where Curry discusses the filming of the models.[3]

As the role of the Kazon as main antagonists was played out early on in the series, no CGI version of the design was ever produced, the few later appearances being either stock footage or LCAR displays.

The physical model, with the cockpit module and measuring 30x7x14 inches, known as Lot#353 and estimated at $3,000 – $5,000 was sold on 6 October 2006 in the 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection auction, with a winning bid of US$5,000 (US$6,000 including buyer's premium).

Additional sources: Kazon Ship Sizes at Ex Astris Scientia

Kazon carrier vesselEdit

See main article: Kazon carrier vessel

Type 8 shuttlecraftEdit

See main article: Type 8 shuttlecraft

VOY Season 2Edit

Repto-humanoid vessel Edit

This CGI model and its various modifications made a total of five appearances on Star Trek: Voyager and one in Star Trek: Enterprise.

Additional sources: Redresses of the Reptohumanoid Ship at Ex Astris Scientia

Class 2 shuttle Edit

See main article: Class 2 shuttle

Cardassian ATR-4107 Edit

See main article: Cardassian ATR-4107

Rakosan fighter Edit

No information yet

VOY Season 3Edit

Akritirian patrol shipEdit

Originally designed for use in Star Trek: Voyager, where it had several appearances as different ships, and later used in Star Trek: Enterprise.

Krenim warship Edit

No information yet

Voth research vessel Edit

No information yet

VOY Season 4Edit

Krenim patrol shipEdit

No information yet.

Krenim weapon shipEdit

No information yet.

Mawasi cruiserEdit

No information yet

Nihydron warshipEdit

No information yet

Model variations

Nihydron warship "Year of Hell, Part II"	Species 10026 vessel "Dark Frontier"

VOY Season 5Edit

Malon export vessel, eleventh gradientEdit

See main article: Malon export vessel, eleventh gradient

Malon shuttleEdit

See main article: Malon shuttle

Devore warshipEdit

As a new design, the Devore warship made its first appearance in VOY: "Counterpoint". The CGI model [4] was designed and built at Foundation Imaging by Brandon MacDougall who commented, "The Devore ship was one Mojo asked me to design and model for Voyager season 5 episode "Counterpoint" I made some quick pen and ink designs on paper, Dan C[urry] and David L[ivingston] liked the direction and the rest was history. It was hard to make up my mind what way it would fly and I not sure even Mojo did know. Some of the cool things you do not see is a shuttle bay with yellow internal lighting and hydraulics doors."[5]

In later appearances, the model was scaled down to represent several smaller vessels of various alien races. It would otherwise unmodified, re-appear as a derelict in Abaddon's Repository of Lost Treasures (VOY: "Alice"), as one of the contestants in the Antarian Trans-stellar Rally, where it would, true to McDougall's comment, fly backwards (VOY: "Drive"), as a stranded alien vessel in VOY: "The Void" and finally as a Sphere Builder vessel, type 1 as part of the battle seen in ENT: "Azati Prime".

Qatai's shuttleEdit

For information on this design, see Redresses of Qatai's Vessel at Ex Astris Scientia.

Model variations

Qatai's shuttle VOY: "Bliss"	Ship component #2 VOY: "Alice"	Unknown starship VOY: "Imperfection"

Unknown starship (right center) VOY: "Drive"	Unknown starship VOY: "Natural Law"	Nocona's vessel VOY: "Homestead"

Unknown starship ENT: "Broken Bow"	Xantoras evacuation transports ENT: "The Breach"	Yridian shuttle ENT: "Twilight"

Chaotic space hulkEdit

Originally slated to make an appearance in VOY: "Vis à Vis" as a "ship of the week", the Chaotic space hulk was designed and built as a CGI model at Digital Muse. "They might say "We're looking for some design where we want to have tentacles, but we don't want it to look like an octopus," or things like that.(...)When the team are called on to help with a design, everyone gets a chance, It's actually a free-for-all. I think with "Vis à Vis" we had to come up with three ship designs, but we probably submitted 10 or 12.", John Gross remembered. Initially however, the design was one of the rejected ones, but was utilised in the later episode VOY: "The Fight". As to why it was initially rejected Gross further elaborated, "We ended up using it as the derelict ship in "The Fight". It was very organic, and it was something that didn't fit into the Star Trek universe. The reason it was able to be used in "The Fight" was because of the refracting space; the ship was so broken up you really couldn't see it very clearly. But I know Peter Lauritson likes to avoid having ships that look too much like life forms; Star Trek has a very good reason for having that consistency." (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 10, p.71)

That reluctance was put aside later, as the model, slightly modified at Eden FX, made additional appearances as the Romulan drone-ship in several episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, Season 4. The model was affectionately dubbed "The Flea" by the production team.[6]

Hazari vesselEdit

This CGI model was originally created for use in Star Trek: Voyager.

Hazari shuttleEdit

This CGI model first appearing in Star Trek: Voyager. A new CGI model of a similar design later appeared as Goroth's starship in Star Trek: Enterprise.

Malon export vesselEdit

See main article: Malon export vessel

Nova classEdit

See main article: Nova-class

VOY Season 6Edit

AliceEdit

CGI model.

Hierarchy assault classEdit

On the origin of the Hierarchy Assault-class Rick Sternbach commented,"I vaguely recall the script saying it was an "alien ship bristling with antennae," since the crew were engaged in massive surveillance operations of everything around them. The two sketches I turned in were pretty different from most other things we'd seen before, maybe the first one more than the second one. Where the design went after that was (...) between Brandon and our VFX guru Dan Curry."[7] Starting from some of the details of the two sketches Dan Curry (who remarked, "Brandon carried it further when he made his excellent CG version. He really understood the aesthetic I was after…" [8]), and Brandon MacDougall refined the design further at Foundation Imaging into the final design as it finally appeared in VOY: "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy" and VOY: "The Void" as a CGI model rendered in Lightwave.

For the seventh season appearance of the Hierarchy in VOY: "Renaissance Man", MacDougall altered the forward hull of the ship, by cutting down the number and changing the shape of the portholes and elongating the forward hull, for the ship to become the Hierarchy survey vessel.[9] The aft section remained largely unchanged. Out of courtesy, MacDougall re-rendered the original configuration for Doug Drexler's blog.

Sternbach's design sketches were later sold on 8 August 2010 as Lot #408 in the Propworx' "Star Trek Prop and Costume Auction", estimated at US$100-$200, where they sold for US$180 (including buyer's premium).