Original Enterprise model is being refurbished

[cjolley]

As someone might say: "Fascinating..."

http://blog.nasm.si.edu/conservation/uss-enterprise-conservation-begins/

Stardate 1601.28: After a year of extensive research, conservation work on the original studio model of theUSS Enterprise is now underway in the Museum’s spacedock. Our goal is to stabilize the model and return it to its appearance from August of 1967, during the filming of the episode The Trouble with Tribbles, which marked the last known modification of the ship during the production of Star Trek. The model appeared in all 79 episodes of the original series, and was donated to the Smithsonian in 1974. It will go back on public display in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall this year, in time for the Museum’s 40th birthday in July and the 50thanniversary of Star Trek in September. Visitors to our third annual Open House at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on Saturday, January 30 can catch a glimpse of the work in progress...

[KRSESQ]

This has been good to see. The 1991 "restoration" was somewhat botched. The outsider hired for the job was widely criticized for taking too many liberties with the paint and markings.

I dropped an email to the Smithsonian a few weeks ago, asking about the angle of the bevel around the saucer section. I got an answer within a couple of days:

Curator Margaret Weitekamp contacted a member of the Special Advisory Committee, which is helping with the Museum's conservation of the Star Trek starship Enterprise studio model. His answer (note that as a hand-built model, the Enterprise's saucer section is not a true circle, and there is variation in the dimensions):

"Last month I measured the angle at three spots on the saucer, using my digital protractor. I got 56.1° on the starboard side, 57.35° on the port side, and 57.8° at the bow."

So she's a little lopsided (she WAS built in California, after all).