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From: knudsen@ihnss.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Starship Esthetics, Comparative
Message-ID: <2124@ihnss.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Jun-84 18:38:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihnss.2124
Posted: Tue Jun 26 18:38:28 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Jun-84 03:32:04 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 29

[just stay in the closet, Mr Adventure....]

After seeing ST-3 for the 2nd time last nite, here are my REVISED views of
what starhips look better than others:
(1) The Reliant (in TWOK) was OK, but it lacked an engineering hull, and the
twin engine (fuel?) pods just hung off the sides of the main (saucer) hull.
Cute, but not snazzy or thrilling.
(2) The Griffin (blown away by Kruge early in TSFS) is one of the neatest,
cleanest, and meanest designs.  A torpedo-shaped engineering hull, with
struts holding the pods (like E-prise), but pods are also attached to main saucer.
This machine looked pretty fast!  Sorry to see it get so little exposure due to
early demise.
(3) The Enterprise--I always thought it a bit awkward, with all those long
struts trying to hold everything to the engineering hull.  Alwasy thought
it would fall apart (like a DC-10) in a tight maneuver.  However, I paid
special attention to the old gal last nite and she looked a lot more solid
(and beautiful) than I had previously thought.
(4) The Excelsior--engineering hull has a bow like a water ship, with an
extended flat deck above.  Frm this deck, three pylons (struts) hold
the other 3 items in Enterprise fashion.  However, the struts are so short
as to give a feeling of strenght and solidity coupled with speed.
Thus I like the Excelsior.  Others probably think those stubby struts are
ugly.  And of course, that streamlined bow is a little unnecessary in space.

In summary, I'd be happy with anything but the Reliant.  mike k
PS: Why are they testing "experimental" transwarp drive in the biggest ship
ever built?  Pretty risky, huh?  Remember the new warp drive in ST:TMP?
Why not put it in a little scout ship, and get some macho just-busted-to-
captain-from-admiral and his crazy loyal crew to take it for a test run?