To boldly go...
July 2, 2009 6:10 AM   Subscribe

 
Oh, that Enterprise.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:15 AM on July 2, 2009 [36 favorites]


I was ready to dismiss a 1701-D over the superior 1701-A but this is just....pffff.
posted by DU at 6:16 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


Does the second link go to the right page? I see nothing there concerning the sale of the model.
posted by chillmost at 6:19 AM on July 2, 2009


Space...the final frontier.
posted by ColdChef at 6:20 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


Impressive as hell, in that obsessive guy way, but what's the backstory here?

Someone finally discovered girls?
posted by rokusan at 6:21 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


You big tease.
posted by Optamystic at 6:22 AM on July 2, 2009


Here's a direct link to the post explaining the backstory.
posted by svenni at 6:25 AM on July 2, 2009


20 years. Wow.

Looks like the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison has offered to take it.
posted by zarq at 6:28 AM on July 2, 2009


Wow. WANT. What the hell I would do with it, I dunno. But WANT.
posted by strixus at 6:30 AM on July 2, 2009


Oh my holy god.
posted by aramaic at 6:31 AM on July 2, 2009


What the hell I would do with it, I dunno.

Gonna need a bigger bathtub.
posted by backseatpilot at 6:32 AM on July 2, 2009 [17 favorites]


The Intrepid Sea and Air Museum would seem an obvious choice, though I suppose someone in Germany could buy it acquire the carrier for Miniatur Wunderland.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:35 AM on July 2, 2009


Gonna need a bigger bathtub.

You and Taft.
posted by Naberius at 6:35 AM on July 2, 2009 [2 favorites]


Oh thank God my dad doesn't spend much time on the Internet.
posted by Katemonkey at 6:38 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


Those 3 lamp shades on the shelf look like they could use a home too.
posted by i_cola at 6:41 AM on July 2, 2009


But does it float?
posted by samsara at 6:49 AM on July 2, 2009


That's the first time I've ever thought an old man was sexy....ever.
posted by mrmojoflying at 6:52 AM on July 2, 2009


Whoops, second link
posted by mattoxic at 6:54 AM on July 2, 2009


Impressive as hell, in that obsessive guy way, but what's the backstory here?

Someone finally discovered girls?


Far from it - the creator is moving into a retirement home. With his wife, if that matters to you.

I've known a few model builders / army painters / diorama builders and this (giving away the grand creation) is common: the big challenge is building the thing. Once it's completed, the object is less interesting, just a trophy or a memento of the build. So they often get given away or sold and the creator moves on to the next piece. I admire that sort of practical attitude, all about the process and not the endpoint. Good for him.
posted by outlier at 7:00 AM on July 2, 2009 [7 favorites]


Where do they keep the Newkaleer Wessles?
posted by anti social order at 7:00 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


Kind of a shame that the retirement home he's moving to doesn't take it and put it in their lobby. It would be a great human interest story, good publicity, an attraction for visitors (especially kids). They could arrange for a permanent home for it after he dies.
posted by Killick at 7:06 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


How does that thing fly?
posted by Mister_A at 7:11 AM on July 2, 2009


Wow. WANT. What the hell I would do with it, I dunno. But WANT.

Why attract girls of course
posted by mattoxic at 7:12 AM on July 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


FINALLY. Now Tiny America can control the Tiny Persian Gulf.

(I'm snarking but that is completely awesome.)
posted by Ron Thanagar at 7:14 AM on July 2, 2009


As a 1/72 aircraft builder (specifically WWII era though) with exhibits still on display in Detroit and New York, and as a former military model hobby store owner/manager...

WOW!
posted by Drasher at 7:15 AM on July 2, 2009


There are no words to express what a phenomenal job of scale model building this ship is. I am glad it will be preserved in a museum somewhere.
posted by rdone at 7:17 AM on July 2, 2009


If I had this thing, I'd replace my race car bed with it.
posted by orme at 7:21 AM on July 2, 2009


Whatever you do, don't let Michael Bay anywhere near it.
posted by brundlefly at 7:27 AM on July 2, 2009 [6 favorites]


Wow, just wow.
posted by julie_of_the_jungle at 7:32 AM on July 2, 2009


The Intrepid Sea and Air Museum would seem an obvious choice, though I suppose someone in Germany could buy it acquire the carrier for Miniatur Wunderland.

The Intrepid has one, of the Intrepid, I believe.

This has always seemed like the ultimate test of a model builder's patience. To build one aircraft is a project. To build a fighter wing is an obsession.
posted by smackfu at 7:42 AM on July 2, 2009


You know, I'm a total nerd, and I've gotten into model making lately. I've only done a couple, and my latest project is a NCC-1701 (TOS). I have to say, I've been working for two months and it's a really small model with not a lot of parts and I've barely made any progress. I look at something like what this guy did and it seriously makes me want to set myself on fire.
posted by kbanas at 7:56 AM on July 2, 2009


The U.S. Navy also ferried the builder, Gabe Suranyi, via a C-2A to the USS Enterprise about 200 miles off Norfolk in September 1997. Gabe resided on the USS Enterprise for two days compliments of the ship's Captain.

*begins work on scale model of Megan Fox*
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 7:59 AM on July 2, 2009 [13 favorites]


Amazing model!

I've contacted one of the people in the thread (couldn't find an email for Gabriel Suranyi anywhere). Maybe my company (Northrop Grumman) could find it a home. Hell, Grumman built most of the planes on the Enterprise!
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 8:16 AM on July 2, 2009


I knew a guy who was a scratch-built model maker and I'm always amazed by the attention to detail people involved in the hobby are able to achieve. I like to think I'm pretty good at improvised fabrication, but I've got absolutely nothing on these guys.

I get envious just thinking about what I could do with that kind of skill.
posted by quin at 8:20 AM on July 2, 2009


Maybe Riverside, Iowa?
posted by LSK at 8:22 AM on July 2, 2009


That's an impressive model, but I admit I was hoping to see a Star Trek model when I clicked the link.
posted by Fleebnork at 8:45 AM on July 2, 2009


brundlefly: Whatever you do, don't let Michael Bay anywhere near it.
Or Edward James Olmos, if he's feeling "method-y"...
posted by hincandenza at 9:00 AM on July 2, 2009 [3 favorites]


Lovely model.

Much more cool than the Trek one would be, sorry fellow nerds.
posted by Artw at 9:07 AM on July 2, 2009


Ready for a gatling gun duel with Hiro Protagonist!
posted by Artw at 9:11 AM on July 2, 2009


Not unless he had a good Reason.
posted by quin at 9:22 AM on July 2, 2009 [2 favorites]


No, it's 'noo-klee-ar wessels'. Chekov actually pronounced it right.

Also, I think that is in fact a nuclear wessel.
posted by kldickson at 10:12 AM on July 2, 2009


I am getting older and I am about to move with my wife into a retirement community.

Awww, now that the second link works and I can read that, I retract my snark.

This old guy is cool.
posted by rokusan at 10:54 AM on July 2, 2009


The Superstructure took over 2 years to build. It was overhauled in 2006.

This line says a lot. The problem with taking 19 years to build something is that you clearly should get better over time. Eventually the stuff you did at the beginning will just look awful to you, even if no one else would notice. So you have to redo it, and redo it, until it's Perfect.
posted by smackfu at 11:07 AM on July 2, 2009


FIVE meters? That's nearly six meters!
posted by Eideteker at 11:10 AM on July 2, 2009


It's a fabulous model worthy of a good home. I'd like to offer my services to act as permanent caretaker for the one of a kind work of art. Unfortunately, my house is only 2 1/2 meters long so I'm going to have to cut it in half and stack the pieces on top of one another.
posted by digsrus at 12:16 PM on July 2, 2009


I am deeply envious of people who have that much passion and dedication.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 1:34 PM on July 2, 2009


FIVE meters? That's nearly six meters!

Well, no. 16 feet is just under 4.9 meters.

Not that that isn't flippin' huge for something like this...
posted by George_Spiggott at 3:39 PM on July 2, 2009


I gotta say, that would look completely awesome on my sister's pond.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 1:13 PM on July 4, 2009


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