The Final Frontier’s Klingon armada takes shape in two recent releases from Eaglemoss Collections for the Official Star Trek Starships Collections.
In the Star Trek universe the Federation has nary faced an adversary as unpredictable and cunning as the Klingons. Since the series very beginnings, the plagued the peace loving Federation with war at ever conceivable corner, in fact the Klingons inadvertently had a huge part in Earth’s first journey into the final frontier as explored in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Enterprise. It’s no surprise the Klingons play a crucial role in the newest series Star Trek: Discovery which takes place during the Federation’s war with the Empire.
With Captain Kirk’s crew behind the controls of Starfleet’s flagship the Enterprise, it only makes perfect sense that the Klingons would themselves charge to the space ways with a vessel that is formidable and impressive as its Constitution-class contemporary. In fact, there’s perhaps no other ships in the Star Trek universe that are more popular or as distinct as the Klingon Battlecruiser or the Klingon Bird-of-Prey. The basics silhouette and shape of which is as recognizable as the Enterprise’s own saucer, engineering section and twin nacelles.
Regardless of which iteration of Star Trek one follows, the Klingons have basically kept their starships to a very similar design since first introduced in The Original Series episode “Elaan of Troyius” although they made their broadcast introduction in the episode “The Enterprise Incident” and were depicted as Romulan ships. This would eventually be corrected in canon explaining that it made perfect sense that the Romulans would be seen using Klingon starships since the two species were in a treaty to share technology. The D7 Battlecruiser was designed by Matt Jeffries.
The Klingons Get a Reboot
When the Star Trek franchise was revitalized for its theatrical release in 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture the familiar Klingon ship would get a much needed overhaul for it’s big screen introduction. When Star Trek was again rebooted in 2009 by filmmaker J.J. Abrams not only was the new vision dependent on giving ships like the Enterprise much more of a muscular presence for the more contemporary and sophisticated audience, Abrams also wanted to reveal that the Klingons also mirrored their adversary’s ambitions.
Although the ships make a less than dramatic appearance on screen as part of Kirk’s infamous training mission to rescue the imperiled Kobayashi Maru the Klingon Battlecruisers that appear in the reboot, have been recreated by the die-cast modelers at Eaglemoss Collections as part of their continuously expanding line of models for Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection. The impressively sturdy 8” model captures much of the spirit of the original fearsome D7 Battlecruiser and reveals the subtle detailing to give that classic a more robust and deadlier profile.
Abram’s design team did not deviate as dramatically from the original Klingon Battlecruiser as they did with the Enterprise, although the Bird-Of-Preys that appeared in the sequel Star Trek Into Darkness did go further to insist upon the predator and carrion-like appearance for that ship design. It’s a very nice nod to the classic that this new model stays true in many ways to the original that has often proven a fan favorite, although many of the distinct shapes that can be connected to the reboot’s Klingons can be seen in the vessel’s bony plates and surface details.
A New Discovery
For the newest series Star Trek: Discovery the Klingons were evolved a little more than any of its previous iterations, and given that the series marks the beginnings of the fabled Federation/Klingon war of the 23rd Century, the series’ designers decided to reintroduce the Klingons as far more alien and unfamiliar to the audience. These Klingons are actually working to reconstitute their various houses, preferring to adhere to a more xenophobic attitude and return the Klingons to their former place as powerful conquerors. Their ships are far more “organic” looking and ceremonial.
Recently released as part of Eaglemoss’ Star Trek: Discovery The Official Starships Collections Issue 4 (re)introduces the Klingon Bird-Of-Prey first seen during the epic Battle at the Binary Stars. The new version, which is in every way a predecessor of the more familiar design that takes out the Enterprise in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is as eerie as it is deadly. The ship promotes the Klingon ethos that lives up to the ship’s name, but is much more ornate and gives the impression that as it glides through space it carves out a bloody path.
Being able to handle the newly designed Bird-Of-Prey and compare it to its other contemporary reimagining is a wonderful gift for fans. Though both represent very divergent interpretations of the Star Trek universe, they both inhabit the path and pride of the Klingon species. Both models are packaged with display stands and detailed magazines featuring never-before-seen designs and reference material detailing the inspirations behind the most feared ships in farthest reaches of the final frontier.
Goto www.startrek-starships.com and star your collection now.