The most feared warship in the known galaxy — like you’ve never seen it before — continues to evolve in its latest iteration from the Star Trek Discovery and brought home from Eaglemoss Collections.
When the USS Shenzhou decided to wake the bear that is the Klingon Empire at the Battle of the Binary Stars, Star Trek Discovery took the opportunity to once again (re)introduce the most formidible alien species in the galaxy. The Klingons have been a favorite fan, and within the canon of Star Trek history they are the Federation’s most fearsome adversary. With their reintegration into the 23rd century continuity establishing more details of the Klingon/Federation War, this enemy has never looked more ferocious.
The creatives behind the new series have had a distinct freedom to explore technologies and designs for Star Trek Discovery and that’s most evident in the radically more alien look at the Klingons. Even the 23rd Century Bird-Of-Prey the most notorious warship in the Klingon fleet, had a very atypical design and terrifyingly ornate aesthetic; more muscular and constructed to strike fear, the craft looks very much like its namesake implies serving to strike fear in the hearts of its enemies.
The Bird Takes Flight
Eaglemoss Collections recreates the newest Klingon Bird-Of-Prey for its Star Trek Discovery Official Starship Collection and begins to assemble the fleet of the Klingon forces that soar into battle during the Klingon/Federation War and are first glimpsed at the Battle of the Binary Stars of 2256. The model is based on the designs of Sam Michlap. The design team was tasked with giving the Klingons, especially the iconic Bird-Of-Prey a more “aggressive” look. Michlap chose a direction that gave the ship the impression that it can slice its way through space.
The high-end collectible comes in at about 6” from stem to stern, approximating the actual size of the warship which measures 188.7 meters, keeping it within the anticipated size of its predecessors. The Klingons historically dispatched the Bird-Of-Prey as escort ships or as wing defenders; they’ve also served as the introductory arsenal heralding a Klingon invasion. Featuring the recognizable wing-swept design of the line, the vessel was also impressively armed with multiple phaser banks and photon torpedos.
Michlap explains the radical new approach to the ship’s design in the 16-page magazine that accompanies the model (along with a display stand) and admits that much of the Gothic design and texture of the ship was inspired by ornamental details found in cathedrals and especially Islamic architecture. This undoubtedly marries the 23rd Century Klingons very closely to their cultural connection of a more ceremonial people. The Bird-Of-Prey is seen protecting the fleet and is called upon with the enormous Sarcophagus Ship is in peril.
First of the Fleet
Besides the introduction of the unique Klingon Bird-Of-Prey to the line, Eaglemoss has also issued the Klingon destroyer Qugh Class (Issue #8) and the much more elegant Qoj Class (Issue #10). Both ships and their respective models give fans an alternative insight into this formidable force, which is still developing and playing a significant role in the evolution of the narrative storyline of Star Trek Discovery in its Second Season. The ship models are available for purchase individually or as part of Eaglemoss Collections subscription service.
Klingon Bird-Of-Prey | Star Trek Discovery Official Starships Collection Issue #4 is available now from Eaglemoss Collections.