EMvTW 38: Delta Flyer

NOTE:  You can click on most pictures to get a larger view of them.

Rewrites: May 2016 & September 2018

Next up for my Eaglemoss vs. The World series of articles is The Delta Flyer.  We are first introduced to this starship in the Star Trek: Voyager episode called "Extreme Risk".  We are then treated to many appearances of this ship throughout the rest of the series.

My current collection only consists of two versions of this ship, one from Eaglemoss and one from Hallmark.

I'm a big fan of this ship.  She's sleek, she's fast, she's tough for a small vessel, and she's versatile enough to take on a bunch of different roles.  The Delta Flyer just plain looks like a cool spaceship.


Per Memory Alpha and Beta, "The Delta Flyer was a specially designed Starfleet shuttlecraft constructed by the crew of the USS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant in 2375. The vessel was designed to handle environments that would be too hazardous for a standard shuttlecraft and to be slightly larger than the average shuttle, the crew having acknowledged that standard shuttles were of little use in the increasingly hostile and unexplored Delta Quadrant. The vessel was a blend of Starfleet and Borg technology, designed in collaboration between B'Elanna Torres, Tom Paris, Tuvok, Harry Kim, and Seven of Nine."

The ship was eventually destroyed and replaced by the Delta Flyer II which looked exacly the same on the outside.

If you would like to read more official stuff on this type of ship, feel free to check out the following links:

Delta Flyer Information: Memory Alpha LINK and Memory Beta LINK
Delta Flyer II Information: Memory Alpha LINK and Memory Beta LINK

Eaglemoss vs. Hallmark

I decided to write this particular series of articles to give a good side-by-side comparison of the various pre-built and pre-painted small scale starships available to a collector.  I found that there was a serious lack of material showing what they looked like next to each other, thus not giving me a good informed choice on what to buy.  I decided to start providing this information myself since I ended up buying the different manufacturer renditions of the same ship.  Following is what I like to call the "gravy shot" series of pictures which will give you that great up-close and side by side look a the models.

Eaglemoss vs. Hallmark

Both versions of this ship are very close in size and quite frankly, they seem to show off all the important details of the ship.  There are some slight differences though.

Eaglemoss

 

 

 

 

Most of the Eaglemoss model is made from metal, making it one of the heavier entries from Eaglemoss.  This fact also creates a bit of a problem for the model as well.

This is one Eaglemoss model where I will rate the sculpting and molding details at being just OK.  As I pointed out in my review of the Danube Class Runabout (CLICK HERE to read that review.), Eaglemoss seems to have an issue sometimes with the details in the metal parts of thier models.  Those details will sometimes come off looking soft and rounded.

The Delta Flyer seems to suffer from this symptom, which I have given the name of Eaglemoss Melted Marshmallow Syndrome, or E.M.M.S. for short.  Since most of the visible hull (the entire topside) is made of metal, it almost looks like the ship was run through some extreme heat and the shields were starting to fail and allow the hull to melt slightly.  What makes this effect really disconcerting is the fact that on plastic parts, the molded details are nice a crisp and edgy.

 

Top (Soft)                                          Bottom (Crisp)

The join seam was also very noticeable on my model along the nose of the ship.

When talking about the painting of the model, I will once again say the Eaglemoss did an OK job with her.  They do a good job of highlighting the important areas, but once again, it wasn't as crisp as it could have been.

The Borg components for example could have used a little more detail painting, but instead, they just come off looking kind of blah with the brown and black highlights.

This ship does have the traditional clear red and blue plastic parts which highlight the warp drive parts of the model, and that fact brought up the marks for the model for me.

If you have been following my series for a while, you know that I have a thing for Federation Deflector Dishes.  I like to hyper focus on these because I feel that a manufacturer's attention to detail can really be determined by taking a good look at this small part of the ship.

I really am not happy with Eaglemoss' deflector dish.  Since it was located in the metal part of the model, it suffered greatly from E.M.M.S..  Eaglemoss did try to do something more with it by applying a two tone paint job, HOWEVER, the application of the paint was a tad off.

Overall, the model the model was OK, but I think Eaglemoss could have done a better job on this one, especially since it is a favorite among Voyager fans.

Hallmark

 

 

 

 

Hallmark's Delta Flyer was released back in 2002, before thier models were battery powered.  Which means that for mine, I've cut the cord off so that it can display nicely among my collection.

Since I can't show you mine in a lit up state, here is a random picture off the internet of her in all of her lit glory.

Personally, I think that this was one of Hallmark's better designs over the years.  

The proportions are all right on.  And because the entire ship is made from molded plastic, it has a more crisp and precise look, rather than the softer rounded look of Eaglemoss' ship.  

Hallmark did a much better job on painting the ship too, with all of the details standing out more vibrantly.

Even the exposed Borg areas of the ship come off looking much better.

The bottom rar of the model comes off looking so much better with Hallmark's mold and paint work.

The work that was done on the model's wings was on par with the Eaglemoss model, however, we have the added bonus that the bussard collector and warp grille light up when the model is powered up.

And of course, let us not forge the ever important deflector dish.  While it is not as colorful as the Eaglemoss model, the angles of the molding make it look much more professionally done.  

Conclusion

At this point in my articles, I like to do a quick check on eBay to get some prices of the ships I've shared with you.  I will continue with the tradition of rounding up the most inexpensive Buy-It-Now prices (with shipping included in that price) from eBay at the time of this article's (re)writing (September 2018).

Eaglemoss = $33
Hallmark = $14

NOTE: Prices were researched last on September 27th, 2018.  As of the writing of this article, you can also currently order the Eaglemoss model right from the company themselves for around $23 (shipping unknown).

I would now like to wrap up my article by giving you my opinion on which ship would give you the best bang for the buck.  That's my crude way of saying, which one is the best buy.

Unfortunately, there are only two different pre-made ships to really pick from.  With both ships being so close in size and details, this actually turned out to be a tough decision, however, one of the models did pull ahead by a deflector dish so to speak.

The end result was very surprising to me.  Normally, Eaglemoss comes out on top for most of these comparison reviews.  But honestly, Hallmark's was much more crisp and better detailed.  That coupled with the price and the fact that it lights up, makes it a very good choice for your collection.  sorry Eaglemoss, better luck next time.

As always, I hope you found this article useful and informative.  If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to comment below.

So for now, "Live long and prosper!!!"



Definitions
EMMS = Eaglemoss Melted Marshmallow Syndrome.  This is best described as a softening of details where they appear more rounded, less edgy and a bit out of focus.  Sort of what happens to a marshmallow as you heat it up to it's melting point on a camp fire.

Additional Links To Photos Of My Collection:

Eaglemoss     Hallmark
Comparative Shots

Other Reviewers Take On The Eaglemoss Model:
Some Kind Of Star Trek
Star Trek Starship Collection