EMvTW Extra 25 - USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (Constitution Class) (2254)

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

Rewrites: NONE YET

I swore to my readers and myself that I would not buy reprints of Eaglemoss models, like the ISS ships or cloaked vessels.  But... this one was slightly different... looking... and would hopefully continue making my USS Enterprise collection "complete", so I bit the bullet and bought the USS Enterprise from 2254.

We first get to see this starship in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode called "The Cage".  You can see a synopsis of that episode at THIS LINK.


Per Memory Alpha and Beta, "The Constitution-class was a Federation Class I Heavy Cruiser in the Starship-class. They were the premier front-line Starfleet vessels in the latter half of the 23rd century. They were designed for long duration missions with minimal outside support and are best known for their celebrated missions of galactic exploration and diplomacy which typically lasted up to five years.".  They go on to say this about the USS Enterprise, "The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was a 23rd century Federation Constitution-class starship operated by Starfleet. In the course of her career, the Enterprise became the most celebrated starship of her time.  In her forty years of service and discovery, through upgrades and at least two refits, she took part in numerous first contacts, military engagements, and time-travels. She achieved her most lasting fame from a five-year mission (2265-2270) under the command of Captain James T. Kirk.".

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

Constitution Class Information: Memory Alpha LINK and Memory Beta LINK
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) Information: Memory Alpha LINK and Memory Beta LINK

I had reviewed the original Eaglemoss model of the TOS era USS Enterprise, way back in Issue #50.  I also reviewed several other manufacturers' versions of this starship.  

You may want to go check out that review at THIS LINK because I will be making lots of references to that Eaglemoss model.

Before we get into the nitty gritty and picky review, here is my standard photoshoot of the model.

 

 

 

 

After receiving the "new" model, I find that there really is not a lot of difference between Issue #50 and this new Bonus model #25.  

I have seen in some Facebook groups that this "new" model is not very accurate, but I personably can not speak from any area of expertise on this fact.  If this is true though, it really annoys me that Eaglemoss would charge an additional $5 for this model.  If any of my readers can verify this information on the accuracy of the Eaglemoss model, or in this case, the inaccuracy, please comment down below as I would love to hear more about your thoughts.

Given the nature of this "new" model, I'm going to stray from my normal review process and pattern.

We'll start the the basics.  First, looking at the saucer section, we can see that the sculpt, mold and paint work are exactly the same between the two models.  The color difference you see below is simply a byproduct of the flash used on two different cameras.  Trust me, they are the same color.

 

Issue #50                                             Bonus #25

 

Issue #50                                             Bonus #25

The next obvious area to look at would be the engineering section of the ship.  And like the saucer section, everything seems to be the same again.  

 

Issue #50                                             Bonus #25

 

Issue #50                                             Bonus #25

However, upon closer examination, there seems to be some badly molded details near the deflector dish.  I had a name for this a long time ago and I thought Eaglemoss had pretty much made it a thing of the past, but low and behold, the problem has come back on the slightly more expensive model.  I am of course talking about what I call 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.

 

Issue #50                                             Bonus #25

The join seam is not well fitted on this model either.  It was slightly noticeable on Issue #50, but now, it looks horrible, especially back around he shuttle bay door.

 

Issue #50                                             Bonus #25

There really are only two major difference between the two models.  The first one concerns the bussard collectors on the nacelles.  The ones on the pilot version of the ship had little antenna like points on the tips.  Unfortunately, due to the nature of plastic molding, they just look like nipples rather than antennas on the Eaglemoss model.

Issue #50 Outer View

Issue #50 Inner View

Bonus #25 Outer View

Bonus #25 Inner View

The main part (tube part) of the nacelles are still the same between the models, but it does look like Eaglemoss swapped out the end cap exhaust ports.

 

Issue #50                                             Bonus #25

For those long time followers of  this series of articles from me, you will know that I typically go in for a close-up of the Starfleet ship's deflector dish.  In my opinion, you can tell a lot about a company's attention to details by just looking at this area of the ship.

And once again, I feel that Eaglemoss really missed the boat on this dish.  Not only did they screw up with Issue #50's dish, but they continued the trend with Bonus #25's dish as well.  How did Eaglemoss come to the decision to make the deflector dishes clear red plastic when every picture you ever see of them show the dishes to be copper in color?

 

Issue #50                                             Bonus #25

The "newer" model now boasts a slightly larger deflector dish, that is even more see through that the original model.  At least with the original Eaglemoss model, they gave it a tiny bit of paint. 

And that is all the pictures and comparisons I have to share on this ship at this time.  During the writing of this article (February 8th, 2021), I was able to find this model on eBay for $65 (YIKES!) and on Eaglemoss' US based WebStore for $30.  The eBay price includes shipping, but this model is definitely not worth getting at that price.  If you buy it through Eaglemoss, you might have to pay shipping depending on how much you are willing to spend on other Eaglemoss merchandise.  

In my opinion, even at $30 and free shipping, this model is not worth the money.  Do you really want to pay extra money for a model that only shows three tiny little differences than the original Eaglemoss model?  This model just re-enforced my feelings about buying the subtle difference models from Eaglemoss.  Fool me once Eaglemoss.  Rest assured, it won't happen again.

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!!!"



Additional Links To Photos Of My Collection:

Eaglemoss (Issue #50)     Eaglemoss (Bonus #25)   

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