EMvTW Extra 33 - Talarian Observation Craft (Q'Maire class)

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

Rewrites: None

Next up in what I'm calling the wallet crushing rush of models from Eaglemoss is the Talarian Observation Craft, also known as the Q'Maire class.



We first get to see this starship in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode called "Suddenly Human".

This isn't the first Talarian ship for Eaglemoss to produce.  During issue #159, Eaglemoss gave us The Batris, a Talarian Freighter.  You can check out my review of that model at THIS LINK.

Per Memory Alpha and Beta, "Talarian observation craft were a type of observation craft used by the Talarians during the mid-24th century for basic training. These ships could be operated with a crew of five...  During the Galen border conflict of the 2350s, a common tactic of the Talarians was to abandon their observation craft, rig them with a self-destruct device and issue a general distress call. By using this particular guerrilla warfare tactics resulted in 219 fatalities over a three-day period."

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

Q'Maire Class Information: Memory Alpha LINK and Memory Beta LINK

Before we get into the actual review, I want to report that my model came with some unintentional battle damage to it.  One of the larger fins on my model was very loose so I needed to pull it off completely and then reattach it with some super glue.  It was nothing serious, but I felt that I should report it.

Taking a quick look at the model from Eaglemoss, we can see that it almost is identical both on the top as well as the bottom.  There are some subtle differences though.

 
 
 
 

It is interesting when you get to compare the set and model building skills of the Original Series with that of The Next Generation.  It amazing what a larger budget gets you when it comes to building ship models to use on screen.  Coming off of the very plain looking Nomad model in my last review, we now get this ship with lots of tiny little details to take in.

The paint work on this model is definitely a lot more interesting than on the previously released Nomad or the Talarian Freighter.  The ship has a slight mottled look thanks to some random darker patches of paint work scattered across the hull.  The model also bears tiny little porthole windows that are painted white which help give a sense of scale.  My problem with these windows is that while they appear to be accurate as compared to pictures on Memory Alpha, it doesn't make sense why the ship would be so large for a a crew of 5 individuals.  That is not Eaglemoss' fault, but I wanted to give you some food for thought.

There are quite a few vents and panels that have been painted with a darker color to make them stand out.  These areas have also been splattered with a lighter color paint to gave the model a heavily used look.  This technique would have been extremely effective except that most of the paint is misaligned with its molded detail counterpart.  Instead of being cool looking, it appears to be sloppy.

The rear of the ship boasts some painted in engine exhausts, more painted vents, and some sort of docking or weapons port tucked between those engines.

The tall fins that jut out from the top and bottom of the ship are nicely executed, as long as they were properly glued on.  

I am impressed with the sculpt and mold work on this model.  The entire thing is covered with oodles of tactile details.

The join seam is noticeable along the belly of the ship.  Eaglemoss wisely put it on the bottom of the model, and attempted to follow the natural lines of the ship, so as to try to hide the crack.  I have seen better jobs at hiding the join seam on other Eaglemoss models, but this one is not glaringly horrible.

The molded details and join seam continue to be present on the front of the ship as well.

And that is all the pictures I have to share on this ship at this time. At the time of this article's writing on May 5th, 2022, I was not able to find the model on eBay (as a Buy It Now).  Eaglemoss' US Based WebStore does however have the model for $35 (shipping cost is unknown). 

I guess it is time for me to address the elephant known as "Cost", since it will be visiting the room quite a bit in the near future.  As I wrote these review articles for the Standard Line of models, I always based my opinions on the average cost of $20 to $25, which is what those models typically went for.  I was very comfortable with that price point too.  I understand that the cost of producing anything has gone up since the world as we knew it, "ended" in 2020, but I was never sure why Eaglemoss thought that they could up the prices of the Extra/Bonus models back then, when they were the same size as the other models.  At this point, since the new price point seems to be holding at $35 for these additional models, it seems silly to constantly complain about the additional $10 in every article so I will begrudgingly adjust my line of thinking and base the reviews on this new cost point.

So with all of that said, are we getting our money's worth?  The model is extremely detailed, especially from a tactile point of view.  While some of the paint work is misaligned and a tiny bit sloppy, it actually succeeds in giving the ship and older and more battered look.  In the end, I actually like how the model turned out.  And begrudgingly, I think that it is worth the money.  It would make a nice addition to your alien ships' collection.

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