The Enterprise Ncc 1701 and the Model Maker

Book excerpt: The Star Trek Enterprise Model NCC 1701 began its journey in 1964 in my father's model shop, most of us had our first sighting of it in 1966 when it flew across out TV screen. No other cinematic vessel is nearly as famous and is still the most recognized and successful "starship" in history. It was donated by Paramount Studios to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, where it will once again be on display for all its fans to view, in the summer of 2016. From Gene Roddenberry's imagination to Matt Jefferies ability to draw what was in Gene's head, to the Howard Anderson Co. for special effects, to my father's ability to read, decipher and construct from those blueline plans to what we see today, my father had a wonderfully specialized talent and this is his story to tell.