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Tallguy’s Original Series Enterprise Catalog

A shot by shot reference to TOS FX featuring everyone’s favorite starship.


by

William P. “Tallguy” Thomas


Introduction

The U.S.S. Enterprise is arguably one of the most famous spacecraft in science fiction. There have been many collections of references of the various shooting models that were used to bring her to both the small and large screens. One day I got to thinking “Has anyone ever made a collection of every shot of the Enterprise EVER?”


The original Star Trek re-used stock footage whenever they could. How many different ways can you show the ship orbiting a planet? (Answer: Five.) But then I wondered how many stock shots are there? And when were they first used? How often? Which version of the ship was seen the most? Was it the ship from the production run of the series? Or the ship from the pilots?


After some months of diving through the original episodes and the unaired pilot here is a catalog of every shot of the U.S.S. Enterprise from the original Star Trek. The list is ordered by shot based on the shot’s first appearance in an episode by production order. All of the shot’s names are my own (and I accept the blame). There are some intentional ommisions to this list. I did not include any live action depictions of the Enteprise. These include such shots as the Enterprise seen outside of station manager Lurry's window in “The Trouble with Tribbles” or the shrunken Enterprise that Flint presents to Kirk in “Requiem for Methuselah”.


So here they are: Every shot of the U.S.S. Enterprise from the original voyages under captains Pike and Kirk. Enjoy!


KEY:

SHOT NAME (FIRST APPEARANCE - LAST APPEARANCE) [NUMBER OF TIMES USED]

MODEL OF ENTERPRISE IN SHOT



First Pilot:


Whoosh (The Cage - That Which Survives) [33]

Three Foot



The pilot opens with Star Trek’s signature star field and the Enterprise “whooshing” into view. This very first shot of the Enterprise is of the three foot model and is given an optical slide so that the ship stays in the center of the screen. It will be repeated with and without this slide in all three seasons.


This shot is used in the opening credits of every season of Star Trek and is arguably the most famous and recognized of all of the shots of the Enterprise.


Episodes:


Cage Whoosh Away (The Cage) [3]

Three Foot


The first shot of the Enterprise racing towards the camera is naturally followed by the three foot model racing away from the camera. This shot is unique to the pilot episode although a similar shot also using the three foot model will be used in later episodes.


Episodes:

The Cage [2]


Cage Dish (The Cage - That Which Survives) [3]

Three Foot

The Enterprise flies right into the camera. (Look where you’re going, Number One!) While not used very often in the live action series an animated version of this shot would be used much more extensively in the animated Star Trek.

Episodes:


Cage Bridge (The Cage - Is There in Truth No Beauty?) [14]

Eleven Foot First Pilot




Here is the first appearance of the eleven foot model and its only appearance in The Cage. One of the most ambitious shots created for Star Trek. The camera comes from under the ship, up over the saucer. In “The Cage” the camera flies into the bridge so the audience is shown how large the ship is and exactly where the action is taking place on the ship.


This shot was re-used in the second pilot, most notably for the “energy barrier” sequence. The barrier version of the shot was used in all three seasons of Trek.

It was used frequently in the early first season both with and without a dense, rushing star field. After these early episodes it was only seen again with the energy barrier.


Episodes:


Cage Blur Away (The Cage) [1]

Three Foot


The three foot model flies away from camera. The ship starts out of focus and gains speed as it flies away. This was only used in the first pilot.


Episodes:


Cage Travel (The Cage) [1]

Three Foot

The three foot model flies right to left in a far shot.


Episodes:


Cage Slow Away (The Cage) [1]

Three Foot

A slower version of “Cage Whoosh Away”. A different shot although still the three foot model.

Episodes:


Second Pilot:


WNM Approach (Where No Man Has Gone Before - The Omega Glory) [14]

Eleven Foot Second Pilot

The first shot of the Second Pilot version of the eleven foot model. The Enterprise flies past the camera. This shot would be used in the first two seasons but would largely be replaced by similar shots using the production version of the eleven foot model.


Episodes:



WNM Side (Where No Man Has Gone Before - The Cloud Minders) [60]

Eleven Foot Second Pilot

The Second Pilot version of the eleven foot model flies past the camera in profile. This shot is used extensively in all three seasons as well as in the second and third season titles.


Episodes:


WNM Barrier Away (Where No Man Has Gone Before - By Any Other Name) [2]

Eleven Foot Second Pilot

The Enterprise flies away from the camera and into the energy barrier. Although this is very similar to the shot “WNM Away” it is a different take. This take was only ever used with the barrier element in both Where No Man Has Gone Before and the second season episode “By Any Other Name”.


Episodes:


Barrier Out (Where No Man Has Gone Before - Is There in Truth No Beauty?) [3]

Three Foot




The three foot model flees the barrier. This element was also never seen without the barrier. Of the three times it was used it was only shown un-flopped once, in the third season episode “Is There in Truth No Beauty?” The first two times it was used the registry numbers on the Enterprise can be seen to be reversed.


Episodes:


WNM Away (Where No Man Has Gone Before - Turnabout Intruder) [86]

Eleven Foot Second Pilot


The Enterprise flies away from camera into infinity. The is different from the “WNM Barrier Away” shot. Filmed for the second pilot this is the third most used shot in the show and was seen in more episodes than any other. It is seen in the opening titles of all three seasons. It is the last shot ever seen on the original Star Trek.in “Turnabout Intruder”.


Episodes:


WNM Orbit Towards (Where No Man Has Gone Before - The Enemy Within) [4]

Eleven Foot Second Pilot

This is the first version of the classic "Ship orbits the planet" shot. It was only used in the second pilot and one first season episode. However it was seen the most in the second and third season opening credits.


Episodes:


WNM Approach Tilted (Where No Man Has Gone Before - The Man Trap) [4]

Eleven Foot Second Pilot

The Enterprise departs Delta Vega. The ship appears to "descend" on the camera. This shot was re-done in the regular production of the series as “Approach Tilted”. This pilot version was used in two first season episodes.


Episodes:


First Season:


Sitting (The Corbomite Maneuver - Journey to Babel) [17]

Eleven Foot

The first appearance of the production version of the Enterprise. The Enterprise sits motionless in the center of the frame. This shot was used to show the ship at rest, tilted to show she had been damaged, and once to show that the ship had been grabbed by a giant green hand.


Episodes:


Phaser1 (The Corbomite Maneuver - Journey to Babel) [20]

Eleven Foot

An underside shot of the ship. This was used to show various weapons fire as well as enemy strikes on the ship. It was largely replaced by “Phaser2” in the second season.


Episodes:


Approach (The Corbomite Maneuver - Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) [32]

Eleven Foot

The ship flies towards the camera in a classic fly by.


Episodes:


Fesarius (The Corbomite Maneuver) [2]

Eleven Foot

A far away shot of the 11 foot model. This was used with Fesarius element in the “Corbomite Maneuver” and never seen again. This has been mistakenly identified as a smaller model used specifically for this shot. It can be seen that this is the eleven foot model because that was the only model with running lights.


Episodes:


Over Nacelle (The Corbomite Maneuver - The Ultimate Computer) [26]

Eleven Foot

This is a view over the starboard nacelle. It was sometimes used with an optical "breakaway" where the ship veers to port. In the second season this would be largely replaced with “Aft”.


Episodes:


Phaser Flying (The Corbomite Maneuver - Whom Gods Destroy) [16]

Eleven Foot

This is the same angle as “Phaser1” but a little farther away and the ship moves through the frame. The only times phasers were fired using this shot they were fired at planets.


Episodes:


Orbit Away (Mudd's Women - Turnabout Intruder) [98]

Eleven Foot


The ship orbits away from the camera. The second most used shot in Star Trek. We’ll get to the first in just a moment.


Episodes:


Orbit Towards (Mudd's Women - Turnabout Intruder) [113]

Eleven Foot


The ship orbits towards the camera. The most used shot in Star Trek. This is the only shot of the production version of the Enterprise that ever appeared in the opening credits -- and it was removed after the first season!


Episodes:


Approach Tilted (Mudd's Women - Mark of Gideon) [33]

Eleven Foot




The ship flies towards camera but with an upward tilt. This is the production version of WNM Approach Tilted.


Episodes:


Fly Away (Balance of Terror - Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) [24]

Eleven Foot


Profile shot of the ship flying away into space.


Episodes:


WNM Slides Away (Dagger of the Mind) [1]

Eleven Foot Second Pilot


The Enterprise flies sideways away from the camera. This shot of the second pilot version of the eleven foot model was not actually seen in “Where No Man Has Gone Before”. It was used once, in the episode “Dagger of the Mind”.


Episodes:


Sit and Spin (The Galileo Seven - Tomorrow is Yesterday) [5]

Eleven Foot

The ship sits and rotates, starboard to port.


Episodes:


Phaser Planet (The Alternative Factor) [1]

Eleven Foot

Tail shot of the ship firing at Lazarus’ time ship. Only used once.


Episodes:


Small Ship Atmosphere (Tomorrow is Yesterday) [1]

Three Foot


Far away shot of the ship flying in Earth’s atmosphere. The first of a handful of shots depicting the time-stranded Enterprise in “Tomorrow is Yesterday” that are unique to that episode. This is the first time the three foot miniature was used in the regular production of the series.


Episodes:


Climbing Profile Atmosphere (Tomorrow is Yesterday) [2]

Eleven Foot


Profile of the ship, climbing


Episodes:


Atmosphere Aft (Tomorrow is Yesterday) [2]

Three Foot


This is a view of the ship from Capt. Christopher's cockpit.


Episodes:


Botany Bay Drop (Tomorrow is Yesterday – Space Seed) [2]

Eleven Foot



The first of several shots wit the Enterprise and the SS Botany Bay. Both models where filmed together on stage, not composited.

In the full shot the Enterprise leaves the Botany Bay behind. But the tail of this shot (after the Botany Bay has left the screen) is actually first seen in “Tomorrow is Yesterday”!


Episodes:


Wobble (Tomorrow is Yesterday - That Which Survives) [5]

Eleven Foot

This shot is very similar to the shot “Sit and Spin”, only the ship wobbles as it rotates.


Episodes:


Approach Tilted2 (The Return of the Archons - The Ultimate Computer) [8]

Eleven Foot

This has a similar angle to “Approach Tilted”, only this one flies the main sensor into the camera. (Ouch. Who let Number One back on the bridge?) Not used as often as the other “Approach” shots.


Episodes:


Botany Bay Pickup (Space Seed) [1]

Eleven Foot

The Enterprise pulls alongside the Botany Bay.


Episodes:


Botany Bay Rotate (Space Seed) [1]

Eleven Foot

The camera turns around the Enterprise and the Botany Bay.


Episodes:


Botany Bay Bob (Space Seed) [3]

Eleven Foot



The Botany Bay bobs along beside the Enterprise.


Episodes:


Slow Whoosh (Operation -- Annihilate! - The Tholian Web) [2]

Eleven Foot



A slower and less distorted version of “Whoosh” using the eleven foot production model. Also notable as the shot of the Enterprise that William Shatner sees in Airplane II!


Episodes:


Second Season:

Turn To Bridge (Metamorphosis - Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) [16]

Eleven Foot




The first shot of Star Trek’s second season. A long turn that begins behind the ship and eventually ends foward above the saucer, focused on the bridge. This is a LONG shot that was used played both forwards and backwards. It was never played in it's entirety but broken into many shots. It was seen in the beginning of the "Next Week's Voyage" previews.


Episodes:


Bow (Metamorphosis) [1]

Eleven Foot

A view from forward and above. This is a lovely example of the ship’s nacelle effects. Only used once!


Episodes:


Constellation Discover (The Doomsday Machine - The Ultimate Computer) [8]

AMT Kit



The wrecked U.S.S. Constellation. Not really the Enterprise, but a starship nevertheless. First seen on the bridge screen and then used in exterior composites. This shot would appear as the nearly destroyed Lexington in “The Ultimate Computer”.


Episodes:


Constellation Wreck (The Doomsday Machine) [3]

AMT Kit

This is a close-up shot of the Constellation.


Episodes:


Sec Hull (The Doomsday Machine - The Tholian Web) [6]

Eleven Foot




An above shot looking down through the nacelles. This was first used flying in formation with the AMT kit of the Constellation. The full shot, seen in later episodes, starts farther away and tracks in past the saucer.


Episodes:


Con 3/4 (The Doomsday Machine) [1]

AMT Kit


An above shot, seen with the Enterprise.


Episodes:


Profile (The Doomsday Machine - Journey to Babel) [10]

Eleven Foot



This is a side shot of the Enterprise. Interestingly, the element is moved optically through the frame, it is not a camera move.


Episodes:


Little Ent (The Doomsday Machine) [8]

Metal Miniature

A little Enterprise is seen being abused by the Doomsday Machine. As far as I can tell, this is the small metal miniature seen in “Catspaw”.


Episodes:


Little Con (The Doomsday Machine) [2]

AMT Kit

The AMT kit flying left to right.


Episodes:


Little Con RL (The Doomsday Machine) [5]

AMT Kit


The AMT kit flying right to left. This is not just “Little Con” flopped. This is a separate shot. You can see the asymetrical damage to the ship.


Episodes:


Con Aft (The Doomsday Machine) [4]

AMT Kit

An aft view of the Constellation before she meets her noble end.


Episodes:


WNM Side RL (Mirror, Mirror) [1]

Eleven Foot Second Pilot




This shot was obviously filmed to be used as stock footage during the making of Where No Man Has Gone Before. Since only the starboard side of the eleven foot model had detail, the decals had to be reversed in order to show the “port” side. It was never used except here to show the crew falling into the Mirror Universe. Ironically it is a much cleaner shot of the ship. You can clearly see the spikes on the nacelles.


Episodes:


Station Approach (The Trouble With Tribbles - The Ultimate Computer) [2]

Eleven Foot

An aft view between the nacelles. This was only ever used with the K7 space station element. Also, check out the lighting cable that can be seen on the connecting dorsal!


Episodes:


K7 Far (The Trouble With Tribbles) [5]

AMT Kit


The ship orbits the far side of K7.


Episodes:


K7 Near (The Trouble With Tribbles) [4]

Eleven Foot


The ship orbits the near side of K7. Unlike this shot’s counterpart, “K7 Far”, this appears to be the 11 foot model. It also appears to be a still as evidenced by the ship’s lights being lit, but not blinking.


Episodes:


Station Depart (The Trouble With Tribbles - The Tholian Web) [18]

Eleven Foot



This is a gorgeous shot off the bow of the ship. This would become one of the series’ "standards".


Episodes:


Phaser2 (Journey to Babel - Turnabout Intruder) [17]

Eleven Foot




A new "weapons" shot that would largely replace “Phaser”. This shot is famous as the cover of “The Making of Star Trek".


Episodes:


Saucer Top (The Gamesters of Triskelion - Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) [4]

Eleven Foot

The camera travels in on the ship’s bridge.


Episodes:


Aft (The Gamesters of Triskelion - All Our Yesterdays) [33]

Eleven Foot

A tail shot of the ship. This came to largely replace “Over Nacelle” right down to being used often with an optical “breakaway” move.


Episodes:


Under Saucer (The Immunity Syndrome - The Lights of Zetar) [3]

Eleven Foot

A slow shot from under the saucer looking aft.


Episodes:


Whoosh Away (By Any Other Name - That Which Survives) [6]

Three Foot




The Enterprise races away. This is not the same as the shot from The Cage. It was used in season two and three titles.


Episodes:


Approach2 (The Ultimate Computer - All Our Yesterdays) [33]

Eleven Foot


A new approach that shows off the nacelles better and approaches the camera slower. It was used for the Federation Fleet formation shots in “The Ultimate Computer”. Although it was introduced late in the series and was only see in one episode of season two, it became a standard in season three.


Episodes:


Third Season:

Lower Sensor (That Which Survives - Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) [2]

Eleven Foot



The last new shot of the series! A track in that ends with a close up of the lower sensor dome on the saucer. While not used until season three, I suspect it was filmed in season two. It was never seen "clear". In “That Which Survives” it has a shake effect and in “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” it has the episode’s titles superimposed on it.


Episodes:


Collection of Weapons Fire and FX:

Phasers:

The Corbomite Maneuver




Arena


Balance of Terror / Errand of Mercy





The Alternative Factor


Who Mourns for Adonais / The Apple / Whom Gods Destroy


The Doomsday Machine



Journey to Babel / Obsession / Patterns of Force / The Ultimate Computer / Paradise Syndrome / The Tholian Web / For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky / Day of the Dove / The Lights of Zetar


Journey to Babel


Photon Torpedoes:

Arena



The Changeling / Journey to Babel


Obsession


The Ultimate Computer / Elaan of Troyius





Weapons Strikes:

Errand of Mercy / The Deadly Years / Journey to Babel





Article copyright William P. "Tallguy" Thomas. STAR TREK images copyright Paramount Pictures Corporation.


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