Topic: At long last... my first kitbash... USS Decatur NCC-2500

[DeepThought]

After years of downloading others models, I've finally tried my hand at a kitbash of my own.  It's a WIP of the USS Decatur... the Belknap-class precusor.  Still needs some texture work and permissions before release....  -- DT

[Ervinc]

That looks realy good, you did a great job . I have always like that ship design. If you do release it I will put it in my game.

[Centurus]

Exceptional work.  Very exceptional. 

[Rhaz]

Great job

[DeepThought]

Many thanks.  Okay... I have the NCC-2500 USS Decatur registry on the old girl.  I'll also include blanks.  Anyone suggest a second registry for an alternate set of textures?






-DT

[atheorhaven]

Many thanks.  Okay... I have the NCC-2500 USS Decatur registry on the old girl.  I'll also include blanks.  Anyone suggest a second registry for an alternate set of textures?


-DT

Tigershark? 

I'd start here:
"Decatur, Stephen 1779-1820. 
American naval officer known for his heroic deeds in the Tripolitan War, the War of 1812, and skirmishes against the Barbary pirates. "

So, you'd be looking at famous naval officers.. so Kennedy, Nimitz, Nelson.. that's where I'd start personally.  If you do Kennedy, I'd suggest 2507 as a registry (unless that's taken otherwise). 

One more thing, it looks like the mesh has a smoothing error on the right side of the saucer on one poly near the light..

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Very, very nice. Belknap's always been one of my favorite fan designed TMP era classes, and it's about time someone made a Decatur model.

For an alternate registry - the class didn't use a single theme for names, and famous naval officer names are overdone anyway. This link has a few of the Belknaps and their registries listed; I'd go and dig up my Ships of the Star Fleet book, but I'm lazy. You could always go with the easy route, USS Belknap NCC-2501.

[Panzergranate]

I used "USS Richard Beitzen" for a TOS period Corvette class name, which I completed last night.

The real Richard Beitzen was a WW2 German Z-4 Class Destroyer.

With so many existing ships names, such as "Ark Royal", "Makeshift", "Upholder", "Fletcher", etc. from WW1 and WW2 plus earlier warships, it is surprising that naming seems to be restricted to US Naval and historical figures.

Ironically, the name "Spendthrift" was used for the space ship in the old TV "Land Of The Giants" show, taken from a 18th century Frigate "HMS Spendthrift".

One website wrongly referes to this space ship as the "Spindrift" despite numerous references in the show to the name being other than this.

There are also Japaneses, Italian, German, Spanish, Portugeuse and French warship names to choose from, though the latter being used on a combat vessel might seem ironic.

Indeed, some Japanese shipnames have been already used in both canon and fanon.

Go on, do a bit of digging and use some novel originality when naming ships or classes.... there's quite a pool of them waiting to be found.

   

[DeepThought]

One more thing, it looks like the mesh has a smoothing error on the right side of the saucer on one poly near the light..

Thanks for the suggestions.  As to the smoothing error... I'm still new to Milkshape... any idea how I find it and fix it?  There's one on the top of the secondary hull, too.

-DT

[Roychipoqua_Mace]

Nice work! The proportions, textures, and general shape all work out very nicely.

[Chrystoff]

Awesome Job!! I'd love to see you take a similar tack with a battlecruiser and carrier.

[atheorhaven]

I don't use Milkshape personally.. but I'd check the vertices on the edge of the poly and see if something has lifted.  If so, I'd weld the vertices back in place with the surrounding vertices, and that should clear the error.