Topic: Next Project: USS Atlas TOS repair tender and spacedock

[DeepThought]

Had a thought (a deep one, I guess) after thumbing through my old, dog-eared copy of FASA's Fed Starship Manual... which alluded to a precursor to the "Pearl" class mobile drydock called the Newport News class.  Unlike the self-propelled Pearl, the Newport News docks were towed to the front lines.

Hence my next experiment... a mobile TOS drydock and the USS Atlas repair tender.  Here's the concept-- this is the deployed version (I may also make a collapsed version of the dock for travel).  They drydock is a bash of the original Taldren model with new horizontal supports and internal lighting.  I am still working on textures.







The Atlas has been a learning experience for me in fabricating new parts-- everything other than the primary hull (which has been changed to reflect its smaller size-- about half that of a FCA) and the warp engines are new.  The concept is that this is a mobile work platform, hence the wide, flat secondary hull which features work areas, cargo lifts, and the twin shuttle/workbee bays.





Lots of scaling and texturing work to do on both.  I am also tweaking the final placement of the deflector dish on the Atlas herself (as usual).  I also need to clean up the hard points.

--DT

[TAnimaL]

I think your Atlas is awesome; I really like the whole raised launch platfrom thing on the back. Might a variant of this make sense as a TOS strike carrier?

[Chrystoff]

Wow!! Loving that Atlas, Man. 

[Rhaz]

Your Atlas is really well done.  I too like the raised hanger doors.

[DeepThought]

i like the atlas for reasons as stated. im interested about the dock as well. whats the poly count on both of them?

The Atlas is a beefy little critter... about 6500 poly according to Milkshape.  The drydock is about 1200. 

Here's the drydock with my USS Decatur model in it... I am still fiddling with scale and textures.

[DeepThought]

I think your Atlas is awesome; I really like the whole raised launch platfrom thing on the back. Might a variant of this make sense as a TOS strike carrier?

An interesting idea.  The Atlas is designed to be about half the size of a Constitution class cruiser, with oversized warp nacelles-- I changed the shape of the primary hull to be about the same thickness (and have the same size bridge) as an FCA, but smaller in circumference. 

I think a strike carrier could work, but would be bigger, and have a more developed, more traditional secondary hull under a flat "flight deck".

[Klingon Fanatic]

DeepThought,

Nice work!

The Klingons and Romulans could use something similar....

KF

[DeepThought]

Two updated pics of the Atlas attached to the drydock.  The first is with the dock deployed and ready to service a starship.  The second... with the dock folded for warp flight.

It's hard to see from these pics, but I've also adjusted the lighting on the Atlas herself and added small "work lights" on her aft hull.

I'll try to get some in game shots captured later this week.

-DT

[dogfighter]

great model AND concept. im not much into to ships but this is definitly top notch work. whould make a nice clv too.

ed

[DeepThought]

great model AND concept. im not much into to ships but this is definitly top notch work. whould make a nice clv too.

Thanks for the feedback.  I've been playing around with an alternate design for an Atlas-style CVL...  the shuttle bays will need to be rescaled a bit, I think....



-DT

[Bernard Guignard]

That is looking very good Keep up the great work 

[JB_Wonderboy]

Very good, Like the Atlas, and your ideas are interesting