Klingon D7 Build-Studio Scale Replica (2018)

I've been busy building a KLINGON D7

Brief History
When it was decided to actually show the Klingon Battlecruiser on-screen, Paramount commissioned AMT to build two filming models. One model was delivered as soon as possible, so filming could start, and the other was used in the production of the model kit, which is exactly one-half the size of the filming models. Once AMT was finished using the second model for the pantographing process, they delivered it to Paramount.

It was never used for filming and sat in Roddenberry's office, on a stand, until the end of the series. Roddenberry then gave it to someone and it changed hands several times before winding up in a Profiles in History auction in 2006. These photos are of that model, which is supposedly painted exactly the same as the filming model. It was always intended that this model was to be used for filming if something happened to the first model or they just needed another model in a shot. it is now known that the original filming model was delivered to the Smithsonian with the paint scheme seen in these photos. But, when both models were delivered by AMT, they were only painted in a medium gray. Matt Jefferies added the gray-green to the first model and filming was started. When the second model was delivered, he updated the paint job on it and it then sat in Roddenberry's office until he moved out when the series ended.

When it was decided to do the 'Phase Two' series, the original filming model was brought back from the Smithsonian and repainted, adding a 3rd (darker green) color. It is not known if any tests were made of the model in this paint scheme.

When 'Star Wars' came out and proved to be a huge success, Paramount scrapped the idea of a new TV series and started developing a theatrical feature. It was decided the existing model for the D-7 would not be practical to use for the big screen, so a mold was made of the ship and castings were used for reference to build a 2X model.

The D-7 was then sent to Ed Miarecki for reassembly and restoration before its return to the Smithsonian. It was painted using only a single gray and put back on display. We have to assume Mr. Miarecki was never told what the colors were supposed to be and that because the ship appeared to be a single, bluish-gray on screen, he got as close to a 'correct' color as he could.

Art designer Walter Matthews "Matt" Jefferies designed this model to be visually different from Starfleet ships, with a greener hull color, long "neck," and bulbous front bridge. Jefferies donated this model, used in distance shots, to the Smithsonian Institution in 1973.

Just a bit of enhancement on the TOS-to-TMP part of the Klingon saga: originally Magicam drew the feature version out on paper to be 8 ft in length, but that got reduced down to 4ft when the original VFX crew realized they couldn't get far enough back to photograph and 8ft Klingon ship (source there is pretty good: RETURN TO TOMORROW by Preston Neal Jones, with interviews done just prior to the film's theatrical release.)"

(NBC-TV, 1966-69) Approx. 26 in. in length, mounted on a custom stand. Constructed of finely carved wood and resin, hand painted and detailed. In 1966, Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek beamed aboard the airwaves. Soon thereafter, Desilu Studios (now Paramount), thought that some form of merchandising would enhance viewership of the landmark television show. It was decided to make a model kit of the main spaceship, the U.S.S. Enterprise, to sell to model builders, children, and any other fan of the show. The model of the Enterprise was so successful that AMT Corporation, the company that produced the model, asked Mr. Roddenberry to create another vessel on the show so the toy company could then make another model kit. Mr. Roddenberry discussed the deal with Matt Jefferies, the production designer for Star Trek, and the “Klingon D7 Battle Cruiser” was born. Matt Jefferies then designed the now-famous Klingon spaceship and sent his designs to AMT Corporation. AMT was commissioned by Desilu to build two filming models of the ship. AMT constructed two 29-inch long models out of composite materials and wood and then shipped them to a soundstage in Hollywood for filming. The Klingon ship then made its first of many appearances on the show. AMT subsequently started making its 14 inch plastic model kits for sale. Their success rivaled that of the Enterprise sales. In this case, AMT acted as the prop maker as well as the toy company. They did such a good job making the filming model of the Klingon ship that the studio later asked them to make the Galileo shuttle filming model as well. The two Klingon ships were filmed many times during the three-year run of the show. When filming ended, Matt Jefferies was allowed to take one of the two filming models home as a souvenir, and Gene Roddenberry took the other. Jefferies donated his model to the Smithsonian Institution in 1973.