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The weekly hour-long Star Trek TV show (NBC-TV), which aired from September 1966 until June 1969, became one of the most popular shows in the history of television. The show's depiction of a racially-integrated, multinational crew of men and women working together successfully, as well as its attention to contemporary social and political issues, pushed the boundaries of network television, earning Star Trek a dedicated fan base.
The principal designer of the Star Trek Starship Enterprise model, Walter "Matt" Jefferies, worked with concepts provided by Star Trek's creator Gene Roddenberry. A 33 inch model mostly of solid wood was then built by model-maker Richard C. Datin under subcontract to the Howard Anderson Company. This model, created as a study model and for publicity shots, did appear in some episodes. For production, however, Desilu/Howard Anderson ordered a larger model, the 11-foot Star Trek Starship Enterprise studio model (held by the Museum since 1974) which was built from enlarging the 33 inch model plans.
NASM.2016.0028
Columbia Broadcasting System, inc.
bulk 1964
Noel McDonald /and CBS, Gift, 2016
0.16 Cubic feet ((1 folder))
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of two original paper drawings of the Star Trek Starship Enterprise 33-inch model plans, drawn by Matt Jefferies in 1964. One of the drawing is 56 by 30 inches, the other is 42.5 by 27.75 inches. The back of one of the drawings also include a sample of over sprayed paint from the base color of the 33-inch model, and both have handwritten notes and diagrams from model-maker Richard C. Datin.
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Star Trek Starship Enterprise Model Drawings, Accession 2016-0028, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Science fiction
Popular culture
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings