wm cheng Posted August 1 Posted August 1 Hi all, just wanted to let you guys know about this offer from TOMY Plus (I don't work for them, I only ordered one - but thinking this is a place where people have a little extra cash and is passionate about toys :P) Their TOS Enterprise did well (although there were some shortcomings IMHO) and is selling for 2-3x the MSRP now on eBay. The company seems legit (I normally hate backing these things since I was conned out of almost $2K for backing that HAL9000 and will never back any crowdfunding campaign again) and has already delivered a previous replica. This seems like a good replica for the price (its not the $15K QMX or Master Replica or Factory Entertainment replicas!). It's $699USD + $50USD shipping to US & Canada only. Delivery October 31, 2025. https://tomyplus.tomy.com/startrek2024 https://www.facebook.com/groups/tomyplusinsidersclub?_kx=ASsd1kix0NbkHmlXjdrZOJrhExkHP7cqi-c03lKBWuQ.W2DwWC Quote
wm cheng Posted August 1 Author Posted August 1 No, that's the TOS (The Original Series) Enterprise from the 60s and it's over now. This if for the TMP (The Motion Picture) Enterprise from 1979 and it's just starting up today and accepting orders through to Sep 15. Quote
sh9000 Posted August 1 Posted August 1 Oh ok. Sorry about that. I only saw TOMY and 1/350 scale and didn't look further. Quote
Chronocidal Posted August 2 Posted August 2 As much as one of these would be amazing to have, I can't bring myself to do something this big in metal. I know it's a particular feeling and presence, but I struggle to see the benefits of metal over many more versatile and flexible materials. I'd be much more likely to put the effort into the Polar Lights kit, partly because it would be much easier for me to fix my own mistakes than to fix TOMY's. I also have extraordinarily bad luck with refit Enterprises self-destructing. As amusing and hilariously fitting as it might be, the TMP refit design is not something that benefits from heavy materials, unless they're only forming an interior armature for support. The TOS version already had issues with the weight of the saucer, and I cannot see this one being any better. It'll be amazing to see, but I'm going to be living vicariously on this one, and enjoying swooshing my Art Asylum and Polar Lights versions. Quote
wm cheng Posted August 2 Author Posted August 2 I hear ya @Chronocidal - I would have much rather had it in plastic too for the same reasons, I don't really care about the metal or heft. However I just don't see having anytime to put into building one of these anytime in the near future, plus I know Polar Lights is just a crappy manufacturer so its a lot of sanding and modifying to get it to fit properly and after pricing out all the aftermarket parts, iridescent paints, paint masks, electronics and LEDs plus the kit itself not including my time would be close to $2K. This seems like a good interm solution for my all time favourite starship design. Maybe someday if I ever retire I can get to building my own model, by then maybe there would be a better kit out and better electronics but then again, I might have arthritis and can't build anymore - you just don't know! Quote
Chronocidal Posted August 2 Posted August 2 19 minutes ago, wm cheng said: I hear ya @Chronocidal - I would have much rather had it in plastic too for the same reasons, I don't really care about the metal or heft. However I just don't see having anytime to put into building one of these anytime in the near future, plus I know Polar Lights is just a crappy manufacturer so its a lot of sanding and modifying to get it to fit properly and after pricing out all the aftermarket parts, iridescent paints, paint masks, electronics and LEDs plus the kit itself not including my time would be close to $2K. This seems like a good interm solution for my all time favourite starship design. Maybe someday if I ever retire I can get to building my own model, by then maybe there would be a better kit out and better electronics but then again, I might have arthritis and can't build anymore - you just don't know! Hah, all good and realistic points! Can't disagree in the slightest. Weight and detail issues aside, I think the bigger issue is also why I don't have the 1/350 kit either: it's just so big. I've got one of the ancient AMT molds, and it sits unfinished in my closet, along with a couple of the Art Asylum/Diamond Select ones (which need mods to fix bad manufacturing and paint work), and the old Bandai pre-painted kit, plus a pair of the 1/1000 kits. Those are all of a size I can easily display, if I ever get around to finding places on shelves for them (and probably move out of earthquake country). I just can't say that about a 1/350 no matter how hard I stretch my imagination. Quote
wm cheng Posted August 2 Author Posted August 2 Yeah, I have absolutely no place for it at all as well. I'm just going to say "oh my honey, I didn't realize this was going to be this big?!?! Well at least you get some value for the money right honey?" 🤣 That's a problem to deal with more than a year away! Yep, I have the 1/1000 kit too, perfect size but can't imagine cramming all the lighting and electronics into that one (although I have seen some people do it) but I've had it along with the Reliant for years and haven't cracked it. I have the Bandai version but the lighting isn't right and the stand got broken over the years so it doesn't light up anymore unless I look into fixing the stand and I have my 1/1400 resin which I built more than 20yrs ago when I had time 😛 Quote
JB0 Posted August 2 Posted August 2 Yeah... that's a lot of money for an Enterprise that's just too big for me. I want it so much, though... Quote
Seto Kaiba Posted August 2 Posted August 2 Beautiful and very tempting... but very expensive and with all the other starships Enterprise I've already got, I just can't justify it. If it were smaller scale and a bit cheaper, maybe... Quote
Chronocidal Posted August 9 Posted August 9 I really want to like this, but after hearing how the complaints about the TOS version really weren't addressed, I don't know if I would even trust them to fix the obvious issues the prototype has, which is really irritating for something this expensive and exclusive. Quote
wm cheng Posted August 9 Author Posted August 9 Someone in my office got the TOS and its quite impressive (my only complaints were the weathering was overdone and the stand too clunky) but when its lit up its pretty nice and most of the complaints were overblown when you see the actual ship. The size is quite impressive. I don't think I could ever afford the Factory Entertainment Enterprise; https://factoryent.com/products/star-trek-u-s-s-enterprise-ncc-1701 It's only really two Bandai YF-21s! (no broken antenna too!) Quote
Chronocidal Posted August 9 Posted August 9 Yeah, the weathering always gets overdone on the TOS version, no matter who produces it, it seems. The color issues on the TMP version are more specific though, and TOMY have made some really baffling choices for the prototype that make you wonder what they were thinking. The bridge especially is horribly off, but the general tint of the details looks too green. Maybe they just have terrible studio lighting for the publicity shots? But that's what makes it so much more baffling. If you're going to all this trouble to produce something at this level, why didn't you invest in a good lighting rig before taking your publicity photos? I know it's not going to look right to many people in their houses, but the least you can do is make it look right in your sales pitch. Quote
pengbuzz Posted August 9 Posted August 9 For the Refit, the Secondary Hull Nav deflector/ front end/ strongback and the Dorsal Vertical Intermix Chamber access strip are the wrong color; for those, it was engineering green on the Refit, and blue on the E-A: (Image courtesy of Agatha Chamberlain, Cultvman.com) Quote
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