USS Claymore launched!

[Forbin]

In the planning stages for over a decade, I finally got off my butt and built it!
Yeah, okay, so it's basically a "Galaxy class Reliant." Only the pods on the corners are torpedo pods (2 tubes fore, one aft). The center pod is a deflector/sensor pod. There's also a conformal deflector behind a radome under the nose.

The impulse deck and thrusters are Gundam parts. Or something. The rest should be pretty obvious. I added docking ports on the rim, port, stbd and at the bow. I haven't glued the rollbar on, so there's the theoretical possibility of coming up with other modular designs. (The word Modular is copyrighted and trademarked by John Zizolfo and is used here without permission or caring).

I totally suck at making up aztec patterns, and I went stupid and tried to hand-paint the pattern on the aft section without masking. So don't look closely.

Decals are mostly JTGraphics, with a couple of PNT detail decals. Numbe and name are home made.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Amazing & original work, as always.

Good idea not gluing the rollbar on. I did something similar with my Nebula pod. Never got around to making a different one though.

Were those torp launchers smaller warp nacelles or something else?

 

[Maverisms]

Dude.

DUDE!

This is cool. This is "so cool one could store a side of beef in it," cool.

Do the greebles under the impulse deck have purpose? Just curious. I like them.

 

[MadMan1701A]

Awesome! MUCH better than the Nebula class.

 

[reanimatedfish]

The sensors pod makes me cock my head sideways, but aside from that this is a masterful piece of work, the rear greebling is especially good stuff.

 

[Psion]

Well done, Mr. Forbin!

I see that you left the intercooler gap in the warp-nacelles-cum-torpedo pods. Is it your intention that the weapons pods also double as small, auxiliary warp engines? Is the deflector pod inhabited?

I agree with MadMan1701A ... this is superior to the Nebula.

 

[Kaiser]

I waited over a decade to see this....

It was worth it

 

[Forbin]

Thanks guys!!

Were those torp launchers smaller warp nacelles or something else?

They're the warp nacelles from the Ertl 1/2500 Galaxy class kit.

The sensors pod makes me cock my head sideways, but aside from that this is a masterful piece of work, the rear greebling is especially good stuff.

Thanks! I had some doubts about the center pod too, but I'm not unhappy with it, despite its obviousness.

Is it your intention that the weapons pods also double as small, auxiliary warp engines? Is the deflector pod inhabited?

Negative to both. Just weapons pods (with a cooling heat sink around the circumference), and the center pod has no user serviceable parts inside.

 

[Gojira]

Very nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Psion]

... and the center pod has no user serviceable parts inside.

I hate that damned sticker. I open stuff up anyway.

 

[Birdog]

It looks great. Only thing I would have changed would be to curve the nacelle pylons inward as they go up and to put the roll bar into the side of the sensor pod. Right now you have this ship with graceful lines that are ruined by these dead flat pylons and a sensor pod that is just scabbed on. You craftsmanship is top notch though.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Nice!! You've got my vote, for what its worth.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Forbin]

It looks great. Only thing I would have changed would be to curve the nacelle pylons inward as they go up and to put the roll bar into the side of the sensor pod. Right now you have this ship with graceful lines that are ruined by these dead flat pylons and a sensor pod that is just scabbed on. You craftsmanship is top notch though.

But that's what they'd expect me to do!

 

[Albertese]

Love it. I agree it's better than the Nebula-class.

--Alex

 

[The Axeman]

Very nice work as always, I was always a sucker for the Reliant/Nebula look. My only gripe would be using the small nacelles as torpedo pods, they are clearly warp nacelles and draw the eye immediately. I thought it was battle damage at first when the end caps appeared to be missing.

 

[Santaman]

Really nice ship Forbin.

 

[Forbin]

Very nice work as always, I was always a sucker for the Reliant/Nebula look. My only gripe would be using the small nacelles as torpedo pods, they are clearly warp nacelles and draw the eye immediately. I thought it was battle damage at first when the end caps appeared to be missing.

It was a risk using them, I know. But I couldn't find anything else more fitting.

 

[Max Nex]

awesome work Forbin !
and like others have said I like it better than Nebula Class

 

[Forbin]

Thanks!
Yeah, this was my reaction to the Nebula. While it's nice that the Neb is not a literal translation of the Reliant's layout and has some originality, I never thought it worked as well.

 

[USS Jack Riley]

Excellent as always. Great job!