7/23/2023 0 Comments Klingon bird of prey studio modelAccording to Wah in the interview, there were some issues over payment for the model – which he had designed and built – following a complaint by one of the special effects unions over Wah’s non-membership. “Another report – one considered most likely by Trek historians and somewhat confirmed by model master and sculptor Wah Chang in a 1982 National Public Radio interview – was that the original Bird-of-Prey model was destroyed after its initial use in “Balance of Terror”. Yet another explanation is mentioned at Wikipedia: The series had a lot of money invested in the Klingon model and needed to get its money’s worth.” “Although long thought otherwise, from the very first draft, the script had the Romulans using Klingon ships. “In the opening segment, in regard to the enemy vessels, Spock declares “Romulans now using Klingon design!” The actual reason for this was that in unpacking the models to shoot this sequence, a production assistant stepped on and broke the Romulan Warbird model that was going to be used, so they pulled out their Klingon battle cruiser model and wrote the line to cover it up.” Regarding the use of Klingon D7s instead of Wah’s Bird of Prey in “The Enterprise Incident”, IMDB gives two different explanations: Great article! Would you happen to have any photos of the WW2 aircraft fighters from “Shore Leave”? Jeff Shipman (Dec 11, 2013) The remastered version of “Balance of Terror” includes a new shot showing the aft three-quarters of the Bird of Prey. Romulan markings were also added to the underside of the D7s. The inconsistency of Romulans piloting Klingon ships was partly mended in the remastered version of “The Enterprise Incident”, when an original Bird of Prey was added to the scene in which three Romulan ships surround the Enterprise. Romulan ships in the remastered “The Enterprise Incident” ( Trekcore)Ĭhang told National Public Radio in 1982 he had destroyed the model after the propmakers’ union had complained about his unsanctioned work for Star Trek and Desilu, in a concession to the union, refused to pay him for his work. It may also have been the case that the producers wanted to display the D7 model as much as possible as a courtesy to the model kit company Aluminum Model Toys, which paid for it. Filming the Romulan Bird of Prey ( Bird of the Galaxy)Īfter filming “Balance of Terror”, the Bird of Prey miniature disappeared, which may be why the Romulans showed up in Klingon D7 cruisers in “The Enterprise Incident” in Season 3. Chang’s true involvement in Star Trek only became known a decade after the show aired. ![]() Producer Robert Justman, who considered Chang’s work superior to anything members of the propmakers’ union could design, invented a ruse to make it appear that Chang’s creations were bought for the show off the shelf. Due to union restrictions, he wasn’t credited on screen, even though Chang supplied most of props and a few of the costumes of The Original Series, including the Romulan helmets in “Balance of Terror”. He worked for the show independently from his home studio in Altadena, California. ![]() He also built a small model of the ship, although it isn’t clear if this was the internally-lit studio miniature that was sent to Film Effects of Hollywood, where the footage was shot for “Balance of Terror” and “The Deadly Years”.Ĭhang’s contributions to Star Trek were largely unknown at the time. ![]() The Romulan Bird of Prey was designed by Wah Ming Chang in just two weeks’ time.
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