[This kit is can also be found on my Google Drive mirror].
Following up on my recently released Galaxy class models, this kit provides parts and ship files supporting the Nebula class, the design found throughout Star Trek productions in The Next Generation era.
This ships and parts files are scaled consistently, and meant to be compatible with, all of my other Star Trek Parts Kit.
Fan made and even official franchise diagrams and blueprints for the Nebula are wildly divergent and generally inaccurate, so I’ve tried to base these models as best I can on the filming models used during the television productions. Bernd Schneider’s Ex Astris Scientia site has an excellent breakdown of the different models and modifications throughout the shows and movies. In addition, Redgeneral’s Frogland image archives on the studio models proved invaluable.
Although the original Nebula prototype model was a pure kitbash of Galaxy class parts, the model that would be used throughout TNG was built using completely custom parts. The Saucer is significantly modified from the Galaxy molds, while the Engineering hull and various mounted pods were completely unique parts. The models in this kit reflect these differences.
In addition to the screen canon versions of the ship, I’ve included several additional variants, including a version using an unused pod Doug Drexler created for the filming model, and a version using parts similar to the Galaxy-X dreadnought.
See my Thingiverse (https://www.thingiverse.com/CaptainMojo/designs) and Cults 3d profile for the full list of parts kits I’ve released so far. All parts are meant to be cross-compatible between kits for your kitbashing enjoyment.
A print-ready STL file for each major variant is included in this Cults project. Additional files are included in multiple zip files:
- ship-stls-saucers-and-stardrives.zip – Separated saucer and stardrives.
- ship-stls-lower-detail-versions.zip – Lower detail versions of all ship files.
- parts-stls-nebula.zip – contains the parts used to create the Phoenix, Sutherland, Farragut, and Drexler variants.
- parts-stls-honshu-melbourne.zip – Contains the parts used to create the Honshu and Melbourne variants.
- blender-files-nebula.zip – Blender files used to create the Phoenix, Sutherland, Farragut, and Drexler variants.
- blender-files-honshu.zip – Blender files used to create the Honshu variant.
- blender-files-melbourne.zip – Blender files used to create the Melbourne variant.
File size warning
As with my Galaxy models, the detail level is much higher for this kit than in my previous releases, which has resulted in correspondingly larger file size. Combined ship STL files are in the 60-90mb range, and working with these files may stress some older machines.
In addition to the standard files, I’ve also included lower detail versions that remove features such as shield grids or windows. These lower detail files tend towards 60-70% file size vs the standard version.
Saucer vs Stardrive
Saucer separation on the Nebula is a contentious issue in fan discussions. However, I’ve decided to go ahead and include separate ship and part files for both the saucer and stardrive sections of most variant designs.
Note that getting these to fit together when printed separately was not a priority. Given the close tolerances they will likely not fit together after printing without significant sanding/custom fitting.
When kitbashing a combined version of the ship, use the versions of the Saucer and Stardrive part labeled “solid”. These parts have overlapping sections that are more likely to generate a watertight mesh when you export to STL.
Included Ships
Note I’ve added my own conjectural production “block” order for these variants. My assumption is that the Nebula is a slightly older design than the Galaxy, so ships with more “Galaxy” parts are newer upgraded designs, while those with unique “Nebula” parts are older. Model files are named based off of the example ship name (Phoenix, Melbourne, etc), so feel free to ignore this little piece of head-canon.
Nebula class - block I (Phoenix type)
Although technically the wreckage of the Melbourne is the first on-screen appearance of any Nebula variant, the USS Phoenix is the first detailed look we get at the class in the fourth season TNG episode “The Wounded”.
Although molds of the Galaxy class were used in creating this model, there are numerous differences. The Saucer has many reduced details, including far fewer windows and escape pods, and the vertical midline of the saucer was slightly taller and with different details. The Secondary hull, although styled similarly to the galaxy, is a net new part, and it and the deflector are shaped differently.
Note that although the producers originally intended to make the Phoenix a smaller ship with the same styling as the Galaxy (and this is repeated as still being the case on some fanon and quasi-canon sources), the producers didn’t give famed Trek Model maker Greg Jein enough time to make the required rescaling modifications needed. As a result, the scale of the saucer was preserved between the two classes. The sizing of features such as lifeboats, the bridge and main saucer shuttlebay make it clear that the saucers are roughly the same length and width, although there is some variance on the height given differences in the middle of the saucer.
The Phoenix mounted a large AWACS-style sensor dome as the rear pod (originally designed by Mike Okuda), which would not be included in later versions.
Modifications of this model would represent all nebula class ships until the adoption of the CG model in later seasons of Deep Space Nine.
Nebula class - block II (Sutherland type)
The next time we would see the Nebula in detail would be the TNG season 5 episode “Redemption – Part II”, where, under temporary command of Data, the ship would disobey orders and save the day.
Aside from some minor details on the saucer, the most notable changes from the Phoenix version is the swapping of the AWACS style pod with a triangular pod designed by Rick Sternbach.
This version of the model would be used for the rest of TNG’s television run.
Nebula class - block IIIa (Farragut type)
For its appearance in the TNG Movie Star Trek: Generations, the Nebula model was modified again. Most of the changes were cosmetic, the most notable of which being additional lifeboats on the saucer, and some detail tweaks to the pod.
This version of the model would see continued use during DS9’s run until the adoption of the CG model.
Nebula class - block IIIb (Drexler type)
Before the adoption of Sternbach’s triangular pod, Doug Drexler kitbashed an alternative version, most notably featuring a Miranda style torpedo pod. Although never seen on-screen I’ve tried to reproduce this pod based on images Drexler has made available.
Nebula class - block IIIb (Drexler type, alternate configuration)
A simple tweak on Drexler’s pod that inverts the direction of the sensor components.
Nebula class - block IIIx (Nebula-X type)
Completely non-canon, I added modified versions of parts from the Galaxy X dreadnought from the TNG finale “All Good Things” to make this “Nebula-X” style ship.
Nebula class - block IVa (Melbourne type)
The Melbourne was the original Nebula-esque prototype model built as canon fodder for the battle of Wolf 359 in the TNG episode “Best of Both Worlds”. A later DS9 Episode showed an Excelsior class USS Melbourne at Wolf 359, potentially retconning this ship. However, given its unique features and detailing I tend to agree with quasi-canonical speculation that this Melbourne was an under-construction replacement for the Excelsior ship rushed into service for the battle.
The original physical model was kitbashed together mostly using parts from several existing USS Enterprise models along with some commercially available toys. Unlike the later constructed Phoenix model, the Saucer and secondary hull are identical to the Galaxy class. Likewise, my digital model is mostly kitbashing parts from my Galaxy model.
The most unique feature of this variant is the pod, which includes two smaller warp nacelles (from a smaller scale Enterprise kit) of unknown purpose. I’ve taken the liberty of rendering this pod as a detachable daughter craft, hypothetically serving as a scout for the Melbourne’s exploration missions.
Nebula class - block IVb (Honshu type)
For the later seasons of Deep Space Nine and Star Trek Voyager, producers increasingly switched to computer graphics for rendering external ship scenes. Robert Bonchune created the Nebula CG model, originally for the USS Honshu in the DS9 season 6 episode “Waltz” (although technically first appearing as the USS Bronchune in the Voyage season 4 episode “Message in a bottle”).
This CG model largely reused assets and features from the recently created Galaxy class CG model, resulting in the Saucer and engineering hull being more similar to the Galaxy than they were to the physical Nebula model. My model reflects this, with a largely reused galaxy saucer, and a lightly modified secondary hull.
