Star Trek: Inside the USS Enterprise-B (Excelsior-class)

[@ronin3381]

The Excelsior is my favourite class of starship in Star Trek. It just looks so classy

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Despite a verbal snaffoo at the beginning (only Kirk was lost, not the entire ship) this is a great breakdown of the limited information we have about this ship. Lovely visuals, as always

[@damianoreilly7598]

"The ship was lost"? I know.... How did Guinan wind up on the big D then?

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

@@damianoreilly7598 Turns out she was a cylon! 😁

[@thomasmitchum4162]

I fell In love for the Enterprise-B, when I first saw it on the big screen in theaters, back in 1994. I even had a dream about the Enterprise-B several weeks after seeing Star Trek Generations

[@IIISentorIII]

I think I had the same dream.

[@chrisbeauvais7499]

Yup the upgraded version caught my eye and I have one at home.

[@00nick7]

​@@chrisbeauvais7499That's awesome!

[@graysonpeddie]

Why do I get the feeling ai wish I could have seen this movie on a big screen in theaters? I need to build my own big theater one day.

[@MonCappy]

It was a fine ship. I still wish we had a series about its crew's adventures.

[@jamesb16616]

But nothing will happen until Tuesday

[@00nick7]

😂😂😂😂😂​@@jamesb16616

[@00nick7]

I agree. By the time the film moved into the 24th century, I was a bit bummed, but I knew it was ultimately a TNG film. There is a novel you should read called "Serpents Among the Ruins" by David R. George III. As well as "The Captain's Daughter" by Peter David. These further the story of the Enterprise-B and her crew.

[@imaginaseanable]

How does the ship become a loss after her maiden voyage but then go on to do a bunch of other things and then become lost again? Also the phaser arrays on the Excelsior were not on the outer edge, but on the ball turrets near the center of the saucer.

[@corbinhirschhorn9064]

It wasn't lost, only damaged. Kirk saved the day and got stuck in the Nexus.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Yeah and aside from the Saucer mounted phasers and the forward photon torpedo tubes it also had aft mounted phasers and torpedo launchers.

[@macadoo1588]

We'll let you know on Tuesday.

[@imaginaseanable]

@@macadoo1588 hahahhaha best response

[@brandonhill2183]

@@corbinhirschhorn9064 the video states it was lost on the maiden voyage. That's what the confusion is about

[@maniacbra]

My favourite ship design and been waiting a long time for this. Thank you.

[@Halfscreen]

No problem!

[@spychopath]

The idea of a seperable saucer seems quite unlikely if the warp core goes up the whole height of the neck.

[@empressadria7009]

Indeed. It seems that in order to separate the saucer the warp core has to be ejected first. Thus making saucer separation an extreme last-ditch option.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

And it cannot really have 32 decks, of course. 24 to 28, say, but would be a tight fit at only 469 meters long. Could even be fewer.

[@76TomD]

If the engineering isolation doors can magically cut through the horizontal section as in Star Trek II and both sides of it remain running, just suspend logic with such head scratchers

[@delphicdescant]

@@empressadria7009 Separating the saucer IS a last-ditch option, though, isn't it? For basically all the ships that can do it up until the whole "multi-vector assault mode" nonsense much later, anyway.

[@Teladian2]

​@chrissonofpear1384 given the cut aways i count 20 decks at most.

[@KYle13265]

that is a gorgeous model of the Excelsior. Love all the models you use in your videos.

[@Halfscreen]

Many thanks!

[@spiritofthewolf15x]

The Enterprise B was NOT lost during her maiden voyage. She was lost with all hands on a later mission.

[@tomepfi]

I've always said, we need a mini-series based on the last few days of the Enterprise B, or each self contained episode is based on its biggest achievements, with the finale of it being lost.

[@justinmurphy2227]

Not to mention the Enterprise-C and it's two designs. The one seen on screen that looks more like a traditional Conny Class and the one that's show on the wall of the D. That looks more like the Galaxy Class

[@jameskircher5235]

I'd love a series or mini-series set either on the Excelsior, captained by Sulu, or on the Enterprise-B, which was captained by Sulu's daughter after 2312.

[@bendeez9814]

Hey, there’s a typo on the thumbnail

[@Halfscreen]

Yeah.. Just caught it.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

I remember in Star Trek Generations Captain Harriman giving the order to transport the survivors of the Lakul directly to sick bay so hearing that means that the Enterprise B was the first Federation Starship with that ability as we had seen it numerous times on Star Trek TNG,DS9 and Voyager.

[@MrSheckstr]

There are a number of either outright errors or unlikely assumption in the first 90seconds I will leave out the twice errors claiming she was lost…. But also the assumption made about the command experience of captain Harriman…. Obtaining the RANK of captain would have required him to have command experience as both department heads and command of lesser vessels, Even as Plankowner it’s unlikely that Starfleet would have assigned such a complete novice for one of its brand new frontline vessels of the era…. Had Harriman being given command of an excelsior class during the TNG era it would make more sense for him to have limited experience in command because by then the excelsior would have been at best third in line behind the first line Galaxy class and the second line seasoned Ambassadors and newer Nebula classes By then it’s certain stands to reason that the CAPTAIN of an excelsior might be a fresh faced captain or a well seasoned commander

[@Rick79LUFC]

Captain Harriman father was a top ranking admiral at the time so his promotion to CO of the Enterprise most probably had a lit to do with it and makes sense plus starfleet did promote novices to captain Picard went from Lt to Captain so not unheard of.

[@cchavezjr7]

I love the "B". It just looked like a badass ship compared to the "spindly" Enterprise A.

[@diogocatalano9557]

The "refit" Enterprise is perfection. Absolutely beautiful.

[@timothycantor4488]

The refit Connie is my favorite, but I wish Enterprise A was an Excelsior

[@mementomori4972]

Most beautiful ship ever designed for Star Trek.

[@Halfscreen]

Indeed

[@Bassistking]

Finally! Thanks for doing the Enterprise B. I requested it way back when you did Enterprise C ☺

[@wowadrow]

Beautiful workhorse design.

[@ChristianSmith-rt1ul]

I love your explanation and cutaways of the ships. Keep up the good work. Huge in-depth Trekkie fan!

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

I saw this video on the Excelsior Class Enterprise B and in said video the Enterprise B was a Refit of the original Excelsior Class design with larger more powerful impulse engines,the protective covering around the main navigation deflector,protective cowlings around the bussard ramscoops and it was also stated the Enterprise B was also made the strongest ship of the Federation Fleet at the time and I also saw pictures of the Master Systems Display of both the Enterprise B and the U.S.S. Excelsior that ships of this class were built with a Battle Bridge so if that's true the Excelsior Class were the first Federation Starships built with a Battle Bridge long before the Galaxy Class was even dreamt of.

[@TrentonBennett]

Did you know? The huge impulse engines were originally meant to be shuttle bays. Doug Drexler and I believe Mike Okuda both confirmed it. In fact I remember having an Star Trek book I think it was right before or after Generations was released and it had a cross-section of the Enterprise-B and where in the final film it shows them as impulse engines, were in fact shuttle bays. At the last minute they were asked to change them to impulse engines. As always awesome video. :)

[@Halfscreen]

I have to admit, much of the information from books, movies and schematic information are typically conflicting when you design it in 3D. Its more apparent when you look at a 3D model vs a 2D drawing.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

@@Halfscreen Yeah, even the scaling is inconsistent at times. Using the main cutaway display and the damaged deck exteriors, the ship scales to 622 to even 680 meters - much bigger than the official scale, usually published.

[@diogocatalano9557]

The hangar deck doesn´t make any sense, it´s to small.

[@tommargarites2811]

Too bad they never went ahead with that, it could easily explain the later inspiration to put the main shuttle bay on the saucer section of the Galaxy class later on. Never liked the tiny shuttle bay on the Excelsior, never made much sense to me.

[@esecallum]

Great shot in ST G. The golden colour shot

[@withershin]

Fan following means - there's two ships that we barely know - make some new TV paramount. The B and C need some more love. But like make the Enterprise-C series more like Andor. The Excelsior-class is the work horse. The C we know where it ends. Denise Crosby needs a proper outro.

[@masere]

I'll watch this on Tuesday

[@msvaughan]

Based on the information at timestamp 7:34, the sourcer cannot separate as mentioned earlier because the core goes from the top of the primary hull to just above the deflector.

[@TrentonBennett]

Oh and the slots on the neck I do NOT think were torpedo launchers, just cargo bays. Because we saw a workbee carrying cargo pods leaving the port side at the very beginning. Also as someone else pointed out the phaser banks were actually the 5 ball turrets we see on the top and bottom of the saucer. They are NOT on the front or edge of the saucer. I also THINK the big cut out on the after underside of both the Excelsior regular and refits was in fact the cargo bay.

[@Halfscreen]

In many cases, the exterior and interior doesn't line up on these schematics.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

@@Halfscreen Yes, which is also why 32 decks cannot fit at official scale, either. Kind of messy. Not, of course, your fault!

[@ChristianSmith-rt1ul]

Yes, according to the master systems display that was printed in a blueprint for Star Trek, the slots on the enterprise B neck were in fact cargo bays.

[@APerson-ni1gb]

2:17 omg I Love these References animations

[@Dave-wv9vc]

I really enjoy these in-depth sci-fi ship tear downs. One thing you could add is the background on the design of each ship model. For example the Excelsior class was said by model maker Nilo Rodis to be inspired by 1980s Japanese design ascetics.

[@Kreachie]

Nice tour however there’s a Slight error, The Excelsior Class has 2 Shuttlebay, the one you called a “Singular Shuttlebay” is actually Shuttlebay 2, and you misidentified the Main Shuttlebay as the Probe Launch Bay, the actual Probe launchers are also the Photon Torpedo launchers and is that grey thing underneath Shuttlebay 2 with the 2 round protrusions.

[@gregorygraham2078]

I liked the design of the bridge it's very functional

[@chancellorjake]

Does the loss of the Enterprise B come from the novel-verse beta canon? I'm not familiar with her destruction.

[@Daginni1]

There are conflicting accounts of her destruction. One being a infectious virus wiped out the crew, and the other being the starship being critically damaged and abandoned after a attack by a joint klingon/romulan fleet who were also destroyed. Both fates are not cannon.

[@cjdavis2684]

The neck dorsal pylon does not separate from the secondary Hull and remain attached to the saucer The saucer section lifts off the top of the neck dorsal pylon if you look at the cutaway schematic on the back of the Enterprise D bridge you will see that there is a battle bridge located atop the next dorsal pylon very similar to the galaxy-class starship where that becomes the command bridge for the secondary Hull. you also left out the ships shuttle bay which you have set as a second cargo bay. no just like constitution class ships those doors are for the aft Hanger bay not a Cargo bay. and you left out the ship's Botanical section which yes an Excelsior class had a Botanical Garden section as well.

[@lynngreen7978]

She was lost on her maiden voyage with Captain Kirk, and she served for 36 years before she was lost.

[@macadoo1588]

It was a Tuesday 😆

[@lynngreen7978]

@@macadoo1588 I know the reference. But my first thought was "Bison visited the Enterprise-B?"

[@darrensmith6999]

Great Job Sir as always Thank you (:

[@Halfscreen]

My pleasure!

[@MrMcGear]

I clicked the like button even before the video played ❤

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

One thing I had always wondered about the Enterprise B is did she have a warp core similar to the Enterprise A as we all saw in The Undiscovered Country the Enterprise A had a warp core similar to that of the Galaxy Class.

[@baystated]

Another gorgeous model. How did the saucer separate if the warp core runs the full height of the neck? Did the core also seperate to smaller cores for each section after separation?

[@Halfscreen]

This problem wasn't explained in the schematic or technical manual. In reality, the warp core needs an ejection hatch to separate.

[@jorgschwantje1239]

Tell what you want but the 1701-Refit or "A" is the most beautiful of them all.

[@joemarchinski914]

👍 Always glad to see a new vid pop up in my feed...your time and attention to detail in your animations and also your presentation is much appreciated🌌👀

[@Halfscreen]

Thanks again!

[@Driver0378]

Warp core breach in progress!! Emergency saucer sep!! But sir, we just brought part of the core with us!!! Ahhh CRAP!!! 😳 As per 4:23 sep, and showing the core going all the way up at 7:36. 😂

[@stevenewman1393]

🖖😎👍Very cool and very well done and informative indeed 👌.

[@Halfscreen]

Thanks 👍

[@gate7clamp]

This enterprise will always be my favorite next to the NX-01

[@LIOTBs]

You always do such an amazing job! I have noticed the voiceover is different. I really enjoyed the voiceover work by the original creator with the thick accent. This person does a great job but so did the original creator.

[@Halfscreen]

I wanted to use a voice that easier to understand, hence the voice change over.

[@Greg87601]

So awesome.

[@Halfscreen]

Glad you think so!

[@alezandercorben4122]

These are great

[@MrEtherguy]

It is one of my favorite designs. It seems so practical but also beautiful. Also, what would be a seamless transition from the previous generation of ships like the Miranda class.

[@moohamada6582]

Two additional impulse engines might have been shuttle bays. Because when these operate, two warp nacelle shoud be destroyed.

[@AT2Productions]

The opening info sounded like a lot of mixed elements from the 1701-B and 1701-C

[@davidponseigo8811]

As others have said only Kirk was lost on the Maiden voyage and the Phasers were Ball Turrets like the earlier Enterprise-A , the Ambassador Class was the first to have Phaser Strips.

[@iHusk]

I had a comment but it won't be ready until Tuesday.

[@ilpoomatili9549]

I love it, but my confidence died the second he called the sensor array a facer array

[@timkaase87]

My cousin got me the Enterprise -B from ST: Generations for Christmas a year ago

[@00nick7]

1:06 Is the reason you skipped the Enterprise-C initially because it wasn't featured in the films?

[@dls1970]

1:01 - You forgot the Enterprise-C (Ambassador Class). Still love what you've done here, though. :)

[@02ujtb00626]

If the warp core is in the neck section, how does it run almost the entire height of the engineering hull up to deck 31? Also, the engineering computer core does not look like it spans 5 decks. I think this is relying a little too heavily on the MSD from Generations, which doesn't match up to the exterior of the model. The extra impulse engines, for example, are indicated to be shuttle bays on it, which is obviously not the case. Gotta take canon stuff like that with a grain of salt and come to one's own conclusions.

[@Daginni1]

If I was stuck with a "vertical" warp core design, I sure as hell would use the tallest part of the ship to stuff the biggest, most powerhouse warp core I could in it.

[@02ujtb00626]

@@Daginni1 funny you mention that. Usually that is how they work, but there are a couple exceptions. One: the Defiant's warp core. It runs the matter and anti matter streams up and down several times to create the power of a taller warp core. 2: Voyagers class 9 warp core. Instead of a central reactor, the entire thing is one big reaction chamber, again creating the power of a larger warp core.

[@bieneulm1982]

Just asking, but this scematic of the ship makes No Sense. You mentioned, that the saucer and engineering Section could be seperated. But as we can see would that mean to RIP the Warp core in half, since IT goes from the top of the ship to the bottom.

[@Halfscreen]

www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/jac-enterprise-b-heavy-cruiser.php

[@LancetFencing]

How can the ship separate if the warp core spans the secondary hall, the neck and the primary saucer?

[@MrFreesearcher]

nice video, but the warp core is a little too large, as the top would be separated during saucer separation. The ST Generations master systems display on the bridge has the layout.

[@Halfscreen]

Good point!

[@minicle426]

I'd like to vote for the Akira Class.

[@mickeyholding7970]

Will there be a part 2 covering the star drive?

[@danivarius]

The phaser arrays were placed towards the inner rim of the saucer much like the refit constitution class.

[@paulkirby2761]

Interesting. I love how people flesh out the inside of the ship with rooms after some desugner sketched the ship, as though it were actually real. A couple of stand-out design flaws. 1. The upper torpedo launchers look like they could only shoot downward. The middle section of lower saucer clearly hangs lower than these torpedo launchers. A serious oversight my whoever originally sketched this ship. 2. The saucer separation. I'm going to guess this vid took liberties here as the warp core apparently runs the length of the neck and lower hull which would make it impossible to separate the saucer with the "neck" remaining attached to the saucer. Also, both aesthetically, functionality and sensibly speaking, it makes far more sense that just the saucer alone separates and that the neck is physically part of the lower hull. If that's not true then I must say it's very poorly thought out to separate the saucer with the neck still attached. Just my opinion.

[@jmd1743]

It's big but doesn't feel big for the sake of being big.

[@Daginni1]

I like to believe that the USS Enterprise B was eventually recovered after it was lost with all hands via a infectious disease. The ship itself still being a upgraded powerhouse of the Excelsior class had many years of life left in it, was also shamed by the lost of its entire crew to a infectious virus. Starfleet's solution was to rechristened the starship to the USS Lakota and scrub its true history. This allowed the starship to continue humble service to Starfleet up into the Dominion war. Sure the real reason was the Excelsior filming model was full of doodads that couldn't be removed without damaging the model when filming the USS Lakota, but it is a fun bit of head cannon.

[@mr.ackermann807]

It's still confusing to me as to which is correct, shuttle bay on the back end on the back of the saucer like enterprise d or behind the deflector dish section.

[@psychoaftershok]

thats not a jeffries tube - thats a warp plasma conduit, jeffries tubes are access crawl-ways for the crew.

[@raulfagnani3912]

Increíble ya se sabe todo del futuro.

[@MrSheckstr]

Sounds like you would first have to eject the core before you could separate the hull

[@kellywaldo3215]

My thoughts exactly

[@kthbrown]

How dose the warp core cross into both haves when separated? The design would not work. Most of the warp core would be in the primary hull with benefit to it.

[@raytrekker]

Omg masterpiece

[@america2793]

Can you do “star wars magister class fleet carrier” please

[@Halfscreen]

Probably not since not much information regarding schematic doesn't exist.

[@themightybob]

I only counted 21 decks on the cut away, where are the rest, are they invisible?

[@SubiMajo]

Was passiert eigentlich mit dem Warpkern, wenn die Untertasse abgetrennt wird? Der Warpkern ist doch länger, als die Untertassensektion, mit Hals, hoch ist und erstreckt sich noch eine große Strecke in den Rumpf hinein. Wird bei einer Abtrennung der Warpkern vorher abgeworfen, oder kann der Warpkern auch in zwei Teile getrennt werden (was eigentlich nicht möglich ist)?

[@gislasson]

amaizing

[@TwistedSisterHaratiofales]

Hey Halfscreen. This is Eldan from this channel, and STL Trek Models. I have talked to you before about the 3D modeling thing. I have seen another video where people claim that the original Enterprise (TOS) 1701 is not large enough to have 24 decks. I referred them to your video's where you have modeled the decks, and they are claiming that you fudged the dimensions to make them fit. It wouldn't bother me so much if it were a couple of people, but it looks like there are 20 or 30 of them. Now that I am actually modeling the Constitution class myself, maybe I can put a rest to that stupid stuff. They have pointed out that the Hanger Bay in scenes from TOS was to large to fit in the ship, and where main engineering is supposed to be, and a few other anomalies which have cropped up in the last 15 years or so. Wow do I wish I had a time machine and could go back to meet Gene and Matt at Desilu and I would have modeled the ships for them, LOL.

[@Halfscreen]

Well, in most of my model, I have to modify the floor plans to make it kind of fit since the 3D model I download doesn't always fit. If I model ship from the ground up, I probably can make it work.

[@chrissonofpear1384]

@@Halfscreen Yeah, not your fault. There's no way the Enterprise-B can fit 32 decks without being over 600 meters. 27 would be about the maximum possible, and it would still exceed 500, I suspect. Production inconsistencies just tend to crop up. Trekbbs forums spots this kind of thing too. You were just trying to be thorough - don't take too hard! As I recall, 23 decks is currently canon, for the NCC-1701 (see 'Trials and Tribbleations')

[@Halfscreen]

@@chrissonofpear1384 To be honest, I don't since I have probably modeled many of the capital ships already, and much of the content comes straight from the technical manual. Even the technical manual can be inconsistent too.

[@Andygra89]

Where's Rachel Garrett's enterprise C in the line up?

[@BammerD]

Why did you say the vessel was lost during her maiden voyage? She literally survived the encounter with the Nexus ribbon with damage to the port side of the secondary hull.

[@Halfscreen]

This was written on the owners' USS enterprise workshop manual, but it could be wrong.

[@Steve-gc5nt]

Excelsior class ❤

[@dont_give_a_flying_f]

Now that's is a series I would like to see. The story of the enterprise b and maybe even leading into c. But none of this new shit they are doing. Needs to be traditional style star trek. No new look to the ship

[@jcraigwilliams70]

When the Excelsior was introduced, several of my friends didn't like it, but I always thought it was a nice ship. I just didn't like (*really* didn't like) when they added the dumb fins to the secondary hull.

[@radioflyer68911]

The enterprise B probably continued on until the launch of Enterprsie C. The only mystery is how long there was no Enterprsie in service between Ent C and the launch of Ent D.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

note how he doesn't mention the other "special" features this ship had, lest you get a visit from S-31 ;)

[@Reepicheep-1]

The green trim was a nice touch. About the only thing I like about Excelsior class ships. Ugly thing. Script needed a couple more passes for consistency & accuracy.

[@argonunya1543]

This is a great video as far as excelsior class appreciation but idk about some of the info. There’s the weird statement about the E-B being lost on its maiden voyage as well as the claim that all excelsior classes had the engineering hull bulge. If you’re looking for 100% accurate, canon info, i maybe wouldn’t source this video. Also, just how many decks does the excelsior class have? I always thought it was 28 but this isn’t the first source I’ve heard state that it’s actually 32. Which is it?!

[@Halfscreen]

Unfortunately, every sites have different information.

[@thomasheyart7033]

If there is only 1 shuttle bay in the secondary hull then why is there a hanger bay cross over in the primary hull??

[@Big_Joe570]

You missed the Ambassador Class USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C.

[@APerson-ni1gb]

7:40 too bad you didn’t cover or dissect the area where Kirk went into the Nexus near the Deflector Dish 🤷‍♂️

[@FelixzWrath82]

Wait, you said lost with captain kirk ( wrong wasnt lost just damaged)

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

I'm curious how do we know what happened to the crew of the Enterprise B I mean how do we know they were infected by a virus it was never mentioned in Star Trek.

[@Halfscreen]

Based on the the technical manual, it said the crews were infected, but didn't elaborate.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

@@Halfscreen I hope you don't mind my asking but which technical Manual as I know of only 2 one on the Enterprise D and the other is on Deep Space Nine and I believe they also made one on the Constitution Class Enterprise as well.

[@Halfscreen]

@@nicholasmorsovillo2752 It's the owner's workshop manual

[@jefferyhamilton1746]

BS. Enterprise B was damaged, not lost. Everything else was ruined by not getting basic Canon right. 1701B went on to have a long, distinguished Star Fleet record.

[@tony5318]

The vessel was not lost on her maiden voyage only damaged.

[@jackmills6735]

I have more than a few problems with this 😅

[@RhapsodyInBlaah]

I don't remember ever seeing antimatter generators on a ship before. It's sort of nonsensical. Where do they get the energy to (presumably) convert normal matter into antimatter?

[@miles2378]

The TNG technmanual has the Galaxy class having one and I think every subsiquint show just cut and pasted stuff from it thats why the NX-1 Enterprise has a spacetime driver coil in its impulse drive even though the TNG manual said the Galaxy class was the first starfleet ship equiped with one.

[@dennismorgan7866]

Have you been working on your accent / Rs? I notice a big difference.

[@hanshawks5088]

How was it lost on its first voyage if if was lost in space 30 years later?

[@danielboatright8887]

LMAO, that thumbnail typo.

[@78250windu78250]

What about Ncc 1701 C

[@tarn1135]

How is a ship lost on its maiden voyage but also went on to years of service?

[@anonymousposter3570]

The VESSEL WAS NOT (NOT) lost on its maiden voyage with Captain Kirk. Captain Kirk was lost on that voyage and listed as KIA during that mission, later to be found in the NEXUS Ribbon by Picard, and finally KIA fighting against Soren to stop the NEXUS ribbon from destroying another star system. Furthermore it wasnt Never listed as missing or destroyed. It was merely succeeded by Enterprise C (meaning decomissioned). Get your facts straight.

[@mr.adventure0142]

My Home.

[@gregbumgardner3006]

it wasnt lost, captain Kirk was lost. She ship made it back home, Kirk got caught in the Nexus.