Romulan Bird of Prey from "Star Trek" (1966-1969)

Scale: 1:650
Initial Release: 1975
Medium: Styrene
Kit Rarity: 2

About the Design

Because of severe budget limitations, very few alien spacecraft actually appeared over the three seasons of the original "Star Trek."  One of the first exceptions to this rule was the Romulan Bird-of-Prey, the centerpiece of the Season One episode "Balance of Terror."  Shaped like a boot heel equipped with Federation-style warp nacelles, the Bird-of-Prey -- so named because of the hawk-like design painted on the craft's underbelly -- boasted a cloaking device and a powerful plasma weapon. The ship would appear in several subsequent episodes as well -- thanks to the magic of "stock shots."

The filming miniature itself was designed and built by Wah Ming Chang. For union reasons, he reportedly worked "off the books" from his home and didn't receive credit for his work until long after the series had ended.

About the Kit

The 1:650 Romulan Bird-of-Prey kit was released long after the Original Series' demise thanks to incessant demands from series fans. The model had numerous inaccuracies, the most notable being the lack of the ship's signature "Plasma Weapon" at its bow. 

This kit was built from an original 1975 issue, with a customized Plasma Weapon added.