The Star Trek Official Starships Collection subscription program may have ended with the First Contact Borg Cube model release, but Hero Collector continues its run of ‘bonus issue’ starship models this summer with a return to the Kelvin Timeline Star Trek films!
Coming this summer to the Hero Collector web shops, the company is returning to monthly releases of online-exclusive models, which were formerly only available to subscribers of the long-running subscription program (which concluded late last year).
Now available to all collectors, these shop-exclusive releases begin with a trio of Starfleet vessels which debuted in the 2009 Star Trek film, rounding out the Kelvin Timeline armada of starship models which more than a few fans have been clamoring for.
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Coming in late June (and available for preorder now in the US and UK shops) is the USS Armstrong (NCC-1769), a ship which warped to Vulcan while it was under attack, only to be destroyed by Nero upon arrival.
The ship class also seen in use in both Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond.
USS ARMSTRONG (Bonus #26) — A vessel operated by Starfleet in the 23rd century, the U.S.S. Armstrong was among the many Federation ships lured to Vulcan by the time-travelling Romulan Nero in the 2009 Star Trek film. Armed with future technology, Nero destroyed not only the planet Vulcan, but the entire Starfleet task force – the Armstrong included.
Though the U.S.S. Armstrong was destroyed beyond recovery, a number of other Armstrong-type ships made an appearance in future Star Trek films, docked at Starbase 1 and Starbase Yorktown.
The Armstrong-type starship model measures about 4.7 inches long, and retails at $29.99 / €24.99 / £19.99.
Due in late July is the USS Mayflower (NCC-1621), another member of the destroyed Starfleet task force, sent to stop Nero over Vulcan.
USS MAYFLOWER (Bonus #27) — The U.S.S. Mayflower was a member of the ill-fated Starfleet task force sent to Vulcan in the 23rd century, after it was attacked by the time-travelling Romulan Nero in the 2009 Star Trek film. Nero’s future technology made him an unstoppable foe – and when the U.S.S. Enterprise arrived, it had to swerve to avoid the drifting wreckage of the Mayflower.
Ships of the Mayflower’s type, with the same roll bar design reminiscent of the Miranda-class, appeared in the background of other scenes in the Star Trek films.
The Mayflower-type starship model also measures in at 4.7 inches long, expected to retail at $29.99 / €24.99 / £19.99.
The summer wraps up with the USS Newton (NCC-1727), coming in late August, an unusual half-saucered Starfleet design used in both of the first two Kelvin Timeline films.
USS NEWTON (Bonus #28) — An older starship design that was still in use in the 23rd century, the U.S.S. Newton answered the distress call that led to the Battle of Vulcan, in the 2009 Star Trek film. Orchestrated by the time travelling Romulan Nero, the battle was a disaster in which 9 Federation ships were lost – the Newton among them.
The U.S.S. Newton’s full registry number, seen here on its saucer, was NCC-1727 – the year that Sir Isaac Newton died.
Coming in at just shy of 5 inches, the Newton-type starship model will retail at $29.99 / €24.99 / £19.99.
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Lastly, there will be one more movie model coming this August: the horseshoe-shaped Son’a Battleship from Star Trek: Insurrection.
SON’A BATTLESHIP (Special #27) — A large war-vessel employed by the narcissistic alien Son’a, the Son’a battleship shared design elements with their more heavily-armed battlecruiser.
When the Son’a attempted to use their Injector craft (also called the “metaphasic collector”) to destructively harvest the radiation of the planet Ba’ku, several Son’a battleships were sent to accompany the massive collector vessel – and prevent the U.S.S. Enterprise-E from alerting the Federation.
The Son’a ship will be available to collectors for $49.95/ €44.99 / £34.99, and is set to measure in at 7.8 inches wide.
So, starship collectors: will you be adding any of these new Kelvin Timeline models to your armada — or do you prefer to let them stay in their alternate universe?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!