Galoob Die-Cast Enterprise D

My mother is not a science fiction fan at all (despite her prognostication about flat screen TV's), but she always liked this toy version of the Enterprise D. When Star Trek returned to our screen with The Next Generation in 1987, it boasted cinema quality special effects including a new version of the Enterprise. I remember reading about the design of the model in Starlog (yeah, yeah... I'm admitting it...) magazine. They actually built a number of models, the largest had a saucer that was 10 feet across, illuminated by neon tubes inside.

Not only did the Enterprise return with a dramatic new shape, it had the ability to separate into two sections - the saucer, and the stardrive section. The premise was that in an emergency, most of the crew could evacuate to the saucer, while the stardrive section freed of its bulk could wage battle. This facility was a long time fan rumor, spurred by a technical manual of the original Enterprise that cited "explosive bolts" that could separate the saucer permanently from the rest of the ship in an emergency. This was the first time we saw it in action on screen (a little too much in that first season, as I recall...)

Since this first-run syndicated show was a risk, no one could predict how successful the show would eventually become. Even toy companies were tentative to pledge too much support outside of a handful of action figures. This die-cast toy was one of those early toys. Even though I wasn't the right age for it, I bought it anyway... just to at least better understand the odd shape of the ship. I still have it on my shelf after all these years, and I still perform a slow motion saucer sep a couple times a year, just to keep the crew on their toes.