Category Archives: Dan Grumeretz

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(2022) 1:650 Star Trek: Nemesis – Enterprise 1701-E (2007 Cast #001, Incarnation #004) in The Albert Siow Collection

As stated in October 2007, and again in December 2012: This 41 inch model was mastered by Richard Long in 2005-2006. This was the very first cast kit from his patterns. Though it was the first cast in the world of this model kit, it was the third to be built and finished. The first two (Casts #002 and #003) were built and finished by ILM artist John Eblan, under his company banner of “The FX Company”.

What a story this model has… and now, with it’s complete re-build by artist Dan Grumeretz, I hope this to be it’s final representation as a part of the Albert Siow Collection.

As the story goes: The first Kuhn Global build, using Cast #001 (which I refer to as “Incarnation #001), was first painted in 2007 to replicate the USS Enterprise we viewed in Star Trek: Nemesis. Sadly, while on display, the secondary hull buckled, causing the model to fall forward, thus damaging the model significantly. Aside from a mounting point having originally been glued into it’s hull, we discovered that there was no armature built into the model for strength and stability. As with all Starships named Enterprise, the Enterprise 1701-E is extremely front heavy being that it’s saucer section makes up most of the design. Of course in space this would not be an issue, but since this is a model here on Earth,.. with gravity, it makes every difference…lol. Moving on, with the model significantly damaged, in 2012 artist Marc Elkins took on the commission to fix this fantastic piece, taking it apart, and placing an armature inside of it. After doing so, he re-painted all of the damaged areas and presented it to me. It was beautiful, and that representation can only be seen in one of the videos I made of one of my visits to see Marc years ago. Unfortunately this model representation was never photographed in front of the Blue Screen. It is what I call “Incarnation #002”. Shortly after receiving the fixed model from Marc, the Port side Bussard Collector on the Nacelle stopped working, with the lighting effects no longer lighting. Something had obviously become disconnected, or shorted out. Instead of having Mark take the model apart again, I asked Marc to instead place a battle damaged paint job on it, then making it a replica miniature of the 1701-E from Star Trek: Insurrection. The battle damaged Insurrection 1701-E is what I refer to as “Incarnation #003”. The model was then sold on May 6, 2013 to my friend and collector Albert Siow, who promptly commissioned artist Dan Grumeretz to re-build it entirely.

Nearly 15 years later from it’s original build, now being April 2022, this model has now reached it’s pinnacle. Dan Grumeretz has done amazing work with his replication of the USS Enterprise 1701-E as Albert Siow wanted it to be seen. This all new build, made from Cast #001, is seen here in my Blue Screen Photos. What I wish I had captured as well is the amazing lighting and sound effects that are now included in this model… which I refer to as “Incarnation #004”. Perhaps Albert and Dan will make an additional posting on Modelers Miniatures & Magic to show those amazing features in the future,.. as they are stunning! No pun intended. lol. I mean ‘stunning’ literally as the phaser strips work as if they are firing. Then there are the nacelle effects of going to warp! And in addition are not only Photon Torpedo firing effects, but also Quantum Torpedo firing effects! This piece is fully loaded, enabled by the fantastic products of Starling Technologies… Stanley Koziol. I also love the fact that Dan included the Shuttle design, from Star Trek: Insurrection, to be inside the open, and lit, main Shuttle Bay on the rear of the Saucer section. If you look closely at it, you will notice that the Nacelles of the Shuttle are actually lit! The beautiful paint job is amazing… and everything, with the exception of the lifeboat numbering, is PAINTED ON!! Dan did amazing work on this piece. OUTSTANDING!!

This piece is truly amazing, and I am very happy it has a home in the Albert Siow Collection. I am grateful to Albert of allowing me to photograph this piece one last time.

Enjoy the Blue Screen Photos…

Peace be unto you.

Kurt Kuhn
Kuhn Global Incorporated

Click HERE to View the 2007 1701-E INCARNATION #001

Click HERE to View the 2012 1701-E Battle Damaged INCARNATION #003


Kurt Kuhn with the 2022 Build of the 41″ Nemesis 1701-E (2012)

 

Model Information

Owner at Time of Posting: Albert Siow

USS Enterprise NCC 1701-E Designed by: John Eaves

Kit Master Artist: Richard Long

Re-Build Artist: Dan Grumeretz

Electronics & Lighting: Starling Technologies

Blue Screen Photographer: Kurt Kuhn (Kuhn Global)

Kit Once Offered By: Sovereign Replicas

~Hours Vested to Final Display: Unknown

Total Vested Cost of Development and Build: Unknown

2020 Estimated Value: $35,000 USD

Current Licensed Appraised Value: TBD

 

Kurt Kuhn

KUHN GLOBAL INCORPORATED

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Albert Siow

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Dan Grumeretz

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Stanley Koziol

STARLING Technologies

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Richard Long

SOVEREIGN REPLICAS

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John Eaves

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Kuhn Global’s KORBANTH 41″ Blockade Runner KIT REVIEW – Photos by Dan Grumeretz

Every so often a kit stands out more than the rest. In early July 2019, KORBANTH released a kit of the 41 inch Blockade Runner… which is a RE-POP from the original amazing Chris Kelley kit from years back. Korbanth purchased the patterns and molds late last year, and as recently usual, they came through my place here for inspection before going to Randy Johnson to produce under the Korbanth banner. That stated, this kit is NOT exactly as it was originally made… it is BETTER! Randy took the patterns and molds to artist Mark Worley, who made the original patterns even better by adding additional detail, and making it better to assemble. Then Mark made new molds, and cast the nearly perfect kit that I show you today. I was lucky enough to get the very first cast made from those molds that you see in the photos below. First, I must say that I am very impressed at the cast quality! This feels almost like a very fine and expensive plastic injected kit. Artist Dan Grumeretz agrees with me that the details are absolutely crisp, and there are little to no bubble remnants anywhere on this kit. There are a few, but not many at all. I asked Dan to take these photos for me as I have had little time lately, and I wanted to make certain you all could see the quality I witnessed as I held these parts in my own hands. As I stated before, Dan is right with me in agreement on the quality of this kit being amazing. As usual in my reviews, nothing has been touched up in any photo. They are shown in their original high resolution state in order that you may zoom in and see things even more than I may see with my naked eye. The color difference you see of the bridge, and other parts, were from photographing the parts on a white backdrop. A camera lighting thing. All in all, and again, this is a very impressive kit!
I already have two beautiful 41″ Blockade Runners that artist Ray Lawson II built for me from the original Chris Kelley kits. This new build will be shown here, and on the Kuhn Global site for all to see. It will be a fantastic addition.
I want to thank Chris Kelley for making such a fantastic kit, Randy Johnson for acquiring it and selling it again, and Mark Worley for making it even better than before! Thank you Dan for taking these photos for me. Outstanding work all!
Kurt Kuhn
Kuhn Global Incorporated
Modelers Miniatures & Magic

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Kurt Kuhn

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Randy Johnson

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Mark Worley

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Dan Grumeretz

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Chris Kelley

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Building the Dream: The Motion Picture USS Enterprise Refit Replica – PART 2

*** Continued from PART 1 ***

 

BELOW: March 28, 2019 – Dan Grumertez and Kurt Kuhn viewing the assembled size of the model as it is first placed on it’s armature.

It was only December 2018 that this build really kicked into high gear in order to show it at the 2019 Escape Velocity Convention. It was then when my wife Melanie and I made the decision to donate this model to The Museum of Science Fiction in June 2020. Being that 2019 was the 40th anniversary of Star Trek The Motion Picture’s release, what better way to celebrate that fact than to have the world’s first studio scale sized miniature for all to view. With that in mind, suddenly there was a looming deadline that felt more and more like that of a Hollywood film deadline. HA! Some of you reading the article know this feeling! LOL. What is very memorable is how many challenges came up during this short 5 month period, including no sleep for the entire last 7 nights before a very late departure to get the model to the Convention in time that was located across the country.

The Push is ON!
Hours were increased greatly at this point…

..Enter HELIOS Models & Lighting, MarZee Fabricators,
Tyler Harshman, and Dustin Ashton

As you can see in the above photos, we had received the light & sound boards from HELIOS Models & Lighting in Germany, and the armature parts that were fabricated by MARZEE Fabricatiors in Phoenix, AZ. The primary hull armature, being that it would carry great weight, was made of steel. Dan designed it to house the entire Shuttle Bay within it. Again.. this feature was a bit wasted since we did not use the Bay after all. That stated, Dan’s design of it was perfect for this feature, and very strong. The Pylons were also made of steel, and even though they were made thick, they still had the issue of having “flex” in them. That is when we had welder Tyler Harshman strengthen them by adding angle iron. It did a great job in stopping the ‘flex’ that was happening. The neck was made of elevated sections up to where the saucer section would connect. Being that the saucer is massive, the armature needed would need to be a more light weight material, yet strong to last the ages to come. We decided upon aluminum for that purpose. Even so, the assembled armature part was very heavy… especially with the fiberglass parts attached. The neck would eventually be strengthened to hold it all straight and firm.

The Light and Sound board that HELIOS built for us is fantastic, providing the entire music and light-up sequence for the Enterprise as it starts up and leaves the Space Dock for the first time in Star Trek The Motion Picture, then going to warp speed with a bright flash of the engine nacelles. We also asked Daniel Beck of HELIOS make it so that on the 15, 30 and 45 minute of each hour the vessel would drop out of warp (with appropriate Impulse Lighting) and fire two volleys of Photon Torpedo’s before going back into warp. Three minutes before the top of each hour, there would be a drop from warp speed sound, (like every 15 minutes before that), and it would go into a complete power down… as if it were back in Space Dock again. Then at the top of the hour the process would start all over again. This made for a very crowded viewing area around the model as each new hour began. It was very cool to witness everyone’s reactions!

At this time I brought on a professional cabinet maker, Dustin Ashton, to build the base we designed together, and the crates the model would travel in. Dustin made this base beautiful, and the cabinet made for great sound with the speakers installed.

In these next photos you will see more progress, and even famed Appraiser Leila Dunbar with us. Famous for the Antique Road Show, and having appraised the full sized Shuttlecraft Galileo prop, among other rare and high priced items, Leila will be doing the final appraisal on this piece. You will also see the moving Van (Box Truck) that my wife Melanie and I drove the model in while traveling over 2,500 miles in 3 days (on our wedding anniversary, no less) through the worst weather possible… Snow, Tornado’s, Winds, Torrential Rains, and 5 foot visibility Fog! It was a true adventure we shall never forget… and we did it with the Starship Enterpirse!! Potholes be damned!! LOL.

Dan spent the last hours of the darkened night, which was now morning, working on the wiring of the model. He literally had a mass of wires that would be the last connections of what HELIOS Models & Lighting provided to us to bring the Enterprise REFIT alive. Dan completed the last solder connection, and brought it over to my home to be set up for the first time, and tested. It was at 3:12am on 5/20/19 , in my own garage, that this model would be turned on for the first time. I had tears in my eyes, and the room was silent. Dan Grumetez, my wife Melanie, William McVey, Sr. and the cabinet maker Dustin Ashton, (whom both came over to assist in those early hours), along with myself simply watched it come alive for the first time.

Note that at this point, these are NOT photos of the completed Enterprise.
It still needed much work when it arrived at Escape Velocity.
These do show the first assembly and activation.
You will notice that even some of the paint mask still required removing.