You May hate me for this....

[Sidious]

Galaxy is my favorite class of all trek ships. Personally I have never liked the soverign class design. I dont like most of the newer designs really. The steamrunner, norway, intrepid, and akira classes are all ugly to me.

Give me the galaxy, excelsior, refit constitution, defiant classes over them any day.

Although I agree the luxory liner interior of the ENTD was ridiculous, every time they show crew or officer quarters in TNG I cant help wondering how much of a bitch it would be to clean up all those plants and knick knacks when the ship takes a hit

[Dennis Toy]

i dont care what ya say, the E-D galaxy class is in my opinion the best design of the TNG era, The E-A, Excelsior, Dauntless and Promethius tops my best design list

[Johonebesus]

I'm probably the one everyone's going to hate, but I despised the Galaxy class. That was the ugliest piece of crap I have ever seen. I hated it as a kid when it was debuted, and I have hated it ever since. It was probably that opening shot that gave me such a prejudice against the whole show.
The best scene in "Generations" was when that damn ugly ship blew up. That's the only time I have ever actually cheered at the screen.

In fact, I rather like the original Constitution class, nice and simple and utilitarian. It looked like it was designed for function, not aesthetics. It looked more like a real, functioning spaceship, despite the low budget. The refit Constitution is good too, and the Soveriegn is an improvement over the Galaxy, but I just can't get an appreciation for the tendancy towards curvier and smoother ships. I wish they had used the Daedalus instead of that Akiraprise.[/i]

[BenRG]

I think that the GCS really represented the whole cultural problem the 24th Century Federation started to suffer from after the peace treaty with the Klingons. The whole ship looks like it was designed by people who seriously expected the simple fact that it was a Federation ship would send any prospective bad guy packing. It has huge surfaces to act as aiming points from several angles. Although space manouevrability isn't always tied to size, the thing always struck me as likely having a turning circle like a 200,000t cow.

On the flip side, despite the well-known design problems with the first-generation GCS warp core, the ship was pretty tough and managed to take quite a few hits in several battles without suffering serious system failures (contrast with the Intrepid-class' tendancy to lose large parts of its' systems from one hit to the shields).

What would I have done differently?

1. The longest axis of the saucer should have been fore-aft rather than from side to side.
2. Extend the nacelles and make them narrower, more like the SCS nacelles
3. The pylon-side phaser banks should have extended to curve around the front edge of the nacelle pylons, adding two more forward-firing phaser banks.
4. Independent warp drive for the Saucer. Why have a huge lifeboat for your non-combatant personnel that is restricted to sub-light speeds?
5. Secondary pulse phaser banks (about the same power output as the BoP's main disruptors) designed for CIWS and independent fire against multiple small targets

In the end, the GCS was a long-haul explorer that (during the Dominion War) got retrofitted into becomming a battlecruiser, a role that its' design simply didn't support.

The Sovereign-class represents the result of applying all the hard-won lessons about capital starships learnt during the Enterprise-D's 8-year lifespan. It has much more flexible and powerful weapon systems. It maintains a great deal of function, even when its' internal security has been compromised (in ST:FC, the auto-destruct worked even with about 3/4 of the ship under enemy control, contrast with how easily the Voyager's scuttle system could be compromised). It has a lot more sub-light agility, a lot more system redundancy (maintaining full combat capability, even without its' warp core).

On the flip side, however, a lot of the same basic conceptual problems of post-Klingon War-era Federation starships still exist. The design is over-centralised (a single fire control station in a threat-rich environment is a disadvantage, even the little Defiant had independent 'port' and 'starboard' fire-control stations according to the TM). The design is still a rat-warren of access shafts and cable trunks that an intruder could use to move around the ship semi-undetected. Overall, however, it looks a lot better than the older GCS.

What would I have done differently?

1. Three axial ship-killer superphaser cannon (see 'All Good Things'), one co-axial with the quantum torpedo launcher, one firing through the very front of the saucer and one co-axial with the aft quantum torpedo launcher (see below)
2. An aft quantum torpedo launcher turret, like the one on the bottom of the saucer, below the landing bay fantail
3. Return of the medium-power CIWS phaser banks
4. Use that strange trench mid-way in around the bottom surface of the saucer as "drop-out" fighter hangers.
5. Three more impulse engines (two on the ends of the nacelles, one above the after photon torpedo launcher)

Nothing much... Just upgrade it to dreadnought-level power...

Overall? I would say that the SCS is the better looking of the two ships (although some of the 'beauty shots' from Generations made the Ent-D look better than it ever had in the series). In the end, the Galaxy-class was crippled by the fact it was designed to represent a philosophy (mostly Mr. Roddenberry's idea of a perfect society) rather than look good or half-way sensible. That was its' crippling fault.
[EDIT - Added SCS wish list]

[Sarevok]

Yes there were, watch Star Trek 6 and one of the consoles actually exploded. It was below Uhura's feet.

In TNG era bridge consoles regularly explode even with shields active. Yes a console did explode ST6 and in "flashback" the Excelsior had a bridge console explosion when a klingon battlecruiser attacked it.

There could be a reason for this is. The Enterprise's shields had failed by then as we saw a torpedo punch a hole in the saucer section. As torpedos detonated against the unshielded hull it is possible that the EMP effect of the multi megaton explosions caused power surges in the ships plasma conduits. The resulting power spike may cause some consoles to explode. But this is just speculation, most likely the director wanted big explosion to make the battle scene cooler and hence the exploding bridge consoles.

Shiid, Voyagers bridge was futuristic but was no way better looking than the E-D bridge, the intrepid was a short range science/exploration vessel. It wasn't intended as a long-range vessel like E-D was.

Whether the Voyger bridge looked better is up to you. The Enterprise-D bridge may not have looked good but it did its job well.

Actually i think Voyager could have been better if it was like the episode "The void"

That is a terrible episode that highlights Janeways incredible stupidity. In that episode Voyger falls into a region of space surrounded by subspace which prevents ships from leaving. They find other ships there and the problems begin.

Firstly an alien ship attacks Voyger and beams away the deutorium containers even though Tuvok mentioned that shield are at 25% after the attack. How could they beam through shields for they were not the Borg. It is clear Voygers shields were never brought down since they could not be back to 25% within a few seconds after the attack like a Sovergeins regenerative shield system.

Secondly without the deutorium voyger is left with minimum power and B'leana informs Janeway that lifesupport will fail within two weeks. Why on earth do they need deutorium when they have a powerful matter - antimatter reactor in the warpcore. Also this episode contradicts with "deadlock" when voyger is running low on antimatter. In that episode voyger also suffered power failure and they had so little power left that life support would have failed soon. This brings the question what does voyger actualy run on anitmatter or hydrogen or merely Janeways stupidity. Also I might in both situations they shut down unnecessary lighing and yet left the artificial gravity on.

Thirdly Janeway consults help of some other ships and figure out that they could escape by combining their technologies. Every ship donates various parts and equipment to aid in the escape effort. Then Janeway recognises that a polaron generator from one ship is a stolen one. Janeway refuses to accept it even though they badly need one and no one else has one. In her opinion she had rather die here than violate the prime directive by joining thieves and space pirates. Note the fact that many ships had fallen into the void over the years and the only way they survived was to capture and loot supplies from new ships that would arrive there. There is nothing wrong in what they did to survive

Neither the Galaxy or Sovereign has a militarily sound design, really.
And with it's elevated main phaser array(bank?), the Galaxy has a clearer field of fire.

But the Sovergein is much more purpose built military starship than the Galaxy. It is as good as you can get in the pacifist federation.

1. The Sovergein does not carry any civilians indicating a military purpose.

2. The Sovergein has more powerful weopens and shields (obviously).

3. Regarding the phaser banks the Sovergein may not have wider fields of fire but her phasers are more powerful than a Galaxy.

4. Also the Sovergein has more powerful quantom torpedo launcher which have very high rates of fire.

[CaptJodan]

Well, I'm going to be on the flame list for this, but like a few others here, I also liked the Galaxy. Can't help it, I'm biased. It was the one that I grew up with in the 80s when I was a wee tike, and it's design stuck.
Having said that, the flaws mentioned by others (IE, it's Hotel Style nature, its tendency to have warp core breaches, etc) are definately drawbacks to the design, however I'm looking simply at the exterior look value. For its time, (the 80s) it could have looked worse.
I don't think its the best looking of all ships currently shown. There are several others, including the Akira and the Prom that look good from my vantage point, but few others.
Tactically, the uprated Galaxy isn't a half bad beast. Is it a Sov? No, but it was never meant to be. The uprated galaxy was a ship born from total passive and pasifictic nature, to be put into a fully combat capable warship design. FOR WHAT IT IS, it was a really bitch ass good upgrade. The Dominion did have a hard time killing them post upgrade, after all.
I'm of the opinion that the Sov simply sucks. Sorry, I know people are going to throw flaming toliet paper at me, but I just can't stand the design. From the moment it showed up on screen I screamed "Updated Exel Class", only uglier than even that design. To me, there are ways to make things too sleek, and this was one of those times. No one questions her combat capability, but I do question her exterior AND interior (The bridge is just horrid. At least the Galaxy had some VERY SMALL throwback to a ISD bridge, because it was large and spacious, giving more of a sense of power and wonder (though it would be deceptive in the Galaxy (un-uprated) case). The bridge from Generations seemed well enough to me, extra consoles, dim lighting for that battleship feel. Then we go back to the Sov, and standard running is all bright and cheery again, except with really tiny consoles, and a really tiny bridge. Dare I say it, but I thought even Voyager's bridge was better laid out, and I disliked voyager rather heavily.

Anyway, that's just my two cents.

[Sarevok]

Can't help it, I'm biased. It was the one that I grew up with in the 80s when I was a wee tike, and it's design stuck.
Having said that, the flaws mentioned by others (IE, it's Hotel Style nature, its tendency to have warp core breaches, etc) are definately drawbacks to the design, however I'm looking simply at the exterior look value. For its time, (the 80s) it could have looked worse.

Having been born in the late eighties I did not got the chance view TNG when it was on. I do remember seeing a few episodes around '94 - '95 but can not remember the plots. In the later part of the ninities when I was in Ireland I watched TNG, DS9 from time to time. I enjoyed them greatly for they offered something different from other things on tv but never felt sentimental attachment to them. For me star trek is an idea, a very succesfull one and not a vision of the future as some claim. It is all about making a commercialy succesfull tv show.

[seanrobertson]

I have a confession, i actually find the Enterprise-E to be ugly as shit, The Enterprise D was more curvy, graceful, futuristic and spacious than the Enterprise-E, . The Bridge looks to damn contemporary. It's more like the high tech security offices of the Capitol Records Building. Bridges of some Voyager Episode ships were more futuristic. Promethius, the Dauntless, and the Equinox. Some of the older ships in the first five ST movies looked more futiristic Like the E-A or the Excelsior. The Engineering looks to damned cramped. The E-E is too damn cramped. The Exterior may have it right, but the interior is messed up.

Dennis,

Lots of people dislike the E-E. I like it and the E-D, but many feel the E-E is just an overblown Voyager.

John Eaves catches a lot of hell about most of his most recent designs...I think the only work he's done that's not heavily criticized is probably from "The Red October"

[BenRG]

Lots of people dislike the E-E. I like it and the E-D, but many feel the E-E is just an overblown Voyager.

John Eaves catches a lot of hell about most of his most recent designs...I think the only work he's done that's not heavily criticized is probably from "The Red October"

Oddly enough, I read an interview with him in the Titan Magazines ST:FC special in which he expressed his lasting surprise at the comparisons made between the SCS and the ICS. Apparently (or so he claims) he has never seen 'Voyager'. He claims that he simply followed his instincts; everything else is a co-incidence.

Draw your own conclusions.

[Death from the Sea]

Really the biggest similarities between the Intrepids stem from on thing, the saucer section. Both have the same shaped saucer section and they are both attached directly to the engineering section without a neck. Other than that the Sovie and Intrepids are nothing alike. Really I think that they look somewhat similar is good because for the most part you can look at any starship and tell when it was designed and what ships are from its era. The Sovie and Intrepid were designed in the same time frame and the similarities should be from the way starfleet was trying to make ships not tear up subspace with warp.

[Alyeska]

Just to let you all know, I've always liked the Galaxy design from the outwar apperance. Its not my favorite design, but it is fairly good looking and has a certain grace to it. That said, I think the Constitution Refit and Ambassador designs have even more grace to them.

[ZShade]

I'm not a big of the Galaxy look. The massive saucer and the stubby nacelles have never really looked that good to me, as opposed to the Ent-A or Ent-E, both of which look so pretty...

[Death from the Sea]

I'm not a big of the Galaxy look. The massive saucer and the stubby nacelles have never really looked that good to me, as opposed to the Ent-A or Ent-E, both of which look so pretty...

Stubby nacelles??? if you compare nacelle length the galaxy nacelles are actually longer and bigger than the constitution class nacelles. It is just because the galaxy class saucer is sooo freaking huge and the constitution saucer is not that it might look that way, but it is an optical illusion.

[Dennis Toy]

i actually think the GCS is actually tougher than the E-E Sov and the Intrepid, you see when there was heavy damage, the consoles didn't explode as much as they did in DS9 or Voyager.

[Alyeska]

i actually think the GCS is actually tougher than the E-E Sov and the Intrepid, you see when there was heavy damage, the consoles didn't explode as much as they did in DS9 or Voyager.

The E-D most definately was NOT tougher then the Sovereign class.

[ZShade]

Stubby nacelles??? if you compare nacelle length the galaxy nacelles are actually longer and bigger than the constitution class nacelles. It is just because the galaxy class saucer is sooo freaking huge and the constitution saucer is not that it might look that way, but it is an optical illusion.

Evidently, I wasn't clear enough. I dislike the Galaxy's look because it looks like it has stubby nacelles, thanks to the massive saucer.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

I can't believe that the Akira class is considered to be a fan favourite, because I recently saw a detailed 5-view of the CG model. Frankly, I think it's an ugly piece of shit.

[Alyeska]

I can't believe that the Akira class is considered to be a fan favourite, because I recently saw a detailed 5-view of the CG model. Frankly, I think it's an ugly piece of shit.

Well then you are in a very small minority. The Akira is stunning in its looks. A very refreshing design.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

It's only refreshing as long as you see it from a distance and not from the bottom.

Sorry, but I'll always be a TOS and Movie Era fan. And Although I know it most likely never existed, I'd love to see a TOS version of the Miranda class...

[Kerneth]

I have to admit, I like the E-E and the E-D, just for different reasons.

The E-D looks good for what amounts to an armed luxury liner/science ship, meant to look big and pretty and impress the natives.

The E-E looks, to me, sleeker and deadlier, which is good on a warship.

But I also like the Steamrunner, Prometheus, and Akira designs, and (grabs fireproof clothing) don't like the Constitution or Constitution refit very much. Though part of that may just be the age of the special effects.

[Dennis Toy]

oh yea the E-D is toughter, Watch Nemesis and watch all the consoles explode as in TNG the consoles rarely did.

[Frank Hipper]

It's only refreshing as long as you see it from a distance and not from the bottom.

Sorry, but I'll always be a TOS and Movie Era fan. And Although I know it most likely never existed, I'd love to see a TOS version of the Miranda class...

"Constant" class frigate.

"Coventry" class frigate.

[Peregrin Toker]

I can't believe that the Akira class is considered to be a fan favourite, because I recently saw a detailed 5-view of the CG model. Frankly, I think it's an ugly piece of shit.

My favourite of the First Contact ships is the Saber-class. It looks refreshingly different from prior Starfleet ships, without looking totally werid like the Steamrunner. (although the nacelles are a little too exposed)

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Thanks, Frank.

Now I can truly die happy.

[Frank Hipper]

Thanks, Frank.

Now I can truly die happy.

That statement made my day.
I love that site, everything from the most reasonable to the most horrid kit-bashes. And Bernd Schneider's original designs do not impress, to put it mildly.
Maybe my favorite thing on the site.