AMT/Ertl
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference
| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
 |
Aluminum Metal Toys (AMT) was the original producer of Star Trek model kits, acquiring the license in 1966 shortly after the premiere of the original series.
Contents |
[edit] History
The company was given rights to produce models based on the show in exchange for manufacturing the full-size Galileo shuttlecraft exterior and filming miniatures of that shuttle, the shuttlebay, and the D7 class Klingon battle cruiser. They released versions of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701, the battle cruiser, and the Romulan Bird-of-Prey, as well as models of Spock, the Galileo shuttlecraft, a standard exploration set (communicator, phaser, and tricorder), the bridge, and Deep Space Station K-7, even after the series was canceled in 1969.
The company retained the license through the 1970s, and eventually produced kits for Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the subsequent feature films. By the 1980s, the company had merged with Ertl, and began releasing kits based on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine models followed in the 1990s, as well as more ships from the nine motion pictures (at the time). The company did not acquire the license for Star Trek: Voyager, which went to Revell-Monogram. The last new kits were released by 2000. Shortly following, the company ceased production on its Trek line.
By 2005, however, AMT/Ertl was acquired by Racing Champions, a larger die-cast company which also bought Playing Mantis, the parent company of Polar Lights, Johnny Lightning and Memory Lane. The combined company is now known as Racing Champions/ERTL. Re-releases of several AMT/Ertl kits were soon announced and made available by the end of the year. As of 2007, they are still in production.
[edit] Trivia
- The USS Constellation as seen in TOS: "The Doomsday Machine" is an AMT kit, appropriately battle-damaged. The ship was given the registry NCC-1017, mostly because it was simple to rearrange the model's decal sheet.
- The AMT model of the original Enterprise was released many times over nearly thirty years. One of these models was built by future producer Ronald D. Moore when he was young. It ended up as a set decoration in James T. Kirk's crew quarters during Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
- AMT/Ertl models often appeared as set dressings during the first few seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, including the Enterprise-A, the Galileo shuttlecraft, and the USS Enterprise-D itself.
- Rick Sternbach and Andrew Probert created the Constellation-class NCC-7100 study model from two Enterprise-A kits and various other parts.
- AMT/Ertl models were used for several "kitbashed" starships from TNG and DS9. Parts from the Enterprise-D models were incorporated into the wrecked ships seen in TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" and the Nebula-class study model seen in TNG: "Future Imperfect" and "The Wounded". Many background ships seen during the Dominion War saga used parts from AMT/Ertl model kits, specifically the Enterprise-A, the Excelsior, the Reliant, and the runabout.
- Some of the gold models in the display case in the USS Enterprise-E conference lounge were simply repainted AMT/Ertl models.
- A medical device used by Julian Bashir in DS9: "Visionary" was a warp nacelle from the Romulan warbird model kit. Coincidently, the Romulans were the main adversaries in the episode.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- ErtlToys.com - official web site
- star trek.shtml Current AMT/Ertl Star Trek lineup
- Ertl Company at Wikipedia
