[The project can also be found on my Google Drive mirror ]

Note: I’ve created a Patreon to support my modelling projects. If you’ve found my work useful, have the means, and would like to support my efforts, please give it a look. I will continue to release my designs for free on Cults 3D and Thingiverse, but Patreon members will get early access and in progress updates on my new projects, and it will serve as a central location for announcements. Thanks for reading!

This is the first expansion parts kit meant to complement my Star Trek Constitution Class Parts Kit, adding parts to support the Miranda class and its major canon variants. All parts are meant to be cross-compatible between parts kits.

Update 2024-10-30: Once again, a significant update to my Constitution kit has required an update to the Miranda. While initially only planning on adding windows and smoothing out a few features, new detailed reference images provided by Patreon member Matthew Flegal (who also helped with quality control) led me down a rabbit hole that resulted in rebuilding more than 75% of the model. The new version is much more accurate to the original studio model, and adds significant detailing that should make prints at 1/1000 scale or even larger look very good. Special thanks also to friend and collaborator Art Braune who helped with the lengthy testing and final processing tasks needed to prepare the kit for publishing.

Update 2023-03-12: Following on the heels of my recent update to the Constitution class kit, I’ve made a pass on the Miranda, resulting in an almost completely remastered set of files. In addition to the enhanced Saucer and Nacelle details inherited from the Constitution, this revision includes substantially improved hull details intended to better match the original studio filming model. A note that the higher mesh density of these new files results in much larger file sizes. If you’re still interested in the previous version of this kit, it can be found at this location.

Update 2021-03-13: Added support for the original Reliant concept design.

Update 2021-03-10: I created the original version of this kit hot off the release of my Constitution class kit, which was my first major 3d modelling project. As a result of my inexperience this kit suffered from a number of issues. While I still don’t claim to be an expert, I’ve learned a lot in the almost 2 years since then. After remastering the Constitution kit, I’m now releasing a corresponding update to the Miranda kit. This includes improved details and closer accuracy to filming models, mesh quality cleanup and improvements, and support for additional ship variants. This is a major update and basically all of the parts have been rebuilt. If you’re looking for the old version, it’s been archived at the old Google drive location.

Due to file size limits on Thingiverse (and the latest updates increasing file sizes substantially), I’ve had to break up the contents of this kit into several zip files:

• MirandaV3a-blender-files_part1.zip – Includes both the Blender source file used to generate all STL files, as well as prepared files with the parts organized and assembled for the Miranda and Reliant concept.
• MirandaV3a-blender-files_part2.zip – prepared files with the parts organized and assembled for the other Miranda variant files.
• MirandaV3a-parts-stls.zip – All of the part STL files used to build the various combined models. Note these parts are meant for kitbashing, not printing independently.
• MirandaV3a-ship-stls_part1.zip – Combined and print-ready ship STL files for the Miranda and Reliant concept.
• MirandaV3a-ship-stls_part2.zip – Combined and print-ready ship STL files for the rest of the Miranda variants.
• MirandaV3a-ship-stls_thick_part1.zip – Ship STL files modified slightly to better support smaller scale prints.
• MirandaV3a-ship-stls_thick_part2.zip – Ship STL files modified slightly to better support smaller scale prints.

Supported ships

Screen-canon ships:

Miranda class

First seen as the USS Reliant in Star Trek II.

Lantree variant

First seen in the TNG episode Unnatural Selection.

Soyuz class

First seen in the TNG episode Cause and Effect.

Saratoga variant

First seen in the DS9 pilot.

Antares variant

First seen in the DS9 episode Favor the Bold.

Reliant concept

In the initial art design for the Reliant in Star Trek 2, the ship was meant to have an inverted layout, with the nacelles on the top and weapons pods mounted below. This sketch got approved upside down, resulting in the Miranda we know today.

Fanon ships:

Knox class light frigate

Originally from Calon Riel & Mastercom Data Center’s (Todd Guenther & co.) Ships of the Star Fleet. Also see the detailed Strategic Design (David Schmidt) plans.

Also included in this kit is a command module with integrated Torpedo tubes, with a Knox variant demonstrating this option.

Daran class frigate

Also from Ships of the Star Fleet, the Daran is a Knox variant without megaphasers and with extended shuttle landing pads

Brownwood class assault transport / tug

Originally from Jackill’s (Eric Kristiansen) Starfleet Reference Manual: Ships of the Fleet Volume 1

Hensley class heavy transport / tug

Originally from Jackill’s (Eric Kristiansen) Starfleet Reference Manual: Ships of the Fleet Volume 1

Notes on scaling and working with Blender

My target scale for all source files and output STL files is 1:1000. Although these files have not been extensively tested through printing, they are intended to be resized to match common modelling and miniatures scales.

Note: This kit was built using Blender 3.5.

Blender is free, which to be honest was the primary factor in my decision to learn it. There are many fine video and text tutorials available online if you're interested in learning more. See the Blender fundamentals tutorials playlist to get started.

You can use File -> Import -> Stl (.stl) and File -> Export -> Stl (.stl) to load or save STL files in blender.

Post-processing STL output

Although all of the STL files included have been tested as valid watertight meshes, joining the parts together and exporting new STL files can introduce small errors that may cause issues with slicing programs. I recommend any STL files you create are checked using a program like Netfabb Basic free edition. Doing a simple "Close All Holes" repair has fixed all of the issues I've run into so far. If you do run into issues with mesh quality, please let me know.

Parts list

The following lists provide a summary of each of the included parts which can be found in MirandaV3a-parts-stls. For the majority of items, the mesh origin has been set so that when you import these objects into your 3d editor of choice, they are positioned as they would be on the Miranda class.

Parts files

Combined ship STLs

These files are print-ready STL files of the various ship types included in the kit. “thick” versions of these files, intended to better support smaller scale prints are also included.

Blender files

The MirandaV3a-Parts-source.blend file contains the source Blender objects used to create the all parts files used in the kit. The rest of the .blend files contain the parts preassembled as they’re used in the various ship model files.

License

I'm releasing this under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. You're free to distribute and modify these files (even for commercial use), provided you attribute the creator (me) and distribute your contributions under the same license.