Register

Long-Lost Piece of ‘Star Trek’ History Finally Authenticated

First 'Enterprise' model returned after decades missing.

A wooden model of Starship Enterprise 1701 from the iconic TV show 'Star Trek' has been authenticated. [Credit: Willrow Hood / Shutterstock]
A wooden model of Starship Enterprise 1701 from the iconic TV show 'Star Trek' has been authenticated. [Credit: Willrow Hood/Shutterstock]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The original 3-foot-long model of Starship USS Enterprise, personally owned by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and missing for over 45 years, has been found and positively identified.
  • The model, used for publicity for the 1964 Star Trek pilot, resurfaced on eBay in 2023 and was subsequently authenticated by Gene Roddenberry's son, Rod Roddenberry, and expert model makers.
  • After preservation, Rod Roddenberry intends to display the historical artifact publicly, possibly in a museum.
See a mistake? Contact us.

The first model of Star Trek‘s Starship USS Enterprise that was the personal property of franchise creator Gene Roddenberry and has been missing for more than 45 years has been positively identified as the real deal.

The model showed up on eBay in 2023, but the auction was quickly taken down when the seller learned the model might have been stolen.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE