Comic Con 08: Mattel Reveals New Star Trek R/C Toys & Sparks A Movie Rumor

It was just in June that CBS announced their new Star Trek licensing deal with Mattel, the world’s largest toy company, and we have already seen the beginnings of the 20Q product and this week at Comic Con Mattel are showing off prototypes of their very cool line of Tyco RC Flyer toys, which apparently have started new some new rumors, which we will debunk.

Fly your own Enterprise – but not the new movie Enterprise…yet
Mattel’s Tyco is planning on four different flying Enterprise toys for release in early 2009.  The entry-level toy, called the ‘Power Charger,’ is $20 and comes has no radio controller. You just charge it up and it flies around in a circle. For $40 you get the same toy but with an R/C controller. This standard model will also come available as a Klingon Bird of Prey. There is a Deluxe Enterprise for $70 which is a bit bigger and of better construction, plus you get a very cool controller that is shaped like a TOS communicator and you control the flight via a touch-screen. There is also a Tricorder which acts as the charger. And if that wasn’t cool enough, there is a giant 4 foot version which comes with the same communicator and Tricorder. (see pics and video below)

Mattel is displaying prototypes of the various R/C flyers, with two Enterprise designs. One is based on the movie era and another on the classic TV series 1701. John Ludwig, Mattel’s Tyco Product manager, tells TrekMovie that all the R/C fliers will likely be based on the refit because the shape (notably the swept back nacelle pylons) makes it more aerodynamic. One thing is for sure, neither of the ships being displayed were based on a design from the new Star Trek movie, unlike a rumor being floated by TrekWeb. However Ludwig tells TrekMovie that they will be making a R/C Enterprise from the new movie, but that will not be out until shortly before the movie. Mattel also hopes to expand the line to include ships from other Trek series as well, like a Voyager, Enterprise D and more.

VIDEO Tour of new Tyco R/C Enterprise toys [UPDATED]

PICTURES (click to enlarge)


Entry level: Enterprise Power Charger – MSRP $19.99


Standard: Bird of Prey R/C – MSRP $39.99
(Also available as Enterprise)


Deluxe R/C Enterprise w/ Communicator controller
and Tricorder charger- MSRP $69.99
(not final design, may us refit instead)


Special Edition – Giant R/C Enterprise – MSRP $199.99
(not final design, may us refit instead)


Packaging (not final)

 

 

 

64 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

I’ve never bought a Star Trek toy before, but I think I will this year. The R/C Enterprise looks AWESOME!

erm ..yeh…they look awful

Well, that certainly is interesting. In a strange sort of way.

No, no, the models don’t show the Enterprise from the teaser trailer.

i would not say there awfull i mean the enerprise is not the most aerodynamtic ship , so they look o.k.

The fun begins when we watch all the posts who ignore the article and start to freak out that the movie Enterprise is all wrong.

“The entry level E is not canon!” “The communicator’s moire is supposed to be round!” “Where’s the sombrero?” “THIS IS A DISASTER!!!”

Freakin’ cool.

The idea of making the accessories as tricorder and communicator are a brilliant touch.

I will certainly get one to chase the cats with

Are these toys free???? That would be about the right price for them!

If the new movie Enterprise looks anything like the RC toy pictured here I think many people will be pleased, including myself!

Y’know… Those “others are wrong, we are right” attitude is getting quite annoying :). In particular, here naming TrekWeb as rumour spreaders. It’s not cool, do your job, report your stories, leave others be.

does someone from mattel administer the forum, as even though my opinion was the first post (not that I care), it has now been relegated to 2nd place after posting it. Being replaced by a more positive opinion, even though that particular post wasnt 2nd 3rd or 4th after a few refreshes.

i agree with 2. captain slow … they look awful!

I wonder how much fun it would be to have the Enterprise hit someone in the head,,

:o )

awesome! can’t wait to have one…or several. I can create a fleet and have my own armada. There’s a funny sight when they’re launched. Oh well. It’s about time something like this came around. I remember one I bought about 10 years ago, I think it was the Enterprise-D…it fell apart before you could say “engage”.

“Packaging (not final)”

I would hope not, given the article on the new unified packaging the Trek ‘brand’ will be getting. These temporary packages look like they were designed 20 years ago during the early days of TNG.

My God my neighbors will freak when they see that 4 ft Enterprise swoop down on them!

That is pure ubercheese!

I hope they sit on shelves and collect dust.

My uncle has all the Hallmark Trek ornaments, and does a second Trek Tree every year. I thinkn it would be all kinds of cool to set this in continuous orbit around the tree.

#9–the story IS that it is indeed a rumor that these toys are not based on the movie — so there is nothing wrong with debunking it. Someone has to be wrong. Frankly I can’t understand how anyone could think that these could be based on the movie. Also the very nature of a block is to filter news with the blogger’s own spin. A blog entry represents a bit of news presented in whatever context the blogger wants to put on it. That’s the difference between a blog and a news source. When it can be a little of both — as this one frequently is, all the better. So when you tell some — in what amounts to their own private space that they’ve graciously invited you into to shut up and do their job, you come off a little boorish. Sorry Anthony, I’m sure you can fight your own battles.

From my experience with RC planes as a youngster, I wouldn’t have thought an Enterprise model could fly. However, people have made some pretty outrageous models fly–I remember a flying lawnmower which was hilarious and really flyed pretty well. I believe it had clear plastic wings which you didn’t see all that easily when it was in flight.

I can sorta see that they have made an airfoil out of the saucer section, adding a little dihedral. Vertical and horizontal stabilizers must be combined using the nacelle pylons.

I’m not sure what is providing thrust. Is there a little propellor discreetly placed somewhere on the model?

This is pretty cool! I’ll probably have to get one! :)

As for how they work, my guess is that it’s like one of those “Air Hogs” planes with the tiny little battery powered prop motors that generate such outrageous thrust for their size.

#18
Well, you’ve put a lot of thing in my mouth that I didn’t say. I’m not fighting any battles, just commenting. I don’t have any hidden agenda, nor do I want a flame.
Anthony can take it as a suggestion, or he can mark it as rubbish from an angry reader, as you did. But that isn’t what it is.

I’m just saying it’s not nice nor necessary to name other sites. People will see article here, and if they saw TrekWeb’s article, they’ll ignore it and see what those models really are.
I don’t see TrekMovie as a personal blog with personal opinions, there other authors contributing here besides Anthony, and audience is quite larger than blogs usually have.

Sorry if I offended anyone, it wasn’t my intention. English isn’t my mothers tongue, and what I wanted to say may not turn out as I wanted it to.
Sorry if I offended anyone, english isn’t my mothers tongue, and what I wanted to say may not turn out as I wanted it to. So no need to stretch this further…

*eye twitch*

humina humina humina humina…

Whooo hooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You think THAT TOS Enterprise can’t fly well, try jamming a rocket engine up the back of an Estes Enterprise model. Yikes, you’ll be lucky if all the parts land in the same tree. My Klingon D7 flew very well until I crashed it so many times, the glue was holding glue together.

For 20 bucks, this could be cool, if you’ve got a kid who likes the E and wants to fly circles. 40 is a little steep to get radio control. For that, you could make a nice kit of something more aerodynamic.

This is amazing! The enterprise flies! I want the gigantic $200 one!

These look fun!

Thanks Anthony, keep the “Con” coverage commin’!

#19

Look at the saucer section during the video…there are 2 propellors slotted into it on both sides of the bridge.

Personally, I never thought I’d see the Enterprise made into an R/C aircraft. Never seemed possible to me. Guess That’s wht I’m not a Mattel engineers. Good going, guys. I’d be very interested in seeing them in action…especially that 4-foot monster.

Excuse my typos…this is not my pc…and the freakin’ keyboard is too small…lol

Thanks Ensign Ro, I checked out the vid again, and squinted :)

An actual flying Enterprise is going to be –seriously– cool!

(btw–Ensign Ro was one of the coolest side characters from TNG. And Michelle Forbes was so awesome on BSG)

there’s a boat load of star trek toys coming out with all the major retailers bringing stuff out.. wow.. that will empty my wallet..

Thanks for the info Anthony, please keep it coming…May the Great Bird of The Galaxy keep you

cool toys…i wanna see the “new” Enterprise !!!! :(

commander diaz

#23 – CmdrR – LMFAO You got that right. As a kid, those things were ‘one shot’ kit builds. I’d find one nacelle in the neighbor’s yard, and the other one would be lost in the woods. Estes did NOT put too much thought into that one. For that matter, the rocket derby at Scout summer camp provided no end of amusement some years. Once, I stuck a C6-5 in a Mosquito, and lost a stabilizer at liftoff. It got about 7 feet of altitude, leveled off parallel to the ground, and went a quarter mile straight out the camp gate. LOL Never saw it again.

These SUCK!! If this is what JJ thinks NCC-1701 looks like then he can watch his movie alone.

Somebody needs to proofread articles before they get posted.

I wonder how long they can fly around for? Nonetheless very cool.

#32 I believe the site you’re looking for is http://www.aintitcool.com, easy mistake to make, though. Oh and Doc says the ritalin prescription should still be good, so how about a refill?

My wife is dying to have another communicator prop around the house. So I may have to get that controller.

this is cool!!!

…After seeing these, I wil never, *EVER* complain about the old Estes USS Enterprise model rocket:

http://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/oop/est_star_trek_enterprise.shtml

…Star Trek Tracer Gun! Come Back! All Is Forgiven!!

[shakes head in utter dismay]

RE: #32

“Just shaking my head and rolling my eyes*

#10

It’s far more likely that you were posting at the same time as #1, and just needed to refresh your cache. If he didn’t want your opinion here, he’d have deleted it.

I suppose the folks at Mattel are just doing the best they can to make an Enterprise model fly, but I have to agree that they look so poor in representing the Old Girl that I can see why some fans — those who are a good deal more invested in it than I am — could see them as an insult… blatant, tactless marketing hucksterism.

In my case, I just roll my eyes and move on, figuring that fools are soon parted with their money anyway (George Lucas has gotten me used to it with whole galaxies of Star Wars-related marketing tripe).

Next up: The Nerf Enterprise — throw it around on the beach, play badminton with it… fun for the whole family!

Einstein wants the deluxe version.

#27 and #28 I’m Absolutely Serious About this, but Michelle Forbes, is My cousin. Not lying. Haven’t met Her yet, Because She lives Pretty far away, My Mother does know Her family. I haven’t seen Her on BSG yet. Ensign Ro was
was Cool and I was So bummed when I heard She turned down DS9, but at least we got another Kick ass Bajoran Character out of it. As for Ro ,well Here’s hoping She’s The Last Maquis ;)

Re: 15. John from Cincinnati – July 24, 2008

“My God my neighbors will freak when they see that 4 ft Enterprise swoop down on them!”

My neighbors will “freak” as well and then shoot the model out of its orbit. Unfortunately my neighbors are Jethro and Uncle Jed clones. Yes, the Clampett family resides a mere 20 meters from my home…..the big “E” is doomed.

I’m still waiting for the Enterprise mod 747.

C’mon, Boeing, get your priorities straight!

I must buy all of them!

Just got my Spock Poster today!!!!!!!

I kinda like the first Enterprise Flyer’s design, If the Ship In the Movie looked More like That, I wouldn’t Be disappointed. The 4ft one is pretty cool.