Richard C. Datin, Jr.
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference
(written from a Production point of view)
Richard C. Datin, Jr. (born 1930) was a professional model maker who built scale models for various Hollywood studios and TV commercials beginning in 1955. He was called in by the Howard Anderson Company to construct the three-foot USS Enterprise model designed by Matt Jefferies in 1964. He also worked on:
- Eleven-foot model of the Enterprise (subcontracted to Production Models Shop owned by Volmer Jensen due to space and time restraints) in 1964/1965
- Subsequent modifications on both models in 1965 and 1966
- Enterprise's shuttlebay in 1966
- Deep Space Station K-7 in 1967.
Almost forgotten as being the first model maker for Star Trek, Datin had an uphill struggle to regain recognition as such. However, with the assistance of Trek aficionado William S. McCullars, his work has become known. Interviews with him by McCullars have been published in Star Trek: Communicator Numbers 132 and 133 (2001) in which he, due to his meticulous record-keeping, provided some insightful information into the art of model-making of the 1960s. He has also been acknowledged by Howard Anderson, Jr. in the TV series Movie Magic, Season 1, Episode 11: Models and Miniatures: A Model of Perfection, in which Datin himself made a brief appearance.
In 1979, Datin changed careers and became the founding curator of the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. During this time and after his retirement in 1989 he has also written several history books about his hometown of Reno, Nevada.
