Star Trek: 10 Design Secrets Behind Iconic Ships

Though making all of three appearances in The Original Series, the D7’s ominous look captured the imagination of audiences, becoming one of Star Trek’s signature classics.

For the design, designer Matt Jeffries knew that it needed the same ‘far out’ Trek feel that the Enterprise did, that it had to be instantly recognisable as an enemy vessel, and that it needed incorporate the twin nacelle and split engineering and command hull design elements established on the Enterprise.

Wanting a shape that was aerodynamic but also reflected the Klingons’ cold and vicious nature Jeffries looked to an animal in which he found both qualities – the Manta ray. To quote him:

Even though it is not dangerous, I think a lot of people think the manta ray has a very vicious look to it, yet when it swims it is very graceful. I was trying to get all of that in there.

Look to the D7’s aft hull to see the Manta’s influence. For the ship’s grey-green colouration Jeffries drew inspiration from an even more viscous marine animal – the shark.

The design would confirm its iconic status by appearing in all three main television series, being upgraded into the K’t’inga-class for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and earning a return in the Star Trek reboot, Star Trek: Discovery.