From: patton@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Martin H Duke)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: FAQ: The 14 Enterprises
Date: 23 May 1994 03:03:10 GMT
Message-ID: <2rp6de$bi5@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU>

[Reprinted from John D. Wrbanek's article, "Stardate Chronology of the 
Enterprise," on pages 76-78 of Challenge Magazine, Issue #43.]

The 14 Enterprises

  The list below is an outline of previous ships that were christened the 
Enterprise.
  The last five of the ships listed here are starships, and a more detailed
account of thier careers can be reconstructed using stardates.
  [Note: When new information about the starships has come to light since the
printing, I put it in brackets.  A lot of the information about the B and C
was early speculation, since proven wrong.]
  I. Supply sloop, war prize (1775-1777).  Participated in the War of the
American Revolution.  Destroyed in battle.
  II. Schooner, war purchase (1776-1777).  Participated in the War of the
American Revolution.  Sold.
  III. Schoooner (1799-1823).  Fought in the Tripolitan War and the War of 
1812.  Destroyed at sea.
  IV. Schooner (1831-1845).  Scrapped.
  V. Sloop-of-war (1874-1909).  Training vessel.  Scrapped.
  VI. Aircraft carrier, Yorktown class (1938-1947).  Fought in World War II.
Scrapped.
  VII. Aircraft carrier, Forrestal class (1961-2016).  First nuclear-powered 
aircraft carrier.  Fought in the Eugenics Wars.  Scrapped.
  [Naturally, the 2016 date is pulled out of the air.]
  VIII. Prototype space shuttle (1978-1986).  Mothballed as a museum piece.
  IX. Spaceliner, Declaration line (2183-2225).  Was the largest, fastest 
spaceliner of the time.  Scrapped.
  [This is pure speculation.  It's based off a "mystery ship" in the past
Enterprises display in ST:TMP, which is obviously not a starship.]
  X. Heavy cruiser, Constitution class [2245-2285].  Fought in the War of
Organia.  Destroyed in battle.
  XI. Heavy cruiser, [Constitution] class [2286-].  
  XII. Battlecruiser, Excelsior class [?-?].
  XIII. Cruiser, [Ambassador] class [?-2344].  Destroyed in battle.
  XIV. [Explorer], Galaxy class [2363-].

[Wrbanek's references were:]
  Historical background of the Enterprise is from the *Dictionary of American
Naval Fighting Ships*.
  The Declaration class from the *Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology*, by Stan
and Fred Goldstein.

-Martin H. Duke