Template:Realworld The Star Fleet Uniform Recognition Manual is a Star Trek reference work, not officially recognized as canonical by Paramount Pictures, written and illustrated by Shane Johnson and originally published by the Noron Group in 1985. It is a companion volume to one of his previous works, Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise, concentrating primarily on uniforms and clothing.
Contents
The book is divided into five chapters, all of which have their own headings.
Federation Color Codes
The first chapter, called "Federation Color Codes," is just that – a table of Federation color codes which adds eight colors to the list of thirty-two that Franz Joseph's design company provided in the Star Fleet Technical Manual. This "chapter" also includes tables of Star Fleet section colors past and present and a key to the symbols that Johnson uses in the book.
Insignia And Rank
The second chapter, titled "Insignia And Rank," is a series of drawings, some of which also include text; they depict how starship assignment and service grades were previously indicated as well as how they have since been indicated.
- (Since the manual was written and published not long after Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was released, this chapter includes details about the uniforms that were introduced in that motion picture.)
Uniforms (Obsolete)
The third chapter is titled "Uniforms (Obsolete)" and depicts the uniforms and other gear worn at the approximate time of TOS.
- The uniforms shown are all of William Ware Theiss's design for TOS, but the chapter erroneously includes a dress uniform for female personnel that differ from what was actually shown in TOS.
Uniforms (Current)
The fourth chapter is titled "Uniforms (Current)," and it primarily depicts the uniforms that were introduced in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. This uniform design is often called the "monster maroon" uniform because of the difficulty fans often have in assembling it for personal wearing.
- This section includes, primarily, Robert Fletcher's SECOND series of uniform designs, his first having been for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, but not Nilo Rodis-Jamero's additional designs for the later motion pictures.
One uniform described and depicted in this chapter, but not shown in any Star Trek motion picture, is the "Diplomatic Dress Uniform." The references Johnson employed in drawing it and listing its details are not known. Paramount Pictures is not known to have provided any photographs of this uniform for reference works; thus it is not considered an officially recognized Star Fleet uniform.
Intelligence Report
The fifth and final chapter, titled "Intelligence Report," shows Klingon uniforms past and present, as well as how the appearances of the Klingons have changed since they were first shown, and concludes with an illustration of how the outfit Ricardo Montalban wore as Khan Noonien Singh might have looked when it was intact. According to Johnson, this outfit was actually the remains of a life support suit designed specifically for use with the DY series of sleeper ships.
- Again, William Ware Theiss designed the original Klingon uniforms; Robert Fletcher designed the later ones. Fletcher's design for Khan's outfit was meant to show off Montalban's considerable muscular development, a by-product of a strenuous physical regimen the actor maintained, to counter the effects of a disability that later proved to have been a birth deformity, till his last years.
Canon violation
The Star Fleet Uniform Recognition Manual is not considered official Star Trek canon material, even though it does contain design details of the so-called "monster maroon" uniforms that had not been officially referred to in any canon sources. It uses a timeline Paramount Pictures officially considers faulty, ascribing the time when the various ship badges became obsolete to the early decades of the 23rd century, which James T. Kirk's reference to the year 2283 in Star Trek II contradicts.