Phaser Type-II

Seen in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, Star Trek: Generations, TNG’s "Too Short a Season" (in both cases - no pun intended! - as part of a wall display; it's also been re-dressed with some sort of wrapping around the pistol-grip) and "Final Mission," and DS9’s "The Passenger" (firing a swirly lightning-like lilac beam!). My personal favourite phaser design, as well!

The same technical manual mentioned previously referred to this as a Type-IIb, and the prop looks more fitted to be an enhanced Type-IIa; certainly the hand phaser prop exists, as shown below - but it's never been seen or used onscreen.

From my impression of the images, it's always struck me there's a curiously 'retro' feel to this design, in the way it harkens back to the Original series phaser pistol. It also looked rather unwieldy and, I suspected, difficult to aim! However, two sources have independently contacted me as owners of this prop and assured me nothing could be further from the case. . .

Ron Daniels says "I own a Richard Coyle ST3-style Phaser Pistol (the II-b) and I can tell you that it is VERY comfortable and actually aims well compared to my experience with firing real pistols and so forth. The slight angle of the handle makes it form a very accurate straight line from the 'point and press' standpoint of aiming. The other thing, and it might just be a quirk of my own personal prop, is that the gun is more comfortable in the left hand than the right. Since I'm left handed this doesn't bother me in the least." He goes on: "One of the interesting problems most people come across with all the props from ST3 is that the available pictures are all from the ILM-built proposal prototypes. The final products shown in the film have some detail differences. If you look at the images pictures in FASA’s ST3 Update to the RPG, Mr. Scott’s Guide, the Art of Star Trek and all the rest you’ll see the prototype builds. If you look very carefully at the film you’ll see that the hand held props don’t quite match up." He's provided some of the images below, with more images on his website.

Gary Stahl says "I have a 1/1 resin model of this phaser. Contrary to appearances it's not unwieldy at all and falls into a natural aiming point with a natural position of the hand.  It's quite ergonomically designed. It surprised me as well. . . The phaser one is removable, I've hollowed out a spot to place a velcro patch to keep the Type-I in place without glue." He's also provided an image of his prop, albeit in the middle of stripping for re-painting.

One unusual feature: a Klingon shot by Kirk is sent flying – a concussive beam, or just very heavy stun?

Also, notice how this film continues on directly from Star Trek II which featured an earlier model of phaser, yet we see Enterprise security guards armed with this new model? When they rendezvoused (offscreen) with the Grissom, did they get a new consignment of weapons? I don't think, so why would they? One theory I have is that this phaser is in fact an earlier equivalent of the Assault Phaser - after all, if we take the presence of the TMP-TWOK phaser in both 2271 and 2344 as proof that it remained in service the whole time, then logic (!) dictates that it is possible to have more than one model as standard issue. The TSFS Phaser could then be a heavier-duty weapon - just like the Assault Phaser - issued to security personnel.

This theory explains the fact that we see security personnel in TMP carrying the 'ordinary' phaser - perhaps the TSFS phaser hadn't been introduced yet - but not Kirk's Regula 1 landing party carrying them; surely a potentially hazardous mission called for some hazardous firepower? But then, you'd think they take more security than one cadet to escort a flag officer and the ship's doctor

www.phasers.net/2280/2285.htm


Type 2 phaser

Type-2 phaser circa 2372
Type:     Phaser
Output:     Adjustable width beam / bolt (alternate reality)
Manufacturer:     Starfleet
Era:     23rd century to 29th century

A type-2 phaser or phaser pistol is a typical hand-held directed-energy phaser weapon used by Starfleet and United Federation of Planets personnel during the 23rd and 24th and the 29th century.

More powerful and generally larger in size than the type 1 phaser, type 2 phasers were kept aboard Starfleet and Federation starships, starbases, space stations and at planetary facilities.
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General specificationsEdit

A descendant of the EM weapons and phase pistols of the 22nd century, the type 2 phaser was introduced before the mid-23rd century and was standard issue aboard Starfleet vessels by the 2260s. In the nearly two hundred years since their introduction to Starfleet personnel, several models and makes have been observed.

Utilized primarily in defensive situations, the phaser type-2 had several applications, from use as a weapon to use as a cutting tool, explosive device, or energy source. Storing considerable energy, most phasers were distinguished by a roughly pistol or gun-type configuration, firing a focused energy discharge in the form of a beam or steady stream. (TOS: "The Naked Time", "The Conscience of the King", "The Galileo Seven")
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Models and variationsEdit
23rd centuryEdit

As early as the 2260s, Federation type 2 phasers were characterized by an unmistakably gun-like appearance. Varying in color from black and white, gray and black, and gray and copper combination, the 2260s model featured identifiable barrel and trigger structures, with an elongated handle/power pack capable of being quickly swapped out and "reloaded".

Unlike the majority of its progeny, the type 2 phaser of the 2260s – and later the 2280s – featured an integrated companion, top-mounted type-1 hand phaser. (TOS: "The Devil in the Dark", "The Omega Glory")

Type 2 phasers of this period were, like later models, capable of power adjustment. Beam intensity and even speed and motion could be altered depending on the intended function. They could be utilized to produce a cutting beam, capable of slicing through a bulkhead, or to generate a phaser "spread". The energy from a 2260s model could also be drained (a process which took several hours) and used as a power source. The energy from six phasers was capable of launching a small vessel or shuttlecraft into an unsustainable orbit around a planet for several hours. Adjustments could be made by a small knob at the rear of the device, and one on the front of the left side. (TOS: "The Naked Time", "Wink of an Eye", "The Galileo Seven"; ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"). When overloaded, a 2260s type 2 phaser had the capacity to destroy a significant portion of a starship. (TOS: "The Conscience of the King")

The destructive power of the phaser type-2 of this era has been measured in thousands of lives, when large numbers of Yangs were killed on the planet Omega IV in 2268. Proconsul Claudius Marcus, of planet 892-IV's equivalent of the Roman Empire, noted that 100 men armed with hand phasers could "defeat the combined armies of Rome". At its maximum setting, it could disintegrate an object up to the size of an average humanoid. (TOS: "The Omega Glory", "Bread and Circuses")

During the period ranging between the late 2270s and the early 2290s, at least three phaser type-2 variants were put into service aboard Federation starships and space stations.

Consisting of single-piece and phaser type-1 and type-2 combination units, most phasers of this time were characterized by a dark-gray coloration, some with a number of control buttons allowing adjustments to be made for the desired affect.

Functioning similarly to the 2260s-style type 2 phaser, the phaser-2 models of this period were powerful enough to vaporize targets up to the size of an average humanoid and could throw a stunned individual several feet in certain circumstances. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

By 2287, type 2 phasers had become sleek, black models with removable clips at the handle. They were stowed in equipment lockers aboard Federation starships and shuttlecraft, though they would trigger an alarm if fired at certain settings. A phaser of this design fired on stun at close range was lethal. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

In the alternate reality created in 2233 by Nero, the alternate 2250s version of the type 2 phaser became silver, albeit with a body reminiscent of the original design, with a rotating barrel for switching between stun and kill settings. They were only seen to fire bolts rather than continuous beams. (Star Trek)