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In the Star Trek: TOS episode "Requiem for Methuselah", the title character shrinks the Enterprise. You can see Kirk inspecting this miniature Enterprise on a table:

mini Enterprise

Was this particular prop ever used to portray the Enterprise in space (e.g. opening credits, orbiting a planet, or in battle)?

Related, but does not answer the question: At how many different scales were starship Enterprise models produced?

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Yes, the "three foot" model was used to film some special effects scenes of the U. S. S. Enterprise in outer space.

The "three-foot" model (actually 33 inches long instead of 36 inches) was completed and delivered on December 14, 1964, and was used to film all the special effects shots of the Enterprise in space in "The Cage", the first pilot film, up to December 24, 1964.

The eleven foot model of the Enterprise was delivered on December 29, 1964, and was used to film one special effects scene in "The Cage".

The "three foot" model was used to film the opening title sequence used in all episodes and for additional scenes in some episodes. Episodes which included scenes of the "three foot" model include: "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "Tomorrow is Yesterday", "By Any Other Name", where it was used for special effects in space scenes, and "Requiem for Methuselah" where it appeared on a table top as the original question said.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Constitution_class_model_(original)1

I asked for information on this subject at the Trek BBS site:

https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/tos-enterprise-filming-models.299515/#post-129271322

This is supposed to be a list of all shots of the Enterprise, specifying which of the models were used:

http://www.trekplace.com/tosfxcatalog.html3

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    @DrSheldon I expanded my answer.
    – M. A. Golding
    Jul 20, 2019 at 21:42
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I can't find any information on the specific prop (source: These Are The Voyages: Vol 3 by Marc Cushman) but my understanding is that the shots of the Enterprise used in the opening credits, orbiting planets etc were done using a much larger model.

The prop in question appears too small for close up work on film and was likely made for the episode or pre-production reference purposes.

I did find a reference to a smaller pre-production model in These Are The Voyages: Vol 1 by Marc Cushman) with the caption

Roddenberry inspects a model of the U.S.S. Enterprise while on location at Desilu 40 Acres, before approving the making of the 11 foot 2 inch version.

enter image description here

11ft long model

enter image description here

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    Thank you for your answer. Your picture of the smaller model does a better job than mine at showing the scale of the model. Would you say that this is the 3 foot model?
    – DrSheldon
    May 1, 2019 at 5:59
  • There does not seem to have been another model so it seems likely that the 3ft one was used in the episode.
    – Paulie_D
    May 1, 2019 at 7:19

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