NCC-1701/3

NCC-1701/3 was a class F shuttlecraft in service to Starfleet in the 23rd century. The shuttle was assigned to the Federation starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in the 2260s.

Service history
In the 2260s, Kirk, Spock, and  took the unarmed NCC-1701/3 to explore the surface of Planet 656 and look for signs of intelligent life. They landed next to a small building along the shore. When a very large dinosaur-like creature emerged from the water to threaten the landing party, Spock and Ferris quickly returned to the shuttle and used it to draw attention away from Kirk and Morton. Ferris later followed Spock's orders to lift off and return by himself to the Enterprise. 

Three Sklurrians, including the Shell Supreme, transited through space between their command ship and the Enterprise for a diplomatic visit, but unfortunately this occurred just as a Romulan vessel appeared. Kirk immediately used NCC-1701/3 to intercept any weapons fire, allowing the delegation to come board through the aft airlock. But Romulan commander Nereus fired concussion charges that left the shuttle without power. A boarding party used anesthesia gas, then captured everyone aboard. The shuttle was retrieved by the Enterprise and later used to rescue the prisoners. 

Rebel Dak-Alphan soldiers reprogrammed James T. Kirk and Spock to gas the Enterprise crew and bring down all of the ship's shuttles. Soldiers crammed aboard NCC-1701/3, Galileo, NCC-1701/4,  Einstein and two others, and landed all six vehicles in the shuttle bay. Instead of easily taking over the starship, however, the soldiers were arrested by a dozen armed Starfleet security officers. 

At some point, the shuttle was refitted with missiles and shields. When captured rebel killed three crewmen in the shuttle bay and fled the Enterprise aboard shuttlecraft NCC-1701//5, Kirk mobilized NCC-1701/3,  Galileo and a third shuttle as a task force to go after the escaped renegade exile. Zar fled to his former moon base and fired at the task force with overwhelming force. Kirk withdrew, gained telemetry data, then returned for a strategic strike that destroyed the facility. 

Shuttles NCC-1701/3 and NCC-1701/5 brought exploratory landing parties through the atmosphere of the planet. In mid flight, a fungus rapidly spread along the hulls of both ships, cutting off engine power. NCC-1701/5 crashed into a mountain, but NCC-1701/3 manged to go down in a lake. Kirk, Spock and five crewmen abandoned ship in a life raft. The fungus dissipated upon contact with water, leaving the shuttle waterlogged, but intact and salvageable. 

By 2269, NCC-1701/3 had been destroyed or retired from service. An armored lander shuttle with the same registry replaced it aboard the Enterprise. 


 * This vessel could be the Enterprise shuttle Icarus, which was heavily damaged during a crash landing in 2254 with Christopher Pike aboard, or it could be a 2260s replacement for that spacecraft. Its name was not cited or visible in any of its appearances.