I don't think so. However, Blender is compiled with Python. It will run without it, but all extension scripts do require Python to work properly or even at all in most cases. From what I understand, Macs are not susceptible to an issue that Windows users face about having to redirect and create the home environment variables to point Blender towards the Python home folder. I could be wrong about this, but I believe that Mac does have Python natively installed, the question is whether or not you have the correct one.

There is pretty extensive documentation for Blender on the Blender site. It's a little hard to get to, though, so it's not like an easy-to-use manual, unfortunately. I'd also highly recommend picking up "Blender Basics," which can be downloaded here.

Blender should open up two windows. One is the Blender window, a second one is a code window. Most of the time, the second one is ignored. However, check when you start up that it says, "Checking for installed Python... got it! Continuing happily."

If Python is working correctly and Blender still isn't importing the file well, you could try importing individual pieces and rebuilding the ship in Blender. A pain, I know. However, generally Blender's import scripts are pretty good.

Aha! Blender only opens with one window on my computer, and when it does, it never says anything about Python. Furthermore, I've no idea what this progress bar is supposed to do.

It changes color sometimes when importing and changes size, growing from the left side to the right, so I know it's a progress bar of some sort. Just not sure what it's for.

Since the second window isn't opening, is there any way to open it manually?

Interesting... I've never used Blender on Mac yet, so this is new to me. You're sure it doesn't open up a second window in any way? A small one, hidden behind the main window? If you want as well, PM me and I'll send you an e-mail address you could send me the sketchup file and I'll see if the problem is the Python script from my end.

To be honest, I really don't know what the progress bar does. I vaguely remember reading something about it once and having to do with packed vs. unpacked files, but I really couldn't comment on it.

I'llalso try to download the Blender .dmg and try out Blender on the Mac I have at home and see if I can figure this out for you.

Yargh. I did the import, and it doesn't like the .dae files that Sketchup is putting out. One thing that might be worth trying is importing the blocks to Blender and assembling the ships there, though with the Collada import script, that may not work excellently there either. All those wierd x/y things are called empties, and they actually serve a lot of uses in Blender, but in this case, just delete them.

I'm not sure if Lightwave or Maya does any better with Sketchup files. Both are pretty prohibitively expensive in most cases.