This kit is a fun build. I didn't light mine, but I used the Aztec Dummy masks for painting and it was worth the effort. Decals were fairly brittle in mine though, a number of the pennant stripes broke apart and it was a real job lining up the pieces, but it ended working out fantastic.
The scale of the Defiant in the show was wildly inconsistent... sometimes this large, but other times much smaller. Its length seems to vary between less than 50m and close to 200m. There also are no windows on the ship, or clear distinguishable bridge, to give it scale from just looking at it, so it was easy to cheat the scale to whatever they wanted from episode to episode. Doug Drexler, an effects artist on DS 9 once wrote, "the size of the Defiant was a hot potato from day one. Rick Berman wanted a small pocket battleship (a couple times longer than a runabout, with the girth of a regular starship), Gary [Hutzel] wanted at least 500' (152.4m)." At 1:1000 scale it is almost the same size as Voyager. Personally, I prefer to imagine it smaller, and I would not display this model with other 1:1000 scale models regardless of the scale listed on the box, it just looks way too big for what it is supposed to be. It might look better with the 1:650 TOS Enterprise, but I am even thinking I want to build this to put with the 1:350 TOS Enterprise I plan to build. To me, if the Defiant is 4 decks (as it shows on the displays on the bridge) it should only be a little larger than the bridge plus B/C deck on top of the saucer section of the Enterprise. I think that looks right to me, but because of the inconsistent scale on the show, my sense of its scale in no more "right" than those who view it as much larger. By the way, great job building and lighting this kit!
Thanks so much for this, OP. I'm about to start modeling, and this is going to be my first model. I will be using all the decals. That much masking would drive me up a wall if it's not needed. Also, I've painted other tiny things before. I've never done decals, so this should be good practice. I'm debating lighting it, but I probably will try. I've never worked with diodes or a soldering iron, but I'm crafty, so I can't imagine it'll be any harder than any other part of the model. Carving the model up will be a bit nerve-racking, but it'll be worth it for a light-up beauty like yours.
I finally got around to checking my copy of Eaglemoss’s “Shipyards - 2294 to the future” book. It states that the four round holes on either side are plasma vents.
@AllScaleTrek Did you replace the rod on the bottom? I just opened my 1/1000 Defiant kit and notice the rod is solid. I am not sure how to run wires out of the model without replacing it with a hollow tube. Is this what you do?
Yes, that model is 1/420 scale, so more than twice the size of this one. But the nice thing about this smaller kit is that it matches several of his other recent kits. It would be a dream to have all of the ships in one scale … But then where would you put them :)
@@markbelsom3174 Interesting, can you tell me why? Round 2 have been reissuing lots of old AMT kits. Also, you can occasionally get them on eBay or from good resellers like CultTVMan.
I always thought the Defiant was ugly and the front looked like a dog nose. Also it bothered me that the Defiant would dock through the front deflector dish and they show people walking through the dock like wtf lol
This kit is a fun build. I didn't light mine, but I used the Aztec Dummy masks for painting and it was worth the effort. Decals were fairly brittle in mine though, a number of the pennant stripes broke apart and it was a real job lining up the pieces, but it ended working out fantastic.
I see a trip to a new hobby store in the near future.
What color did you use for the main hall color?
Love theese very informative videos, especially for ones like me who are interested into doing lit models.
The scale of the Defiant in the show was wildly inconsistent... sometimes this large, but other times much smaller. Its length seems to vary between less than 50m and close to 200m. There also are no windows on the ship, or clear distinguishable bridge, to give it scale from just looking at it, so it was easy to cheat the scale to whatever they wanted from episode to episode. Doug Drexler, an effects artist on DS 9 once wrote, "the size of the Defiant was a hot potato from day one. Rick Berman wanted a small pocket battleship (a couple times longer than a runabout, with the girth of a regular starship), Gary [Hutzel] wanted at least 500' (152.4m)." At 1:1000 scale it is almost the same size as Voyager. Personally, I prefer to imagine it smaller, and I would not display this model with other 1:1000 scale models regardless of the scale listed on the box, it just looks way too big for what it is supposed to be. It might look better with the 1:650 TOS Enterprise, but I am even thinking I want to build this to put with the 1:350 TOS Enterprise I plan to build. To me, if the Defiant is 4 decks (as it shows on the displays on the bridge) it should only be a little larger than the bridge plus B/C deck on top of the saucer section of the Enterprise. I think that looks right to me, but because of the inconsistent scale on the show, my sense of its scale in no more "right" than those who view it as much larger.
By the way, great job building and lighting this kit!
What paint did you choose for the primary hull color?
Kirk or Picard? Sisko, definitely Sisko
Thanks so much for this, OP. I'm about to start modeling, and this is going to be my first model. I will be using all the decals. That much masking would drive me up a wall if it's not needed. Also, I've painted other tiny things before. I've never done decals, so this should be good practice. I'm debating lighting it, but I probably will try. I've never worked with diodes or a soldering iron, but I'm crafty, so I can't imagine it'll be any harder than any other part of the model. Carving the model up will be a bit nerve-racking, but it'll be worth it for a light-up beauty like yours.
You did an excellent job of lighting and painting this, but why did you leave the seams?
Makes it look so easy but, trust me and believe, there is nothing easy about any of this. Lolol
Outstanding!!
If you used tracing paper on the backs of the transparent parts the light would diffuse more evenly.
ikr...or some clear flat at least...
Hello friend fantastic video, what exact kind of gray you usted for The base of the ship?
I'm thinking of getting 3 of these ships, and one will be painted flat black.
I finally got around to checking my copy of Eaglemoss’s “Shipyards - 2294 to the future” book. It states that the four round holes on either side are plasma vents.
wha...they aren't hatches...?
I always thought they were fusion reactors.
What size hollow rod did you use????
Where do you get these kinds of LEDs?
Nice Video!!!!!
I would have gotten this kit if the panel lines weren't canyons.
@AllScaleTrek Did you replace the rod on the bottom? I just opened my 1/1000 Defiant kit and notice the rod is solid. I am not sure how to run wires out of the model without replacing it with a hollow tube. Is this what you do?
How did you run the wire through the post into the base? on mine the post is a Solid piece of metal
Same here. Did you find a solution?
@@mikelovesbacon i ended up just running the wire alongside the post and used heatshrink to cover it
How did you run the wires through the pole? My Defiant came with a solid metal pole :/
Would u please try a Marquis and Kazon ship build next?
Awesome work, has there been anything official to say defiant was inspired by the millennium falcon...I’ve only now noticed the similarities
Ah it's tiny. I have the original AMT model of the Defiant, though it lacks clear parts it is much bigger.
Yes, that model is 1/420 scale, so more than twice the size of this one. But the nice thing about this smaller kit is that it matches several of his other recent kits. It would be a dream to have all of the ships in one scale … But then where would you put them :)
Quite like the Amt large Defiant, shame the kit can't be reissued anymore.
@@markbelsom3174 I built it years ago. It's a well made kit and looks great.
@@milanondrak5564 it's just a shame the mould was broken for the Amt kit.
@@markbelsom3174 Interesting, can you tell me why? Round 2 have been reissuing lots of old AMT kits. Also, you can occasionally get them on eBay or from good resellers like CultTVMan.
Nice kit decals aren't very good though and extra names would've been a nice.
If that's "light gray" I wonder what "dark gray" is
The reliant never had a clear scale. It was always just as big as needed for dramatic effect on screen. It varries between 100 and 200 meters.
Just a comment
for the algorithm.
I always thought the Defiant was ugly and the front looked like a dog nose. Also it bothered me that the Defiant would dock through the front deflector dish and they show people walking through the dock like wtf lol
Who's this "we". I only see your hands... Great build though.
Please excuse the noobie question. At the 5:32 mark, "cut some sprew" What is sprew? I also want to put LEDs into my Defiant.