Grev Wilson’s Defiant

from 2002

I was very impressed with the detail of the ERTL kit. However the fit created a few challenges, especially as I had decided to give the model extra realism by lighting it. I had to eliminate all the seems and joints where light would seep through. This was time consuming, but well worth the effort when the models is seen lit.

My Defiant is lit by florescent tubes, two to be precise. One for each warp engine (which also provides lighting for the lower deck’s windows and impulse engines). Four flashing LED’s provide running lights, and a single 6 Volt incandescent to light the deflector module and dish. Additional coloured lights were achieved by mounting coloured acetate behind holes drilled into the hull. The whole thing uses a 6 Volt supply which is built into the base, where one switch brings the ship to life.

To prevent light leaks I painted the inside of the model black (a couple of coats), then gloss white, this not only stops light from seeping through the hull, but reflects all available light around the inside of the model. This maximises the effect of the lighting.

Painting the exterior was virtually all airbrush work. This was the first time I had used this method but I quickly saw the benefits over brush painting. A much higher level of realism is achieved this way. The colours are a bit of a challenge, most were mixed to try to match various images and photos for reference.

The whole project took a few hours a week over several weeks, but the end result is well worth the time and effort. The model looked good enough to try some creative photos. I have a feeling that more Star Fleet vessels will follow the defiant.

Grev Wilson