Klingon D-7 Class - Coloration

In terms of color, I wanted to orientate myself on the TOS filming miniature and at the same time build a bridge to the IKS Gr'oth from the DS9 episode "Trials and Tribble-ations".

The hull color of the Klingon D-7 class consists of two colors.
A lighter one:
+ 50% US Grey Light (71045)
+ 10% Gunship Green (71014)
+ 40% USAF Medium Grey (71120)

And a darker one:
+ the color I had mixed before
+ 20% Medium Sea Grey (71049)

While the ship in TOS has a rather blue-gray basic shade, the makers of Star Trek chose a rather green-gray shade for the DS9 episode. I also like that more, because the ship then fits better with the other known Klingon ships, which all have a green basic tone.

screencapture by trekcore.com (DS9 "Trials and Tribble-ations")

Klingon D-7 Class

As seen in Star Trek TOS - this is the Klingon D-7 class resin kit in 1/1400 which I bought. It's a detailed kit with small parts and 16.8cm in length.

This sketch of Matt Jefferies is somewhat rudimentary than the final design. But the early stage of development for this Klingon D-7 is very clear.

design sketch by Matt Jefferies

The kit is pretty accurate. I only added a few details to the head and the disruptors.

STAR TREK Size Comparison Charts - Ships from TNG to DS9

 Here are the size chart with the ships from the Alpha, Beta and Gamma Quadrant.

PS: A special thank (and all copyright) for the picture material to: John Eaves, Drex Files, Star Trek Fact Files and Star Trek The Magazine, Starship Collection Magazine and The Light Works.

Size calculations:

USS Defiant

Vulcan Ship T'Pau

Hideki Class

VoDIeH Class (alternate Negh'Var)

Romulan Warbird

K'Tinga Class

Ferengi Marauder

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STAR TREK Size Comparison Charts - Starfleet and Earth Ships

  Here are the size chart with the ships from the Alpha, Beta and Gamma Quadrant.

PS: A special thank (and all copyright) for the picture material to: John Eaves, Drex Files, Star Trek Fact Files and Star Trek The Magazine, Starship Collection Magazine and The Light Works.

Size calculations:

USS Defiant      USS Relativity

Excelsior Class      Excelsior II class

Oberth Class      Sovereign class

Enterprise (DSC)      Ambassador class

USS Discovery      Pathfinder class

USS Shenzhou      Edison class

 Nova class      Odyssey class

Reliant class      Gagarin class 

Inquiry class      Sagan class

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STAR TREK Size Comparison Charts - Space Stations from DS9

Here are the size chart with the Space Stations and Outposts seen in Star Trek Deep Space Nine.

PS: A special thank (and all copyright) for the picture material to: John Eaves, Drex Files, Star Trek Fact Files and Star Trek The Magazine, Starship Collection Magazine and The Light Works.

Size calculations:

Deep Space Nine

USS Defiant

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Klingon Vor'cHa class - Decals

Decals are also supplied with the 3D printed parts I bought to build the Vor'cHa class. Here you can choose between the TNG version and the DS9 version. Because I already decided to paint the DS9 version, I also chose the decals for it.

You can still choose between "new" and "used" versions. I love the used effect. The Klingon emblem looks scratched, which fits very well with the unkempt condition of Klingon spaceships.

The decals for the Radiator Block in darker grey.

The Warp nacelle decals.

The tiny Klingon letters are printed very fine.

The scratched red markings on the Phasers at the back of the ship.

The scratched Klingon emblem on the bottom.

All in all, the decals are very easy to work with. They are thin and therefore fit well with the model. The colors are realistic.

Klingon Vor'cHa Class - Coloration

The hull color of the Klingon Vor'cHa class has a mix of 40% Gunship Green (71014) and 60% Pale Blue (71008).
The radiator blocks are brushed in Barley Grey (71051).

I chose the color variation from Star Trek Deep Space Nine.

screenshot by trekcore.com (DS9: "The Way Of The Warrior - II")

 For the sand colored plates I used a mix of:

• Tan Yellow (70912) 60%
• Ger. Fieldgrey WWII (70830) 30% 
• Glaze Medium (70596) 10%.

For the Phaser stripes and Phaser blocks on the back I used the same mix and add a little bit Deep Yellow (70915).

The slightly lighter green areas are painted with a mix of 

• Pale Sand (70937) 20% 
• Ger. Fieldgrey WWII (70830) 60%
• Glaze Medium (70596) 10%.

The small bright areas are painted with 

• Pale Sand (70937) 60% 
• Ger. Fieldgrey WWII (70830) 40%

 All the small red markings are painted with Red Leather (70818).

For the metallic details in the middle on the Warp nacelles I used Copper (77710).
I painted the three stripes in the back area with Gunmetal (70863).

The dark red colored plates have a mix of:

• Red Tail Light Ger. (Panzer Aces 307) 30%
• Ger. Fieldgrey WWII (70830) 60%
• Glaze Medium (70596) 10%

The details arround the Deflector is German C. Pale Brown (70825).

All windows are painted in White (71001).

The weathering around all panels is a mix of:

• Track Primer (Panzer Aces 304) 70%
• Glaze Medium (70596) 30%

Klingon Vor'cHa Class - 3D printed upgrade kit

I bought the Klingon Vor'cha class decals from Omega Shipyard with 3D printed parts. It has nice details to upgrade the model kit.

Improved details of the head section.

The airlock at the rear of the ship.

Detail part of the bottom of the ship.

Klingon Vor'cHa Class

The Vor'cHa class attack cruiser had its debut in Star Trek: The Next Generation's fourth season episode "Reunion" and got a new color scheme for Deep Space Nine.

The ship was designed by Rick Sternbach.

design sketch by Rick Sternbach

Recently I bought the Klingon Vor'cHa class plastic model kit in 1/1400. It's a very accurate kit - the whole ship is 34,5cm long when assembled.

Almost all surface details of the studio model are implemented on the miniature.

On st-bilder.de there is quite passable reference material from the studio model of the Vor'cHa class. Especially the pictures of the bottom were very helpful.

 

To detail the kit, it was necessary to add some small plastic strips. The kit itself is very fitting, so that it was not much plastic putty needed to fill in the gaps.

At the Warp nacelles I missed most of the details.

The back of the radiator block I have completely replaced because the parts were not accurate.

At the "neck" some plates were missing.

At the "head piece" I have detailed only the front elements.

The bottom was the most estensive building part. Here were some details that were not included in the production of the model kit. Presumably, because those were the parts that could be removed on the original studio model to get to the wiring.