AMT 1/420 USS Defiant NX-74205 Kit First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | January 2014 | Manufacturer | AMT/Round 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | USS Defiant NX-74205 | Scale | 1/420 |
| Kit Number | 0845 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | Simple build and great entry-level model | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Basic | MSRP (USD) | $31.45 |
First Look
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While most of the starships of Starfleet are multi-purpose vessels that have facilities for exploration, medicine, recreation, family housing, etc., few vessels were built for the sole purpose of offensive or defensive warfare - until the first encouters with the Borg. Starfleet laid down a smaller combatant that featured extensive armament, oversized engines, and minimal facilities. The first-in-class for this new type was USS Defiant with a experimental registry number of NX-74205. Teething problems with the ship and a lull in Borg encounters found Starfleet putting the Defiant development aside until the Jem Hadar and the Dominion encounters at Deep Space Nine found a new urgent need for a vessel with Defiant's capabilities.
AMT (Round 2 Models) has reissued this sleek model of the Defiant' as they are working through the catalog of other Star Trek kits that have been off the market for some time. This kit had been been available several years ago but there is some excitement out there to see this kit back on store shelves.
One new item in this release is the large domed display base and a steel rod (not shown) to safely perch your model on the display shelf. Out of the box, this kit is a quick build. You'll spend more time painting than building. The instructions lay out the color patterns on the hull and this ship is small enough that it doesn't have the aztek-patterns on the hull surfaces found on the larger starships. Since this ship is a combatant, it does provide some good opportunities for combat weathering.
There are a number of aftermarket companies that produce amazing details and options for kits like this one. There is at least one lighting kit for the kit and I suspect we'll be seeing more lighting kits, photo-etched details, paint masks and other nice options tailored for this release. You can keep a eye on what's available at CultTVman's Hobby Shop.
Whether you want a simple project or a Trekkie's dream model, the USS Defiant NX-74205 is back on the market and no longer do you have to contend with collector's prices to add this vessel to your collection.
My sincere thanks to Round2 Models for this review sample