Good luck on the TOS Enterprise. Do you know about Trek Modeler lighting kit? www.trekmodeler.com/.../lighting_kit_refit1.htm
They have the kit in both PRE-built and DIY versions. If you feel assembly is a weak point, just get the pre-built and be done with it. Good Luck! I am doing the same Enterprise kit and have the DIY lighting version, as it is less expensive and I can solder components.
As far as the viper pilot, it was relatively very simple. If you go to Hobby Lobby, purchase a casting kit and cast in clear. I took the kit included head, made a mold, and casted a new one in clear resin. The body of the pilot has a pin head attachment that I removed. I then drilled holes in the body where the head is to go. They will come out of the recessed back and you can run the LED leads through them. I took a standard yellow LED (purchasable at Radio Shack in the assortment package) and glued it in permanently. The head received about six coats of paint; two white primer for reflection inside, one black and one gray primer set, and two of the final color. Spay carefully as not to muck up details! Then, the magic. Carefully scratch away the paint along the line where you want the lighting.
Never forget the RESISTOR, or you will fry the LED! Thanks for looking!