New to the Forum and greatly inspired.

Hi, Batdagger & welcome aboard to the board!
This is a nifty site with lots af great people & builds here. Get involved in a group build sometime- it really motivates you!
And if you really want to OD on build-ups, try going to hobbytalk.com & check that place out. Lots of people who are here hang out there, as well. Have fun & be sure to post pics when you're done with your builds!

Yes, welcome aboard. As for lighting the Defiant, there was an article in the Jan '99 FSM dealing with lighting that kit. Also check out the Maximum Defiant website.
As for inspiration, its always nice to look at others' work. The Reader Gallery over at Starship Modeler is great for that too.

Hey Batdagger, Welcome to FSM and our little corner of the forum. We may not be as big as some Sci-Fi modeling communities but the guys produce some great models. Once again welcome and we are glad to have you here.