Death Star model ERTL, how big is it?

Yeah...my bad... If I remember right its around 10" or so and as a Death Star kit its not very good. It has so many seams that scratch building one would be easier however it would probably work ok for what you want.

Personally rather than going with the Death Star I would use the Perry Rhodan "Marco Polo".

Still not a great kit but it already IS a dropship atleast. So what if there are a few diffs, call it the MK II or similar and create better stats for it.

Said that scratching on of those babies should be fairly easy. Check your local H/W/ Art/DIY shops for suitable materials.

HTH.

I was at a Big Lots store today, and in the pile o' xmas crap that is starting to show up already, there were some 8"+ diameter metalized styrene spheres. These could work as well or better than the death star kit, which from all reports doesn't fit that well, and the big ornament does not have the belt and ridges of the Perry Rhodan kit.
Andrew

highlanderburial,
I have also wanted to do a Union Class but when I scaled it out, would need a sphere between 12-13" for 1/285th scale. I still have yet to find a sphere that would work. Lots of balls in that size but unless you use one to make a mold...hmmm...