The bulk of the sheet is devoted to painting instructions and showing where the decals go. Given that the three pieces fit together in only one way, that's more than adequate. The assembly guide provides a few general tips for working with resin. Engraved panel detail is consistent in depth and width, with no over-runs or crookedness. The only real sanding I see necessary are the remnants of the pour vents - all on the undersides of the parts, which means that the two on the nacelles will be invisible after assembly and you won't even need putty to fill 'em in. There is no flash at all on any piece, no pits or resin bubbles anywhere, and only the barest mold seam on the main hull. I found only two small areas where the detail wasn't top-notch, and both will be easily - and quickly - fixed with a file (there appears also to have been a small ding on the master, just behind the cockpit windows, that will need a hint of putty as well). The review sample I have shows none of those flaws (nor do several other Alliance kits sent in for review, for the most part). Also, the process doesn't result in a uniform thickness of resin all about the mold, so in some areas the piece may be so thin it can be easily punctured while handling. On the minus side, one can't roto-cast under pressure, which means that airbubbles may get trapped in nooks and crannies of the mold and produce "divots" in the surface details. The process also uses a different resin than one normally sees, one that's "stiffer" and less prone to warping over time. This leaves the casting hollow, which makes for lighter casts (which use less resin). The three resin pieces that make up the runabout are roto-cast - which means the mold is placed on a device that looks like something you'd see at an amusment park, partially filled with resin, and then spun around across three axes until the resin cures. This kit is smaller than the ERTL, and is made from an original master, not reworked from something else. Inside the box are four resin pieces, a small decal sheet, and a legal-sized page with instructions and paint/marking guide printed in color on one side. an important consideration when you have as many models vying for a spot on a shelf or in the display case as I do! ^ Decals are provided for three ships assigned to DS9 Image: The resin base is sufficiently large that it will easily support the model. Image: Instructions are terse but adequate ^ Closer look at the area around the cockpit The nacelles slot in to the "steps" on either side It's big enough to display a wealth of detail but small enough not to hog all your shelf space Overall Rating: 9 - nice size, well cast - and a good project for a rainy weekend.Īlliance's new Danube-class Runabout model is a welcome addition to the expanding number of Star Trek® ships available in kit form. MSRP: $65.00 USD (~$100.53 CAN/ € 68.85 EUR) available from Federation Models Instructions: 1 page general assembly tips + marking/paint guideĭecals: ALPS-printed waterslide markings for three shipsĭetail: 9 - sharp overal consistent engraved panels and crips raised detailsĪccuracy: 9+ - dead on, as far as I can tell Scale: 1/100 - about 9"/ 22.9cm long when assembled Starship Modeler - Alliance's Danube-Class Kit Preview Kit preview of Alliance's Danube-Class.