Update...

Here's where I'm at with the base...

I glued styrene sheet to the underside of the stand with Testors liquid cement. Holes were drilled and slots carved out for the screws that will hold it to the wooden base yet allow it to be removeable:

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IMG_4820 by trekriffic, on Flickr

The wooden base after 4 coats of Varathane mahogany stain and 2 coats of Varathane liquid plastic coat. It will get one more plastic coat before it's done:

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IMG_4842 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Next... windows...

Yipee!

I came up with an idea that will help me prolong this build since it's been such a blast so far!

I have noticed that several of the windows-almost all, in fact, are recessed and don't sit quite flush with the hull after gluing from the backside.

I think this is due to the curvature of the window backplate not exactly matching the curvature of the hull.

It is not an issue where I cut the windows off the backplate; such as the windows flanking the shuttle bay where the fit was so tight the backplate thickness prevented me from closing up the hull.

Anyway, what I did was to cut small rectangular window panes from thin clear styrene sheet:

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IMG_4836 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Using tweezers I inserted the clear window panes into the openings on top of the existing window inserts. I glued the new panes in using Krystal Klear for the white windows and Elmer's Clear Glue for the black ones. For round ports I merely filled them flush with the hull using Krystal Klear:

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IMG_4834 by trekriffic, on Flickr

You can see the difference in this photo. The new window pane is installed in the window to the far left. The others have not been dealt with yet. The glue is still wet in this pic:

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IMG_4825 by trekriffic, on Flickr

Here is a completed row of illuminated windows.

I think it's a significant improvement from before with the windows in their deep recesses:

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IMG_4846 by trekriffic, on Flickr

I estimate it should only take me another week to finish the rest of the windows which should be about when I have funding and can order my set of painting masks from Orbital Drydock.