Don,
You've got the advantage that the physical modellers never had, you've got a virtual Big G that can let you do unlimited add-ons while they were stuck with a model (albeit beautiful) that was only 76 inches long. So they had to make gun emplacements and landing bays at larger sizes because of the fixed scale of the miniature.
It seems that you're now 100% percent happy that the overall shape is correct hat you're now thinking about doing these things.
The hope must be that once you've finished it (in 2018) that it will be used in a professional production and that you will be compensated for its use.
In that case it's going to have to be the best that it can be (as if we had any doubts).
So, yes, you've got to have the gun emplacements with the two types of cannons.
Symmetry. Yes. Why make it hard on yourself.
Fathom out the landing bay until you feel that you've nailed it. You're going to have to pour over the landing bay scenes again and again methinks. Also, the bay must be compartmentalised to some extent. If a it wasn't the fire that takes hold in FIS would make the bay completely unusable for yahrens.
May I make a request for the observation dome?
