Jem ' Hadar battle cruiser model As it became clear that the Dominion would play an integral part as a continuous threat in the ( DS9 ) series , the role of their foot soldiers , the Jem ' Hadar , had to be upgraded to emulate the s uncompromising , implacable and daunting Borg . While the previously introduced Jem ' Hadar fighter filled to some extent that role , a larger capital ship was called for , which the Jem ' Hadar eventually received in the guise of the Jem ' Hadar battle cruiser . Design . For the episodes and of " DS9 " , the script called for a new large Jem ' Hadar ship . John Eaves was given the task of designing the ship in . Eaves got his inspiration from the aircraft when designing the battle cruiser , " " For the Jem Hedar / Dominion battle cruiser , the A - 4 played a major role in the overall look of the ship . This was one of the first war ships that I got to work on during the 4 years on at DS9 , For DS my primary job was props and work would spill over into some fun vessel projects every once in a while . " " Eaves produced a 3 / 4 view that was quickly approved , " " ( . . . ) usually it ' s the 3 / 4 so I can see most of what is going on in one drawing ! ! ! it ' s the fastest way to get a big overview of what your trying to create . ( . . . ) this one image was about it ! ! ! I did a rough blue of what you see here , it made a quick approval and went right to ink ( . . . ) . " " Despite Eaves ' early approval of his design , he had to produce in November 1996 more elaborate plan views for the effects houses to follow . Physical studio models . A physical studio model was deemed necessary for close - up shots . By this time , Brazil - Fabrication & Design was no longer available to the franchise , and an outside contractor was approached . The model , measuring 48×48 inches , was eventually built by Don Pennington , or as " DS9 " Visual Effects Supervisor David Stipes for the episode has put it , " " John Eaves generated top , bottom , front and side drawings , that VisionArt used to create the CGI ship . Animator Tony Sansalone did the work . Concurrently a model maker named Don Pennington was building a dimensional version . So we wound up building two ships , a physical version and a computer version . . . " " ( " Cinefantastique " , Vol . 29 , No . 6 / 7 , p . 39 ) Due to budget constraints , the internally lit model was built from traditional material , cast resin with plastic elements , as the newer light weight composites were outside of the budget , resulting in a heavy and cumbersome model . " " The model was very large and with traditional materials it became very heavy . It took three to four people to safely lift and turn the model over for various shots . It was affectionately dubbed the " Lead Hadar " . ( The nick - name was earned ; I know first hand as I got to help turn it over once . ) " " , Stipes jokingly remembered . It has proven to be the next to last specifically built physical starship studio model for a televised " Star Trek " production ( the models built later for , being " kitbashes " ) , and it was used in subsequent episodes of " Deep Space Nine " , debuting in " In Purgatory ' s Shadow " and for the last time appearing in as stock footage . The Jem ' Hadar battle cruiser model ( measuring 48×48 inches ) was listed in the " " auction as , with an estimated sale price of US $ 2 , 000 - $ 3 , 000 ; it sold on 6 October 2006 for US $ 6 , 000 ( $ 7 , 200 with premium ) . A foam core camera test model sold as in August 2008 for US $ 204 . 73 in a " It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction " . A second physical Jem ' Hadar battle cruiser model , reportedly also a studio model , in a slightly different paint scheme , but not internally lit , showed up as Lot 1487 in the Profiles in History ' s " Hollywood Auction 40 " of 12 June 2010 , estimated at US $ 6 , 000 - $ 8 , 000 . , but was pulled at the last minute from the auction without further clarification , as doubts arose about the claim that the model was actually screen - used and owned by the studio . The retraction was a result of aficionado ' s Alec Peters scrutiny , who has proven this item to be a display piece for Pennington ' s own effects shop . Nevertheless , this model eventually did wound up in the collection of an American collector outside the auction circuit , who discovered upon receival of the model , that some parts of it were were in fact the master templates from which the parts were taken to construct the actual studio model . CGI model . As touched upon by Stipes , who felt that the intricate scene of the Jem ' Hadar fleet approaching through , and interacting with , the wormhole could only be executed as a CGI effect , a CGI model of the battle cruiser was concurrently built at VisionArt Design & Animation by Tony Sansalone . It made the design one of only two , that was executed simultaneously as a physical as well as a digital variation ( the other one being the " Intrepid " - class studio model ) . VisionArt ' s model was constructed in SideFx Software ' s " Prisms " , and " Ice " software packages . For the episode " Sacrifice of Angels " , in which the physical model was also featured for a last time , VisionArt ' s CGI model was reprogrammed and remapped in the software at Foundation Imaging by Michael Stetson under supervision of Ron Thornton . This action was undertaken to increase production efficiency by using one software format only , LightWave in this case . ( " Sci - Fi & Fantasy Models " , issue 32 , 1998 , p . 53 ) The digital model as constructed by VisionArts had a slightly different design as its nacelle struts were attached to the hull at a somewhat steeper angle . Some slight visual differences existed between the CGI model that appeared in " By Inferno ' s Light " , and the CGI cruiser that later appeared in " Sacrifice of Angels " . Despite these differences , namely the angle of the nacelles in relation to the hull , the two designs were , in actuality , always intended to be the same ship . Confirmation of this was provided by " DS9 " s David Stipes in a Google blog , where he would clarify that , " " Both sets of images ARE the Dominion Cruiser . However , there are differences that come from changes in the CGI model to make it match the physical model . Remember , the CGI work for these shows were done by different companies at different times . " " The differences between the two designs , in fan circles referred to as the " V - type " and " U - type " , may well have stemmed from misinterpretation of Eaves ' original design sketches . By this time production of full orthographic blueprints has become uncustomary for the television productions . As Eves explained in regard to an earlier design of his , " " Most of the time with models all you need is a three - quarter view , and a couple of three - quarter angles on different parts of the ship . " " ( ) . While reprogramming VisionArt ' s CGI model , Stetson , who had the physical studio model at his disposal as reference , made use of the opportunity to correct the the angle of the nacelle struts , to have it correspond with that of the physical model , as was stated by Stipes .