The shields are entirely superfluous, the pilots either have invincible(mostly) plot armor or they fly explosives packed fighters made with recycled aluminium.
Apparently the Star Trek attack wing board game scaled their ships, but they are too small. I actually don't mind having a small defiant next to a the Ent-D.
That's not paint, Isamu decalled himself onto the plane. I think it's the scale. Even if a plane is glossy it wouldn't look like the VF-19S from a distance.