A general introduction to modelling. Brad is using his preferred modelling aplication, Ligtwave; but the video is about 3D modeling in general and applies no matter which tool you use.
Brad builds a model of a Wing Commander Thunderbolt heavy fighter in a matter of minutes.
Nothing is implied about speed versus quality, though. Brad's model is dimensionally accurate and well formed, and perfectly amenable to refinement via beveling, subdivision and greebling. And modeling speed is not an aspect to take lightly, as the longer one takes to build a model, the greater the chances to get bored, or sidetracked.
Watch this video more than once, if you will listen to my (Monk's) advise. The fist step in building a 3D model is to get the general form right. Changing the general shape of a model after subdivision and details are added is very hard, so it is of paramount importance to get to 100% perfection of the general form, first of all.

PLEASE READ: this is a 385-megabyte AVI. I'd strongly suggest you right-click and save-as; then wait until it downloads completely, and finally watch it off your hard drive. While testing to make sure it worked, the first time I tried, I waited for all 385 megs to come through, only to end up staring at a white Media Player screen, and a message 'Finished'… … The file is good, though, it works; and the video is excellent and inspiring; every bit worth the download wait.)

• Brad Mick's fast modeling intro AVI