Introduction

When Yamato first told me they were planning to release a new 1/60 scale VF-1 perfect transformation toy, I was somewhat skeptical as to the need or desirability of yet another version of the venerable Valkyrie. After all, the market has been flooded in recent years by tranforming versions from Bandai, Banpresto and Toynami. Not to forget Yamato's own original 1/60 non-perfect transformation version and the near perfect 1/48 scale VF-1, which these days is the benchmark by which all others are judged.

However, Yamato have long wanted to have their line of high-end transforming Variable Fighter toys in a standard 1/60 scale, so it was decided that a new version of the VF-1 was in order. This new version could also incorporate improvements in design and sculpt over the older 1/48 version.

The new 1/60 VF-1 is what Yamato is calling a third generation transforming variable fighter toy. To explain the generations according to Yamato: -

Tampo Printing

Yamato have really gone all out on the tampo printing on the new VF-1. With the exception of the circular Black Skull sticker on the side of the FAST Packs, every marking you see in the photos is tampo printed on. I did not apply any other stickers to the toy. Tampo prining on the toy includes: -

• '001' marking on both sides of nose.
• UN Spacy Kite emblem on both sides of nose.
• Red triangle marking below front of canopy (both sides of nose).
• Small Skull Squadron marking to rear of canopy (both sides).
• Red 'Danger Intake' '>' marking on sides of intakes.
• Red 'Intake' arrow on both sides of chest plate, near the auxiliary air intakes.
• UN Spacy Kite emblem on left wing.
• '001' on right wing.
• Skull Squadron emblem on vertical tail fins (emblem on right tail fin a couple of degrees off straight).
• 'UN SPACY' on left and right lower legs.
• 'UN SPACY' on both sides of GU-11 Gunpod.
• Reaction marking on both sides of every reaction missile.
• Cockpit instrument panel.

At 2,000 yen cheaper than a standard non-FAST Pack 1/48 VF-1, the new 1/60 scale Roy Focker VF-1S Strike & Super toy comes with a plethora of accessories, as follows, giving you a good bang for your buck: -

• 1 x GU-11 gunpod
• 1 x Roy Focker pilot figure.
• 12 x AMM-1 Missiles mounted on 4 plyons (3 missiles per pylon).
• 4 x UMM-7 Micro Missile Pods.
• 6 x RMS-1 Reaction Missiles, mounted on 4 pylons (2 x twin missile pylon & 2 x single missile pylon).
• 2 x removable intake covers.
• 2 x Back FAST Pack Booster, with central bridging piece, removable engine covers and ball jointed main thruster nozzles.
• 2 x Back FAST Pack Micro-Missile Launchers, with removable covers, showing Micro-Missiles (non-removable).
• 1 x Dual Beam Cannon (for Strike Valkyrie).
• 2 x Arm FAST Packs.
• 2 x Leg FAST Packs, with detachable covers.
• 2 x Instruction manuals, (one for the VF-1 and one for the FAST Packs).
• 2 x Sticker sheet (one for the VF-1 and one for the FAST Packs).
• 2 x Optional fixed pose hands (one right hand for holding the gunpod and one open left hand).
• 1 x Fighter and GERWALK mode stand adaptor (for use with Yamato display stand).
• 1 x battroid mode stand adapter (for use with Yamato display stand).
• 1 x Adapter for attaching a removable nosecone to either the left or right arm of the Battroid or GERWALK.

Valkyrie Instruction Manual

FAST Pack Instruction Manual

Two sticker sheets are included, one for the VF-1 and one for the FAST Packs. All the main markings are tampo printed on, so the only sticker you really need to use is the one for the sides of the FAST Packs, unless you are one of those people or like to plaster 'do not step' or 'beware of blast' stickers all over your Valk, in which case the sticker sheet may come in handy.

Box

Typical Yamato card box with photo shopped artwork and opening window flap. Toy and accessories are stored in a double layer clear plastic tray. Nothing special.

• Fighter Mode Length: 25cm / 9.5"(approx.).
• Battroid mode height : 23cm / 9" (approx.).

By far the best looking and most accurate head sculpt ever done of the VF-1S head, by any toy company! Not only a great looking head sculpt, but the lack of a visible seam down the center of the face (a major turn-off for some people for the 1/48), is a major selling point for the new 1/60 VF-1S toy.

Some people have said that the 3rd gen 1/60's nose looks too short in fighter mode. I don't see it. If anything, the old 1st gen 1/60's needle nose AKA mosquito nose and the perhaps slightly overlong nose on the 1/48 may have got people too used to seeing overly long noses on VF-1 toys. When you have the new 1/60 in your hands, the nose length looks just fine in my opinion.

As good as the 1/48 VF-1 is, there is no denying that its appearance is optimised towards fighter mode, with the battroid generally regarded as having a too wide chest plate, an overly long nose cone and skinny too long biceps, that make the arms look gangly.

One of Yamato's goals with the 3rd gen VF-1 was to have a more balanced look in all three modes and in this they have suceeded I think. The new toy has a chest plate that is not too wide, biceps that are just the right length and a nose cone in battroid mode that does not hang below the knees.

Other improvements over the 1/48 are as follows: -

As well as the features already mentioned the new VF-1 features the following additional features and gimmicks: -

The third generation VF-1 features a sliding/hinged chest plate design that when transformed in Battroid mode gives a shorter nose. No more nose hanging down past the knees, like on the 1/48. The way this feature works is different from the two folding ventral panels on the VF-0, but accomplishes basically the same thing, which is to keep the overall silouhette of the torso shorter, i.e closer to the lineart, without sacrificing the overall fighter mode length.

The nose cone of the new VF-1 is detachable and by using the provided connection piece can be attached to the forearm of any new 1/60 VF-1. This feature is the reason that the head of the toy has to be removable and is only friction fit, instead of being screwed on.

Proportionally larger articulated hands. One complaint about the 1/48 VF-1 was the small size of the articulated hands, or "Chicken Hands" as many people called them. Yamato have managed to design proportionally larger articulated hands that still fit ito the forearms, look better and also do a pretty good job of holding the gunpod.

I have to mention the newer thinner panel lines again. Yamato have reduced the thickness of the panel lines on this toy from 0.5mm on previous toys, down to only 0.2mm or less. And it really looks great.

When the engine intake covers are removed, the new 1/60 VF-1 features molded in detail to represent the intake covers in their open position. On the 1/48, this feature was missing and only a sticker was supplied to represent the open intake cover.

The 3rd gen 1/60 VF-1 features the multi-part rectangular thrusters inside the feat, which looks much better in my opinion than the split turbine of the 1/48.

Missing from the 1/60 are the moveable flaps and detachable nose cone of the 1/48. Good riddance I say. These parts were forever falling off during transformation, especially on the early 1/48s. Their deleation makes the new 1/60 more playable in my opinion.

A big new change is for the first time the addition of a mirror finish plating on the canopy with a slight goldish tint. Love it or hate it, it's up to you. While this was never shown in the animes, it is representative of the canopies on some real world planes.

Articulation

The new 3rd gen 1/48 features for the first time a double jointed elbow joint alowing foor a greater range of movement. Articulation of the shoulder area is also improved over the 1/48.

Ratchet joints with nice solid clicks are featured on the knee, ankle and the joint below the intake. Other joints are either swivel joints or ball joints. However, all joints on this toy are nice and tight, probably the tightest on any Yamato Macross toy to date. I don't see any problem with this toy loosening.

Transformation

If you can transform the 1/48 VF-1 and 1/60 VF-0, you can transform the new 1/60 VF-1. The nose hatch design where the hip bar goes into for Battroid mode is a little different, having a cut-for the central part of the hip bar to slide into and the nose hatch must be slid under the hip bar before the hip bar can be locked in place, but that is the only major change.

Transformation is generally easy and worry free.

Everybody will be pleased to know that the back pack hinge (formerly part # BP8) has been redesigned and reinforced). I don't foresee any problems with it., especially as the back pack is now not supporting most of the wieght of the FAST Packs, unlike on the 1/48.

It should be noted that the leg fins can fold flat along the front of the lower leg, a sure sign that a GBP armor system is in the works. However, a word of warning. The leg fins need to be gently pulled out a couple of mm (you'll hear a click when they are pulled out as far as they can go), before you try to fold them. Failure to extend the leg fins before folding them may resort in breakage.

Fit

The toy fits together superbly in all three modes. As I mentioned above, nothing at all is loose or floppy. You can happily zoom the toy around the house all day perfoming any sorts of acrobatic maneuvers, with no fear of anything falling off or coming lose. Yamato have added addition locking points at various parts and completely redesigned other locking points to from the 1/48 to ensure that the new 1/60 stays firmly together.

A huge improvement is the attachment of the back mounted FAST packs, which now attach via a bar that connects the two FAST Packs together and slides under the back pack, assisted by tabs on the FAST Packs that fit into corresponding holes on the back pack. Unlike the 1/48, which you didn't dare barrel roll with FAST packs attached, you have no worries flying upside down all day with the new 1/60 with FAST Packs fitted.

I can't say it enough, the fit of this toy and the way it solidly locks together is one of the things that really impresses me. Although the 1/48 is a great toy, you o have to be carefull about how you handle it, especially with teh FAST Packs on. With the new 1/60, you don't have to worry at all.

Paint Application

Not a smudge or overspray to be found anywhere. Perfect!

Problems

Nothing at all......really!

Well, one slightly crooked skull on the right tail fin, but it's only like 2 degrees off, so I can live with it.

Apart from that Yamato have really come through with this toy. It looks great in all three modes, is super tight and can hold any pose for as long as you want. It locks together solidly in all three modes and the accessories stay on without falling off. Nothing more I can ask for really.

Conclusion

As I said at the start of this review, I was originally skeptical about another new VF-1 and thought nothing could beat the 1/48. I have been proven wrong. The new 1/60 will now progressively be replacing the 1/48 in my display cabinet when and as new versions are released.