Macross mech sizes

[ewilen]

I got permission from Jeff Russell, the creator of the Starship Dimensions site, to create a modified version of his mecha size page using the Macross data as opposed to the Robotech data. Click here to see it. To compare with the RT version on Jeff's site, click here.

The differences are the Glaug, Regult, and Nousjadeul-Ger are all somewhat smaller according to Macross data than the RT data. I'm assuming that all the data is referring to the same measuring points--if it turns out that the Glaug is 16.55 m to the top of the canopy, while RT is reporting 18.1 m to the top of the gun, then my version is incorrect.

I've also put up a scan of a "group sketch" showing comparative sizes from Macross Perfect Memory. I've posted it in one of the topics, but it's also here.

[Graham]

Why does the VF-1S Battroid have a VF-1J head?

Graham

[Gyges]

Yeah, that's what I wanted to know.

[zeta]

Why does the VF-1S Battroid have a VF-1J head?

Graham

Cuz the J type rules!

[Druna Skass]

Hmm, I was expecting the Regult and Glaug to tower over the VF-1.

[Mr March]

Well, the pictures could be much better, but I do love size comparisons. Cool stuff.

[imode]

The regult is flying!

I think three nice additions would be to add a normal zentradi and meltrandi and a normal human.

[Druna Skass]

I think three nice additions would be to add a normal zentradi and meltrandi and a normal human.

And a Legioss and Tread, oh wait I mean Alpha and Beta...

[Uxi]

I wanna see a VF-11, VF-17, VF-19, and VF-22 on there, too.

[ewilen]

Why does the VF-1S Battroid have a VF-1J head?

Because the original text read "Veritech Fighter VF-1" and I screwed up when I edited it. (I only looked at the color scheme and not at the head.) Fixing...done!

[JELEINEN]

Looks cool. Could you throw in a human and a Zentradi for reference as well?

[ewilen]

Hmm, I was expecting the Regult and Glaug to tower over the VF-1.

That could be because I used a faulty method. I was simply scaling based on the ratio of Macross data:Robotech data. Now I've corrected the page to use the Macross data directly, based on Jeff's picture scale of 20 pixels per meter.

I take "height overall" to mean height of the highest structure. For a Valkyrie, that means the top of the head lasers. (And this matches what I get by measuring a 1/60 Yamato.) For a pod, it means the top of the guns. I think Jeff may be measuring to different points (e.g., the top of the Valkyrie's head).

Between my interpretation of the data, and difference in sources, everybody now shrinks in my Macross version compared to Jeff's RT version. Take another look. And thanks to everyone for their input and comments.

[ewilen]

I think three nice additions would be to add a normal zentradi and meltrandi and a normal human.

And a Legioss and Tread, oh wait I mean Alpha and Beta...

Well, Jeff has put Invid on his page, but that's a Robotech page. Mine is Macross. If someone can provide official/accurate data for Mospeada mecha (I don't trust the RT.com data) and drawings in a similar style, I could add them and change the title to Macross/Mospeada Mecha Size Comparison.

I would definitely like to add the Zentradi/Meltrandi/human, but it will take more time since it involves either creating original drawings or hunting down suitable line art online or to be scanned, then coloring it. Again, if someone would like to help out in this respect, I'd be grateful.

[CoryHolmes]

A good place to get the data you ask for is the Robotech RPG put out by Palladium books. The technical descritpions of the the mecha are pretty accurate.

EDIT:

... or I could just pull out MY copy...

VAF-6 Alpha: Battloid height 8.75m

VR- Cyclones: Battloid height: 2.1m

VBF-1: Battloid height: 10.7m

Edited October 24, 2003 by CoryHolmes

[ewilen]

Thanks, but I'd rather work from original material and/or knowledgable anime fans. The Robotech RPG books are known to contain errors relative to official Macross data (for example, they contain the "VF-1 nose lasers"), so I wouldn't rely on them for Mospeada or Southern Cross, either.

[JB0]

Thanks, but I'd rather work from original material and/or knowledgable anime fans. The Robotech RPG books are known to contain errors relative to official Macross data (for example, they contain the "VF-1 nose lasers"), so I wouldn't rely on them for Mospeada or Southern Cross, either.

The Robotech RPG is known to contain errors relative to Robotech data too, though I've forgotten specifics.

[Gerwalker]

Thanks, but I'd rather work from original material and/or knowledgable anime fans. The Robotech RPG books are known to contain errors relative to official Macross data (for example, they contain the "VF-1 nose lasers"), so I wouldn't rely on them for Mospeada or Southern Cross, either.

The Robotech RPG is known to contain errors relative to Robotech data too, though I've forgotten specifics.

Thanks Ewilen! Very useful pics! I will check my models heights.

BTW, I couldn't resist:

The whole Robotech thing is known to be an error.

[ManxoChu]

Why does the VF-1S Battroid have a VF-1J head?

This is due to the fact that the cover artist for the Robotech RPG (which I have ) has **ALL** the VF's in the Skull Leader paint scheme, including the 1J which was the only one in Battroid in the cover.

I mean, c'mon... I grew on the HG butchery, but even I knew how screwed up it was to see a -1J with the Skull Leader scheme... or whatever the official name is... <_<

[ewilen]

Thanks Ewilen! Very useful pics! I will check my models heights.

Thanks for the kind words. Reference to scale models would be a great help in determining the measuring points used for the data. For the battlepods, though, it can be tricky because their legs are always bent. You might try measuring not only overall height, but also the height of just the fuselage.

If you have destroid scale models, I'd love to know their dimensions as well. We have another thread in which we've been speculating on the scales of the Matchbox toys.

[Göönk]

nice job ewilen.

What could be cool is some kind of program :

1) You enter two models to compare (two lists).

2) You choose the scale (list as well)

3) you click "go"

and it shows the two models at the same scale.

[Effect]

Nice job ewilen.

[ewilen]

Thanks! Here are some updates.

Here is a first go at including a Zentradi. The Zentradi really doesn't look like he could fit in a Regult. So here he is in a lineup using Jeff Russell's mecha sizes.

Note: It looks like the discrepancies are partly due to somebody using the heights from the covers of the ARII model kits. Peter Walker, et. al. speculate that the ARII heights may be measured to different points from the heights in Macross Perfect Memory.

For comparison, here is a picture that I've scanned and cleaned up from This Is Animation #11.

[imode]

The glaug looks even more cramped than a regult.

[Tekkaman Blade]

What I've always loved about that site is that the sheer hugeness of Macross's Zentraedii ships topples most other sci-fi ships.

[Max Jenius]

What I've always loved about that site is that the sheer hugeness of Macross's Zentraedii ships topples most other sci-fi ships.

yeah.. but I feel that hollowed out asteroids are kinda lame...

[CaptRico]

Isn't the Death Star 1 & 2 suppost to be the size as Earth?

I think they screwed up on that part.

[Mr March]

Isn't the Death Star 1 & 2 suppost to be the size as Earth?

I think they screwed up on that part.

No. The original Death Star was 160 kilometers in diameter. The second Death Star was 900 kilometers. Remember, in the dialogue of the first film, they mistake the Death Star for a "small moon" until they discover that it's actually a massive space station. So the Death Star is definitely not planet sized.

[GreenGuy42]

gotta love how tall the VF-1 is to Invid mecha..

.....I can just see Fokker simply stepping on an Invid Enforcer..

[Draykov]

I got permission from Jeff Russell, the creator of the Starship Dimensions site, to create a modified version of his mecha size page using the Macross data as opposed to the Robotech data. Click here to see it. To compare with the RT version on Jeff's site, click here.

The differences are the Glaug, Regult, and Nousjadeul-Ger are all somewhat smaller according to Macross data than the RT data. I'm assuming that all the data is referring to the same measuring points--if it turns out that the Glaug is 16.55 m to the top of the canopy, while RT is reporting 18.1 m to the top of the gun, then my version is incorrect.

I've also put up a scan of a "group sketch" showing comparative sizes from Macross Perfect Memory. I've posted it in one of the topics, but it's also here.

Someone should tell Yamato their Q-Rau is too big.

[tetsujin]

Thanks! Here are some updates.

Here is a first go at including a Zentradi. The Zentradi really doesn't look like he could fit in a Regult.

He'd be scrunched up good, but he could fit. Of course, the official height of Kamjin is around 11m, but shouldn't other Zentradi be closer to 9m?

[ewilen]

Re: Yamato's Q-Rau--a lot of people noticed that it's too big for the 1/60 Valkyrie, which spurred speculation that it was actually 1/48. In the end, either by proof or surmise, it was generally agreed that the Q-Rau in the picture is probably a super-scale prototype which will be shrunk down for production. (Apparently this is standard procedure to make detailing easier on the prototypes.)

Re: Kamjin's height--where do you get his height as 11m? The only official stat I could find for any Zentradi were Britai (13.54 m) and Millia (8.55 m). (The listing for Britai also has 11.3 m in brackets. Not sure if this is an alternate stat from DYRL.)

I used the 10 m figure for an average Zentradi for lack of anything better. I have weak evidence in the fact that the Robotech FAQ uses that figure, and Egan Loo doesn't correct it in the errata he wrote for RT FAQ 0.99.

Edited November 4, 2003 by ewilen

[Draykov]

Re: Yamato's Q-Rau--a lot of people noticed that it's too big for the 1/60 Valkyrie, which spurred speculation that it was actually 1/48. In the end, either by proof or surmise, it was generally agreed that the Q-Rau in the picture is probably a super-scale prototype which will be shrunk down for production. (Apparently this is standard procedure to make detailing easier on the prototypes.)

I hadn't even considered that. Good call.

[ewilen]

I found another source for Zentradi height: the February 25, 2002, court judgment in Big West and Studio Nue's lawsuit against Tatsunoko Productions. In the section listing uncontested facts, item #3 states that the Zentradi are 10 m tall. So we now know the legal height of a Zentradi.

[Pat Payne]

I don't know if it's just me, but the size of the Nousdejaul-Ger Male Power Armor seems off to me now. When Kamujin was wearing it (in both TV series and Movie) it seemed like it was more a suit of armor that augmented the wearer's strength than a humanoid pod (like the Queadlunn-Rau), and that it wasn't much bigger than a regular Zentradi soldier.

[ewilen]

Well, take a look at the drawing I scanned from TIA. That's one big group shot--I didn't do any cutting and pasting other than what was necessary to overcome the way the picture is split across two pages.

It would be interesting to compare clips of the scenes in DYRL where Hikaru saves Minmay from an N-Ger at the beginning, and where N-gers grapple Hikaru & Minmay's VT-1.

Basically, it looks like the N-ger is a little too skinny for a Zentradi to fit entirely into the mech's body. The proportions suggest that his legs and/or arms must go partway into the legs/arms of the N-ger, though not beyond the elbow/knee joints.

By the way are you sure that Kamujin gets to use an N-ger in the movie?

Edited November 7, 2003 by ewilen