Yamato 1/60 VF-19S/F/P - All Variants

[Pierre]

We should do a petition to get a vf-19 kit with optional head,wings. lol

[EXO]

this is my favorite 19... perfect color, perfect head sculpt.

[MacrossJunkie]

Has anyone's VF-19S had their leg crumble yet? I noticed mine was lying on its side on top of my display case and picked it up to find that the leg had come off at the point where the leg swivels outwards, right behind the area where the intakes are. The plastic that the screw was screwed into to attach the leg had disintegrated. The other leg feels pretty loose too, so my guess is that one is about to come off soon as well.

Too late for me to take pics right now. I'll find some time later to do it. I'm not sure what I can do. The part is not salvageable in any way with superglue as the plastic is in many tiny little bits like it had exploded and these things are pretty frickin expensive. Makes me very wary to buy the F when a $300+ toy just falls apart like that. I thought Yamato had gotten past that by now =(

[HG Blows]

Has anyone's VF-19S had their leg crumble yet? I noticed mine was lying on its side on top of my display case and picked it up to find that the leg had come off at the point where the leg swivels outwards, right behind the area where the intakes are. The plastic that the screw was screwed into to attach the leg had disintegrated. The other leg feels pretty loose too, so my guess is that one is about to come off soon as well.

Too late for me to take pics right now. I'll find some time later to do it. I'm not sure what I can do. The part is not salvageable in any way with superglue as the plastic is in many tiny little bits like it had exploded and these things are pretty frickin expensive. Makes me very wary to buy the F when a $300+ toy just falls apart like that. I thought Yamato had gotten past that by now =(

NOOOO, I just bought a 19s too. Is this common?

[UN Spacy]

[Kurisama]

[IXTL]

Has anyone's VF-19S had their leg crumble yet?

Thankfully no. Had mine for a few months now and it's alright. I hope it stays that way since it's too expensive a toy to just give way like that.

What did crumble though was the plastic ratcheting ring of the launch arm stand which was holding up my 19S for the past few weeks. It's the bit where the bottom of the metal shaft joins the plastic part of the stand. It no longer ratchets, meaning it can't support heavier valks like the VF-19. The arm just spins around freely. Still works fine for the lighter ones like the VF-11 at least.

[Graham]

Has anyone's VF-19S had their leg crumble yet? I noticed mine was lying on its side on top of my display case and picked it up to find that the leg had come off at the point where the leg swivels outwards, right behind the area where the intakes are. The plastic that the screw was screwed into to attach the leg had disintegrated. The other leg feels pretty loose too, so my guess is that one is about to come off soon as well.

Too late for me to take pics right now. I'll find some time later to do it. I'm not sure what I can do. The part is not salvageable in any way with superglue as the plastic is in many tiny little bits like it had exploded and these things are pretty frickin expensive. Makes me very wary to buy the F when a $300+ toy just falls apart like that. I thought Yamato had gotten past that by now =(

Pics please and I'll make sure Yamato sees them.

Graham

[kamadoma]

So far that's the only report we've gotten. I felt a bit scared, tried to pull down my 19 Kai's legs down at the knee, and it's all fine.

I did try pulling down up to the Gerwalk joint a few weeks ago and it was fine.

I hope it's just a rare case like what happened to Bandai's Renewal VF-25 hip bars.

Edited June 5, 2012 by kamadoma

[Ignacio Ocamica]

Has anyone's VF-19S had their leg crumble yet? I noticed mine was lying on its side on top of my display case and picked it up to find that the leg had come off at the point where the leg swivels outwards, right behind the area where the intakes are. The plastic that the screw was screwed into to attach the leg had disintegrated. The other leg feels pretty loose too, so my guess is that one is about to come off soon as well.

Too late for me to take pics right now. I'll find some time later to do it. I'm not sure what I can do. The part is not salvageable in any way with superglue as the plastic is in many tiny little bits like it had exploded and these things are pretty frickin expensive. Makes me very wary to buy the F when a $300+ toy just falls apart like that. I thought Yamato had gotten past that by now =(

Do you transform your VF-19S often?

The joints on the VF-19 series are very stiff. It was reported (it happened to Jenius and Renato) that you could break the nub from the accordeon joint behind the intakes if you forced it. I'm not saying that you're not gentle with your toys but I'd like to know if you transform it many times and if you had to force the joint.

[MacrossJunkie]

Pics please and I'll make sure Yamato sees them.

Graham

I'll get some pics up when I get home from work today.

Do you transform your VF-19S often?

The joints on the VF-19 series are very stiff. It was reported (it happened to Jenius and Renato) that you could break the nub from the accordeon joint behind the intakes if you forced it. I'm not saying that you're not gentle with your toys but I'd like to know if you transform it many times and if you had to force the joint.

I don't really transform my valks often. Other than the first few times while putting stickers, panel lining and taking pics, They usually go in or on top of my display cases after that. My VF-19S was probably transformed a max of 4-5 times since owning it. I had left it displayed in battroid mode. I saw it lying down and wondered how it fell down since it was in a stable position so I went to stand it back up and saw that one of the legs came off. I examined the joint and saw that the area at the back of the leg was missing chunks of plastic. I was able to find bits of it, but not enough to piece it back together or even how the bits I could find would go in since they were so irregularly shaped. The other leg's side to side motion is a bit floppy so the plastic in that joint might have started to weaken as well. I'll have to figure out how to take it apart so I can examine it.

[Ignacio Ocamica]

I don't really transform my valks often. Other than the first few times while putting stickers, panel lining and taking pics, They usually go in or on top of my display cases after that. My VF-19S was probably transformed a max of 4-5 times since owning it. I had left it displayed in battroid mode. I saw it lying down and wondered how it fell down since it was in a stable position so I went to stand it back up and saw that one of the legs came off. I examined the joint and saw that the area at the back of the leg was missing chunks of plastic. I was able to find bits of it, but not enough to piece it back together or even how the bits I could find would go in since they were so irregularly shaped. The other leg's side to side motion is a bit floppy so the plastic in that joint might have started to weaken as well. I'll have to figure out how to take it apart so I can examine it.

That's really bad then

I'm sorry for your VF-19S. I hope it's not a case of bad choice of materials (brittle plastic).

[kamadoma]

Did you actually mean the screws I focused on this shot? Because upon checking mine, there was some tiny, tiny wear just beside one of those screws because of the huge washers that brush against the plastic whenever I move wing joint.

And does yours still hold well in Fighter mode after the breakage?

Edited June 5, 2012 by kamadoma

[MacrossJunkie]

Did you actually mean the screws I focused on this shot? Because upon checking mine, there was some tiny, tiny wear just beside one of those screws because of the huge washers that brush against the plastic whenever I move wing joint.

And does yours still hold well in Fighter mode after the breakage?

No, not those screws. The screw I'm talking about wouldn't be visible normally. I'll illustrate when I can get home to take pics.

[MacrossJunkie]

Ok, I figured out how to get the unbroken leg off to examine and take pics of it. I guess you can get to the screw without taking off other parts.

Here is what it should look like:

I took the black plastic washer/spacer off to examine the plastic and it looked seemingly fine.

Not even any stress marks.

Here is the broken piece:

Notice how some bits of plastic are still stuck with the black plastic washer, other parts that I could find had crumbled off. It's generally not an even break at all. It's more consistent with the breaks I had with my VF-0A shoulders where the plastic degraded.

Maybe the plastic in the right leg had a bad batch or something. I can't explain how it happened with one leg but the other is perfectly fine. Not sure how it could have happened.

[kamadoma]

It's kinda scary to know that the whole leg relies on that connection. I did check my Kai and it seems that the washer was metal. I wonder why it's black plastic on the 19S.

The plastic surrounding the said screw was also different on the Kai.

On which kind of pose did you leave it in?

Edited June 5, 2012 by kamadoma

[mechaninac]

That almost looks like they got a void in that screw boss when they injected the plastic in the mold, or the mold temperature wasn't up to the recommended temperature and the plastic failed to flow and "knit" properly in that area, or it may have been too hot (that causes a change in the ABS' modulus of elasticity towards a more brittle final part (Bad plastic could also be an issue but it's doubtful since no other parts show the same disintegration). With the compromised plastic, all it took was for them to add the screw to create micro-fractures in the boss that under the stress of the assembly caused the whole thing to explode. Yamato does not use self-tapping screws that would carve their own thread into the boss, they use a screw style that pushes its way through and causes the boss to expand; in conjunction with the too-thin wall of the boss, any weakness in the plastic will result in the screw causing an over-stressing issue that if located in a critical area that sees a lot of torque or tension will result in a failure.

Generally, I think that Yamato's contracted design house makes their screw bosses too thin-walled and don't add large enough fillets to sharp corners, if at all, to allow for stress relief; on the flip side, thicker walls on bosses and ribs and other internal structures can result in unsightly sink marks, but that can be mitigated by utilizing higher injection pressures.

I hope you can track down a source to secure a replacement because reconstruction of that boss, even with plastic weld compatible with ABS, is not likely to hold very long... anyone who has one of the old 1/60 Orguss Ishforns and Ishkicks knows that once those screw bosses go, the joint is finished.

[eugimon]

if you got it through HLJ, give them a shout, they'll replace it if they can and give you a refund if they can't.

[UN Spacy]

Is it time to panic and start hurling every swear word at Yamato?

[MacrossJunkie]

It's kinda scary to know that the whole leg relies on that connection. I did check my Kai and it seems that the washer was metal. I wonder why it's black plastic on the 19S.

The plastic surrounding the said screw was also different on the Kai.

On which kind of pose did you leave it in?

I left it in an "A" stance with regards to the legs. I don't think the washer being metal would have produced any different results though. The base of the peg is where it seemed to have degraded.

if you got it through HLJ, give them a shout, they'll replace it if they can and give you a refund if they can't.

Unfortunately, I got this one from AmiAmi, so I'm completely SOL =(

Sigh... really wish I could get a replacement part. I'm pretty mad that it costs so much and it just falls apart in less than a year.

Makes me not want to get the F or P if this could happen to me again.

I'm getting everything from HLJ from now on just in case...

[Old Man]

Unfortunately, I got this one from AmiAmi, so I'm completely SOL =(

Sigh... really wish I could get a replacement part. I'm pretty mad that it costs so much and it just falls apart in less than a year.

Makes me not want to get the F or P if this could happen to me again.

I'm getting everything from HLJ from now on just in case...

That would be my suggestion...I feel for ya' bro. It's really disappointing that AmiAmi isn't willing to help out like HLJ does. It's that very reason why I make ALL my Yamato purchases through HLJ. Furthermore, although their preorder prices are higher than AmiAmi, they usually charge less for shipping, which makes their prices comparable when all is said and done. It's hard to put a price tag on peace of mind.

[kamadoma]

@MacrossJunkie, on the first photo, is that exactly how it looked after you detached the leg?

I think there's a difference in the leg mold in the sense that the 19S has some sort of hollow spaces around the screw. I wonder if that has anything to with the breakage.

Sorry if I'm asking too much, I'm just too concerned. I really wish this is just an isolated case.

[MacrossJunkie]

@MacrossJunkie, on the first photo, is that exactly how it looked after you detached the leg?

I think there's a difference in the leg mold in the sense that the 19S has some sort of hollow spaces around the screw. I wonder if that has anything to with the breakage.

Sorry if I'm asking too much, I'm just too concerned. I really wish this is just an isolated case.

I'm not quite sure what you're saying.

The first photo is of the leg that was not broken to illustrate what it ought to look like. If the black plastic spacer is removed, it's basically just a blue hollow peg that the screw goes into. On the broken leg, the screw is still attached and the majority of the peg and spacer are still attached to the screw. It's the plastic around the base of the hollow peg that had crumbled. I'm not sure if that clarifies or confuses more.

[kamadoma]

I actually meant a different thing about "hollow spaces," which are the part I highlighted in this photo:

But never mind. Your explanation actually clarified to me how the whole connection works so it's all clear.

I think I just didn't see those hollow spaces on my Kai since the legs are still attached.

[Macette]

I've had a Yf-19 for ages and finally bit the bullet and got the vf-19s. the changes are huge improvements over the previous version. nice solid toy. very happy.

[Chronocidal]

I've had a Yf-19 for ages and finally bit the bullet and got the vf-19s. the changes are huge improvements over the previous version. nice solid toy. very happy.

It's amusing how it shows up, but I think I have a slight obsession with wanting a new YF-19... I seriously read that as "bit the gullet."

[Tober]

Unfortunately, I got this one from AmiAmi, so I'm completely SOL =(

Sigh... really wish I could get a replacement part. I'm pretty mad that it costs so much and it just falls apart in less than a year.

Makes me not want to get the F or P if this could happen to me again.

I'm getting everything from HLJ from now on just in case...

Did you try contacting Amiami about a replacement/refund? I've read their yellow piece of paper, but that's basically BS.

Failing that you could try contacting HLJ to see if they can organise a replacement part for you. If you have an account with them then try to give the impression you ordered through them...

[Macette]

It's amusing how it shows up, but I think I have a slight obsession with wanting a new YF-19... I seriously read that as "bit the gullet."

You should totally get one if you can, i'm not a huge fan of the 19f, so i got the 19s EF. thing is like a rock. everything snaps together nicely, and it's not floppy at all.

[Chronocidal]

Oh, I have two. I'm eagerly awaiting the F and P models so I can get two more, they're just beautiful.

But it doesn't help the fact that the YF-19 looks sad in comparison, and doesn't even compare well to the YF-21 and VF-11. It's just several generations behind the times now, and it really shows.

[Macette]

Oh, I have two. I'm eagerly awaiting the F and P models so I can get two more, they're just beautiful.

But it doesn't help the fact that the YF-19 looks sad in comparison, and doesn't even compare well to the YF-21 and VF-11. It's just several generations behind the times now, and it really shows.

Are you talking about how it looks over all? i picked up the max and Millia 22s and i must say i'm very dissapointed with them. they are a flopy mess compared to my yf 21 which was made years before.

[Chronocidal]

Oh, I've got no problem with my 21 and 22s, it's just that the YF-19 was the first new thing to come out after the 1/48 VF-1. That was six years ago now, and it came from the same generation as the VF-0. It came right before production quality at Yamato took a drastic turn upwards, which gave us the SV-51, YF-21, VF-11, and v.2 VF-1.

The YF-19 isn't even in the same ballpark of quality as their recent stuff, and it shows. The plastic quality is reminiscent of the explodium found in the VF-0s, and it has never looked as good as the other Mac+ valks. Now that the VF-19 has come out, and is such a work of art in comparison, it makes the YF-19 look just that much worse.

Note, that's besides all the technical problems the YF-19 has. My shoulders exploded VF-0 style, they can't support their own weight to any measure, the hips are a disaster, fighter mode loves to pop out of place, the gunpod was crooked, I had to fix the landing gear, etc. It was a huge improvement over the old 1/72 YF-19, but comparing it to the new VF-19s is like comparing the v.1 VF-1 to the v.2.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Chronocidal

[Swoosh]

Yamato has resolved most of the issue in the second run(YF-19 with Fold Booster Combo).

[Dimis]

Yamato has resolved most of the issue in the second run(YF-19 with Fold Booster Combo).

Although i have the 2010 release of YF-19, i have kept that in the box so i cannot comment on that, but i also have the Anniversary release from 2008 and that i can say has not had any problems. Everything has held up perfectly for over a year. I think the Anniversary must also have been improved upon, otherwise i'm just lucky?

Edited June 14, 2012 by Dimis

[derex3592]

I have the Double Nuts version and it isn't a floppy mess. Gun pod is straight, no problems after several transformations. Granted it's no Fire Valk...but it still looks good to me.

[Chronocidal]

True, I got a particularly bad YF-19 I think. It has just about every problem anyone reported, save for the neck hinge pieces shattering like some folks had happen. I've fixed a few of the problems (sort of), but I just want to be done with it.

I admit, I'm pretty harsh on the YF-19 design though. Between the aesthetics and bad design choices, I've been ready for a remake since I got it. It's not that it's bad toy, it's just that I knew it could be much better, and Yamato proved it with the VF-19. Now I'm anxious for them to revisit it, and bring it up to par.