My finished 1/72 Bandai VF-25S Armored Messiah

[wm cheng]

Well, I can't believe it myself... after 94hrs, finally finished!!! This was a much bigger undertaking that I had originally thought. Full of setbacks along the way if any of you were following along in the Workbench thread. I just wanted to power through this and didn't see the need for a build-up thread partly because I was selfish and didn't have the time and also its so close to the original VF-25F I did before (but easier as it didn't have the alignment problems and modifications). This is a much improved kit than the original fighter mode only kits as the armor contained all the tabs that you needed to lock it into the various modes. I must admit that it did take me 2hrs to transform this baby from the aircraft to the battroid mode - but I was careful to not break anything else and not scratch the paint finish.

So without further ado, here are the first batch of finished photos;

[wm cheng]

Battroid mode!

...and finally, the moment I've been waiting for... the missile doors open BAM!

Sorry, not much of a Gerwalk fan, so I skipped it on my way to the Battroid. And its here it shall stay until Bandai re-issues its VF-25S Armored renewal toys and I can actually get my hands on it - which at that point I leave that toy in Battroid mode and re-transform this model back into the aircraft mode (at least that's the plan).

Oops, the posting got all screwed up waiting for that time limit to expire while posting and now I can't edit it (the 2nd batch of Battroid pictures, before the missile doors open is supposed to be before the missile doors open but it doesn't show up to let me edit it) - oh well, you guys get the idea.

Edited March 22, 2013 by wm cheng

[Benson13]

Absolutely amazing.

[Ignacio Ocamica]

A true work of art!!! It really deserves to stay in battroid form.

[MechTech]

That's TOTALLY AWESOME WORK - and - missilicious!!! My son said, "if they wanted a lot of missiles on there, they went too far!" Don't worry, I corrected him Congrats on this new additon to your collection. Now just don't let it get broken. - MT

[505thAirborne]

Epic build cheng, best looking VF-25S out there!!

[wm cheng]

Thanks all, actually the photos are kind of blurry... (I'm not really satisfied with them - just glad its done!) If I get some time in the summer, I'll take it out again with the SDF-1 to take some proper photos of them outside like my older stuff.

[EXO]

Nicely done, sir!

[Kaldar5]

Amazing build. My Alto armored VF-25 just came in at HLJ... I doubt I will be satisfied just snapping it together plain after seeing this!

My son said, "if they wanted a lot of missiles on there, they went too far!" Don't worry, I corrected him

They don't allow clowns at the Itano Circus son.

[kyekye]

Tan-Orange color is very nice with blue/Gray!! Congtats on finishing this one. Hopefully, I can go back to my hobby life soon..

[PetarB]

Just look at all those missiles. I can just imagine them all snaking out on the crazy Macross deluxe smoke trails!

Of course, I'm a fan of the fighter, but the battroid is certainly growing on me on this one.

Can't fault the workmanship, but I've seen you take better stills.

But I bet you're just happy this one is over. I know I just love to sit my mechs on the studio desk for a couple of days after finishing and gaze at all the angles and profiles from different directions during idle moments. I do find it helps in appreciating the subject more.

Beautiful work!

[GU-11]

You know you've built a beautiful kit when people start downloading the pics for wallpapers...I know I did.

[wm cheng]

....but I've seen you take better stills.

But I bet you're just happy this one is over. I know I just love to sit my mechs on the studio desk for a couple of days after finishing and gaze at all the angles and profiles from different directions during idle moments....

Ahh, kindred souls... you know me too well! Yes, I was so happy just to finish the darn thing and get it off my workbench, now the more I look at the crappy photos the more I'm ashamed of the photographs.

I am just happy I finished this, but it really tried my patience, never have I broke so many pieces or had so many parts just crack and break on me for no apparent reason (one of the arm cuffs had cracked as well as 3 of the 4 yellow tips to the reaction missiles - I would have never known had I not of done an oil wash, of course the black wash creeped in to expose the hairline cracks!) I don't get it, maybe the plastic deteriorated or something, I just can't explain it. Also some of the decals just flaked off due to handling, you really have to clear coat seal them after the fact - just really poor quality water slide decals from Bandai - I think they were counting on people using the stickers provided.

You really do gain an appreciation for the design after you've built one of these, I originally thought it was just to bulky and un-graceful - but know I really do like both modes - can't decide which to keep it in (and can't believe I would go through this hell again to do another one to keep one in each mode - I really believe modellers are sadist!) Thanks for all the praises... it does dull the pain of the build somewhat ;-)

[Bartol Rendulic]

Wow man! nice job. nice to see one of these weathered subtly and matt. Nice touch of gradation on the thrusters as well.

[Zinjo]

Couple questions:

Amazing work as always sir, thank you for sharing/

1. You went with a more orange gold rather than yellow, was that for a specific purpose?

2. Will you be uploading a Zip file of the full resolution images for us fans who want to drool over your detail work?

Edited March 27, 2013 by Zinjo

[Valkyrie addict]

breathtaking

[Kaldar5]

Couple questions:

Amazing work as always sir, thank you for sharing/

1. You went with a more orange gold rather than yellow, was that for a specific purpose?

2. Will you be uploading a Zip file of the full resolution images for us fans who want to drool over your detail work?

I think he mentioned the orange/gold looked better with the off bluish grey of the armor packs and used that specifically instead of the traditional Ozma yellow.

And yeah, artistically warm gold yellow / orange is a complementary color of that blueish slight green grey on the armor pack accessories (laser turrets and other flanges)

Here is a good web based utility if you are working on color schemes and don't have a great instinctive aesthetic sense.

http://colorschemedesigner.com/

Makes stuff look good when you have one color done and don't know what other shades of diff colors to use.

[MACROSS23]

wanderful works! I love it !

[Gatsu]

This is gorgeous in any mode you transform it!

[Gatsu]

Ahh, kindred souls... you know me too well! Yes, I was so happy just to finish the darn thing and get it off my workbench, now the more I look at the crappy photos the more I'm ashamed of the photographs.

I am just happy I finished this, but it really tried my patience, never have I broke so many pieces or had so many parts just crack and break on me for no apparent reason (one of the arm cuffs had cracked as well as 3 of the 4 yellow tips to the reaction missiles - I would have never known had I not of done an oil wash, of course the black wash creeped in to expose the hairline cracks!) I don't get it, maybe the plastic deteriorated or something, I just can't explain it. Also some of the decals just flaked off due to handling, you really have to clear coat seal them after the fact - just really poor quality water slide decals from Bandai - I think they were counting on people using the stickers provided.

You really do gain an appreciation for the design after you've built one of these, I originally thought it was just to bulky and un-graceful - but know I really do like both modes - can't decide which to keep it in (and can't believe I would go through this hell again to do another one to keep one in each mode - I really believe modellers are sadist!) Thanks for all the praises... it does dull the pain of the build somewhat ;-)

Hi Cheng, if you used Zippo oil or white oil when doing the oil wash maybe this could be the reason if some pieces cracked. I had the same experience with my vf-1 missiles, they crack without apparent reason while drying after oil wash. I suppose the white oil make some strange chemical reaction with this plastic, but ONLY if you allow it to go inside the connections between parts... if it dry fast it won t do any harm.

[wm cheng]

Hi Gatsu,

I definitely didn't use Zippo oil and I don't know what white oil is. I used my old trusty method of using low odour varsol (mineral spirits) with oil paints for my wash.

I have now since moved on and I am now using clay and water based flory's wash which is even more gentle and totally inert.

http://www.florymodels.co.uk/washes/

[NZEOD]

Florys rocks! and is sooooo easy to use

[David Hingtgen]

Mineral spirits are AKA white spirits, so maybe white oil is yet another name?

[NZEOD]

yeah its what used to be called lamp oil before kerosine took over.

White Spirits is what we use to clean up any grease and oils off a surface before we hit it with IPA then apply vinyl graphic wraps too.

[Gatsu]

Sorry, as we call "oil" "petrolio" in italian i translated "petrolio bianco" as "white oil". The zippo's oil is basically sold for the zippo's lighters and i suppose it is a more expensive version of the "white spirit", but i m not sure. If there is a safer method than using oil colors and white spirit i d be happy to know it.

[Duymon]

Hi Gatsu,

I definitely didn't use Zippo oil and I don't know what white oil is. I used my old trusty method of using low odour varsol (mineral spirits) with oil paints for my wash.

I have now since moved on and I am now using clay and water based flory's wash which is even more gentle and totally inert.

http://www.florymodels.co.uk/washes/

Follow his advice. Flory's is a godsend and totally worth the price. It felt almost dirty to use because it was so easy and the results were so much better.

[Gatsu]

Hi Gatsu,

I definitely didn't use Zippo oil and I don't know what white oil is. I used my old trusty method of using low odour varsol (mineral spirits) with oil paints for my wash.

I have now since moved on and I am now using clay and water based flory's wash which is even more gentle and totally inert.

http://www.florymodels.co.uk/washes/

Cheng what colour do you use for air carft panel lining? Looks gorgeous and heasy to use, do you do as he show in the video or do you apply it only on the panel lines? Do you make surface glossy before using it?

Edited October 16, 2016 by Gatsu

[wm cheng]

I didn't see the video so I don't know. I only apply it to the panel lines and I usually mix the grey with the white to get it much lighter for the general panel lines, then I use the grey for the deeper access panels and the black for the moveable surfaces such as the flaps, ailerons, rudder or vents (and landing gears too). Its nice to vary the colour to add depth to the various panel lines to make the paint job a bit more interesting.

[Gatsu]

I didn't see the video so I don't know. I only apply it to the panel lines and I usually mix the grey with the white to get it much lighter for the general panel lines, then I use the grey for the deeper access panels and the black for the moveable surfaces such as the flaps, ailerons, rudder or vents (and landing gears too). Its nice to vary the colour to add depth to the various panel lines to make the paint job a bit more interesting.

You can use gray or white only on white colors, otherwise if the part is coloured in other colours you would have white panel lines

Edited October 17, 2016 by Gatsu

[peter]

I'm not even a fan of Mac F but that looks amazing.

[wm cheng]

You can use gray or white only on white colors, otherwise if the part is coloured in other colours you would have white panel lines

Yeah, when its a coloured part, especially if its darker, I use a black panel line wash, but I also try to "dry brush" a lighter grey just around the panel lines so it lightens the panel edges and lets you see the black recessed lines better (I think it also simulates panel wear well too)

[edstuff]

That is stunning! And i personally love dry brushing

[GreenGuy42]

Beautiful, clean work.

[whistler]

excellent work, man. seriously. i was wondering about the feasibility of painting my SV-262 kit. did you put it all together and then paint or did you do each part individually? i've actually assembled mine so i am quite curious to know (either way i am thinking of waiting until the Mini Drakens come out (that was the main reason i got the Bandai anyway, the fighter looks so much cooler with the drones and missile packs in place). i dont really plan to transform mine but i will need to move the wing flaps to attach the drones, and i wasn't sure how much of an impact the extra paint would have on the joint. i take it the reason you didnt seal was because you wanted to maintain transformability? how did you get such nice decal application without sealing first?

[wm cheng]

I totally sealed it, many many layers before and after the decals to protect them during the transformation. Now I hardly ever transform this model, maybe 5-6 times so far, but I fully expect the clear coat to get scratched or damaged, just hope that its not deep enough to affect the decals or paint. Seems to work so far.