MacrossJunkie

Yes! The legs are positioned properly in fighter mode unlike the VF-25. Looks like it was not transformed properly as the shoulder blocks are not positioned right in the fighter pic. I hope it's just the lighting in the pic, but it almost looks like some parts are slightly different colored. Hopefully we won't have another repeat of the RVF-25. Also hope they allow attaching the gun while in fighter mode, particularly with landing gears down. I was disappointed with how the VF-25G's sniper rifle was handled and how the gunpod couldn't even attach for the armored VF-25. So far, it looks great. I may actually get 2 of these. I'm not fond of the green CF color scheme so there's no need for me to wait to get one of each.

I haven't really had any issues with HLJ. I think they've actually gotten a lot better with shipping their orders quickly compared to how they were many years ago. Back then I waited a couple weeks or longer to get an in stock item shipped. Now, unless there's a holiday, they usually ship within 1-3 days. That said, I prefer Overdrive. The biggest advantage for me is that they charge in USD rather than yen. I have a pre-order with HLJ which I think I'm going to have to cancel with how quickly the value of the dollar has been sinking (and still dropping). I'd have to pay $20 more already than at the time I placed my pre-order and I expect that difference to still increase more by the time the item is actually released. I'll just have to hope that OD will have some left over or just do without. OD's prices also tend to be very good often times still being cheaper than HLJ's prices even with the early bird discount. Its biggest advantage is also the biggest con, however, since they have to charge at the time you place your order instead of when the item is ready to be shipped.

I didn't have much issue putting stickers on the curved parts though I didn't use the D or 7 in particular. One thing you could try is to trim off all the excess clear parts of the sticker right down to the edges of the letter/number. That would make it skinnier and thus easier to place with less wrinkling (I assume it's wrinkling of the sticker that you're having problems with).

Graham, Would you be able to find out from them if they will be improving the stability of the cockpit in fighter mode? My biggest complaint with the 11B is that the cockpit doesn't sit right and wobbles around with the slider all the way up and you have to find some point where the slider is down just enough to get the cockpit caught on a couple nubs without it being too low. It's a serious pain in the butt and still doesn't hold that well as slight movement can still knock it loose.

In order to properly recreate Operation Stargazer, Yamato will need to make some VF-17s and VF-19s. So they should probably get on that too

It comes with the same stand that comes with the 21, except it's black instead of clear. It's only compatible with the -51, -21, and -22s. No other valks have connectors (that I know of) that will attach to that stand.

Yes, unfortunately. At least the clear version anyway.

I take it that the little display cards in front of the VF-27 DX didn't give any general hints as to when it would be released (like 1st, 2nd, 3rd qtr of 2010)?

You actually want the Pink Pecker squadron scheme? Well, you could just get the 11C, drop it in a large bowl of grape juice for a day and slap on a wing insignia on the heat shield that will probably be on the sticker sheet and you've got yourself a Pink Pecker themed valk.

Nah, Michael's will probably be a neon blue with hot pink trim in the areas that were white

Those minis look like they're painted pretty decently considering their size. I just hope they go with the original prototype colors for the retail version instead of the white and baby blue that these newer prototypes have. What's up with that?

People may think it looks boring, but I like it. Add a little weathering and it will look great. I'm glad I only got one 11B. I'll get this one and display it in battroid.

In response to the thread's subtitle, it's not that no one warned that they sucked. It just that you didn't read the warnings I myself have ranted about how frustratingly bad they were.

Sweet! My initial impression is that I like it. The inherent transformation differences between the VF-25 and 27 allows the 27 to be more faithful to the lineart than the 25 did. I didn't realize until now how far down the tail end hangs in battroid mode though. Actually, now that I mention it, the legs do seem a bit short. The color looks pretty accurate I think. I wish they had one displayed in fighter mode as well. I'm curious if it has the low hanging leg problems that the 25 DX has (pretty hopeful it doesn't) and if the gun can be properly mounted with landing gear down unlike the 25G toy (that part I highly doubt). Heh, those pics make the 1/100 VF-19 look the same size as the VF-27.

I remember from looking at it in the Macross DesignWorks book that the VF-4 battroid didn't really stand out much or was kind of below average in looks. However, seeing the drawing cleaned up and colored at the M3 site, it doesn't look that bad at all.

I see... actually, no I don't. I don't see the slightest resemblance, not even a pointed hood. Possibly a very weird looking destroid maybe, but no klansman. And this is coming from a guy who sees a koala face on the Defender. Edit: Heck, it probably resembles Alpha Trion's face more than it does a hooded person.

First of all, what's a clan-bot? I don't get the reference. Clan as in battletech context or something else?

I hope Bandai is just about done milking the VF-25 mold. I'm quite ready to see a DX VF-171 or -27 made.

Did you check to see if HLJ actually did charge you the EMS rate for SAL shipping? If so, you should contact them and at least try to get a refund for the difference. 3 weeks... SAL must stand for Slow And Lethargic.

Those are the Yamato stands used on the top right for the VF-1s and the 19.

That actually looks really good. Where did that come from? If you were to say that it's a prototype from Yamato for an upcoming Spartan toy, I think a bunch of people would be fooled.

Not to worry. A few coats of nail polish should rectify the loosing!

If I were to decide to put a Macross item on my mantle and make a stand for it, I probably wouldn't go with a valk. I'd stick a big ole cap ship on the mantle like the upcoming Quarter or 1/2000 scale SDF-1 Macross.

I've lived in my current house for about a year and haven't had to dust yet. I can swipe my fingers across the shelves in my display cabinets and not really pick up any dust. It helps that the house has almost entirely hardwood floors or tiles with the only carpeting being in the basement, so there's very little dust being generated. I sweep the floors with a swiffer between every few days to once a week and that's about as much as I need to do to manage dust. I'm glad you like it I think the weathering really makes a difference in my displays. I am slowly working on weathering more of my valks when I get in the mood for it. I didn't seal any of the valks with a clearcoat yet, but I may just leave them as is since I rarely do anything to them so I shouldn't need to worry about rubbing off the weathering. I may need to though if I get around to weathering the other parts to cover the battroid mode as well, but that's low on my to do list.

I don't believe anyone ever was arguing whether the VF-2SS was a valid entry. I was only stating that I dislike the VF-2SS design because it's ugly to me. The R-type like cockpit in combination with the widely spaced star trek-like nacelles just don't do it for me. Also a preference for a certain mode doesn't define what a valkyrie is, but it more often than not does define whether we would purchase a toy of it As I said, I find a lot of the appeal of the VF designs is that they have some connection to the real world in their designs which is fairly unique in animes that have fighters or mecha or both (that I can recall currently). However, it's inevitable or at least somewhat expected going forward as Shoji takes Macross further along the timeline that the valkyrie designs may take fewer and fewer inspirations from modern aircraft, and I'm fine with that as long as the designs still look good.