Graham

Sorry for the looooong delay guys. Promise I will get back on this soon. Last year got kinda crazy in the second half as work really picked up plus I had some health issues, which I needed to deal with (am still dealing with). Will aim to start sending out what I have again after the Chinese New Year Holidays, i.e. from second week of February. Also, as David mentioned, I need to see if I can get some more of the off-white (light grey) DYRL VF-1A/S hinges from Yamato, as demand has again outstripped my meagre supply. Please don't PM me about hinges yet, as I'm still pretty busy and need to dig up all the old info. I will post an update in this thread sometime in the next few weeks about who is on the list and how many hinges remain. After I post the update, then you can PM me with any questions/requests/clarifications. Note I will not answer PMs about hinges until after the update is posted. Graham

I've already talked to Yamato about this. The CEO likes the design. Could be a possibility. Depends how popular Macross R is and also how well the VF-19 sells. Modifying the 1/60 VF-19Kai to VF-19ACTIVE would probably require 40%-50% new tooling. Graham

Check your PM box. Graham

Compared with the Tornado pack, the YF-29 seems a bit light on missile armament to me. Starting with missiles. While the YF-29 may have 8 micro-missile ports, the payload for each must be quite small given their locations on the outside of the engines (not much room in the legs and mid-wing engine nacelles for missiles). Compare this with the Tornado pack, which although it has a similiar number of micro-missile ports (6 micro-missile ports on the dorsal wing surface and possibly another 2 on the ventral wing surface). However, given the location of these ports, there is the potentional that the Tornado Pack's micro-missile payload is much greater, as the Tornado packs wing would logically seem to offer far more storage space compared to the YF-29's launchers on the primary engine (leg) and secondary engine (mid-wing) nacelles. Then of course the Tornado pack also has the optional underwing 'Corn Cob' micro-missile launchers for space use. Moving onto the beam guns, even with advances in technology I have a hard time beliving the 2 large-bore beam cannons on the YF-29 (located inward and slightly fore of the vertical tails), are as powerful as the much large cannons on the Tornado pack. Also, the Tornado Pack's cannon being moveable in both the horizontal and vertical axis offer a wider field of fire compared to the YF-29's cannons which appear to be fixed forward firing only. However, I'm wondering if for battroid mode, the YF-29's cannons will hinge up over the shoulders/head somehow. Looking at the line art, they do seem to be connected to a y-shape piece, which perhaps is pop-up moveable mount. While I can see with advances in engine technology and likely lighter overall weight the YF-29 being as fast or faster than the Tornado pack equippped VF-25, I'm wondering if it is as maneuverable. To me the 360 degree rotating engine nacelles on the Tornado Pack would seem to offer a huge advantage in maneuverability, especially in space. Graham

Except the SW-XAII Schneegans looks way better than the YF-29 IMO. Graham

Interesting. Thanks for the translation Sketchley. Graham

Picked my copy a couple of days ago. HK$370 in Sino Center.....ouch! Damn the high Japanese Yen exchange rate! Quite like the redesigned canopy shape and feet on the VF-1P. I really hope the VF-4/VF-3000/VF-5000 book is not a joke and is really the next in the series. Has the potential to be an awesome book. Graham

Those fighter mode grey prototype pics were already posted months ago in this thread. Graham

I'll re-clarify with Yamato, as it's been years since I last asked, but IIRC, when Yamato decided to go ahead and make the FAST Packs for the 1/48 VF-1, Kawamori was consulted on the number of missiles and the design layout and it was established then that the number is 20 per pack. Graham

The missile load has been long established, since the release of the 1/48 FPs. Yamato didn't just pull the design and number of missiles out of a hat y'know! Graham

Had a chat with Yamato this morning. They said sales in Japan have been doing really well. Graham

Getting old, memory is going! Was it ever established whether there was going to be a 3rd Frontier movie or not? Or is two it? Graham

Hoping we'll get a 4th PSP game with full Frontier movie 2 campaign and also full Macross R campaign. Graham

No, I have a feeling we won't get the YF-29 in MTF. We didn't get the Tornado pack in MUFand IIRC (I may be wrong), the Tornado pack was already public knowledge when MUF was released. Graham

The Macross version of Minovski particles. Graham

Just in case you missed my post immediately before yours, I'll say it again.......the way Yamato have the arms is correct to the lineart. The ARMDs are supposed to be away from the legs. they are NOT supposed to touch the legs or lock into the legs Graham

Actually, according to the SDF-1 lineart in the DYRL gold book, the gap between the ARMDs and the legs in Cruiser mode is correct. Graham

Added an addendum to the review (at the end of the review), with 5 new photos with the prongs on the main guns extended. Graham

My bets on Alto. Graham

On the subject of Ex-Gear, I wonder if we will get to use the SMS type military grade Ex-Gear as well as the Academy version? Grahan

Klan's red VF-25S was featured in Macross Trial Frontier for the PS3 and also released in series 4 of the Bandai 1:250 scale Macross Fighter Collection Toys. Graham

Seems to be missing the sensors on the nose, infront of the cockpit. possibly they will just be stickers. Graham

Confirmed, the spikes on the end of the main guns are retractable. According to Yamato they just pull out and can be extended by about 15mm. Doh! not sure how I missed that. Will have to amend the review and add some more pics. Graham

No, the feet don't tilt. No, I don't think it is possible to bring the arms closer. Graham Could catch on the spike length. I will check when I go home and I'll also ask Yamato. Graham

The 'Mechanic' tab is now active on the official Macross Triangle Frontier site. A limited number of mecha from each era shown so far. Also, doesn't seem to be any changes in the models from MUF that I can notice, although some pics posted earlier on the Famitsu website did seem to show changes to the VF-19Kai fighter model. Graham