Graham

Watch out for the little hinged canards when transforming. One popped off the day before yesterday during transformation and I didn't even noticed for a whole day. Luckily it hadn't been swept up when the floor was being cleaned and I was still able to find it. My heart stopped a beat when I first realized it was missing though. Graham

Sloppy paintjob aside, it is a very nice toy. A quantum leap from the VF-25 DX. So as I've got 2, does that mean I have sloppy seconds? Graham

I already bought a scond one last Friday at the CWB Animate. Haven't unboxed it yet though. Luckily my friend who is a fairly skilled model builder has agreeed to touch up the nose of my damaged VF-27 for me. Graham

YF-21 is nice and all, but I was hoping for a VF-171 or VF-17. Bandai really hates me. Graham

White is apparently 'anime accurate' for the shoulder area you mention. Glad it doesn't have the "cool rainbow colory effect" on the canopy, as occasionally it has been shown to crack and peel off. As I mentioned in another post, Yamato have decided to stop using it for that very reason on all new VFs. The lower heatshiled should loock in place, you just need to pull it up until it clicks in place. Graham

Still stock of the VF-27 Brera in Animate here as of today. Graham

Given that the green type is referred to as 'Normal Type' (model kit) and 'Mass Product' type (1/250 Macross Fighter Collection toy), I think it's safe to assume that there are more than 2 of them. Certainly in some of the PSP Frontier MUF missions, there are many green VF-25s. Graham

Agreed, the sculpt, engineering, gimmicks, articulation on this toy are all really great. I just wish Bandai would use a matte plastic like Yamato so the paint would adhere better. Graham

Maybe I'm describing the colors incorrectly, plus the flash from the camera makes them look brighter than they are. Using the color chart here (http://www.visibone.com/colorlab/) I guess the color of the paint that's scrapped off the nose cone would be FFCCFF Pale Weak Magenta (that's the closest match I can see), whereas the base plastic underneath would be I guess 660033 Obscure Dull Pink. I think everybody knows what I am talking about from the picture, even if I did use the wrong choice of colors to describe it. Graham

Here's a photo of the paint scratch on the nose of mine. It occured either the first time when I transformed the toy from fighter to battroid or more likely when I transformed it back to fighter mode again. Needless to say, after only 2 transformations I'm really pissed that this has happened. It pretty much means I have to keep the toy confined to battroid mode now, to hide the missing paint, unless I can find the corect shade of lavendar or liliac paint to touch it up. As I'm really crap with paints and painting this is not likely. Hopefully, I can persuade a skilled model builder friend to try touching it up for me. Not even sure how it happened, as if transformed correctly the nose cone actually sits back from the front of the chest plate in battroid mode and doesn't touch it. I think on the second transformation, I was being a bit too careless and rushing and forgot to unhinge the neck and must have accidently rubbed the nose cone against the inside of the chest plate. Anyway, be extra careful of the nose cone when you are transforming and make sure you don't scrape it on the inside of the chest plate, as the paint seem to come off pretty easily. Graham

IIRC (I'm at work now), it's on the nose cone. The lilac paint on top of the nose cone, got scratched by the chest plate when I was transforming from battroid to fighter mode, as I was getting the nose cone out from under the chest plate. Graham

I'll take and post a photo later tonight. Graham

Be careful when transforming the VF-27 from Battroid to fighter. I just ended up scratching off a big chunk of the lilac paint from the top of the nose cone, when I was lifting the chest plate up over the nose cone. Really pissed with myself. Graham

Forgot how frustrating the DX Armor Pack can be. After months of having my Armored Ozma on display in battroid mode, I decided to transform him to fighter mode and nearly ended up throwing the blasted thing at the wall. Everytime you add one part, another part pops off somewhere else. Finally got it all done and to be fair, the toy is quote solid once everything is on, but getting there can be a trial, especially if you want to attach the gunpod in fighter mode (doable, but makes things even more tricky). Also, found my VF-25G DX has transformed into a froppy mess. Only transformed it about 2-3 times when I got it, then put it in the display cabinet in battroid mode. Took it out for the first time in months only to find the arms, hips and crotch lock are now really lose........ I've come to the conclusion that the VF-25 DX toys are only fun without any Armor Paccks or Super Packs fitted. Add packs and it's an instant cause of high blood pressure! In contrast, the VF-27DX is such a pleasant contrast. Easy to transform, yet sufficiently tight, locks together well and nothing falls off. I really hope Bandai decides to release a ver.2 VF-25, with the improvements in design and attention to detail of the VF-27. Graham

To David: Even the Bandai 1/72 VF-27 greenie box (which I just saw in Animate), refers to it as 'Normal Type'.

188 Center in Wanchai sold out. Animate on Sugar Street, CWB still have stock for HK$1180.

In the anime AFAIK, Grace just uses one of the Anteres squadron standard production green units, which have the same head as Brera's anyway (new retconned model kit head doesn't count, as it wasn't in the anime). IMO there is no such thing as a special 'Grace' version. And yes, the struts are painted silver. Graham

Due to family commitments, I only had an hour to examine the toy yesterday. I kept it in fighter mode for 40 minutes, just enjoying looking at it and whooshing it around and then transformed it to battroid mode and spent the last 20 minutes posing it in battroid. Gotta say so far I love this toy. It's approaching Yamatoness in its awesome attention to detail. Joints nice and tight - check. Loads of printed markings - check. Awesome sculpt - check. Lots of mechanical detail - check. Great poseability - check. Removeable pilots check. Full length landing gear - check (although curiously the struts are silver, not white as with real military aircraft). I like it so much, I'm seriously thinking of buying a second one. Yes, the crotch lock is very similar in design to that on the VF-25, but on my VF-27, it feels much tighter. So far the toy gets 2 big thumbs up from me. Can't wait for the green cannon fodder version). Graham

Just picked one up at 6.10pm HK time for HK$1,128 at 2/F, 188 Centre, Wanchai. Looks very nice. No stand. Full markings. On the way home now. Won't be free to take it out of the box until 9pm though. Surprisingly error free English blurb on the box rear. Graham (from phone)

I hated that. Really kiddified IMO, with silly looking mecha. Sorry, can't stand any mecha that has trains for Shoulders and a lion on the chest. Graham

Oh and yeah having both a Saturn and PS1, I did notice when the DYRL games came out, that the FMV for the Saturn version seemed better. Graham

I love Philosoma. It's one of my favorite PS1 games. Graham

May have to check this out one day. Me likee T&A! Graham

Although, I can sort of buy the idea of SMS thinking "well what happens if we are attacked one day and our Meltran members are not able to get to their Q-Rea"? and then asking LAI to jury-rig a way for full size Meltran to use the VF-25's Super Packs in an emergancy. It's a stretch, I know but wackier ideas have been tried in war. Graham

Yeah, I always felt Klan strapping on those Super Packs was one of the silliest elements of Frontier. Graham