Graham

Damn, Ultimate Mode is difficult. Keep running out of time on the harder missions. Graham

Interesting to see an F-22 try. Graham

I had a look through this book while I was in Tokyo in April. It doesn't have much Macross stuff in and of that very little is new art. I can't remember the page count for Macross art, but IIRC it's somewhere between 6 to 12 pages. The only new Macross art that interested me was the box art for the Bandai YF-25 Prophecy. The majority of the book is Gundam and some other mecha, so I chose not to buy it, as I have no interest in Gundam. If you want more Macross art, wait for Tenjin's 'Valkyries 2' book, which hopefully will be out by the end of the year. Graham

I have a feeing that the little 30mm ball turret will be a removeable part that you have to take off to transform to Shuttle mode. I'm fine with that though. Graham

Wondering exactly how and where the new FAST packs for the VF-19A attach? Looking at the pics, they don't seem to attach to the shoulders like the VF-19F/S FAST Packs. Looks more like they attach to the chest plate some how? Makes me wonder if they are for fighter mode only and have to be jetisoned if the VF-19A transforms to Battroid or Gerwalk mode. Also, it looks like the new FAST Packs can be fitted with two different types of missile launcher. I see mention and lineart of an HMMP-15 and an HMMP-12. Interesting that the missile launcher for the internal leg bays is also listed as HMMP-15. Graham I'm hoping that the pages on the block numbers will clarify whether the VF-19E/F/S/P types were indeed meant as more advanced replacements for the earlier VF-19A/B/C/D types. Graham

I asked Tenjin on his Facebook page about the '011' marking on the Hikaru VF-1S on the cover and poster of issue #50 and he replied: - Any idea what the comment in Japanese means? Graham

From the latest pictures, I ge the impression that the VF-19S will come with the fighter mode display base and landing gear. I also think the VF-19F is likely to be a Tamashii website exclusive Probably the FAST packs will be as well. So looking forward to this. I f I like a toy or mecha, I have no problem buying smaller scale. Graham

Northrop so copied the YF-21......LOL! Graham

The Master Files lineart shows the tail fins of the A type and E/F/S type as being the same size and set at the same angle. The only difference being that the A type fins are mounted higher up and closer together and the E/F/S type are mounted lower and set further apart. Kawamori's original lineart also shows the YF-19 and E/F/S type as being about the same size as well. Graham

Hmmm.......how come Tenjin's VF-1S Hikaru on the cover (and poster) of issue # 50 has a 011 marking, instead of 001? Graham

The new pics are super sexy. Definitely buying at least 2, maybe 3. The VF-19S is my second favorite VF after the VF-17D. Can't wait for news of the VF-19F. Hope it's not a webstore exclusive. Graham

Unfortunately, with so many conflicting sources, I doubt we are ever going to know which information is correct, that is unless Big West or Kawamori-san read this thread and provide us with a definitive answer. For the moment, I'm just going to accept that all answers are possible. Graham

Will need to look at the boook again tonight and compare against line-art of Basara's missiles, but I would have thought it is the opposite way and the longer missiles are the ones used by Basara. Graham

Touch wood, mine are still all OK, but I don't transform them at all these days. In fact, my never-before transformed Alto VF-25F Tornado in fighter mode took a 4 foot dive off my bedroom TV the other day onto my wood floor and although the Tornado packs flew off, nothing was damaged. Graham

Hmm, seems like most of the breaks are happening on the VF-25S. Could be several reasons for this:- More VF-25S are displayed with armor on, compared to other versions. We know the armor stresses the joints. The grey plastic is somehow different in composition to the plastic used on the F/G/RVF and more prone to cracking? The cracks aren't as visible to spot on Alto's VF-25F, as it is white? Graham

Going by memory here, as don't have the book with me (I should really wait until I get home to post this :-P). But anyway, I want to discuss the internal leg missile launchers some more. IIRC, the Master File lists the internal leg missile launchers for the 19 series as being called 'HMMP-15' (see the page that has the head on pics of the old and nerwer style 19s' and lists out where the various hard points are and which waepons they can carry). These HMMP-15 launchers fire the HMM-20 (IRCC) missile. On another page CG pics are shown of two types of HMM-20 missile, a long and short type. I presume the longer type of HMM-20 is the medium-range type carried by the Fire Valk and the shorter type shown is a short-range version, which would perhaps allow double the amount to be carried? Sorry if I've got the designations wrong, but too impatient to wait until I go home. Graham

Thanks, David. Graham

Bought my son the large Hasbro AT-TE for his 6th birthday, as he's been asking for it for over a year now. Will be giving it to him when I get home tonight. But I wrapped it up before checking what type of batteries it needs. Can anybody let me know ASAP, so I can pick up the correct type of batteries. Graham

Given that the tail fins (rudders?) on the E/F/S/P are spaced much wider apart than on the 'A', would this wider spacing make them more effective than the closer set tails on the A type? Graham

Given that one of the pics shows NUNS emblems and the design itself seems to take several design cues from the VF-25 (the style of vents on the wing root guns for example), it has to be far newer, i.e. from around the time of Frontier or post-Frontier, as the NUNS logo didn't exist until Frontier came out. Graham

The VF-19 Master File is a book. We are presently discussing possible inaccuracies in the information presented in the book and as part of this discussion, we are referencing the stats found on various old toys and models, which might be why you are confused. Graham

But did Chronicle's writers actually cite 12 per leg for the VF-19F/S or 12 total, i.e. 6 per leg like the Fire Valk? Need to check on this. Interesting that the upcoming Bandai 1/100 Hi-Metal VF-19S, has the toy with 6 missiles per leg. Not sure what figure (if any) the VF-19 Master File gives for the number of leg missiles on the VF-19F/S. Don't have the book with me to look at the moment. These days, I tend to believe that the 20 micro-missile count per HMMP-02 launcher on the NP-BP-01 FAST Packs is correct, ala Yamato's 1/48 and 1/60 scale toys, which were designed with Kawamori's input. The cutaway drawing, originally from the Gold Book (is this what was reprinted in Chonicle? - not at home can't check), while nice always seemed to me hold far too few missiles in the HMMP-02 launcher, given its external size. Anyway, better keep VF-1 discussions out of this thread. Graham

I just checked the Compendium and the release dates listed there are also the same: Bandai 1/100 scale VF-19S plastic model kit - released in August 1995. Bandai 1/65 scale VF-19S DX toy - released in May 1995. I wonder if the model kit and toy were Egan's sole source of data for the VF-19S stats? I do find it interesting that the model kit manual which lists the lower thrust stats of 68,500kg was released several months after the toy, which lists the higher thrust of 78,950kg! Really makes you wonder which is correct! I'm gonna have to dig up the Bandai VF-19Kai model and toy stats now to see if there is any discrepency with those. It's also interesting that the VF-19S 1/100 model kit stats are the only Japanese source that I've seen from the 90s' that lists the 24 micro-missiles per leg (48 total) for the VF-19F/S. Note that the DX toy lists 12 missiles total. The Macross Chronicle seems to have retconned the 48 micro-missiles out of existence and now lists the VF-19F/S with the more familiar 12 missiles in total. I wonder were the 48 micro-missiles a mistake? Graham

Found one source for the 78,950kg thrust figure for the VF-19S. It's on the back of the box of the Bandai 1/65 scale VF-19S toy from 1995. See attached pic. Now I need to check which was released first, the 1/100 Bandai plamodel, which has the 68,500kg thrust figure, or the 1/65 Bandai toy, which has the 78,950kg thrust figure. Graham

Nobody got #50 yet? It's out today. Really curious if the VF-2JA gets a Tenjin painting or not. Graham