Graham

To be honest, I haven't paid too much attention to the shoulder joints, so can't say yet. Graham

Just sent another email to Yamato to confirm the exact situation about the two pieces of foam in the nosecone. I'd assumed they were just to protect the escape pod and help keep it in position during transit, which is why I removed them from my VF-11B. Also, I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet, but the VF-11B box is fairly compact by Yamato standards. It's about the same size as a non-FP 1/60 VF-1 box. Graham

Just got paid and went on a lunchtime spending spree and picked up a second Yamato VF-11B. Gotta have two, one to display in fighter mode, the second in battoid mode. Even if my lower heatshield doesn't lock, there's still the blue-tack solution. Graham

Just picked up a reissue VF-25F Alto DX. Won't have time to open it until Saturday though. Will report than any changes I find then. Graham

Not sure what you mean by separating the legs. Graham

OK, I can understand shipment of live pigs being banned and even shipment of pork products, even though it's a bit of a knee jerk reaction, but other goods, what the heck for? Let's say a postal worker in Japan infected with swine flu sneezes on your toy package from HLJ, the virus would be long dead before it reaches another country. Graham

So Alex, are you saying there are three peices of foam in total? I removed two first of all, didn't notice a third. Graham

I have to say it really is a beautiful toy. Some really clever engineering going on there as well, with the transformation. Graham

OK, just received an email back from Yamato and they said: - Will try when I get home tonight. I't going to be tricky to pull it up more though, as it's a slippery little focker. Graham

Shoulders on mine all still fine (touch wood), even the one I let my 5 year old son play with. Graham

Yup, that's about it. The tab on the upper heatshield is too short/small and there's no tension to keep it locked into the indentation on the underside of the lower heatshield. On the positive side, the arm and leg joints are nice and tight. Notice the arms stay rock steady and don't flop around at all, even when I'm turning the toy upside down. Graham

I made a short video this morning showing how loose the lower half of the heatshield is on my 1/60 VF-11B. It's on YouTube This video was taken at about 6.30am, just after I'd woken up, so I probably sound really sleepy and don't really remember what I said or mumbled.....LOL! Oh, and no reply back yet from my email to Yamato abot the heatshield, but that is to be expected, given the Golden Week holiday. Graham

My lower heatshield is so lose that is does fall totally down each and every time, immediately. I can't even get it to stay partially up for a second. Otherwise, it's a great looking toy in all three modes, locks together well and has tight joints. Only spoilt by the damn lower heatshield. Graham

Has OverDrive contact anybody about the two accessory sets yet? I let them know ages ago that I wanted multiples and have reminded them a few times, but still haven't reecived any poayment request. I though Bandai was already taking orders for these? Graham

OK, I get the whole everybody has different tastes thing, but it just boggles my mind that anybody could find anything remotely attractive about that cobbled together mess. I mean a car wearing sneakers.....c'mon!? I'm still not entirely convinced that the whole thing is not an elaborate hoax that you guys are playing on me. Tell me there's not really an anime called Bashquash and you've all just been making it up...........please? Graham

Really? I mean REALLY? Graham

Feet on mine seem to be OK. Graham

On the first realease, you couldn't angle them out much. On the reissue, they appear to be angled out much more. Graham

Actually, I'm in the surveillance equipment business now, not weapons anymore. Boring, but pays better. And also, don't forget, I don't have to pay overseas shippping, so it makes stuff easier to afford. Graham

The reissue VF-25F looks sexy with the modified head lasers. I may well just have to pick one up instead of a second VF-11B like I originally planned (at least until the heatshield issue is resolved). Graham

Beleive me, I have been pushing for this for a while. Wait and see. Graham

A few quick pics I snapped this morning in my display cabinet before heading off to work. In fighter mode, this is one sexy bird. One other observation I forgot to post last night, on the negative side both the front and rear landing gear are nearly impossible to pull open by hand. I had to use a nail file to prise them open. Of course, this scratched some paint off the struts .....silly me. Next time, I'll use a wooden toothpick to prevent the paint scratching. On the positive side, the landing gear lock open really well and are not likely to collapse by themselves. I'm going to email Yamato next to ask about the heatshield issue. Graham

I swore I wouldn't buy the Ozma and I did. I swore I wouldn't buy multiples, and now I'm thinking about it. I guess these things grow on you. I just like Ozma's VF-25S too much and want to have one in battroid and one in fighter mode. That way, no need to transform them all the time. And to answer an earlier question, the eyepiece does appear to be transluscent green plastic, not just painted on like the DX. Graham

I keep the parts in little baggies. Not confusing after you have transformed it a couple of times & are used to it. Getting some really good posses from my Ozma. Thinking of buying a second.

In fighter mode, the gunpod attaches to the arms, not the back plate like the old 1/72. In battroid mode, the backplate is used to help lock the torso together.