Graham

A couple more pics, with both my new babies. Very happy now. Just gotta remember, next time RTFM! Graham

PANIC OVER :D :D :D :D :D Just got home. Nearly 11pm here, but eager to try to figure out the heatshield issue. First of all I took out the escape pod to give me better access to the lower heatshield and so I could get a better view of the mechanism inside the nose. Then I pulled the lower heatshield up to maximum extension as per Yamato's advice. Met some resistance, but it still hadn't locked, so I pulled a bit harder and then heard a clear audible 'click' and voila! the lower heatshield is locked now in position. Next, I pushed the lower heatshield back down to unlock it, inserted the escape pod back into the nose and then tried to pull the lower heatshield back up to the locked position. Now here's where it gets a bit tricky, as the lower heatshield is small, kinda slippery and with the escape pod in place, it's difficult to get much purchase. There is a small lip on the top edge of the lower heatshield and you can use your finger nail on this lip, combined with grasping the sides of the lower heatshield to pull it up. It's a bit fiddly and may take a few attempts, but once you pull it up and hear that audible 'click', it is firmly locked. And the best part..........this was done without the foam inserted. That's right, no foam at all!!!. I am very happy now. :) :) Two photos of locked heatshield attached. Basically, what this means is that the heatshield is not actually supposed to lock where the two halves meet. Both upper and lower have thier own independant lock. Graham

Don't panic, but you are going to die. and Two Scottish people feeling a bit run down. and pandemic obviously not what you thought it was. :D :D :D Graham

I'm in Hong Kong, not Japan. I paid HK$1,169 for my second one, which is about US$150.84. Graham

Still haven't confirmed it does actually work yet and I won't be getting home for another 7 hours yet to test it either. Graham

Absolutely beautiful. 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