Graham

I think there's an excellent chance the VF-0A will be made as it only requires a new head and color change, so the cost involved is not that great. For a VF-0D, though a lot of redesign and new tooling is required. I guess if the VF-0S sells well for Yamato, then they may consider doing the VF-0D. Graham

I've just added a page on the 1/60 VF-0S to the main site. The release date for the toy is still scheduled for April 2006. I can confirm that the toy in Akihabara is NOT a final production version. It's a test shot from the molds to check if any parts need modifying, before production goes ahead. Graham

I'm of the opposite oipnion. I feel the sequels add to the the epic feel of it all. Graham

Was going to get 3 originally, but I'm changing that to 4 now. Graham

Seen those before. Love her body, but I think they went way overboard on the make up in those shots, especially the eye make up. I much prefer how her face looks in BSG. Graham

Heh, I would definitely like to poke-her (Grace Park). Graham

No, no, no. You have the wrong idea. You'll never be able to sell that figure. You would have to pay somebody to take it. Graham

I like it all. DYRL (9.5/10) Mac Plus (8.5/10) Mac 7 (8/10) Mac D7 (5/10) Mac Zero (7.5/10) SDF TV (7/10) FB2012 (6/10) Mac 2 (6/10) Graham

I'm trying to find out what material the nose pitot tube is made of. Will post an answer when and if I get a reply. Graham

Yes they are. Graham

Not sure what the pitot tube is made of, but I'm guessing either PVC or POM. ABS or diecast would be too likely to break. From my understanding, the pitot tube is detachable, but it can also be left on the Valk and rotated 180º so that it is facing backwards under the nose. This way it can be kept on in Battroid mode, although there may be some interference with the T-Bar. Graham

No, as already mentioned a few pages back, the pitot tube is a detachable part. Graham

The Operation Stargazer mission (ep # 44). Gamlin kicking ass in a borrowed VF-11C (ep # 7) Mylene in a Bikini (ep # 7) Graham

Nah, naked Boomer pics and a MKII toy is what I've been waiting for Graham

Nice diorama masterqq, but IMO the VF-1 would look much better if the legs could be modified to have a spread leg stance. Graham

If it was 1984 and 1/100 scale, it would have been by Imai, not Bandai. Imai made the 1/100 Tomahawk and Arii made the 1/72 Tomahawk in 1982-83. Bandai did not start with any Macross models until 1985. Graham

It would be nice if we got some painted box art like Yamato did for their Votoms boxes, but I somehow doubt it. They seem addicted to using in-house Photo Shop for their Macross goodies. Graham

Bear in mind that this catalogue was actually, printed in late 2005. At the time the catalogue went to the printers, the new releases for 2006, probably hadn't even been confirmed yet. I'm sure that we are going to get more new release from Hasegawa in 2006, not just the VF-0S battroid. Graham

There is no internal heat shield. On the VF-0 in fighter mode, the heatshield stays external, located behind the cockpit and does not retract under the chest plate. Graham

It was less than that. Graham

It's a Test-Shot from the moulds, which means it's pretty much how the final product is going to be. Graham

You can see from some of SaveRobotech's latests pics that they haven't transformed the shoulder correctly. And don't worry, the chest plate does not block the shoulders. Trust me on this. Graham

Picked up the Hasegawa 2006 model catalog a few days ago. Here's the scans of the 4 page pull-out Macross section. Nothing really new shown though, except a small color CG VF-0S battroid pic. Click on thumbnails to enlarge. Graham

I'm sure we will eventually get a new Macross TV series, or at least an OVA or movie. If not for the 25th anniversery, then perhaps for the 30th. While Kawamori should of course still be retained as the primary mecha designer on any new projects (nobody else can design VFs like he can), I agree with others here that perhaps Big West should get somebody else to write and direct the story and avoid any mystical or tree-hugging elements that Kawamori seems so fond of now. Oh and I have no plans of hiding away or selling my Macross toys, even though I'm now closer to 40 than I am to 30. Graham

I've always liked the look of the Legioss (although not as much as the VF-1) and Shinji Aramaki, the designer of the Legioss is my second favorite mecha designer after Kawamori. However, it's clear that Aramaki designs his mecha to look cool, without thinking too much of the real-world practicality or workability of the design, unlike Kawamori. My major issue with the Legioss is that it has no method of pitch control in Armo-fighter mode for atmospheric flight. Although neither the VF-1 or the Legioss have any horizontal tail surfaces or elevators, the VF-1's thrust vectoring feet move up and down to provide pitch control. However, the Legioss's feet can only move side to side and thus cannot provide any pitch control. IIRC, we once had a discussion in another thread about whether the Legioss would fly in an atmosphere and the consensus was that it would not (David Hingtgen or other knowledgable MW aviation experts, please feel free to step in and correct me if I am wrong). Other issues I have with the Legioss are: - 1) In Armo-fighter mode, the boxy shoulder missile launchers are very unaerodynamic and would probably create lots of buffeting and limit maximum speed in atmosphere to sub-sonic. 2) While the Legioss carries lots of micro-missiles, they are all short-range only. Lack of any medium or long range weapons is a major disadvantage. 3) While the curved gunpod magazine may look cool, it's a impractical as far as carriage of the weapon in fighter mode. The magazine actually just is a battery pack and does not hold cannon shells, so there is no reason to make it curved and have it sticking out at 90º to the gunpod body. Heck, on the toynami MPC you have to remove the magazine to attach the gunpod to the wing in fighter mode! 4) having the wings folding down in Armo-Diver mode provides less lift. Graham