Graham

I agree with that. My thinking is that Shuttle mode is basically used only to get the VB-6 to and from the battlefield quickly where it then transforms and fights mainly in Gerwalk mode in an artillery/support role or occasionally in battroid mode in emergencies if the enemy gets into close combat range/hand to hand range. The big disadvantage of the original Destroids was that they lacked strategic mobility and were thus mostly limited to point/local defence roles or required a seperate carrier spaceship to transport them to the battlefield if they were used in the assault role, unlike VFs, with their high Mach speed and almost unlimited range in an atmosphere which can quickly move from location to location. Basically, the transfoming ability of the VB-6, combines the high firepower of the Destroids, with the enhanced tactical and strategic mobility of a VF. I would imagine that the VB-6 would be great in a planetary assault role. Graham

I think it's a cost issue and talking of economies of scale, remember Yamato will sell far few toys than say Hasbro/Takara or Bandai. Graham

I'd recommend the separate FAST pack set for the simple reason that it also comes with the Strike cannon, so you can set up the packs in either Super or Strike configuration. Plus and this is quite importnat IMO, the DYRL style arm FAST packs hold the gunpod far more securely than the shorter TV style arm FAST packs that come with the 1/48 VF-1J Super Hikaru, Max and Milia Valks. Graham

I think that sales of the 1/60 VF-1A cannon fodder were not too good, which may be why Yamato is reluctant to release a 1/48 version. Plus the market is still quite saturated with 1/48 VF-1 toys (and VF-1 toys in general), with many fans sick of the VF-1, so it's probably good marketing sense for Yamato to wait at least 6 months to a year before releasing any more 1/48 toys, to give demand a chance to build again. Just my 2 cents. Graham

I also love the SV-51, but it's probably not the easiest mecha to make into a transforming toy. I also think there is a lot of anime magic that goes on during the transformation, that along with the skinny limbs and wing folding may all add up to a toy that is very difficult to design with perfect transformation, while remaining durable and reasonably proportionally accurate in all three modes. Plus I bet figuring out how to do Nora's paint scheme on a mass-production toy is giving Yamato a real headache. All those yellow markings would look awful as Yamato quality stickers. I honestly can't see the factory in China doing a good job painting them on. Frankly, the only way to go for the markings on Nora's SV-51 is Tampo printing, but Yamato have historically only been willing to use the absolute minimum Tampo printed markings, compared to say Bandai's GFF Gundam line which are absolutely saturated with Tampo printed markings. Graham

I also have a feeling that Yamato will really mess up an SV-51, if they even bother to make one. Graham

Gotta agree with the majority, that new Jedi star fighter looks terrible. Graham

That issue (July) is not the latest issue of Dengeki Hobby. August is the latest issue, well at least until the September issue is published in Japan this weekend I have the July issue and will eventually get it added to the MW magazine section. However, the new baby is leaving me with no free time to do stuff for MW at the moment though And no, those VF-0S Battroid and SV-51 Battroid conversions featured in that issue are not transformable. Here a topic I started in the MW Model Forum on May 23rd about the July issue of Dengeki Hobby. Some pictures of the battroid conversions and the custom VF-0 Reactive Armor are included. Somebody else also started another topic on the same thing about a month later.....slackers Oh and yes technically, there should be no problem for a competant toy maker to design a perfect variable VF-0 toy. Graham

The new September issues of Hobby Japan magazine and Dengeki Hobby magazine come out this weekend, so hopefully, there will be some updated photos of the Yamato 1/100 VF-0S showing major sculpt revisions, wing missiles and leg FAST packs. Hey, I can be optimistic can't I? Graham

Damn, that store has some great prices, I was gonna order some more Valks, but then I discovered that the rat-finks wont ship internationally....... grrrrrrrrrr Two of my pet hates in life are stores with great prices that wont ship overseas and ebay sellers who have exactly what I want but wont ship internationally....bastiches!!! Graham

My condolences. Try to be strong for your daughter. Graham

I actually, quite like F91. I remember going to see it at the cinema in Hong Kong with a friend when it came out in 1991. I thought the colony invasion scene was very atmospheric. I remember it was a really late show, like midnight or something and it was showing as a double bill with a 'Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water' movie playing first. I remember nearly the whole audience was heckling the Nadia movie as everybody was just there to see the highly anticipated new Gundam movie Graham

Have you ever seen transformers the movie? That didnt have any giggle factor and was more "realistic" than minmay's singing stunts.... Err....read the last paragraph of my post which you are quoting, it answers your question Graham

Interesting pic. That VF-17S definitely has modified knees, as the knees on the stock toy can't bend backwars. Also, it looks like some of the panel lines have been paitnted, or that mey just be light reflection. Graham

I have Entertainment Bible # 27 and unfortuantely, there are no details or extra pictures of the cover valk inside. Graham

The toy in those photos still looks like the same old sculpt they've been showing all along, so either the toy is still being modified and the revised sculpt is not yet ready, hence the continued delays and no new photos, or worst case scenario, Yamato is going to foist this steaming pile of crap on us in this condition Graham

Err........because their webmaster is incompetent? Graham

I'm a huge fan of the VF-17 (see my avatar). I Actually love Bandai's 1/65 scale DX VF-17S and VF-17D toys. I own something like 10 of them IMO, they're actually very good toys. Despite having no metal parts, they are probably the sturdiest Macross toy ever made. You would have to try really hard to break a Bandai VF-17. They also transform easily and smoothly and are actually very detailed. Although you can't tell from most online photos, Bandai's sculptors actually added all the 'detail-up' panel lines, which they didn't do on the 1/144 model kit. The VF-17D/S toys have far more detail and panel lines than Bandai's VF-19 Macross 7 toys. Actually a Bandai VF-17 is probably the Macross toy I most often take out and transform and play with due to it's ruggedness and ease of transformation. Most of my Yamatos are actually shelf queens that get very little play time these days, except the VF-11B FP version which gets a lot of hands-on time as well. The only downsides to the Bandai VF-17 is that it looks a bit to chunky when viewed side-on in fighter mode, it can't do a spread leg stance in battroid mode and the knees don't bend backward (only forward for Gerwalk mode), so no kneeling poses in battroid mode. Oh and also the landing gear sucks. Despite all the other detail on the toy, the landing gear is a joke, basically folding plastic tabs with molded on wheels with no detail If you are a 17 fan I recommend this toy, but don't wait too long, as even the VF-17S reissues are starting to get a bit scarce. Oh and I'd also love Yamato to make a 1/60 or 1/48 VF-17 toy with better landing gear and the FAST Packs first seen in Nightmarish Invasion. Oh and a Milia version as well. And while they are at it, they should throw in the optional radome and a fold booster Graham

Macross Compendium, the only English language source of Macross information officially sanctioned by Big West. It's a great site, basically llike an encyclopedia for macross fans. the only bad thing about it is the lack of pictures (it is mostly text based). I'm at work now so can't check, but IIRC there are lots of shots of the tan VF-0A in both episode # 1 and 2. Only the standard version of the delta wing VF-0D is grey. Graham

Excalibur is a great movie, not quite as good a King Arthur movie as Holy Grail, but close Reading this thread has made me want to go out and buy Excalibur on DVD, I've been thinking of doing that for a while anyway. As for First Knight, how could Connery stoop so low? And why were the knights wearing blue spandex? Graham

The link to Carl Hoff's Tread toy is on the MW main page. Open it and click on the link for Gakken Tread. Macrossworld, more than just the forums...cough, cough. Graham

IIRC, the VF-22S was the limited kit, not the VF-19A. Graham

Yeah, that's basically what I mean. I know from my old contacts at Yamato that Kawamori is constantly refining the Macross Zero mecha designs even as the anime is ongoing, which is evident by 3 different and destinct versions of VF-0 lineart published in various hobby mags from 2002 to 2004, each with distinct differences and changes in wing, nose and cockpit shape (and other areas as well), eg. first lineart didn't have a tail hook and had a very different wing shape. Also, the official specs both in Japanese and on the Compendium have been modified at least once that I know of since the anime started. So basically, I think that in the begining, Kawamori decided to call both the 2-seat and single-seat standard wing, single head-laser version 'VF-0A', but now he has decided to rename the 2-seat version as VF-0B. That's my theory. Graham

Nice, but I'm still waiting for the DYRL Shower Scene Minmay custom! Graham

No disrespect to the guys at MAHQ, but their Macross section does feature a number of errors or omissions, so It's generally better to use the Compendium (which is official) and the official Big West & Bandai Visual sites for accurate mecha info. While it's true that even the Macross Compendium yet doesn't list the VF-0B, I believe that soon the listing for 2-seat VF-0A will be changed to VF-0B. We'll just have to wait and see The gallery section on the Big West Macross Zero site clearly shows the tan color VF-0 as being the VF-0A, not a VF-0S. As there were only an estimated 4 units of commander type VF-0S manufactured, it's unlikely that the tan color cannon fodder versions being shot down in episodes 1 & 2 were VF-0S. Also, the compendium list the bulk of the VF-0 manufactured as being VF-0A (30 units made). Graham