David Hingtgen

I just found the green VF-27's in the second movie.

I'm pretty sure they didn't model 2 different VF-11 variants in the game--so one scheme will technically be "non-canon" to the reported history. (and yes, I did get the good ending--almost by accident--I found that on like my 2nd playthrough by sheer luck I'd already done most of it, so when the FAQ came out I did the rest and got it)

A good video emphasizing the sound of its engines:

They could do Max's canard-less VF-X-11 with a simple mold change. Pair it with Milia's canarded one, and you've got 2 distinct-yet-recognizable valks.

Maybe they never got B's to start with? Maybe when M7 was launched, the 11C was already out, so there would be little point to make a massive order to equip the fleet with brand-new inferior models. Think of Plus--in 2040, the VF-11 was already being ready to be replaced, and the B-model was relegated to testing grounds, and outskirt fleets. Still a main-line fighter, but no longer front-line/top-of-the-line. ::checks:: M7 was launched in 2038, so they could easily have gotten some of the first C's built as their initial equipment.

I couldn't take SEED, not even a single ep. I started watching 00 (twice) but just always petered out. I can understand how 00 is popular, but not SEED.

None of the samples/pics look to have the right degree of contrast to my eyes (even the very first all-painted-and-matching one), and the paint vs plastic difference is apparent in every "finished" pic. Also, been thinking a lot the last 48 hours---and I think I do prefer Alto's valk overall. Ozma's is just too rarely seen non-armored, and despite the overall "coolness" of the armor---I realized I like the boosters look better. So I think I'm going to go with Alto's. And I do plan to post exactly when I cancel my order, just in case that does instantly open up a slot at HLJ for someone here to nab. (I'm not cancelling Ozma until I've got everything Alto sourced for sure---if worst comes to worst, I'll just wait for the inevitable Alto+booster bundle pack to be released)

Well, I have decided I won't buy Ozma's with the current color issues. I suspect that will be the final color of paint they use, and that they won't go through the effort of mixing in a bit of "very light brown" to really make it match. I can HOPE they will, but I don't expect it. Will probably cancel my order and get an Alto instead. (and frankly, even if they DO make the paint match better, it's still the wrong color to start with to my eye--I think the lighter-grey plastic itself is too dark---the v1 looked better to me, why'd they change it? Ozma's valk is not a SUBTLE two-tone grey, it's a very obvious, high-contrast 2 shades of grey---but it's hard to tell it's two different shades in half the pics of the renewal version--and that's wrong. It should be obvious there's 2 shades even in dim, shadowed areas) (I did think the kit had "too white" of a light grey area, but it at least got the "spirit" of the color scheme right, in being high-contrast and not subtle)

Well that's weird. They clearly open the other way in Ep 2.

Chest armor hatches still open the wrong way. ::mumble grumble::

Due to having such massive differences between their empty and loaded weights (and the 747's triple-slotted flaps) they can go VERY slow when light. A 747-400 can actually carry more than its own weight in fuel alone. Also, the C-5 is famous for its very unique-sounding engines. They are the world's first high-bypass turbofans.

Still waiting for final, final, final version pics. (at the very least, they better add in the missing striping on the "face" that the first sample pics had, that the last 2 we've seen lack)

Low-level flight, always a fave. Many pics I'd not seen before: http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/325/language/en-CA/Lower-than-a-Snakes-Belly-in-a-Wagon-Rut.aspx

But I do have a strong preference for the evil TV version. Flightsuit Grace>Shower Grace. (and only the TV version flies a VF-27 after surviving an assassination attempt by killing all her would-be assassins bare-handed)

WWII planes launching off a nuclear carrier? Awesome. F4U, B-25, and others on the USS Carl Vinson, circa 1995: Protip: Additonal awesomeness at 9:15.

Hey, it wouldn't be MW without knee-jerk reactions! We all have to do our part you know. Anyways, about what stage of production it is---if it comes out in January, and it's now mid/late November---it COULD be pretty darn close to final, color-wise, assuming they're going to start making them in December. It is certainly later than the original pics we saw. But true, some head details are missing (which is weird, since they were on the first pics we saw---and the lettering on the gear doors has been re-positioned) Also---if there's more details to be added, I'd request more around the cockpit--there's additional SMS logos, modexes, etc on a small scale:

On a related note, the painted Ozma prototype seemed to have very good color-matching. (likely because it was entirely painted) As it is, I'm seriously considering cancelling my pre-order. I do NOT like the pale blue underside bits. If anything, Ozma's valk has a warm grey, not a cool grey.

Yeah--the plastic parts are ok (could be a TOUCH lighter) but the legs/shoulders are more of a minty-green color, and slightly darker too.

The knee joints don't match the rest of the "leg internals". (I'm being serious here---the knee is light grey plastic while all the other "mecha" bits are a dark grey---looks weird) Is it just me, or does the leg paint simply not match the belly paint well? The leg paint is very blue, compared to the other "light grey" underside parts. Look at the bottom pic, and compare the hips to the crotch/nosecone. Less obvious is main gear door color (molded) to the area surrounding it (painted). Personally I think all the "light grey" should be lighter, and it should certainly match itself better regardless of painted vs molded. The 1/72 kit had much more contrast between the light and dark grey parts. (Yamato is THE best at paint matching---a lot of people don't even realize how much of a Max or Milia VF-1J is actually molded in white, but painted red and blue---the paint color match with the colored plastic is THAT good) I really like the foot color though.

The blue plastic looks metallic in that shot. (or it could just be grain in the pic)

I think the width of the cockpit sidewalls are the main issue with most toys. They are MUCH thicker than they should be. (party to have a working canopy in this scale or rotating seat gimmick). Another point is the depth of the cockpit-----generally, the cockpit floor is the top of the nosegear bay. Making working gear takes up more space than scale gear would, in effect pushing the cockpit up---which reduces headroom for the pilot so he has to be made smaller to fit. So overall, the pilot is being "squished" in every direction by the 'edges' of the cockpit being too thick/high.

Thing is, in the most-common/first subs for the 2nd movie, you HEAR Godunwa but the SUBS say O'Connor.... (thus, a bad translation)

Anyone else think Krell's lightsabers were the coolest-sounding ones of all? Somehow they just sounded "choppier". More "flutter" to them. In an awesome way.

Hey, the real-life F-104's wings have extremely sharp edges. To this day they are STILL covered up when on display in museums etc, to prevent people from killing themselves...