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David Hingtgen

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Everything posted by David Hingtgen

  1. David Hingtgen
    Wasn't expecting a new review, but we just got one today: (ironically, I just took OFF the super parts from my Ozma recently---I often like to do a "half" version, with the shield and boosters, but not the wing parts---still looks cool, but battroid poses a lot better without the weight of the wing parts)
  2. David Hingtgen
    Physically, the arm armor: A lot of the KO VF-1's lately seem to be putting DYRL-style arm armor on TV-only valks (Max and Milia, etc), they apparently don't know (or don't care) about the difference.
  3. David Hingtgen
    Sorry for not getting back to Shornet weapon discussion sooner: Basically---the Hasegawa kit is all sorts of wrong for what goes where. It provides you with lots of useful/correct parts, just don't believe the instructions in how to use them. In addition to "AMRAAMs on HARM rails", I think it has the outboard pylon rails vs wingtip rails switched. (also, early vs late wingtip rails are a plane-by-plane thing, check references). I believe only one type is ever used on the pylons, but can't remember which it is compared to wingtip ones. "A wingtip rail, mounted underneath the outboard pylon" is perfectly fine/accurate. The Super Hornet's wingtip rail IS an AMRAAM launcher, it just never ever carries AMRAAMs on the tips. AMRAAM rails mount to pylon via a "standard" sized adapter, there should be some divots etc that line up with the pylon/adapter bomb shackles. (a single AMRAAM on an AMRAAM rail, can mount pretty much directly to a pylon---it's when using dual AMRAAMs, or a single Sparrow, that you also need the jettision adapter) In short---look at the parts you have, then look at photos of the real thing. Compare the front and rear ends of the types of "skinny" missile rails you've got, put them on the model as matches photos, ignoring what the instructions say. HARM rails are very rectangular, Sparrow rails are much deeper (and Hase doesn't make them). Anything that "looks about right for an AMRAAM or Sidewinder on a Hornet", *is* a dual-purpose AMRAAM/Sidewinder rail. There's just a few variations of them. I want to say, for VFA-103---short ones on the wingtips, long ones under the pylons. (long and short being like 2 or 3mm diff in 1/72) Don't forget all the pylons are yawed leading-edge-outwards, and the outboard pylons are also canted bottom-side-outwards. Nothing's "straight and square to the wing", when it comes to Super Hornet weapon pylons. You WANT it to "look wrong". Also, if you do find some HARMs (very common in many Hase F-16 kits, even cheap $7 ones--I may even have some I can spare, will check this wknd), they're definitely correct for an all-missile Jolly Rogers load: (of course, the HARM is a ground-attack missile, or occasionally ship-attacks, so it's not a "fighter jet" missile) Jolly Rogers pure air-to-air:
  4. David Hingtgen
    I also just recently watched for the first time. Meh. Could have completely skipped the first half and not missed a thing. How is it still called "Delta" when the love triangle is gone? Mirage is basically a non-character now, zero growth/story, and certainly not anyone's love interest. She's now about as "deep" as Makina is---speaks one paragraph about her past, then is relegated to Freyja/Hataye back-up forevermore.
  5. David Hingtgen
    Protip: check the boosters for oil. Mine had leaked some onto the valk itself. Appears Bandai put a little bit into the sliding section to loosen things up? (not the little tab, the big part)
  6. David Hingtgen
    I think it's more "they were too lazy/uncreative to come up with their own scheme, so they just copied "the next plane over's"
  7. David Hingtgen
    I don't quite see the point in putting the F-15's unique and distinct camo pattern, on the F-14. (I mean, it is pretty darn near exactly the Compass Ghost pattern, even has the "inner tailfins have the dark/light pattern swapped compared to the outer tailfins" thing)
  8. David Hingtgen
    In that time, they'd have plenty of time to do an "anime-accurate" YF-19 re-issue to go with the -21 and build hype for it... (put the Advanced feet back on, and remove the lettering from the wings and tailfins...) (I just looked at Kawamori's YF-19 drawings recently, and I still don't get WTF Bandai was referencing for the "cube-heels" they put on Isamu's)
  9. David Hingtgen
    My re-issue Alto Renewal, is identical to the pic--2111861. However, see the two dots under the H in China? Mine has 3 dots. Could be random, could mean something.
  10. David Hingtgen
    Ironically, for the first time in like 2 years (since they came out I think), I just took the super parts off my Mirage this week... Except the missiles, gotta keep the missiles on.
  11. David Hingtgen
    Erm, yes. I just checked everywhere like 2 days ago, and it was typically going for double that price. I'll have to wait until I can actually get the thing shipped to the US though...
  12. David Hingtgen
    My Alto 25F renewal, which is definitely a reissue, has no 30th sticker, and a 2011 copyright.
  13. David Hingtgen
    Yeah, but that's a Legacy Hornet. I don't think Super Hornets are allowed to have two dual launchers per wing.
  14. David Hingtgen
    Ok, found some more of the stuff I saved: the Sparrow launcher is technically the LAU-115. And the 'spacer' is technically the "jettison adapter"---see bottom version here: And this pic shows the adapter/spacer quite well, on top of the rail. AMRAAM launchers, if equipped, would mount right into the holes on the sides.
  15. David Hingtgen
    I don't think I have any Super Hornet kits on-hand to check, but to place AMRAAMs on 2 and 10---do you have the launch rails? If you like missiles, the 6-AMRAAM load (putting 4 of them on 3 and 9) is the way to go. Not sure how many times it saw combat, but they definitely like to do it for demos: Now, the critical piece needed for this, is actually a Sparrow-launcher. The AMRAAM rails go on the sides of the Sparrow-launcher, to make the dual-AMRAAM setup. There is also a "spacer" (hard to see, but there) that goes between the pylon and the Sparrow launcher, to give the AMRAAMs a little more clearance. (I don't think I've ever seen all the parts needed for this made available, but shouldn't be hard to scratch-build, if you really want a "full of missiles" loadout) Spacer, and Sparrow-launcher, will allow a single Sparrow---and is actually pretty common, or at least, WAS pretty common. Good look at Sparrow launcher+spacer (I don't think the spacer is NEEDED for a Sparrow-only config, but they seem to just leave it on for when it is needed) The easiest option, and I believe is possible with using just standard Hasegawa parts, is to put a HARM missile on 3/9, using a HARM rail (no spacer needed): This is the #1 source of errors in kits----MANY Super Hornet kits included HARM launch rails, and Sparrows/AMRAAMs. Those don't mix. But the instructions would have you put "whatever type of missile" on either bare pylons, or HARM rails. Only HARMs go on HARM rails. Using HARMs would actually be a ground-attack (SEAD/Wild Weasel, specifically) mission, but you can always add a pair of AMRAAMs for self-defense on 2/10. (2 pics up, you can see a HARM inboard of the Sparrow) (and yes, HARMs are painted a different color---very very light grey, basically off-white---not the "standard missile grey" of 36375---I think HARMs may be 36622)
  16. David Hingtgen
    wm_cheng----have you decided on a load-out for your Hornet? A LOT of Super Hornet kits are quite wrong when it comes to "how they actually carry missiles", so don't trust the instructions!
  17. David Hingtgen
    I'd buy the Bandai 1/72 white Draken kit, but they added extensive idol decals, which raised the price, and made it limited, which raised the price even more. Thing goes for a ton of money nowadays.
  18. David Hingtgen
    Yup, still waiting. I'd take either Roid's or Mirage's. (Prefer Roid's, I do like the Anubis-style head a lot) (plus it wouldn't need a remold like Mirage's would---if they won't even do a pure color-swap like Roid's, I have little faith of ever seeing the others)
  19. David Hingtgen
    I swear, the cooler a valk Bandai makes, the less likely they are to do the obvious repaints...
  20. David Hingtgen
    My complaint (for years!) has been how many figures seem to actively try to make it impossible to put a decent-looking faction sticker on. They usually do one of two things: A. Have the shoulders and chest (the prime location for insignias) absolutely covered with 3D details---lumps and bumps, or chasms and grooves, that make it pretty much impossible to apply a sticker----they leave no "smooth, or mostly smooth" areas where you'd want to put a stick. B. They do leave a molded-in smooth area, clearly intended for an insignia sticker---but get all the angles/proportions wrong, so that only a teeny-tiny one, half of the "intended" size, actually fits. You end up having to put a micro-master-sized logo on a leader-class figure. And it still looks weird, because there's an oddly-shaped gap/border between the sticker, and the area it's sitting in. (this seems to affect 'cons more than 'bots----it's like nobody can actually get the jawline-angle right for the 'con symbol, way too narrow at the bottom usually, so you have to put a much smaller sticker on, for the "mouth" to fit) TLDR: Don't "mold-in" a dedicated area for a sticker. It NEVER works. But also, don't mold in a ton of detail in the 2 places 90% of TF's have their insignias (chest, shoulders). Please leave at least a decent-sized area, in one of those two places, "fairly smooth/blank". Smooth enough to allow a sticker, but not so utterly barren that it looks odd compared to other, more detailed areas of the figure. (really, just having thin panel lines and small depressed rivets will do wonders, vs chasms and cylinders)
  21. David Hingtgen
    Nobody ever made an Idolo anything AFAIK, and that's my fave.
  22. David Hingtgen
    I'd REALLY like Skar, as it's perfect and I'm a huge Doubledealer fan and am definitely getting the new Leader, but Knok just doesn't remind me of the original much, and $20 for basically one cassette is too much. (I don't own any Soundwave/Blaster mold that could use any tapes)
  23. David Hingtgen
    Anyone else starting to get peeling paint on the feet? My Alto has been sitting in fighter mode for the past year, and I just picked it up to transform and remove the super pack---and noticed one of the feet looked "dirty/smudged"----tried to rub it off----and it was peeling paint! Flaked off into the ether in front of my eyes. Now I have to try to match that insane golden-olive-brown-bronze color for touch up.
  24. David Hingtgen
    I want a 3P God Fire Convoy/Magnus/Omega Prime set so badly. They were the most-fun figures in many, many years. And still the best Magnus alt-mode ever. (the current Siege homage to it is vastly inferior)
  25. David Hingtgen
    More like "Vader, the blue series". That so doesn't mesh with the previous "aesthetic" of the carbonized series. Shouldn't he basically be the same color as the carbonized Second Sister?
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