David Hingtgen

The front battroid view isn't the best for comparing the VF-19F/S and the YF-19. A surprising amount of stuff simply "disappears" that should clearly be visible based on the rear view (and the sheer fact that it can't just disappear depending on the angle). Notably the LEX/intake extensions----all official rear views and much of the animation show it split apart like I proposed how the Yamato should transform, but it flat-out disappears in frontal views--or merges with other parts in an impossible way. (super-extreme anime magic, even for a valk). Fighter mode views and rear views of battroid show the changes better. Notably the shoulder/leg integration, and the LEX/intake extension. Also, fighter mode accentuates how much "smoother" the later VF-19's are compared to the original. Battroid is too "split apart" to get across how it all works.

Intakes are new too, as well as I think both v and h stabs. And possibly nacelles and beavertail (depending on how accurately they're trying to draw--hard to tell "slight change" from "not that accurate drawing of the original"). What's left of the original plane? The tailhook?

Barricade and Blackout? If I don't recognize the names instantly, 99% of the people watching the movie won't either. I thought the movie was going to be "ultra-famous" TFs only. The Autobots sure are. Even Brawl isn't "first tier", and Bonecrusher only barely. Only Barricade and Blackout I can think of are from the neo-Bruticus combiner team recently. (about the only ones of that line I bought, because the team leader was such a good toy--best TF in years IMHO)

I knew I recognized those. Rather fiddly to assemble IMHO. For those wondering, ALL 1/72 Fujimi F-14 kits come with them--the Iranian markings one usually is the cheapest to get, check Ebay. And you get 2 per kit. They're actually engine carts.

The infamous (and wonderful) Hasegawa one is here: http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/magazi...odelgraphix.htm Yes, the OTHER part of MW. It's in the June of 2002 issue. And there's GERWALK pics.

The entire LEX area of the VF-19F/S/Kai is different from the YF-19/VF-19A. As in the intakes, seen from above. Go compare line art or the anime. Different placement, different angle. It's probably the most overlooked difference of all. Here's a quick little drawing--just from memory, won't match exactly, but shows you how the LEX/intakes extends much further forward (to where the canards would be if the F/S models had them)--they "continue the angle" formed by the sides of the intakes, as opposed to how the YF-19 has the front edges angle in sharply. The SHE VF-19F/S model incorporates this--the extension is a separate piece from the hip, it's on a double-ended hinge that ends up behind the hip in battroid mode, very similar to how I proposed the Yamato YF-19 should do (upper intake lip separate from the hip/intake itself). I don't know if it'd work for Basara's, as his still has canards--they'd be in the way for the transformation of that extension. PS--the VF-11MAXL differences from the VF-11 are closely based on the F-16XL vs F-16. Even the name came from it. The F-16XL is clearly a personal favorite of Kawamori's, based on how often elements of it show up in his valks.

Hey Graham--if the YF-19 is to be unveiled on the 19th, any chance you could get permission to show us some stuff here say, a few hours before "random pics from Japanese sites" get posted from the show? Or even if not, could we get some good/exclusive pics after it's unveiled? Surely there's gotta be something you'd be allowed to show us here once it's unveiled to the masses.

Flaps AND slats.

Yeah---I wonder why I see multiple people commenting about the new F-14 and Leader-1. It still amazes me how many TF fans can spend years staring at the seeker mold, and still not recognize an F-15. Leader-1, Air Raid (Aerialbot), and Starscream are all F-15's---and IIRC Leader-1 actually is the most accurate of them all. I learned how to recognize the Nissan 280 because of Bluestreak...

The new minicon jet is an F-14! Now if only they'd given him Jetfire colors.

And before anyone brings it up, nose probes don't count when measuring a plane's length. So the .07m difference isn't from that.

If they'd used Blue ANGELs blue and ThunderBIRDS red, it'd probably look awesome. Or just use all Thunderbirds colors---it looks like the original design did more of a 90/10 Thunderbirds/Blue Angels split than a mix of each. Here we could get into a debate about "intended" vs "on-screen" or whatever colors. Since it's so clearly (both visually and name-wise) imitating the US demonstration squadrons, my opinion is that it was always intended to be the deep red and blue used by those squadrons---not the lighter colors we actually get. Kind of like I think Roy's valks should flat-out have Insignia yellow for their accents, as that is the shade of yellow the Jolly Rogers have used for some 50 years on their planes--and Yamato's is too pale. Match what the scheme itself is trying to copy, not old animation cels... Ok, here's a quick recolor I did approximating Thunderbirds red and Blue Angel blue. I think it'd be even better with Thunderbirds/Insignia blue---the very dark blue you find on an actual fabric US flag.

Do you want that to be the second post of yours I've deleted in this thread?

Actually it was more likely to be mass deletings of individual posts.

Which can be harvested as a pure form of protoculture, and then spread over the deck with a brush.

PS--the SNES proves that non-white plastics can yellow, and can yellow even worse than white.

Technically, I believe the gunpods would be "semi conformal". (Airplane nitpickyness showing up again).

I've gotta say, the robot parts really clash with the vehicle parts. Just compare Prime's hand to the body panels surrounding it. The body panels just suck IMHO.

You don't need to change the whole mold. I doubt Yamato has multiple complete sets of VF-1 molds, with only the head different. They probably have 1 mold which has 99% of the parts, and several separate head molds. They also wouldn't have multiple FAST pack sets, with and without beam cannons. The mold probably produces 2 missile and 1 beam cannon at a time, and they just don't give you the "extra" part. That's how model companies do it. There is no F-14A, F-14B mold, and F-14D mold. There's a "master" F-14 mold which has most of the parts, then smaller molds dedicated to the parts specific to each version. A VF-11D "mold" wouldn't be a new valk, they'd make whole VF-11's (original canopy and all) and just not use the parts they didn't need. And add in the "new" parts from a new little VF-11D-exclusive mold. Far cheaper to waste 3.2 cents worth of plastic, than make a whole new mold that didn't incorporate the unneeded parts. Model companies toss out half the parts on some molds--very common on ship models. And you don't even waste the parts--you just melt them back down to make more. The cost of unneeded parts is almost nil. So all those un-used VF-11C heads and noses go back into the vat of melted plastic--it's already the same stuff, same color, and pure. Kinda like making gingerbread cookies----once you've cut out all you can, you take the excess, mix it together, and roll it out and use it again. I forgot the VF-11D has a different head, and that the nozzle change on the VF-11C is enough to warrant all-new boosters. But anyways, the point is: Most variants of the VF-11 are only a gunpod and back-mounted booster change. You can do a LOT of variants (even the Elintseeker verson) without having to change the valk itself at all. (And a new head would be very easy, Yamato has quite a bit of experience in making new heads for valks). The VF-11's cockpit is the only actual change, and with the VF-11's transformation, even an all-new nose and cockpit would have no affect on any other part at all. Heck, you could stick a F-14's nose on the VF-11 and it wouldn't affect how it transforms. PS to anyone who remembers/can go look----did the "Elintseeker" VF-11's in M7 wear the standard scheme, and what color was the radar dish? Were they just the standard white, or something unique?

I stared at the pics and couldn't tell. And I've seen PLENTY of companies (toys/models/planes/etc) "revert" all the time. They'll introduce something, people will love it, then the next release will go back to the old way, cost more, and then they wonder why it doesn't sell as well... Progress is absolutely NOT a given with model planes and toys. (See the ways in which the FP YF-21 and FP VF-11 are inferior to the first release---did anyone like the purple YF-21 and its plain grey plastic engines?) PS---Having owned two M+ VF-11B's, I'm now ready for a VF-11C. If Yamato makes a new VF-11, they have to make a C model as well. Changes are few, and none are on the valk itself. We only need a new gunpod, new nozzles on the back-mounted booster packs, and the elimination of half the missle ports on the booster packs. It's the best of both worlds---much more than a mere repaint, but doesn't affect the actual valk's mold at all---it's all the "other" parts that need to be changed. The M7 VF-11C scheme is pretty nice, almost VF-1J Skull colors, and frankly is about the most commonly seen valk onscreen of all-time. It might even beat cannon-fodder VF-1A's. Heck, I think more VF-11C's even get blown up than VF-1A's. Also, I think a VF-11D should be possible, as it's just a cockpit change--and the VF-11's cockpit doesn't slide under anything, it just sits out in front. Should be easy to mold without affecting anything. Though most people would want the custom Jamming Birds FAST packs I think, not standard M7-era VF-11 packs.

Oooh, that'd be good too. I think it's the "extra weapons pack". It's kinda like GBP armor in that it can only be equipped in battroid mode. But only a fold booster would light up green. :;edit:: The infamous Steelfalcon.com calls it the "Heavy Weapons Module". Is that the canon term? http://www.steelfalcon.com/Macross/weapons.shtml

If it's annoying people that much that it's affecting the thread, I'll stop talking about it. (Though I get the impression more people simply don't care, than people think that I'm wrong) Anyways, I have plenty of other questions/comments, some of which Graham may be able to answer (yes, some of this should go in the "issues" threaf, but they're all YF-19-specific): 1. Fold Booster! While I was watching M+ for...other things... about the YF-19 I noticed that when Isamu jettisons it upon arrival at Earth, we get a really good look at how it attaches. And I think the current pics we have of the Yamato shows no provisions for a Fold Booster to be attached. I know I'm not the only one here who wants a light-up fold booster, but if it's not included in the first release, I doubt it'll ever happen---there's little point to include it with a VF-19A AFAIK (I only ever played the demo of VFX-2, so don't know if fold boosters were used in-game), and since it seems pretty clear from the mold that FAST packs are already planned, there's nobody who'd buy "version 2" just for a fold booster. The YF-19 has far fewer accessories than the other valks (minimal FAST pack armor, etc), and a fold booster is really what it needs to "complete" the package. If it's not included in the first release, it's unlikely they'd modify the mold later just for that lone change, especially since nobody would buy Isamu's all over again just to get a fold booster. 2. Nose sensors. (the red ones on the sides of the nosecone). They look 100x better when they're clear red, as we've all seen from the kit build-ups here. If at all possible, please convince Yamato to have them as separate clear-red parts (like they do for the landing lights on the 1/48 VF-1), and not just "red paint on the nose". 3. Spell check. ENGLISH spell check. There's several zillion errors on the Hase kit's decal sheet, and while it'd be bad enough to have the new toy's sticker sheet chock full of errors, it'd be even worse if we actually had Engrish tampo-printed on--that's harder to fix. I've seen enough "Nev Ebwars Test Flijt Center" YF-19's out there. Plus my all-time favorite: "DANGIE! AYVESTING HOOK" Gotta watch out for those ayvesting hooks.

My fave headline is still "Batboy LIVES!" Because apparently everyone thought he'd died or was seriously injured or something...

"Existing" will yellow many plastics. And "the same batch of plastic" can yellow very differently, piece to piece. Anyone who's owned an SNES knows that despite being composed of many "identical" pieces of gray plastic, some parts of it will look factory-fresh even now, and some will be so yellowed they will be the same color as oak. Even pieces on the bottom, which never ever saw light of any kind. 10 years from now, don't be surprised if a 1/48 VF-1 has the left flap, nosecone, inner part of the left leg, airbrake and starboard main gear doors turn pure yellow, with the rest of the plane being pure white. All while still being inside the box MISB, inside a MISB case, inside a locked closet underground, painted black.

Saying again---the wingroots/intakes slope down in every drawing/shot, even Kawamori's own and the really bad ones from the anime. (Well, every shot/drawing you can tell--most notably including the TIAS drawings, which are AFAIK considered the most definitive of all Macross Plus valk drawings) If the wings angle up or are horizontal, they can't retract into a downwards-angled wingroot. The wings swing nearly 180 degrees. Basically: any time the wings are NOT drawn angled down, it's gotta be a mistake because the wings can't transform otherwise. Yamato gets away with it because they flattened out the entire upper surface of the valk, coming very close to eliminating all the slopes all over. They can only have working transforming horizontal wings by altering a large chunk of the fuselage, mainly the wingroots that the wings retract into. If the wingroots were done right, horizontal wings couldn't fit into them. It's one thing to use anime magic to change proportions---it's another to bend the wings the opposite direction to allow it to transform. It all works fine transformation-wise if the wings bend down at the same angle as the wingroots. But everything's messed up if you go with a few "different" shots from the anime that have the wings up for artistic reasons or something. It's kind of like saying VF-1's have laser cannons in the nose---yeah it was on-screen, but doesn't mean it's right. Go with "what looks right and makes sense and is most often depicted in multiple sources and just plain works better for all 3 modes" versus "but that one time it was the other way". (Yes, having the wings angled down even helps GERWALK mode---you don't have to contort the fuselage/arms so much to get up and over them)