David Hingtgen

Comparing line-art, the FAR cooler VF-0D would need new wings, v.stabs, and canards---which based on their position and transformation should all be easy to add. The problem is it'd need a new forward fuselage/nose. That's the only real problem, that could affect transformation, especially heatshield issues. The VF-0D's front cockpit is forward of the VF-0A/S--it doesn't simply have a longer canopy aft like the 2-seater versions of most planes, the canopy is extended in BOTH directions. The VF-0S seat would actually be positioned between the front and rear seats of a VF-0D. The thing that helps though---Shin is the star of the show, and it is his main valk in the series. It's not some "minor" valk we see in the background.

Sundown--then how's this? I went through 3 of each I think. Sideswipe---kept breaking the doors off the arms, Dad could only superglue them back on so many times. Thundercracker--I don't really know what happened, but I went through 3 of him, too. I distinctly remember the last one being one of those that you could mail away for with robot points, after he was gone from the shelves. Now, if you needed 3 of each due to wear/loss/replacements, THAT'd be scary.

Oh, you have no idea how good I am at resisting "complete the set-itis". FYI I have bought 4 of 5 members of a Transformers combiner team, and walked by the 5th member in the store for weeks. Never bought it, never wanted it. Take that Hasbro! (I used an Energon Aerialbot for the 4th limb heh heh) If I was susceptible, I would have had to buy a 1/60 Max to go with my Milia. PS--yes, I have gotten a lot of PM's about my -11. It'll go up for sale here in a few days with detailed description, etc.

Is there going to be any controller compatability between GC and Revolution? Because I have the "SNES style" Hori pad for my GC, and there's nothing better for playing SNES games!

Thundercracker was certainly my first Decepticon, and might have even been before Sideswipe for first TF ever. He's the only TF I have on permanent display. Thundercracker is my all-time fave.

Neova sold out since yesterday? Darn, now I have to resort to Ebay... (I'm pretty set on getting Milia if I get one) PS---they look almost seamless? Oooh. Seamlessness is next to godliness, it's the plastic modelers motto! My VF-11FP and YF-21FP are going up for sale here in a few days probably. And my Milia 1/60. Though I don't know if a opened Milia 1/60 with stickers applied goes for much.

The VF-1 is the only one I think looks good in Gerwalk.

Gemini makes several different squadrons in 1:400. Just search for "Gemini C-17" and you should find many stores. Note: the nose is blunt, us nitpicky types complain about it. Here's the list, clicking on the item number brings up a picture. http://www.geminijets.com/database/index.php?r_product=2

I was also thinking of something like jardann's idea. Also, if you're going for a solvent/cement bond, you might want to let it dry a LONG time. I once needed something to dry for a month before it truly set. (I checked at the 1 week and 2 week marks, and it was still a bit soft and flexible--but after 1 month it was done and was fine forever after) Model glue may "cure" in a few hours or a day, but like concrete, it won't be UTTERLY cured for a long time. If you REALLY let it set, you should be able to get a bond that is resistent to separating.

I bought Suikoden 1 before I had a PSX, figuring it could be hard to find once I got one. And I got the last copy of FF Tactics in the state I think, the day I got my PSX. Buy now, or pay twice as much later. If there's anything you want to play on a DS that is even slightly "uncommon" at stores, get it now.

The story is pretty widely accepted as true, a big reason being that there's a photo of the incident. How often would a RIO eject but not the pilot, and in a non-combat situation so there could be a nice photo shoot of the incident after it happened?

I just bought CV: Dawn of Sorrow, and I don't even have a DS yet. Waiting for DS Lite.

Sundown--thank you, that is one of the things I was really wondering about---fit/finish. The 1/60's, while a lot better than the M Plus valks, still just don't "click" together like I expect a $100 toy. My standard for big expensive transforming mecha is current MP Optimus Prime. So very 'crisp' in every way. (except the chest/windows, which I blame on being diecast---diecast adds weight, nothing more) While we're talking fit/finish--how are screws dealt with? Are there fewer, less obvious, those weird "rubbery round caps with a hexagonal top"? I haven't really noticed any in the pics. Exo--ack, see, I'm really not up on the newest Yamatos. Of course, now that means if I got a VF-0 it wouldn't be in scale with the 1/48's... Argh! Now that I think about it, if they make a big VF-0 in 1/60, they probably wouldn't do a -19 or -21 in 1/48 either, and those too would be 1/60... (As a diecast plane collector, I try very hard to keep consistent scales) And I still utterly plan to wait for a VF-0D. I'm currently leaning towards a 48 Milia...

Even by modern standards, the Concorde's wing is complex, advanced, and unique. It's a delta, but far different than any other delta AFAIK. What other plane can supercruise at Mach 2 for hours on end? (Well, the SR-71, but that's REALLY high-tech---the Concorde can be serviced and maintained like any other plane, and doesn't need a literal army of people to prep it) I'm going to have to go re-read my Concorde book now...

Thanks much for the replies so far. I did see(just today) that Neova had Milia in stock, though I am also considering waiting to see if a reissue comes out----it'll be cheaper then and I'll have more money. Then again, it could be forever or never till a reissue Milia comes. Didn't find the "recommend a valk" thread before, thanks. PS--you know, one of the first thoughts I had being made a mini-mod of this forum was "but I don't have a 1/48, and that's all they talk about nowadays and I'm not up on them". PPS--reading that thread (sad that I missed it in my "own" forum) yellowing comes up a lot. My 1/60 Roy isn't yellow in the slightest and he's been out of the box for years now---is it a 1/48 issue specifically? Also "crooked skulls" DOES ring a bell---has it ever been fixed? I spent a LONG time trying to get the perfect skull alignment on my 1/60 Roy's stickers, and crooked skulls would bug the heck out of me. PPPS---what exactly is printed on the 1/48's? I plan to use Anasazi's decals anyways, but want to know what's already there. Finally---how much are used but very nice 1/60's worth nowadays? Combined with selling my VF-11 FP and a slightly damaged YF-21 FP I could probably get most of the cash needed.

From the perspective of someone who sees a 1/48 as a pretty major purchase not taken lightly: Having watched M Plus, DYRL, and M Zero (for the first time) this week I feel the need for more valks. Since 1/48 will definitely be the new standard scale (with the VF-0 coming, and if we ever get new M Plus toys they'll likely be that too) I'm thinking about getting a 1/48 VF-1, which I still don't have. Reading everything I could on this forum still didn't help much with my decision, so I'll ask people here. My comments/questions/concerns: My fave schemes are Milia's -1J and Roy's -1S. I have both in 1/60. Along those lines, I keep debating---it's hard for me to justify buying something I already have in a sense, but I also wouldn't really want to spend that kind of money on anything BUT my fave scheme. I've been considering DYRL Hikaru's -1S, as I do like that scheme too and it's different from what I have already---but it just takes me back to "I spent THAT kind of money on a scheme that's not a favorite"---but doing so would alleviate any sort of "wasted money" feelings I have by getting Milia or Roy's in 1/48. I'm the kind of person that really hates having anything less than the best version of anything, but also the person who hates even more buying something then having to spend even more money to buy the better version of something I already have. (Which is usually why I wait a long time before buying something---didn't work for VF-1's though) I'd appreciate posts from people who bought the 1/48 versions of 1/60 that they already had. Would appreciate comments from those that don't buy a lot of valks. (if you bought every 1/60 valk then every 1/48, I can probably guess what your comments are--you also have far more money for valks than me). But if you only had 1 or 2 in 1/60, and then bought them again in 1/48, I'd appreciate comments/comparisons--mainly if you thought it was that much better than a 1/48, that you felt it was worth the upgrade. Would especially like a 1/60 to 1/48 Milia photo comparison---I can only ever find the default factory sample photos of the 1/48 Milia. Basically I'm just trying to figure out whether buying a 1/48 Milia is worth it, compared to my 1/60 Milia. And if I were to get a 1/48, would I be better off getting something "new" I don't have at all (a Hikaru) or my fave scheme again that I already have in 1/60. (Milia) Then I get into "if I get Milia in 48, would I be satisfied, or would I have to get Roy's too? Because if I "upgrade" Milia to 48 then I almost certainly have to do Roy's too. And then I couldn't afford an Xbox 360... "Typing out loud" often helps me think, so even if no one replies it'll probably help me decide.

From what I understand, for takeoff, a Concorde pumps fuel aft so that it's tail heavy. The elevons compensate by giving a nose-down command. This positions them trailing edge down a bit, acting like normal flaps. But it (presumably) must raise them to pitch up to actually takeoff, so that extra lift would be lost the moment it actually takes off.

Heh heh--I just watched it for the first time tonight, too! And only an hour later. I still want a VF-0D toy, not an S. My next big valk purchase will be whatever happens first in the next few months: 1. Yamato announces VF-0D 2. Yamato announces 1/48 Milia reissue. (You can still find her, but I'm not paying over 200 bucks for something I already have in 1/60) Also having just watched DYRL to get in a Macrossy mood before watching Zero, I'm now thinking I need a DRYL Hikaru 1S...

Skirt armor? Partially, but I personally find much of the legs to be more Gundamesque than he was animated. Check the feet and ankles, and all the pistons and joints. A minor leg thing that REALLY irks me are the fuel tanks. They're angled. Look at them from above. They're only attached straight (i.e. correctly) for that brief moment that you press them in to unlock the legs. It's almost like the whole mechanism was designed backwards. They should be straight 99% of the time, and briefly angled to unlock the legs. I'm glad you brought up the flip-out fists like BW TM1 OP. If you've followed my posts at TFW2005 I expect to see that transformation element used for MP SS, but for the engine nozzles. MP SS working features: (btw, it'd be about 32 inches long at 1/24 scale) I doubt a working airbrake, due to the likely transformation scheme. Either the head or canopy are likely to pass through the area. (On the G1 the airbrake is half on each arm) I bet the intakes move! If you notice, seekers in robot mode are almost always drawn with the intakes "opposite" of jet mode. The straight part is angled and the angled part is straight. (They are also fond of making the straight part curved). But anyways, that is actually easily accomodated by the real F-15's ability to change the angle of its intakes----all they have to do is like the real thing, and you can get that intake angle change in robot mode. The drawing shows the wheels turning for retraction, but they show that for the nosewheel--which doesn't on the real thing. Either they've got it backwards, or they are turning the nosewheel to allow a smaller, more shallow gear bay. I'm very curious about how they'll do the legs, mainly because there's a lot of colors and bits and angles in robot mode, but it's smooth and featureless on the real F-15. I expect LOTS of flipping panels. Also a lot of that area is taken up by the main gear bays. I wouldn't be surprised if we get accurate nosegear, but almost G1-style main wheels. Though I can certainly imagine how they could do it "right", mainly by splitting the legs into front/rear halves, and lots of 180 twists. Moving flaps/ailerons are pretty much a given, moving stabs are likely needed for the transformation itself (and exist on the G1 toy), moving rudders would be easy to do. Likely--opening radome with radar---the nosecone's already almost certain to be a separate part. Though they may need the space for the radar instead for a complex folding mechanism/hinges, as I expect the nose to end up in the "spine" of the robot. Likely--opening canopy. (And expected, since the G1 could do it) Who should the pilot be?

Weight in the forward fuselage is VERY important. As I posted in another thread, the difference between an F-16 being stable or unstable can be changed with a few hundred pounds up front. Or moving the center of lift by 8 inches. So how can planes carry thousands of pounds of bombs with no problem? Because they're right over the center of gravity. They may be spread left/right, but the plane's center of gravity remains roughly the same. Center of lift/center of pressure/center of gravity is everything for basic plane stability. And delta-winged planes change everything. (To the point that I still don't know how a delta-winged plane controls pitch with elevons) If anyone can explain, here's my question: To pitch up, a delta-winged plane deflects the elevons up. That should basically be the same as a normal plane deflecting an aileron up. Trailing edge up=loss of lift. So how does this make a plane pitch up? My rough guess is that the loss of lift somehow affects the center of lift, to the point that the aircraft pitches up. Also, I know the Concorde messes with its center of gravity for takeoff, to force the elevons to deflect downwards like flaps to compensate, for extra lift---but then wouldn't deflecting them up at rotation cause that lift to be lost, defeating the purpose at the most needed point? The Concorde has a reflexed airfoil, which as I understand changes the relationship betweeen center of pressure and center of lift compared to other wings---is that part of it? (I tend to want to truly understand how planes fly, in most every aspect)

IMHO most of those Energon/Armada etc designs are almost "SD" versions of those vehicles. Yes, Cybertron Thundercracker looks like a Super Flanker. But he's not a Flanker. He's a kiddie-fied Flanker. It's very much like the difference between a diecast model Honda S2000, and a BitCharg/Zip-Zap Honda S2000. Or if you know what they are, egg planes and model planes. Secondary rant: Gimmicks are also messing up the vehicle-modes. Working this, firing that. Plus current safety laws make all those things big and oversized. But that should be a different discussion. My comment about Kawamori was purely about planes. Kawamori makes sleek, cool transforming planes. Takara makes "shuttle blobs with stubby wings". MP Prime's truck mode is purely because they wanted robot mode to look a certain way--especially the legs. Seriously, Prime has always possibly the easiest to do in real life, most plausible/perfect Transformation out there. Stand up, swing out arms, flip up head. His robot mode is a truck with legs. He could have been the world's best diecast model Freightliner done to date---that also happened to transform. But they wanted "Gundam Prime", and so truck mode suffered to make that happen.

I know there's something missing in the Revell F-14D kit that makes it not quite a D, but I can never remember what--they change the parts in every boxing. I think it's the engine fairings (and perhaps shrouds too) for that one, and the cockpit or seats. Only F-14D's "accurate enough for the F-14-loving nitpickers" are the Hase kits. Revell's the best of the rest though, as D's go. BTW----I just got my Hase YF-19 kit.

The adaptive AI could easily only be in the final version. They chop out a lot of "invisible" stuff for demos. You'll note that like in AC5, the demo has no "follow the missile" camera view, despite being in the full game. Demos are also often a lot easier than the final game. (They want people to play and have fun, not think the game is hard and frustrating) Or, maybe it only takes effect after each mission, as it reviews and updates. (of course, didn't Virtua Fighter 4 have "instant" adaptation?)

They're just going to have all their ships stay real close to US battlegroups (or RAF bases on the coast) until they get JSF's.

Tried and true soft-edge method: Cut out the shapes you need on thin cardboard, thick paper, etc. Place them on the model, but loosely. Like, make a loop of tape, or several layers of tape, underneath the mask itself. Or, curl the edge of the mask up a bit. This will allow just a bit of "controlled overspray" under the edge of the mask giving a soft, feathered edge. The further the mask sits above the surface, the wider the overspray pattern and the softer the edge. This method is for those of us who can't freehand camo yet.