wm cheng

Hey I'm starting to like that special Cosmotiger (I'm not sure what its called) but that awkward dark grey gangly fighter with all the huge oversized missile pods - does Bandai make a model of this?

Btw - is anyone else getting this 0yen on all HLJ prices tonight? 

HLJ kept freezing and hanging.  First 404 error then 503 error at checkout, then sold out - boo!  CDJ sold out as I was checking out too.  Luckily Amiami let me get one through.  This was a tough one so far.  Not happy with the new HLJ site either.

HLJ is giving 404 not found with that link!

Is there a better search button than the one at the top right hand corner for HLJ?  It used to be the search at the bottom of the page that worked.

So there's no special bundle with the old/updated HORI flightstick?  It's fully compatible with the existing Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas 4 right (no special AC edition)?

Wow, nice announcement.  I still wished that at 1/48 scale, they could have molded a little more details onto those pieces (and the Valk in general) - a little disappointed that there wasn't the molding detail that is present in the Hasegawa 1/72 models.  They could at least make the optional hands jointed at the fingers, its a huge toy, you'd think there would be more advances from the Yamato 1/48 days.

Wow!!! So much orange (my favourite colour) that has to be in my collection.  Been waiting for Chuck's for too long now and it doesn't disappoint.  The Heavy Armor is just so over the top sillyness that I just have to have it - unfortunately it doesn't look very "Macrossy" but I guess its where everything is headed designwise.  (moar must be stronger!!!)

Any dates on the pre-order for these two beauties?

Now that's what I've been waiting for!!!

17 minutes ago, Tking22 said:

I feel a pinch dirty, but I just ordered the Lepin UCS Millenium Falcon. I ordered the slightly cheaper option that doesn't come with the replicated official box that says Star Plan on it instead, I'll just be getting in a cardboard box that weighs 15lbs. and is filled with Lepin pieces in numbered bags. That said, apparently sorting through everything is a pain, especially attempting to sort bags 6 and 9, I guess they aren't underlined in any way so they're easy to mix up.

Don't worry about it, you'll love it.  I did it without numbered bags at all, they just had them in different bags mostly according to the pieces not to the steps.  Its part of the fun of lego.

Amazing Arbit!!!  Congrats on an amazing build.  You can be proud.

What?!  That can't be the Hasegawa one could it?  It looks horrible.  Very disappointed.  They look like "bandai" landing gears - argh.

7 minutes ago, ChaoticYeti said:

So weird. Has anyone received their 31a from NY in the brown tamashii box? Seems like an odd point to make, but this is the first time I have received an exclusive without it.

I did, but I got it in the first batch way back when it was initially released and I ordered it within the first minute of the pre-order.

Orange peel is when you are spraying too thick of a mixture.  You need to thin down the paint more and spray in lighter multiple coats instead of one thick coat.  Generally, there are other factors too like too low of PSI when spraying can contribute to that too or the substrate/layer underneath wasn't prepared properly.  Painting is kind of a "voodoo / black art" I still find that sometimes I do exactly the same thing as I did before that turned out great didn't turn out another time.  Good luck and don't be discouraged.  The beauty of the MF is that its so weathered you can turn it into an effect.

I just love how clean and smooth your paint finish is - fantastic!!!

Gorgeous electric indigo (amazong paint scheme, turned out fantastic)!  What kits are those?  Love those Sabbs.

WOW arbit!!!  That gunwell turned out great.  I used the same PE kit and maybe because I might have gotten the first run, a lot of my lighting holes weren't drilled all the way though.  It looks so good - congrats!

2 hours ago, Duymon said:

buy florys for panel lining. not reactive at all and super easy to clean up

Totally second this!  It's all I use now and so much easier now.

3 hours ago, derex3592 said:

Great pics! Man, those F-22 paint jobs are sooo weird..No two ever quite look the same, depending on the lighting conditions, sometimes looks more metallic than painted.  I've got a 1:48 Hasegawa kit waiting to be built, but I have no idea how I'm gonna paint it to get close to that look. 

Yes, same thing here, I've got the Fujimi 1/72 F-22 and can't start it due to the metallic paint issue - I heard a while back there were F-22 metallic sheen made specifically for model paints but its no longer in production.  http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/2010/04/23/introducing-raptor-sheen/comment-page-1/

Maybe a Alclad metallic coat (dark aluminum) with a misting of grey over top?  I don't know yet.

Thanks Chronocidal for your very helpful assessment.  This is my first exposure to these.  I agree, I have about 6 Hasegawa kits and 2 Fine Molds F-14s and just about every resin/photoetched upgrades for 1/72 F-14s that are available - but just no time to build any of them.  I was hoping that these would temporarily fill the gap - but ultimately you're probably right that I wouldn't be satisfied.

Wow those are nice F-14s - I never knew about them.  So Calibre Wings is better than Century Wings?  How so?  Any sites with comparisons?  I'd love to get that Wolfpack scheme, but without the initial QC flaws - but it looks like its sold out anyways.

On 7/9/2018 at 10:37 AM, peter said:

Lol, I saw those clips in Hobby Japan years ago as well, just never bothered to order them or try to DIY them.  They helped a lot

 

Anyway, wrapped up the build, it was fun to get it together.  My kit looks like it just rolled off the assembly line though.  I did some panel lining, but it doesn't appear that obvious in the photos compared to in-person:

 

 

 

I actually lost a piece and though the kit came with a few spares, it did not come with a spare of the one I lost (rocket launcher behind the smokestack).  I was painting outside and when I walked away for a bit, the wind blew everything into my lawn.  I recovered everything except for that one piece.  I just ended up throwing an extra turret in it's place.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I probably should have used a less glossy wood finish

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure if the lighting was better outside, but I did my best to capture a few images:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, this kit was a pleasure to build.  The last kit I started was a Hasegawa 1/72 scale VF-1S Strike Valkyrie and I never got past the cockpit.  I should go back to it, but I remember it being a lot harder to work on than this kit.

 

Maybe I should just go back and slap it together and not really care about the results.  The problem is, it was 10 years ago and I'm staring to get middle-age eyes.  I'll probably need reading glasses or a big magnifying glass to work on it, lol!

 

Well, if it ends up too challenging, I may start the 2199 1/500 scale Yamato instead.  Since it's bigger than this kit, it might be even easier to work on

 

 

 

 

Hey Peter, it came out great!!!  I really enjoyed your photos, it even got me looking at my 1/350 Bandai Yamato again (ahh, someday!).  I totally get your middle-aged eyes comment, I can't work without my jewelers head magnifying glasses and a big magnifying glass on an arm now which sucks!

All great suggestions arbit, just don't get discouraged.  You just need a bit of experimentation to get the hang of it.  Future gloss coat spraying is different than regular painting, and I find different paints behave differently too (like spraying Tamiya Acrylics versus Alclad Lacquers). 

For a Future gloss coat I usually spray heavier than regular paint as un-thinned Future tends to be self-leveling, but you need to get enough on there for the liquid to self-level.  Glossiness can only look shiny if the surface is smooth, so a heavy coat of Future (not dripping or running) and letting it self-level will work better than lots of thin coats of future, because if you get a pebbly/orange peel texture between coats, that defeats the shinyness,  I also turn down the airbrush to 15-18psi and spray 6-8 inches away.

When painting, I usually up the air pressure to 18-20psi and spray from a little farther away 8-10 inches (unless I'm doing detail work then I get in real close at 4-6 inches, but turn down the PSI).  Regular paint is when its better to build up in thin layers.  Better to error on too thin of paints and build up in layers than one thick layer.  Thinner paints tend to level out better and has a longer drying time which is good for you, especially when its hot and you're in a dry climate.  It should be thinned to a milk consistency.

Good luck!

9 hours ago, Lolicon said:

Two down. Added everyone's favorite pilot: Ben! Kakizaki!

Beautiful work as always Lolicon!  Glad you're taking up the mantel of improving these previously naked valks.

16 minutes ago, Shizuka the Cat said:

AVAILABLE

CDJapan: 18,000 yen http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEOGDS-294953

Amazon JP: 19,400 yen  https://www.amazon.co.jp/超時空要塞マクロス-約300mm-ファイター時-ダイキャスト-塗装済み可動フィギュア/dp/B07FVSX5BL/ref=sr_1_3

Nippon-Yasan: 22,000 yen https://www.nippon-yasan.com/figures/25676-super-dimensional-fortress-macross-dx-chogokin-vf-1j-valkyrie-ichijo-hikaru-custom.html  (second pre-order round)

SOLD OUT

Nippon-Yasan: 15,400 yen https://www.nippon-yasan.com/figures/25676-super-dimensional-fortress-macross-dx-chogokin-vf-1j-valkyrie-ichijo-hikaru-custom.html  (first pre-order round)

AmiAmi: 16,480 yen https://www.amiami.com/eng/detail/?gcode=FIGURE-041234 

Hobby Search: 17,100 yen https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10551440  

Hobby Link Japan: 18,000 yen https://hlj.com/product/BANS55138/Act  

Anime-Export: 18,000 yen http://www.anime-export.com/product/40857

Nin-Nin:  161.65 USD https://www.nin-nin-game.com/en/japanese-import-hobbies-toys-game-character/28249-the-super-dimension-fortress-macross-first-press-limited-edition-vf-1j-valkyrie-hikaru-ichijyou-machine-dx-chogokin--4573102551382.html

THANKS for your list!!!  My alarm didn't go off (3:50am over here) set it to PM by mistake.  Opened up to the last page here and found your very informative/useful summary and got one from CDJapan.  I thought I was done for, but I couldn't believe 50mins in and still got one.  You are a lifesaver!!!

So is there a lighting gimmick?  Some images look like the yellow shoulder lights and the green visor lights up but it doesn't say anything in the text does it?

Does anyone find it weird that with all the extra tampo markings, they missed the red ejector seat triangles on either side of the cockpit?  It seems to be the only thing that was around and canon since the TV show.