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The aircraft mode looks awesome! The side view of the Battroid mode really looks funky... they really don't know what to do with the wings. Nice colour scheme too, I'm definitely looking forward to this one, just hope there isn't that pre-order madness to go through (which is likely since this is a hero VF and its the first issue, the Bandai stuff has only been available since the "reissue"). I also hope this doesn't require a "reissue" to fix it. (kind of burnt by Bandai once too many).

That's what I thought!

Exactly!

Thanks, good to know. On the Bandai 1/72 model, the LERX on both sides is held together with a steel pin that runs through the forward fuselage, the steel pin just friction fits onto the LERX. I wonder if its similar... my VF-25A is "preparation in progress" for the last week and a bit, so it will still be a while before I get my hands on it (its going registered SAL).

Oh, has anyone taken apart one of these renewals? or is there any info on how to take apart this forward fuselage section?

Thanks for the info MJ, so how did you take apart the LERX from the forward fuselage to shave off the plastic from the inner sides? I'd have to do the same if I were to sand down the fuselage part as well.

Fantastic (as always!) MJ. What did you do to solve the paint scratching off the LERX during transformation?

Yep, I paid the same day I got the request and NY says "Preparation in progress..." for the last week (I think they had a long weekend last though).

Oh, very curious how you solve this... did it scrape off the Future clear-coat too or just the bare paint surface? Are you going to take it apart?

Outstanding MJ!!! Exactly what I want to do to mine when I get it. It turned out beautifully and really adds to the scheme. Congrats, can't wait to see it all weathered up and panel lined. I didn't think it would be possible to paint the forward fuselage stripes without taking apart the LERX side pieces - how does it look when its transformed? Did you spray them with the partially transformed or are you left with some triangular spots that didn't get the paint? Can anyone tell me how to take apart the forward section to separate the LERX pieces so I can paint in behind?

BEAUTIFUL!!! wished I could have seen it in person.

Well, finally got a little time to finish off weathering and clear-coating the VF-27 over the long weekend. I left this baby much newer as its more advanced and he didn't really get shot up much. So the aircraft is pretty new, just a semi-gloss clear coat to take the shiny Bandai toy-like plastic down to something a little bit more realistic and hides all the swirls and tiny scratches well and some post shading to bring out the sculpt. Most of the weathering is on the matte/flat fast packs. Enjoy...

Oh no! I was hoping not the green... I was hoping more towards the grey less saturated range. Darn it. I should get mine in a few weeks (registered SAL) - maybe we can use some grey in the weathering to tone it down, and the matte/flat finish helps to lighten it up (that's what I did with my RVF-25 to take the minty curse off of it). I was thinking grey stripes maybe - it does look a little too naked (its in that reference anime shot). What will you do with yours MJ?

Speaking only for the Bandai Cosmo Zero (Yamato 2199) kit, they snap together really tightly. The plastic is somewhat soft, so if you press it all together, it would be difficult to take it apart again without bending, scratching or damaging the surface of the plastic (I found out the hard way). Just don't follow the order of the instructions unless you want to mask everything - Bandai is never friendly to modelers who want to paint the kit.

DOOOO IT! You've already got the weathering part down pat, all the major paint masking is decals already from Hasegawa - all you need to do is paint the entire plane white or grey. It will spoil you for other model companies. While the landing gears look long, they are quite beefy in all the lineart and anime. It will look much better with the armor packs on (which I assume they will get to).

Thanks MJ! It's all thanks to you. The key was the initial clear-coat which allows the weathering powders to stick in the first place - otherwise everything just slides off that slick glossy Bandai plastic.

The cockpit does seem a bit snug... but its because we're used to the micronized Bandai pilots. Ohh, there's clear lens tips for the missiles. I was kind of hoping for a few more panel lines or revit/hatch details - not as much as their VF-1 (which I love!) but a few more look more "real" than anime. Still miles ahead of the Bandai disaster... although the gears (while looking great!) do look a bit long and make the bird a bit tall - should cut that down a bit (easier to cut down than build up). Finally I can have a Messiah on the ground without an in-flight stand!

Finally found a little time over the long weekend to touch up the newly arrived Armor Super packs, there wasn't much to do but some dry brushing with the Tamiya weathering powders, but the matte flat clear-coat does wonders - I've always done all the super/fast packs on all my models in a flat/matte finish to contrast against the shinier plane. The CF itself is in a semi-gloss - which does wonders in hiding all the tiny swirls and scratches from the dreaded Bandai glossy plastics. I left the MDEs bare glossy plastic with just very light weathering around the seams - I usually leave the ordinance in a glossy finish and much less weathered than the aircraft itself, specialty ordinance shouldn't be flying around all the time collecting dirt! No time for real photos, just some snaps from the workbench for now. Did any of you have a heck of a time snapping the left leg back up to the back plate with the fast packs on? I thought I'd break it - I ended up lightly filing the arm/peg down a little to get it to snap in - and boy is this thing tight now - I don't think I'm ever transforming it again (especially with the black triangle problem!). Enjoy.

Please let me know if there will be PE upgrade parts coming along too!

That's going to be on the top of my lists... (but you guys already knew how slanted towards Hasegawa I am ;-)

Sorry to hear about that. It looks like you didn't wash off the mold release thoroughly enough and the paint was applied over a section with the resin mold release. I usually scrub down my resin kits with ajax and a toothbrush.

Now THATS how you do a model kit... beautifully sleek.

They don't mark it as gift, just a low amount like 10Euros which for Canada at least, seems to slide under the Customs & Duties radar. I've never had to pay the customs and the often associated brokerage/processing fee on top of that which is often $30-40 on top from NY. I've always had to pay it from AmiAmi or HLJ.

Beautiful as always - love that scale!!! My only scale too (except toys), although I might be gettin' a bit old for this size, my eyes aren't what they used to be anymore.

Woohoo!!! Pic too small, but it looks like we might finally get some decent landing gears on this plane. All the Bandai stuff, (both kit and DX) just looks stupid!!!