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Lets don't get the cart ahead of the horse. Before we start throwing money into a pot we must find the kit available someplace first. As for the cost to recast it I suspect a recaster would have to see the kit before he could give a good estimate how much that would cost. The number, size, and shape of the parts is a factor as well as the ability to find the screws and joints that will be needed to complete the kit. Another big factor is the number or orders. One recast will be alot more expensive to make then 10 or 20. Valkyrie would you care to venture a guess at what you'd expect it to cost based on the above pictures? Carl

Let's take this one point at a time: Thank you. I'm not too hopeful we'll get much help from the original manufacturer. I just say that because I've already been in contact with I.H.P and D'Stance in the past and despite the fact that I have been able to get kits direct from I.H.P in the past I to date haven't been able to get either his VB-6 or D'Stance's YF-19. I am very hopeful these kits will turn up in other ways though. Be that Yahoo Japan or someone that owns one coming forward. No... I'm not asking anyone to stop looking. In fact I've offered a free recast to the first person that finds either of these kits for sale anywhere. If I find it first and there are over 10 orders for recasts I'll see to it that one of those 10+ get their's free. How does that sound? Again just to be clear I'm NOT asking anyone to sit this one out. I'm just saying these kits are at the top of my must have list and if one turns up on Yahoo Japan for example they will most likely be bidding against me. I'd much rather work with them to keep the cost of a recast project low and offer my help should they also feel they must have an original. All I'm after is one. I'll be able to access email I'm sure. Shawn and others do a good job of keeping me posted as to what's on Yahoo Japan. In short anyone with email that knows what I'm after is free to email me at any time. I too am ready to start right away and would bid today if one popped up. What I'll be slow at is finding the time to update my "Most Wanted" list and getting my web page up and going. As for finding this kit the seach starts today and my offer for a free recast is limited only to my ability to find a recaster that can recast it and Valkyrie's already said he would do it. I've been with MacrossWorld since day one. I think my word means something here. Just for the record my Tread Battloid kit was recasted and made available by Valkyrie in the past here at Macross World. I've also mailed my kits to a few recasters in the past (my armored gerwalk to *YOU* for example) for people that were willing to make a recast on their own provied they paid for insurance for the item to them and back to me. I never did it for the money. So far I've keep it low key as I don't want to have to keep track of my kits if they are being shipped all over the country. Plus doing these one offs takes alot of time. I've been holding off on doing this on any bigger scale till I had a wabpage up an going and recasters that were willing to jump on board. *THAT* is what will still take some time. Valkyrie is already on board for these two kits though so this project doesn't need to wait on my web page getting set up. True... I want an original. I'll get one eventually. And I'm actually hoping everyone will keep looking on their own. Many here I'm sure want one but won't have the $1000 or so an original will cost. This way if they are the first to find it and tell me about it they'll get a free recast. If the worry is that I might be in Germany or out of touch for a while and miss being able to bid on the auction myself there are others here that I'd be willing to let bid for me. Shawn has done it in the past. Then again if you have the contacts to be able to get the kit and want to bid on it yourself so that you could ship it to Valkyrie yourself to be sure the recasts would get made I'm open to that idea as well. I'd be more then willing to cover any costs you incured and still see to it that you got your free recast. I'm just letting you know I've been after these kits for years now and I will go after anyone that I see. I really want to be able to do that without fear of stepping on the toes of fellow MacrossWorld members. I think I've got a better track record of sharing information and the like then many collectors so I'd like to think most here would like to help me get one of these in my hands. How many collectors were willing to post pictures of their Gakken Tread before me? I spend a great deal of my own money to be able to change that... not just for me... but all of you as well. I really hope I'm not coming across like I've got my noise up in the air but macross kits are a passion of mine. Carl

Thanks... I'm doing GREAT. I'm on the top of the world after the call I got this morning. It took a while to get mine up too. The 2 or 3 posts there before mine weren't there when I started typing. I'm be moving to Starkville, MS very soon. Anyone from here in that area already? Trust me I haven't forgotten. I've got a very nice job lined up. I consider that problem solved. I know several that would be more then happy to recast it. My first choice would be Valkyrie as he's done very well for me in the past. The hard part will be finding the kit. Anyone here work for Rinkya that could get me contact information on the winner of the last one? Carl

I'M BACK!!!! I just got the call. I've got the job in Mississippi. I should start the week of the 15th. Now back to the I.H.P VB-6. All the above proposal is now official and I'll do my best to get the pieces in place ASAP. However the next few weeks will be VERY busy for me and I've already learned I'll be in Germany the week of April 19th. Anyways when the kit is found I can front the cost. If you know what I paid for the Gakken Tread you shouldn't doubt that. If someone finds the kit before me I'll see to it that their recast is free. Or if someone here already has the kit I'll make a standing off of $1000 for it plus a free recast. I've seen 3 of these sell on Yahoo Japan myself and the last one sold to a Rinkya member. As I suspect that most of the people outside of Japan that know of this kit learned about it from Macross World I think the chances are good that someone here already has one. I'll also tell my contacts that I'm back in the game and re-establish contact with Mr Sakuragawa. I'm not too hopefull that route will work though or the original plan of Shawn's and Seiichi's would still be in the works. I've been hunting down and finding rare Macross kits for 5 plus years now. If anyone can find this kit... I should be able to. Lets not forget the D'Stance kit... I'll put the same offer on the table for that kit. Carl

Hello Guys, The next I.H.P VB-6 and D-Stance YF-21 are MINE!!! And believe me I also want to be able to help. I had a job interview last week that I didn't tell anyone about as last time I did everything fell apart but I've got a very good feeling about this one. So I'm hoping to be able to anounce my return with a vengence. I've got contacts that should be able to get in touch with D'Stance and I.H.P themselves but I'm not sure I'll be able to get either to make any more kits. I've had contact with one D'Stance YF-21 owner that I might be able to work with as well but his kit doesn't have the fast packs. I'm not sure if D'Stance has ever offered his fast packs for sale. I've also now got my own web page www.wwwmwww.com and I hope to update my wanted list soon. At the top of that list will be the I.H.P VB-6 and the D'Stance YF-21. Valkyrie has recasted a few of my kits before so I know he does good work. My plan at the moment was to offer a recast free to the finder of either of these kits. I don't have the time to spend hours digging on Yahoo Japan any more. If the finder wants a recast of any of my other kits instead and Valkyrie or someone else is willing to recast it I'll cover the cost of that too. The long term plan is to catalog my collection on my webpage and overtime find people that are willing to recast my kits. I might be able to have a poll once a quarter asking which kit you guys want recasted next. Orders could be taken so we'd know how many kits to make and cost would be based on materials and what ever the recaster was asking for his time. I'd hope it'd be a good place to showcase the talents of several recasters and it also serve as a place to market their skills. If someone out there had a rare kit he wanted a recast of, it could be add the a poll and if elected the owner of the kit would get a free recast and copies sold. That's the plan anyways and the direction I want to move toward. I'm sure it will take some time to get everything in place and I don't want to turn this into a full time job. In fact I wouldn't even be doing it to make money. I just love this hobby and want to be able to share. If I did make any money at this I'd just use it to buy more rare kits to add to the collection. All I ask is please lets not step on each other's toes. I know how I feel when I see a collector out bid me and then never return my emails and the kit disapears into obscurity. That's not how I want to be seen. To me these kits are works or art and should be shared. That said if there are those that want original kits I'm more then willing to help them too. If they help me find a kit and are looking for one for themselves I'll leave the kit on the wanted list and I'll share all new leads on that kit with them. By the way... Shawn's given me the web space and is hosting my website at the moment. My html is rather rusty so if any web designers out there want to donate their time to the cause I'm certainly open to that idea. So what do you guys think of my idea? Is this doable? I don't want this idea to become just a big money pit for myself and any recaster that wants to recast my kits so we'd be relying on you guys for support. In turn we'd do our best to keep costs down but keep in mind the cost to make 3 recasts of a Studio HalfEye kit for example I'd expect to cost more then the original cost of 3 genuine SHE kits. I won't sacrifice quality in the name of cost. That would defeat the purpose of what I'm trying to do. Oh and one other thing I'd like to add to my site is a location for people to share pictures of the completed kits they got from me. Comments, suggestions, input... Carl

Finially got back to finishing up this series. Anatomy of a Light Cycle 3 of 3

This is the only one that I'm aware of: http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/magazi...m_jun2001a3.jpg It was made by I.H.P and to my knowledge is a one of a kind and has never been offered for sale. He made it just to be photographed for 'Character Model' magazine. There were other pics on I.H.P's site but I now can't find them. If anyone knows more please share. Carl

Since the Gigamesh was talked about here I wanted to be sure you guys saw this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3269958005 Not my auction buy this is from our trusted Noel so I know you can't go wrong. Carl

Nice... I believe this is the first time I've seen a set finished. Carl

I like. Very nice. Any side-by-side pics of these with their original vending machine prizes? I don't think I've seen these before.

Thanks for the comment about the collection and the job hunt. If ANYONE thinks they can help please feel free to email me hoff@wt.net and I'll be happy to send you a copy of my resume. I've been a process engineer in the semiconductor industry for 7 years and as so much of that is headed over seas I'm more then ready to jump ship but I don't have much in the way of contacts outside the semiconductor industry and as they say "Its who you know far more then what you know." Here is a direct quote that's stuck in my head. A friend of mine outside the semiconductor industry showed my resume to his boss trying to help me out. After looking at my resume he said "Just about everybody who does what he does has moved to India. There are precious few jobs in his area in the U.S. anymore." I consider myself a bright guy that went to school to learn how to problem solve. I think I could apply my skill in many different fields. In my past job I came in strait out of school and the previous guy had been gone over a year so without anyone to train me I was up and going at full speed on my own in about a month. If any of you have kept up with my TRON art, all that GCI is stuff I've taught myself in the months after losing my job. My mind just refuses to sit still. I'm now up to the point I'm playing with animations. So please if anyone here thinks they can help by all means email me. I'd love to help you get a nice employee referral bonus and I'd be more then happy to help you get any Macross kit your heart desires. Thanks again, Carl

You are welcome... and thanks. Carl

I'd agree with most of that. I think Club-M's own 1:72 YF-19 looks better as well. If I recall correctly the 1:72 was a Tanmen sculpt where as he didn't have anything to do with the 1:48 line aside from the VF-1. The 1:48 lacks alot of detail you'd expect on a kit this size. I think Club-M was just wanting to own the title as the maker of the biggest YF-19 kit out there. They knew it would cost enough the market for it wouldn't be big so it feels like they rushed something together just to offer at a few Wonder Fests. I think it was more advertising then anything. It did get them in many of the Hobby magazines at the time. Sure its possible. Noel has recast the 1:48 Ultimate Detail VF-1S for example and it has many more parts then the others. The VF-1 Normal Fighter is just that same kit minus the fast pack parts. They advertised it once here: http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/ads/ads_models_c3.htm But they incorrectly put the wrong scale in the ad. And what's up with that kite in the Macross Logo. Anyways back to the topic. The hardest part of recasting these I believe would be the metal landing gear. Resin langing gear would never hold up the weight of these. But that can be done... Noel did it on his 1:48 recast. Oh and I just remembered... the 1:48 YF-19 *HAS* been recasted already. Looks like its still available too here: http://www.e2046.com/trade/productview/171 I see the landing gear is in resin. I don't think those parts on there own stand much of a chance of holding up the kits tough so I'd advise you to keep that in mind before picking that one up. Is this the one you were talking about Grayson? I seem to recall seeing the YF-21 recasted as well but I don't see it on e2046 or Hobbyfan. Is there another big recaster out there I'm overlooking at the moment? Sounds like the one at e2046 would be perfect for you. Even if Noel were to recast this with metal landing gear I don't think he could beat that price. Heck I don't have a clue how they can ship that kit for $2 Oh... and while looking for the recast info I did find this: http://www.246.ne.jp/~tanmen/page/yf19.htm Its Tanmans page for the Ultimate Detail YF-19. He named the project "Ready to Fly". The page still hasn't been updated since it was first put up but I do know he's gotten much more done on it then you see here. Here looking over his workshop pages I've found these pics of his 1:48 YF-19. Enjoy... Carl

Well Club-M *DID* have plans for other 1:48 scale kits. Check out this ad: http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/ads/ads_models_c5.htm the VF-11 wasn't one of them though. Another 1:48 scale project that I know was in the works but I'm not sure where it currently stands... Tanmen was working on an Ultimate Detail YF-19. Its listed here: http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models...m/uncm_main.htm There use to be a page about it on Tanman's site as well but I know it went a long time without an update and now I can't even find it. I think the project has been shelved.

She's been very understanding. I had a very nice job at the time and its taken me years to pull all these kits together. Plus they do hold their value very well and I think they could prove to be a good investment as well. Somewhere down the road I've considered opening up my own little recasting store on the web so who knows... this might prove to provide some nice side income in retirement. That said I'm not wanting to retire. I'm only 35 and very eager to get back to work. Someday down the road I'll have my whole collection up at my web page and if what you've seen here blows you away you aint seen nothing yet. I've got most of the I.H.P kits (even some he doesn't have on his own web page) however I still need that variable monster. That and the D'Stance kit are the two that are at the top of my wish list at the moment. Good night everyone and thanks for the compliments, Carl

Do these count? http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/magazines/cm5.jpg http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/magazines/cm6.jpg http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/magazines/cm7.jpg While I'm at it here is a nice pic to give you the scale of these kits. http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models...atoyf21comp.jpg

Got it... in fact that's my picture. I see you pulled it from here: http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models.../hobby_base.htm Good eye. I must have missed that one in my digging. Since I hate not knowing where something is I just went and dug it up too. Here is the new group shot.

Texas... but I'm not sure for how much longer. I'm in the middle of a national job search so I don't know where I'll be in a few months. Where do you live? I might be willing to risk being your neighbor if you have any leads on jobs where you are. I'm not above asking for help... I just want to get back to work. Carl

That's not much easier then the SHE kits as these are variable kits too. That said one of the 3 I have IS a recast. The two kits on the left were released by Kip quite some time ago. I believe they were only event releases too. Not too sure about that as I'm not that familiar with Kip. However only the Hurgund kits is 100% original. The Proto Garland (I believe I've got my Megazone names strait) is a recast. The Hurgund box has sideart and a real AM sticker so I know its official. The Proto Garland box has no sideart and the AM sticker you see is a photocopy. I believe the boxart is a strait photocopy of the original Kip box top. I have seen an original Kip Proto Garland sell on Yahoo Japan. The one I'm thinking of went for about $800. All that said I think I've got the better kit and I paid alot less then $800 for it. The original Kip kits are quite old and resin kit making has come a long way in the last 10 years. My recast was made by the maker of the 'GR-2 Garland Mass Production Type' kit and he really cleaned up the original and made a few improvements to the kit too. I'm not going to disclose this makers name as I've been asked not to in the past but I will say this... he is a member here at Macross World and I bought both of these kits through Noel. At the time he was advertising both of these here at Macross World so I assume its safe to say that much. So all this is the long way of saying there isn't much point in me recasting mine. Two of my kits were made not that long ago in the molds owned by another member here. If there is demand I'm sure he could make more and better quality kits far easier then I. That does leave the Hurgund kit thought. When Noel gets back from Wonder Fest I'll ask him if this kit maker would like to copy/improve that kit as well. If so I'm sure we can work something out, but it will come secondary to me finding a job.

Here is another series that I have that I think may beat the above for just the shear amout of Macross resin. Granted its fewer kits but the resin sure adds up. See... I've been a 1:48 Macross Fan far longer then most of the rest of you. This pic also tells the story of my longest as yet unsolved Macross mystery. Its starts with this picture: Club-M Ad There it says that a 1:48 VF-19 was being released at a 1997 Wonder Festival. I've seen pictures of a completed 1:48 VF-22 taken at the Summer 1997 Wonder Festival which is the event mine is from. I've even talked to the person that took the picture but he said he didn't see any 1:48 VF-19 there. There was also a link on the Club-M homepage much like this one: Club-M Macross Page It may still be there but I can't find it now. Anyways the link I was looking for listed Club-M's event only releases. On that list there were entries for a 1:48 YF-19, 1:48 YF-21, and 1:48 VF-22. No 1:48 VF-19. However I noted the list wasn't perfect. Here you see I have a 1:48 event only release of the VF-1 Normal Fighter. That wasn't on Club-M's own list. Also Seiichi has assured me that yes the 1:48 VF-19 WAS released and he believes its one of the rarest Macross kits ever made. I'm still not sure if he's ever seen one himself so I'm not sure how he knows this. So in my mind its existance is still an open question. If anyone here can prove one way or the other if Club-M ever released a 1:48 VF-19 I'd be very greatful. As to the two different 1:48 YF-19's that you see here. One is from 1997 and the other is from 1996.

Its a fair question. I have been known to lend out kits for recasting actually. However there is a reason why you never see any of the big recasting shops offering Studio HalfEye kits. With the number and complexity of parts in these kits any recast would cost as much as the original. If the day comes when its doable and not just a money pit... sure I'll share. Get cracking on the 3D scanner/printer technologies. Better yet... help me get my next job and I'll give you one provided I can find a replacement on Yahoo Japan for myself.

Oh boy... that's just the tip of the iceburg. I'm almost as afraid to answer. The Blazer Valk by itself is selling for about $1200 when it shows up on Yahoo Japan. Most of the others in that pic I bet are now worth about $500. But these are far from some of the rarest kits that I have. My wife likes to tell me the contents of my study are worth more then the rest of the house. As I said this is just the tip of my model collection and I'm into more then just models. The hurgund was the first one I got. I won it on Yahoo Japan a couple years ago. Its the only one I've ever seen anywhere. I believe its one of the rarest kits that I've have. The other two Noel was offering for sale not too long ago. By that I mean I think its been within the last year. I don't know if he still has any more or not. I've also seen these on Yahoo Japan several times. The first person I'd ask would be Noel aka Blackaces. Good luck, Carl

And what better part of my Macross collection to show then my Studio HalfEye kits. Believe it or not I'm still missing one. There was a Wonder Fest release of the VF-5000 that came with the super pack and I believe a second head. I also don't have all the different kinds of boxes that I've seen. My old YF-21 box says scale 1:75 on it. I've seen this same style box with scale 1:100 on it. They are however the same kit. All his other kits have no scale information on them. Here is a link that talks about the Wonder Fest release of the VF-5000: VF-5000 link Look in the hobby magazines of that time and you'll see several different VF-5000 heads. These may be scratch built heads though so I have no proof there are more heads in this release until I can find one somewhere.

Here is most of my Mospeada collection of resin kits. I've got a few other NewType kits someplace as well as many recasts but I think this is atleast one of each of the originial kits that I have. The Legioss kit (top center) is a Wonder Fest kit I got from I believe the first event they were offered at. I believe I've since seen Noel offer this same kit with different box art that came from later events. Noel, if you see this and still have a picture of the box art I'd love a copy. Also if you go to Noel's last several Wonder Fest reports you'll see I've got some new kits to track down. So keep your eyes open and let me know if you see anything that isn't in this pic that you think should be.

I was going through my kits to find the Gigamesh for baronv's thread "Macross II Enemy Figures, Any Marduk toys/models ever made?". Anyways as I had to dig rather deep to find it I thought I'd take a few pictures while I had most of my stuff out. Anyways lets hit these in reverse order. Here is my Megazone collection. Its all 3 of the 1/20 variable Garland kits that I'm aware of. If anyone knows of any others please let me know.