Mog

"Alright.............we'll call it a draw!!"

^^The problem is that I have a custom design for the squad markings. ...And I've gotta put an image of Mog (the FF6 character) somewhere on the cockpit fuselage too. But I'll have to mull over the decals........I'm just not very good with applying those blasted things.

Yup, I PM'ed him before I posted my requests in the threads. He said that he might make some stickers once he gets the -21 in hand. But he stated that he didn't make custom individual stickers (pilot names, numbers, etc.). It's a bummer about the custom/individualized stickers, but I understand and am cool with it.

Between futzing around with the Blackjack and dealing with real life matters, I just haven't had time to pose out and shoot my regular YF-21. Glad to see though that no one's posted my other pose idea just yet. Hopefully once things settle down a bit more, I'll be able to set up the flexi's and shoot it up properly. To Wicked Ace: I see the -21's still packing heat while he's ballin'. Guess he wants to make it crystal clear that anyone who steps on his sneakers is gonna get capped.

Blackjack Finished painting/touching up last night. I kinda screwed up spray-painting the intakes (top/outside part), so I had to sand and wound up brush painting them instead. Not my best work on this bird. Also, some of the trim details will look fairly "amateur-ish." But hopefully, you folks will be a bit forgiving on my first try at a full-on custom paint job. Kinda wish I had more of a flat-finish, touch-up paint too (to match up better with the spray paint). But them's the breaks. P.S.--I'm still looking for someone to print out some custom sticker designs for me. PM me with a quote if you're interested!!

Well, eugimon did correctly predict awhile back that Yamato was going to alternate releases between MacZero and MacPlus. So, it wouldn't surprise me if the next announced release is gonna be a MacZero item.

^^Probably still gonna be working on it............I know, I know. (I'm guessing final assembly, panel lining, and stickering up around the time of the con). I'll be out on vacation for about a week between now and the MW con too. Don't worry; I'll post pics for sure once the bird is all dolled up.

If he was going for a Roy scheme, I'd personally prefer if he used white instead of grey. Plus I think the intakes would look better in grey or black with the original yellow trim. Looks okay though. P.S.--Wicked Ace is right: I am working on a custom right now. I'm about halfway done with the painting. But I still need to paint the nose/cockpit/cowl sections and the intake areas. .....And re-attach all the major areas back together again (Legs, arms, and gunpods are all separately reassembled. Backpack is partially reassembled.) ....And pray that there is no major paint-chipping. .....And hope that someone can print up some stickers I've designed.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm about half-way done with the painting. I've also put out the word on the YF-21 toy thread, but is anyone still making/printing custom stickers (pilot name, numbers, custom emblems/designs, etc.)? I've got the major designs ready to go, but I just need someone to print 'em up for me. PM me if you can help me out!

<Mog pops his head out of his cave/workshop> DAMMIT!! I'M WORKING ON IT!!!!! Anyone still making customized stickers out there? I've got the sticker designs ready (been ready for a long while now actually). But I just need to check/measure the designs on the actual bird and then get someone to print/make the stickers for me.

Thanks for the link, Vermillion21. I'm guessing Wild Bill's crew is Ace (in pilot get-up) and Grand Slam. And I'm guessing that the dude with Torpedo (seriously, yellow?! ) and Cutter is Deep Six. Of course, these are just educated guesses on my part. Techno-Viper looks interesting. But Hasbro, please. Can you guys stay clear away from the science-fictiony/Cobra-La stuff for a little while longer? I know a bunch of us would rather have Airborne, Quick Kick, Dusty, Low Light, Mutt & Junkyard, Covergirl, Crazylegs, Ripcord, Eels, Blowtorch (porkchop sandwiches!!), Monkeywrench, Zarana, Strato-Vipers, Steeler (w/VISOR), Zap, Short Fuze, Leatherneck, Wet Suit, Alpine, Kwinn, Outback, Tunnel Rat, Sgt. Slaughter, and a whole host of others BEFORE we see some of these other custom figures.

Voted maybe. Beautiful fighter mode. No doubt. But just ain't feelin' the battroid mode at all. Also, I think 1/48 would be a nicer sized scale for these, would it not?

Ask me again after I've come down from my initial YF-21 high. It'll eventually come down to either the classic VF-1 or my favorite bastard love-child, the YF-21. The VF-1 is just such a beautiful and memorable design that I just have to give it the proper respect and consideration it damn well deserves. It's the foundation upon which most of these VF's have drawn inspiration from. And you just gotta bow down to the original. Of course, staring at the wonderful Human-Zent hybrid that is the YF-21 (especially this newest toy version) makes my decision that much harder.

Thanks for the comic pack pics. Just kinda bums me that the standard IG's are packed with a repainted Destro. I'm sure it ain't gonna stop folks from troop-building though.

If I took in-process pics, I'd never get the damn custom done. A few things I've learned though: 1) When reassembling the two upper thigh halves and the bellyplate connector piece, you'll notice that there are three screws. Make sure to use the longer screw for the middle slot. And make sure to push the bellyplate connector piece all the way into the thigh half. As I learned the hard way, the bellyplate connector piece(s) acts as a screw hole for that middle screw to go into. If you don't push that bellyplate connector all the way in (had to use some butter to get that puppy to push in completely into the thigh) or use the longer screw, you risk the screw not locking onto anything. 2) Be careful in dealing with the bicep covers. You'll need to separate the bicep halves in order to disassemble the arm completely. I wound up being 1 for 2 in getting those things to disconnect properly. Maybe there was some glue, but I wound up breaking both pegs on one set of biceps. (Thank God for superglue!!) 3) When disassembling the lower leg (the part that goes from the knee to the "pants cuff"), you should note that there are three screws: one in the knee joint and two covered by little square pegs. These pegs can be a bitch to remove. So, be very patient and careful when trying to pry and pop these off. Being that this is my first major repaint of a Valk, I'm also making a some rookie mistakes and being a little too anxious to reassemble parts. After painting the arms, I realized I shoulda sanded them down more, especially that little peg piece that covers up the tailfin to the forearm. I'm hoping the sanding and waiting a little longer to reassemble will result in no paint chipping. The last thing I wanna see is paint chips, especially on the two sliding parts of the backpack. Will keep you guys posted if I run into any weird or unusual parts.

Because peolesdru has been cool enough to give us a bunch of very insightful transformation videos, it's only fair that I respond to his one simple request (with COLOR PICS!!). Here's that pinhole on the knee I was talking about: BEFORE TRANSFORMING: AFTER TRANSFORMING: You'll definitely want to make sure the pinhole is covered before going back into fighter mode. It'll make the legs sit a little easier inside the bellyplates. (Just note, the lower leg probably needs to be bent back one or two clicks in my "after" pic before being placed inside the bellyplates.) A few observations after futzing around with my second YF-21: 1) It looks like the blue cockpit/chestpiece is supposed to be screwed down. Looks like the factory workers forgot to put the damn screws on my first YF-21. 2) Even after transforming it and putting the legs and everything in the correct position, the bellyplates on my second YF-21 are still a bit of a bitch to lock up in fighter mode. Not sure what I'm doing wrong with it either, since the bellyplates on my first YF-21 lock up pretty easily.

Because some pilots want to fly the YF-21 the old fashioned way.... The main disadvantage is that I can't really squeeze him in right when I rotate the seat for battroid mode. I guess I could mush the arms and force him to sit in there, but I'm guessing I'll chip some paint off when I do that. Oh well. There's definitely enough space to close the canopy properly when in fighter mode though. P.S.--The pilot's own ride is in the shop right now. He's just borrowing Guld's ride for demonstration purposes.

^^You could always back up your claim and earn some bragging rights here: Link.

It's definitely a unique looking custom. Would love to see pics of the bird in the other two modes (Hint, hint ). EDIT: Found the link for the other modes' pics (Linky Here).

Yeah, I get that issue too. From the design of it, it really looks like you can't tilt the head/eye downward all that much. And yeah, the head tends to tilt back up every time you rotate the head to the left or the right. Must be a design thing. It bums me out a bit, because I love tilting the heads of my Valks downward when in battroid mode. It just gives them that brooding, bad-ass look.