Vespaeda

Well...my bad. Please forgive me as I've actually never seen any of the the Mac 0 anime. The screen caps posted by ewilen are the first I've seen of that scene. I was using pure speculation on what types of propulsion might be used by such a vehicle in those circumstances. Just exercising my technical imagination; giving back to Macross what Macross has always given to me And with that, I guess I withdraw my suggestion. Although, upon seeing the pics of the active backpack, I believe current rocket tech can be used under water, due to some boundary-layer/bubble phenomena or propulsion chemistry(pure sodium?)that prevents it from being extinguished. Other than that, now that I think about it, if the onboard fuel or electricity could be used to superheat water, the steam pressure could be a powerful thrust producer. Much mainstream aerospace rocket propulsion is provided by H2 + LOX rxn, backpack hydrolysis thrusters? Anyone come up w/a more plausible one? How'sabout one of our Nihon-jin members e-mailing Studio Nue for a tech explanation? Rabid fanboys wanna know! Off topic: Has anyone w/an aerospace appetite read up on Burt Rutan's X-prize contender, the far-out lift plane w/rocket pod underneath? I read that the main fuel for his rocket is a kind of granularized rubber compound that is non-toxic, as opposed to rocket science mainstay hydrazine. Pretty cool!

USN, HospitalCorpsman, Medical Lab Technician. Currently AD in Lemoore,CA ,w/ 8yrs under my belt. Sometimes hate'n it, but generally still game to be in. Travelled to wonderful places(ie: Iwakuni,JP) but haven't done any bust-a-hump-stuff. Nature of my job kinda precludes it. Wouldn't mind goin green for a bit, though. Keep my gangly butt hard & tuned. Vesp

I've long since lost my Perfect Memory Ed., but from the plethora of scans, posts & diagrams(as well as the input of a certain past member), I have to go w/the motorcycle seat scenario. The glaring anomaly of how the Meltran would be able to physically straddle the gap between the suits legs & hip joints rules out the "legs-in upper-thigh" solution. The mechs "crotch" would have to be unbelievably narrow to allow the pilot to slide both legs into each armoured leg, let alone allow range of motion. My familiarity with A & P & some ergonomics really makes it hard for me to envision the powersuit walking, jumping and doing that reflex/tuck missile salvo while keeping the Meltran's hips connected to her legs. She'd be crushed raising her knees. In the "What's next from Yamato" permanent header thread(I think in Toys Forum), this discussion took place about the 1/60 Qeaud. I piped in that my experiences w/ onna no Nihon(Japanese ladies) was that they could remain in 'sai za' and frog-squat position for HOURS w/out apparent discomfort. This is analogous to a motorcycle tuck and also a simple solution to discrepancies in mecha dimensions vs. limits of human articulation & flexibility, and risks of battle damage to limbs extended outside the torso frame. I also remember someone posting one of the lineart diagrams in the same thread with a recessed view from the depths of the cockpit-out, that one could make out the curved cushioning area for the shins for a straddling pilot.

Maybe the fact that the VF-0"...as been modified for space use.." only concerns the vacuum/watertight integrity of the airframe and systems, considering that obviously a turbofan will not operate in space. Edgar's statement may not necessarily be suggesting that it can "fly" in space, or that it has some sort of scramjet(also useless in vacuum). Just that they will be safe for submerged functions as they would be safe outside the earth's envelope if they happened to reach that high. It is still a fully functioning aerospace capsule, if not vehicle. On the matter of underwater propulsion, w/out any other input or tech speculation, I could only imagine that the turbines could operate as impellers when submerged, a testament to the degree of developement of a system rugged enough for fusion powered, combat mech ops. If one considers that the only "actual" developemental problems w/the Shinnakusu fusion drives seems to be controllable, sustained fusion reaction(ie: nuclear process) for power; not necessarily the 'mechanical' operation of the turbofan/jet/rocket system. This then yields an extremely durable, mechanical turbine & efflux system that may be fit to suck in water & eject it at higher velocity than injested. The same system that powers jetskis and even large cargo carrying hydrofoils. I even believe there is a state-of-the-art cruise ship(showcased on Discovery Ch. at some time last yr.) that is powered by vectoring impellers, as opposed to traditional, gigantic cast screws. How this turbine/impeller would work I'm not sure. I imagine the compressor blades could be adjusted in pitch to channel water as opposed to air, and a limited jet fuel burn(in combustion chamber section) to drive it like a hydro-electric steam turbine. Allowing for a place for water to be sucked in and ejected w/out interfering with this reaction, tremendous propulsive power could easily be developed. Rather than blast the Hoary Froating Head w/"blasphemous" ridicule for an 'apparent' anime magic engine, I'd give his hoariness the benefit of a doubt w/speculation on a derivatrive of contemporary technology from another discipline(sea system turbine engineeering). Vesp

For this level of production quality, SFX, cohesive acting & likable characters..... Gimmme back SAAB!!!!! Waaaaaa!

Phhhrrrrrrrppppppt...phuut!!!!! Just one more 37 yr. 'ol fart, reporting in Vesp

Just had a vision while browsing cwmodel's HobbyFan site and covering several kit-bash/scratch builders threads on articulated hands. Does everyone ever pay attention to those silvery, household light switch chains made up of dozens of those little, stamped-steel balls? The ones in at least one place around our homes that we yank on & off absentmindedly? Pretty sturdy considering how long they last before one of the ball links gives way. I've got them on my dogtags too, but I've seen a smaller diam. ball-chain available in some stores than this common size. If these were affixed to a mecha palm unit or metal gauntlet as 4 fingers & a thumb, styrene, epoxy clay or pvc could be fit over them and shaped as fingers. A little time spent shaping & sanding the built-up digits would yield excellent fingers with full mobility. A length of household electrical wire or even a heat softened paper clip could be aligned along the dorsal axis of each finger prior to covering with plastic to allow only flexion/extension in one direction. Also, if each ball on the link is too close for proper finger length, 2 balls & the interlink could be covered to provide proper "phalanges" length btwn joints. When I get off duty, I'm gonna drum up a test proto like this: /0-0-0-0-0 llll-o-o-o-o-oo llll-o-o-o-o-o-o llll-o-o-o-o-o-o llll-o-o-o-o-o Each finger viewed from side/edge on will be constructed like this: ------------------------------ <---- WWWWWWWW o-o-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-o Symbol legend: --------: straight somewhat stiff wire -o-o-o-: ball-link pull chain(small guage stuff, Michael's/HmDepot) WWW: dental floss, to be wound axially around the chain/wire finger The dental floss will help stabilize the wire & chain elements and provide a glue friendly, resilient mounting surface for the built up finger material. Gonna have to bug someone w/a scanner to post pics. And disposable 35-film to record the event!! I'm such a trog! Vesp

Despite the CGI & PC/GenX-character personalities, it looks to me like a lot of tried & true t.v. scifi show stitched together to impart some constitution to the plot( ). Late '70's to '80's conceptual design to draw that audience segment, glossed over w/SG:SG-1 meets "Wing Commander" FX & visual texture. The personalities, outside of James Olmos, will probably be straight from Xena or that awful Cleopatra 29---whatever. Most of the actors are Canucks(ohhh, the embarrassment!!) and probably dropped off the scripts from "The Outer Limits" with their resumes. Ohhh, give me back "Space:Above & Beyond" if they want to try and tell this kind of story properly; thats where they've 'stolen' the Cylon BS(read the details on SFChannels site...AI's/Silicates anyone? ). Even a "..whatever happened to Wildcards & Valley Forge?" ,5-episode, postminiseries of S:A&B would satisfy what the network is trying to achieve. Especially since we are still in Iraq & pro-"Our boys(& girls)" T.V. still gets the public's support. Save whatever credibility SciFiChannel might have left & give us back Farscape! Vesp

Just stumbled into this thread Kishimoto and I just have to say FAN-bloody-TASTIC work! I am impressed by the fact that you used cardboard and did it quite neatly and took advantages of its strength & versatility to achieve a fairly professional look. I was always dissappointed the Sentinels series ended up being half-baked & unfinished. Enjoyed RT universe for what it was. Great detail and neat texture effect! Personally impressed because it is my favorite building material for my models and I have spent several years developing methods of using it and getting away from the "1st grade diorama/halloween-costume-from-supermarket-boxes" look corrugated material tends to have. Desk weight resins & expensive FG are overrated for all but serious guys with studios/labs or media production co.s. There has to be a satisfying methodology for us 'average joes'! I really like the other green version of the SDF-3 also, and your Arcadia. Unfortunately, I am currently "all talk & no rock"as far as customs go; I'm busy in the Navy and w/ a new family(I'm 37). Can I PM you about cardboard modelling?(You're only the 4th person I ever met who explores the possibilities of quality crdbd construction & transcending the stereotype!) Congrats & keep goin! Vesp Vesp

Baaahhh!!!! Popped in here to see what has developed in MPC-land after many moons away from the forum. Hmmphh! Pushed back release dates?!?!? Same 'ol, same 'ol.....like expecting nascent musculature, facial hair & a deepened voice from a castrated choir boy! The length of time MWer's have been waiting for these things to final be released, you all could have mastered the build skills it took to make the transformable VF2SS and practice WMCheng's paint tutorials. You could order Imai repros or scratch'em from resin,styrene, etc. and build perfect grade Legioss & Cyclones yourselves. <_< Hoping to move into a new house by January where I'll have my own workshop finally and maybe start the 9 page kit mods I've plotted out for the 3 Imai kits I've got. Enough waiting. Sorry to rant on everyones parade. Vesp

Just came across this thread after being away from the forum for about a month+. My thoughts on Harlocks biplane are that it is based on a real type, possibly an early '30's-ish design either procured from the U.S., France or Italy(maybe even Czechoslovakia, Avia variant) and modified to meet Japanese Imp. Army or Navy needs. The Japanese had quite a number of their own indigenous designs by then, none of which were produced in numbers worth remembering, and many were mutations of foreign models built under limited lease or study. I'm sure Koku-Fan would have the necessary insight. I see aspects of America's Curtiss Hawk, Loening and Boeing Naval fighters/dive bombers in this plane(cantilever wings, still bearing interplane struts to prevent flutter). My thoughts on the invrt gull is clearance for bombs or a torpedo and that many principles of engineering may not have been perfected to allow oleo LG struts(straight leg landing gear) w/out a weight penalty. Hence the "fokker" style L.G. Destroid Rage, aren't you a little heavy handed branding the Russians "filthy b*****ds? My sources lead me to believe they were acting out reprisal for the extreme drubbing the Nazi's gave them, even once vanquished. The organized carnage,(not to mention being set to Wagner,etc.),of the "b*****ds" who started it all would make me pretty bent on desecrating every aspect of them, if I was one of Stalin's pathetic sods.

The A-36 Apache was actually the preliminary version of what would best be known as the P-51 Mustang. It was Allison engine powered and closest in dimensions and capabilities to the early A & B model 'Stangs. Used extensively for ground attack due to poor engine performance at alt. above 18K ft.(all from memory;can't verify #'s right now) Vesp