Myersjessee

cool...keep it up please.

looks good...very clean and sharp!

I really do feel your pain. Too many kits, not enough time or money. I won't even attempt guess at a price yet. That's Jesse's call. He can't make that call yet, cause he doesn't have the masters yet, cause they're still in progress. This project is becoming more of a model itself than a simple stand though. Here here!!! Huzah!!! More then a stand..please!!! (and I love the wall mounted idea...a whole lot of space just became available in my room with that idea!!! ) (no pressure Joe! )

Wow...thanks for all the responses Joe! Very complete! Couple things to add on: 1) In terms of the magnet idea...in simplest sense...my thought is if Joe finishes the way to stregnthen the backpack and attack it to the valk and arm (as a mount point) it would be an easy mod to simply attach the backpack to the model (internal peg/bolt, etc) and add a magnet inside the backpack. Then you add the mate inside the tube from the arm and you have your removable valk. I tend to agree with Joe that in the end Ill just probably permentatly affix it...but it's a neat train of thought, and I thoroughly expect (perhaps I command!?! ) you expert modelers to get yours built first and show us all the way to attach it other ways!!! (perhaps a please is in order by me?! ) 2) Price...no clue. Honestly. First...I need to see how much there is to cast, and try and gauge how many are wanted. (you all are helping with part 2) Then we need to see how many hours Joe had to put into this project. In the end, like the spiderbug, I would like to see it be as cheap as possible. For MacrossWorld, I won't be looking to make any amount of serious money...I'd rather many people be able to get a few and feel like they got a great deal. Joe and I will work out the details, but you have my word (and I know Joe agrees) we will try our best to make it reasonable and accessible.

The WF kit came with a bracket piece that goes inside the arm and a screw that goes down into the backpack. The only problem is neither Gundamhead or I think it's strong enough to really hold a valk safetly (the backpack) Ill let him speak, but he's playing around with different mods to attach it...all with a screw probably through the body and backpack and hidden under the fuselage. The rare earth magnets idea, however, could do the trick. If the magnet was placed inside the arm head you could put an oposite magnet inside the backpack and secure the backpack down with an extra peg. The only problem is I don't think the head is supposed to be flush with the backpack...in this case it would be...the arms should be secured to the FP's...but they are pretty think...all in all..interesting idea....I'm curious what Joe will think....

Yep....we have to address this. The original came with a metal rod embedded in the resin (and not to effectively done) I'd like to do the same thing with the new one, but that may not be possible in all sections. I've already started scratching some ideas and notes down, and I'm sure Joe is doing the same. It will have to have some special design or it will bend. More details to come (as we know them! ) Thanks all...glad to see your as pysched as I am!

Some of them are really strong....and can pinch skin...or worse if your not careful.

So...whats next? Well...it's all up to Joe, and his generosity of time. He's talking about lots more details. One thing he noted is that there's some big differences between my lineart sources and the actual animation, so he is trying to combine the better parts of each. We have talked about creating some sort of base to add some poseability. He is also looking to add some realistic hoses and or wires and even adding little details to the kit like the tiny pistons to their underside of the claw arm fingertips. So...I'm excitied...and I wanted to share the happiness I got from getting Joe's note. Hope people like what they see so far and a HUGE thanks to Gundamhead for building this baby!!!! Happy holidays all!

and finally..then underside.

Here is the top...this is one of the most impressive changes to me. This whole arm on the original is barren. The fact it has no detail, no poseability, and no base just stunned me. I saw this picture and I started to drool!

Here is a shot of the right side.

Now...onto the pictures I just got. The picture includes the WF kit, and the new one in progress. This is a picture of the left side. The lower tan one is the WF version. The pistons on it are my pathetic attempts to cast and create the pistons. The upper grey one is not complete, but gives us an idea of what we can expect.

First...some shots of the WF kit.... and This is the entire kit. Note...no piston arms, no panel lines, (not great casts) very simple details as a whole. A nice kit...but definitly not a great value for what I paid...no matter how limited (at least IMO as a modeler, not a collector) For reference...here is a picture of the display from WF. (note it has at least simple pistons..but you can see the lack of detail)

Well....at this time of the year of keeping secrets I couldn't keep this one anymore....so...I'm sharing...(maybe it'll get me on the "nice" list. A little history. A year or so ago I was lucky enough to get my hands on the WF 1/72 scale VF1 launch arm. It was one of these extremely rare extremely expensive kits that I just had to have. I paid more then I care to say (though I was not ripped off...thanks to a couple friendly MW members! ) and I must say, when I got it I wasn't ecstatic. Don't get me wrong...it was nice, but surely not great. As a caster I looked at it and said it would take very little to cast it…and due to an extreme lack of detail the molds would last forever. I’m normally okay in that situation; except the design is so simple I just felt a little ripped off. The kit is…plain. That’s the best way to say it. Holding it next to a Hasegawa valk with it’s extremely fine panel and rivet lines the arm is plain. Minimal to no panel-etching…no John Mosacato ™ weld spots…just nothing. Even the little piston arms that are shown in the demonstrator from WF are not included in the kit. I decided I would scratch build it up into something respectable…but after a couple weeks I realized my eyes were bigger then my skills. (Top Gun – “My ego was writing checks my body couldn’t cash!” ) J So…when I got the Spiderbug from Gundamhead I sent him a little note. It basically explained my situation and inquired whether he would be interested in making a better one. I explained all the details I expected it to have and fished to see if Gundamhead would like to help me out. I was overjoyed to find out he REALLY wanted to do it. In fact, it was something he had thought about a lot, and his ideas and plans far exceeded my aspirations. Flash forward to today. Joe has sent me several updates on his progress, and after today’s update I just had to share the cool results I am seeing. Hope you all are as excited as I am about the results. A couple of answers to questions people may have….When Joe is done (and no one is allowed to rush him! J ) I will be casting up his results. We don’t know right now what the final version will cost, or how many we will be doing. Right now he’s simply working on creating the new version, and engineering the VF1 mount points, stand, and other key stuff….now…onto the kit….

LINK LINK1 Try and search on rare earth magnets...they are super strong (be careful...they can hurt you) and are avaiable in all sizes.

Correct...the pods from the 1/72 scale kit are non-scale. It would be nice if they were scale...but they are not. They are cool though, and can be placed in front of the kit on display for a scale distance look.

Nice review Kvwell! Good luck Macroadster...I did a similar thing...didn't build models for about 16 years...then went got all new stuff and started up...its a riot! Enjoy! Read through all the great build ups and reviews...there is tons of new supplies out there and great advice in the threads. CHEERS!

Ohhh...the oh so superior I'm an adult ... I play with models based on a cartoon...not toys based on a cartoon.

zoom....over my head...

Well....couple ideas... The Yamato peg hole is a hexagon (or some shape...damn geometry class eludes me)..the peg is a cylinder...so it binds at the touch points...if you drilled a hole in the missile pylon large enough to wrap around the raised win peg hole and then put a peg inside the pylon that would work. The cooler idea I like is removing the peg hole and buying some tiny rare earth magnets. Imbed one in the pylon and either one or some metal where the peg hole was...(paint)...and voila...your pylons will stay, are adjustable, and will never break free. KidK (I think) did this on some 1/55 customs.

My did fall forwards...not backwards...the backpack probably would have snapped had it gone off backwards

So...my oldest VF1...the Hikaru VF1A (not the oldest, but my oldest) was sitting on display amongst all my 1/60's in gerwalk on a shelf thats approximatly 6' off the ground. Below it, my floor was a mess, which I was cleaning. I moved the large metal plates from my weight bench under the shelf (to clean) and banged the bottom of the shelf. Seconds later (as I turned away) the Hikaru toppled from the shelf forward and struck my 25lb weight square. Pieces went everywhere...legs, hands, gunpod, missiles, cockpit.... and it wasn't damaged. Not a scratch. A Christmas miracle...and props to the early Yamato 1/60's....solid toys IMO.

thought control...the only way to fly. (and unlike Guld, I'm not a nut! )

Don't be a hater!

Got my Sara...wow...lots of great details you miss in the pictures and very well cast. I'll be doing up a review this weekend (when I can get some sunlight for pictures) stay tuned...definitly a quality little kit though! ..I changed my mind...I want Mao...not Myung...Myung later...and I want Roy and Shin too (PLEASE!!! )