2500th Commemorative VF-1J Valkyrie

[ChristopherB]

Hello,

Doing a little research in anticipation of a future project.

I believe that it was meant to celebrate/commemorate the completion of the 2,500 VF-1 valkyrie off the assembly line, and perhaps the final. I'm sure the Macross Compendium lists the total number of VF-1 valkyries built.

I believe VF-1's are built by Stonewell/Bellcom, who is perhaps located in the United States, hence the patriotic red, white and blue color scheme, although the US does not have exclusive rights to that color scheme.

The scheme includes a list of sponsor names that are on flow from the tail fins to the legs. The sponsor names appear to be the same as those used on the Minmay Guard Version shown in the link below:

Minmay Guard

Perhaps the sponsors are companies that have been sub-contracted to provide components used within a valkyrie, such as the engines, avionics and etc.

The valkyrie has what looks to be one missile rack on each side, but it appears to be mounted to the underside of the chestplate as opposed to the wing root. That is a completely new place to mount missiles, and weird considering the valkyrie would be for promotional use only.

Another new feature is the addition of some type of sensor on the nosecone just forward of the canopy. Does anyone have any idea what it could be in real world terms?

Yet another strange feature is what appears to be a drop tank, in the spot where the gunpod would normally be, which further makes the addition of a missile pylon strange. Why would a valkyrie even need a drop tank since they use nuclear power, and all it would do is counteract aerodynamics? The "drop tank" does not appear to be a cylindrical shaped item, because the front has a greater circumference, with the rear being smaller. The front 1/2 is definitely more bulbous in shape.

Finally, the paint scheme includes what appear to be re-creations of randomly placed signatures on the nosecone and forward chestplate. The size of the signatures is too large for people to have actually written them directly onto the valkyrie, so they must be reproductions.

I am not sure there is any way to find out exactly what the black writing is, but since it is a commemorative valkyrie, the writing is most like the names/signatures of the company that makes the valkyries. Such as the companies president, main designer, or some of the employees that helped build it, sponsors, etc. It's probably similar to what was done with the Spirit of Saint Louis.

Hasegawa includes most of the decals needed, as well as a side profile drawing, and an actual photograph of the actual model with the clear red/blue/green VF-1 model kits. Hasegawa does not include the black signature decals, so those will have to be created.

Since no one knows what they actually are, perhaps I could just use the names of popular Macross characters.

Any help or suggestions will be appreciated. The only other person that I know of who created a "2500th" VF-1J was a MW member named DOM, and that was along time ago. He used a 1/60 Yamato, not a Hasegawa, and he sold it on eBay for a good price. Any pictures or links?

Sincerely,

Christopher

[Gundamhead]

The nose cone sensor may be a FLIR-like pod like on modern Russian fighters. But with a VFs head, I don't really see a point to add it. Kinda like the GERWALK helicopter. S'OK, but kinda redundant.

I'm sure those are the signatures of the people who built the Valkyries all over the nose (and part of the chest itseems), like they signed certain aircraft in WWII. It was the factory workers who signed primarily, not just VIPs. That was the whole point of 'signed' aircraft, everybody that worked on them was proud to add their name to it.

The missile racks are odd. So is the drop tank. Maybe the tank is for range, fusion will still need something to consume. I dunno. Maybe somebody can translate the article and it might mention their purpose? Either way, they wouldn't be on a commemrative aircraft. That sorta stuff would be on expirimental machines.

The signed aircraft would fly around drumming up support and boosting morale. It wouldn't see comabat or a expiremental program unless they were very desperate for fighters.

[Gundamhead]

Here's the 5000th B-17...

http://fivegrand.freehomepage.com/cgi-bin/i/Front1.jpg

http://fivegrand.freehomepage.com/cgi-bin/i/Tail1.jpg

http://fivegrand.freehomepage.com/cgi-bin/i/brandnew.jpg

http://fivegrand.freehomepage.com/cgi-bin/i/flightline.jpg

Then there's the 10000th Hellcat

http://spruebrothers.zoovy.com/product/HAS08144

[007-vf1]

I agree about the drop tank, is just odd. I think the model maker just wanted to put something out of the ordinary there and didn't think about that detail.

The missile pylons seem to have been place there to eventually carry the gun pods on each side but the guy never got time to do it and most likely would have also looked odd....(just a wild guess)

The only idea I can come up with about the signatures in the nose, is to go to a hobby store and buy dry transfers or decals for HO train sets or WWII plane optional decals. I have seen some of those custom made with hand written schemes in black and white and would be a perfect match for that VF...

[AchtungMacross]

It wouldn't be too difficult to make the signatures with an inkjet printer and clear decal paper, since they're in black an ordinary printer can do it. If you wanted to truly customize it, like adding your own name, that would be the way to go.

It should'nt be too difficult to sign a bunch of names on a piece of paper and scan it into a photo program. Presto, decal.

[ChristopherB]

Hey AchtungMacross,

You sound like a pretty smart guy, maybe we should talk shop sometime.

I guess I was wrong after seeing the B-17, because the signatures on the VF-1J could be originals. I realized that some people can write pretty freaking big when they want to.

So, we still have the drop tank, fuselage mounted missile rails, and nosecone addition conundrum left to solve. Personally, I credit it to artistic license, where the cool factor overides the realism factor.

Later,

Christopher

[whytwolf]

Me, I'd be shooting for the realism factor myself and ditching the external stores...but then again, we are talking about a fighter that transforms into a giant robot...so realism has just gone for a walk anyway

Sean

[Omega One]

ChristopherB :

The drop tank used in that kit are used in the RAFALE, the Italeri kit of this plane comes with a pair of those drop tanks.

cheers

[ChristopherB]

Omega One,

Thank you very much for the information. I am in debt to you.

Best wishes,

Christopher

[Opus]

I dunno if you noticed but the tailfins on that thing are different as well. They have a very russian vibe about them.

[Omega One]

Omega One,

Thank you very much for the information. I am in debt to you.

Best wishes,

Christopher

Your welcome!!!

I dunno if you noticed but the tailfins on that thing are different as well. They have a very russian vibe about them.

Not only the tail fins, look this part of the pic

cheers

[ChristopherB]

Interesting, I never noticed the portion you circled in red.

I wonder if the tailfins, the part you circled and the nosecone addition are borrowed from another model kit, like the drop tank was.

Now, if I could only find out which model kit(s).

[Omega One]

Interesting, I never noticed the portion you circled in red.

I wonder if the tailfins, the part you circled and the nosecone addition are borrowed from another model kit, like the drop tank was.

Now, if I could only find out which model kit(s).

It seems like the nosecone additionwas taken from a Mig-29 or at least the clear part of it, because the rest is molded in most mig-29s kits.

About the tailfins, let me check my references and I´ll let you know what I can find.

cheers

[ChristopherB]

Cool, thank you very much!

If you PM me your name, I'll have it added to the list of names that are printed in black to be used on the "2500th Valkyrie."

It's the least that I can do based upon your contributions.

[Omega One]

Hi Christopher:

About the tailfins... they look like the tailfins in the Mig-29, specially the tips,but I think they were cutted and sanded to fit on the valkyrie.

You could also use the tailfins from the Su-27....kind of similar to the Mig-29 but bigger.

That´s the close I could get.

BTW. my name is Andrés Alvarado thanks