1/1700 SDF - 1?

[Evanta]

I'm not very impressed with the current versions of the SDF-1 out there and wondering if sculptors here could do a better job. (not to mention they're all sold out ages ago too, have to get from secondary market)

I just intend for this thread basically to show to the sculpters out there how many people would be interested in a 1/1700 garage kit SDF-1 (scale is the same as EX series of gundam ships), maybe at worst a little smaller say 1/2000, and is variable.

Would it be feasible to create a variable SDF-1? Or at least, parts switching. How much would it cost?

After all it's THE MACROSS after all, would be ironic if Macross lovers do not have a SDF-1 in their house.

Maybe if there's enough ppl to generate interest, say around 50, some guy would start working on it...

Edited April 19, 2005 by Evanta

[haro genki]

It'd be nice, but if going by the EX line... it would probably be around 1/3000 and 14inches or so. The EX line of ships is very small.

[Wheels]

Aw hell, 14" be pletty big!

Well, bigger than my curent 2 1/4" bridgeless beast.

Edited April 19, 2005 by Wheels

[honneamise]

Well I think some of the old kits ARE very well sculpted indeed, just the fact they are somewhat small doesn´t prove they are incorrect. I love both versions of the YS 1/1400 SDF DYRL and the older IMAI 1/8000 Storm Attacker and 1/5000 Fortress, they are very detailed for their scale and look good (ARIIs are MUCH worse). But I know what you mean, Evanta. Big ships must look big even as a model. A certain size of the "original" simply demands a bigger kit. Personally I find things like the MPC Star Destroyer, Monogram Galctica etc are all a bit to small to do justice to the design.

SDF-1 is my favourite of all the capital ships in ANY movie and I will build one someday - at least I hope so. I guess a REALLY impressive SDF-1 should even be 1/1400 or 1/1000. But going for 1/1700 as you stated will still be big.

Just compare this project with the battleships kits some of the bigger garage kit manufacturers offer in 1/350 scale. About the same length, a battleship usually costs between 450 and 600 $, but the SDF-1 will require MUCH more resin because it has many chunky parts compared to just ONE big hull part of a battleship. OK some could be casted hollow but this would still be a lot of resin and require even more expensive molds . Those battleships usually come with photoetched detail parts and you will need some for the SDF, too. In this size all the antennae etc around the bridge must be there or this thing will just be a big toy.

And in this size all modelers demand excessive surface detail as in the shots seen in the final episodes and in various books. So where do you stop working? Destroids for the surfaces? Open missile launchers? I guess those masters will be a hell of work. My guess is a really accurate and detailed SDF-1 will be in the region of 800 to 1000$ even with over 50 preorders.

I´d love such a thing but as a modeler I´d be frightened by the cost and the length of the project and as a customer I´s swallow hard on the price tag I think.

[Skull Leader]

how can you not be impressed with the Yellow Submarine 1/4000 "Storm Attacker" and "Cruiser Mode" models?? They're plenty large and dont' get much more detailed than that... I love 'em!

[Evanta]

how can you not be impressed with the Yellow Submarine 1/4000 "Storm Attacker" and "Cruiser Mode" models?? They're plenty large and dont' get much more detailed than that... I love 'em!

Eh, I like the sculpt, but it's not variable. I'll be pretty happy with details of that quality though, even a little less would be ok as long as it's variable and show accurate enough.

Sigh... I guess as honneamise says, it's probably priced out of most peoples' wallet even if someone dares to do it.

How about scale 1/3000? Guess this will be in the region of $400? I'll readily pay for that, 1/48 ppl just need one less low vis for this...

Edited April 20, 2005 by Evanta