Variable Macross model

[CoolZero]

i am new to macross model kit, been interested to buy it since i was small. i will soon buy a model.

i am pretty confused, why not every model they release every mode variable ?

hmm, what is the best variable model among all the company/brand ?

Edited May 4, 2005 by CoolZero

[armentage]

They make non-variable kits because it's impossible to make a good variable that looks great in all 3 forms. Also, most variable kits tend to be fragile and difficult to build. Transforming them ends up damaging the paint, and the kits usually aren't very posable. Models aren't toys, and its difficult to make one that can be played with.

Hasegawa makes great non-variables, that are easy to build and made of nice materials.

BANDAI makes variables based on a very old design from the defunct company ARII. I built the REVELL version of these kits back in the 80s when I was a little kid, and remember that the parts always broke and would wear out quickly. They are available though, if you really want to build a variable.

The Macross II VF-2SS kit is actually pretty well made and transforms well. It's more like a Gundam than a Valkyrie.

[CoolZero]

thanks for that valuable info ! do you have any picture of it ?

oh, ya. i am also a gundam model kit fan hope everyone is fine with that

[Guest Bromgrev]

oh, ya. i am also a gundam model kit fan hope everyone is fine with that

Heh, I think you might find a few Gundams in the closets around here ...

Welcome to the World, CoolZero!

[zeo-mare]

agreed about the gundam fans there is alot on this site, by the way welcome to the site.

[kanata67]

I have a 1/100 fokker special super valk kit with strike cannon. It's the arii version but the box has taken some wear. All parts still sealed. It's one I had left over from making armor for my 1/100 variable toy valks. I'd happily trade it for something I could use

[Graham]

My advice would be, if you want a transforming Valkyrie, stick with the toys. As others in this thread have mentioned, transforming kits can be fragile and have problems with paint scratching when you transform them. Also, some accuracy is usually sacrificed in order to make the kit transformable.

If you must have a transforming model kit, here's my opinion on them, for what it's worth. Please bear in mind that I'm not really a model guy, although I have owned many Macross kits over the years.

Imai/Bandai 1/72 Scale VF-1

I never had any breakage problem with the old Imai/Bandai 1/72 scale VF-1 kits that were first released in the 80s. I've owned quite a few over the last 20 years and treated them quite roughly. These kits are not perfect transformation and do require parts swapping to transform. Also, paint and glue is required for them to look good. The sculpt of this kit is Ok but not perfect, but hey it is an over 20 year old design.

Arii/Bandai 1/100 Scale VF-1

The 1/100 scale Arii/Bandai VF-1 kits are another story altogether, as I found them extremely fragile and prone to breakage, even though they are scaled down versions of the 1/100 kit. These kits are not perfect transformation and do requre parts swapping to transform. Again, paint and glue is required. these kits were first released in the 80s.

Bandai 1/100 Scale VF-2SS

The 1/100 scale VF-2SS kits from Macross II (1992) have proven to be extremely sturdy. I've had several of these over the years. Again some parts swapping is required to transform. Although they are molded in color, painting makes them look much nicer. Construction is pretty much snap-together, although of course glue will make them more sturdy. Sculpt is pretty good on this kit IMO, except for the canopy which is completely the wrong shape.

Bandai 1/100 Scale VF-19Kai & VF-19F/S

These Macross 7 kits from 1995 are snap-together construction and molded in color. Painting does make them look much better though. Parts swapping is required for transformation. Quite sturdy kits, with the exception of the hands and the small tabs on the wings that are used to connect the wings to the lower leg in fighter mode.

Transforming Resin Garage Kits (Various)

Many companies, most notably Studio Half Eye, IHP/Liquid Stone, Retppu, D-Stance and others have made transforming resin garage kits of various Macross Variable Fighters over the years. These kits are often expensive, hard to find and require lots of parts fitting to build. Although they are primarily held together by screws, the joints do tend to loosen fairly quickly and the kits become quite floppy. while these kits can look excellent, they are really only recommended for experienced model builders.

Graham

[Black Valkyrie]

oh, ya. i am also a gundam model kit fan hope everyone is fine with that

Welcome to MW, most us here are Gundam fans and figures/kits collecters

As for the Macross kits take my advise stay from Bandai/Arii 1/100 models they are bad, they get loose and start to break after while very easily.

[Mechleader]

You can check the Models section on the front page...yes there is more to the site than the fourms.

The model site has been wonderfully updated by our own Jesse.

[Guest Bromgrev]

My advice would be, if you want a transforming Valkyrie, stick with the toys.

Them's fightin' words, in a model thread!

[Mechleader]

Check here:

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/_models_index.htm

[Stamen0083]

Them's fightin' words, in a model thread!

Nah. In a model thread, those words are sage advice.

Transforming gimmicks are best left to toys, which are free to look as crude (or not) as they wish. Models that transform are nothing but glorified unassembled toys.

[Less than Super Ostrich]

Models that transform are nothing but glorified unassembled toys.

Amen.

[Grayson72]

Models that transform are nothing but glorified unassembled toys.

Amen.

Here here!

[jardann]

Ahhh, The old debate.

Transforming = toy

non-transforming = model

I would have to say that the bandai 1/72 transforming models are pretty good for the price. They can still be found pretty readily and for a fair price. I think they look much better than say 1/55 chunky monkey toys. The Yamato toys (1/60 and 1/48) have finally surpassed the old models, but they cost more.

If you have some modelling experience (glue together models that is), you can put together a pretty nice representation with the 1/72 variable models. My first bit of advice would be to use minimal paint and glue around the moving/sliding parts. Stick with that and you should be OK.

[CoolZero]

wow, thanks a lot guys. for all the informations and nice to meet everyone especially those who like gundam model kit

so i guess the conclusion is stay away from all 1/100 model kit

the best variable model kit will be 1/72 one

i guess you are talking about this

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/30496b.jpg

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/30497b.jpg

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/30498b.jpg

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/46232b.jpg

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/5198b.jpg

well, the 1st reason i like model kit is i enjoy assembling them. other than that i prefer variable than the fix one so i can transform them whenever i get tired of the pose as aeroplane as it is not much pose-able unless i own a stand

i hope a new and better variable kit will be release in future, so i dont have to buy all the 3 form of the macross i like

oh, ya. i found this model kit available on sale at my nearby shop. Is it worth buying it for collection ? 1/72 Macross Storm Attacker -Special Coating Version

is it fragile ? is it accuracy?

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/59706b.jpg

fragile, ahh i hate this. i just bought virtual-on -> temjin model kit a week ago.

darn, they are fragile

here is the picture http://www.hlj.com/product/HSGVR1

so is there any virtual-on fan here

Edited May 4, 2005 by CoolZero

[armentage]

fragile, ahh i hate this. i just bought virtual-on -> temjin model kit a week ago.

darn, they are fragile

here is the picture http://www.hlj.com/product/HSGVR1

so is there any virtual-on fan here

Holy crap, I am in love!

[Stamen0083]

oh, ya. i found this model kit available on sale at my nearby shop. Is it worth buying it for collection ? 1/72 Macross Storm Attacker -Special Coating Version

is it fragile ? is it accuracy?

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/59706b.jpg

FYI, that is fighter mode only.

[armentage]

oh, ya. i found this model kit available on sale at my nearby shop. Is it  worth buying it for collection ? 1/72 Macross Storm Attacker -Special Coating Version

is it fragile ? is it accuracy?

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/59706b.jpg

FYI, that is fighter mode only.

What's the special coating?

[Stamen0083]

What's the special coating?

The surface of the kit is chrome plated.

[Valk009]

The special coating is a gimmick from the companies to make you buy more kits

Well, in the case of the BanDai model you referred to, it was actually released to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Macross.

These special coating kits look only good in the box and quite horrible when built in my opinion as there will be marks on the cuts bits, where it was joined with the sprue and gaps!

Stick to the regular kits, especially the re-issued 1/72 variable BanDai ones can be found at very reasonable prices everywhere

Andy

[Myersjessee]

You can check the Models section on the front page...yes there is more to the site than the fourms.

The model site has been wonderfully updated by our own Jesse.

Not done yet...but thanks...its coming along.

[armentage]

The fragile transforming 1/72nds I'm thinking of are the old Revell ROBOTECH CHANGERS kits, which I was building when I was 8 years old...

Maybe I was just too destructive

[Grayson72]

Yup those are the same as the Bandai kits, just repackaged and yes if you tried to play with them they'd break. Particularly vunerable was the connection points for the legs and the small hinge that connected the back pack to the main body. Broke every time.

I still like these models though from a nostalgic standpoint and I thought the gerwalk mode looked pretty good. If you built them just so you could change the mode every so often for display purposes you should be ok.

Edited May 5, 2005 by Grayson72

[Skull Leader]

the 1/100 scale transformable Imai/Bandai models pretty much look like ass in Battroid mode. The elbows do not rotate, they only bend in and out, which pretty much makes them worthless in battroid mode. The fighter mode and Gerwalk are passable, but if you want a fighter mode kit, then you might as well stick to Hasegawa. Same with a battroid only kit.

[CoolZero]

Check here:

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/_models_index.htm

thanks for the link

[CoolZero]

Ahhh, The old debate.

Transforming = toy

non-transforming = model

I would have to say that the bandai 1/72 transforming models are pretty good for the price. They can still be found pretty readily and for a fair price. I think they look much better than say 1/55 chunky monkey toys. The Yamato toys (1/60 and 1/48) have finally surpassed the old models, but they cost more.

If you have some modelling experience (glue together models that is), you can put together a pretty nice representation with the 1/72 variable models. My first bit of advice would be to use minimal paint and glue around the moving/sliding parts. Stick with that and you should be OK.

oh ! hmm, i have a problem right now. talking about modelling experience. well, i managed to build PG gundam model. i dont think it will be a problem with me.

in other words i kinda complex mecha model kit

i cant decide which one to buy

1/72 Variable Valkyrie VF-1S http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/30497i.jpg

or

1/100 Variable Super Valkyrie VF-1S http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/30552i.jpg

they both look alike, any idea which one is better ?

[honneamise]

CoolZero, I´d go for the 1/72. If you look closely there ARE many differences between the two models, overall the 1/72 has better proportions. What Skull Leader mentioned is true: the elbows suck! Moreover, I don´t like the narrow cockpit canopy, made of too thick material, I don´t like the squattyness of the chest plate, the nosecone in Battroid mode is not slim enough, the head tends to fall off in Battroid mode because of the bad polycaps etc etc.

The 1/72 is a better build and looks better IMO. It Should last a few transformations longer before it starts to fall apart.

[armentage]

Cool, if you're REALLY crazy, you'll want to pick up one of those 1/48th scale resin kits!

[Mechmaster]

Personally I'm not to keen on transforming kits, not for actually transforming anyway, they all break in the end. Usually when I buy a transformable kit I buy as many copies as there are modes of transformation and build one kit in each mode and leave it that way. To echo what other people have said, if you want to play with it buy a toy, if you want to display it buy a model.

I had a few of the Imai 1/72s and they weren't too bad, I had a couple of the Arii 1/100s and they were crap.

[CoolZero]

CoolZero, I´d go for the 1/72. If you look closely there ARE many differences between the two models, overall the 1/72 has better proportions. What Skull Leader mentioned is true: the elbows suck! Moreover, I don´t like the narrow cockpit canopy, made of too thick material, I don´t like the squattyness of the chest plate, the nosecone in Battroid mode is not slim enough, the head tends to fall off in Battroid mode because of the bad polycaps etc etc.

The 1/72 is a better build and looks better IMO. It Should last a few transformations longer before it starts to fall apart.

oh, which brand is it ? as i recall 1/72 is made by Arii/Imai/Bandai

[CoolZero]

Personally I'm not to keen on transforming kits, not for actually transforming anyway, they all break in the end. Usually when I buy a transformable kit I buy as many copies as there are modes of transformation and build one kit in each mode and leave it that way. To echo what other people have said, if you want to play with it buy a toy, if you want to display it buy a model.

I had a few of the Imai 1/72s and they weren't too bad, I had a couple of the Arii 1/100s and they were crap.

personally i dont transform then frequently, just wanna buy a model which is transformable

[CoolZero]

by the way, which brand 1/72 of them have better plastic quality

[honneamise]

[/quote oh, which brand is it ? as i recall 1/72 is made by Arii/Imai/Bandai ]

Well the 1/72 variable kit was first manufactured by Imai, after their first bankrupcy Bandai got the molds. They still make it today just different box art and they added a ladder and a bomb trolley or something like that. The 1/72 always was and still is a non-Fastpack(FP)- Version.

The 1/100 kit was made by Arii. The first batch was non-FP , later they reissued them with FP´s. Arii was forced to sell their molds (at least the bigger ones) to Bandai, too, so the Arii kits were later reissued under the Bandai label as well. Bandai added further parts to make a STRIKE-Version of the VF-1. The newer releases show Strike OR Super Variants on the box art and you can build both versions but NOT the basic Valkyrie without the added armor.

I have old Imai/Arii/Bandai/Revell issues of all the kits and no matter how old the plastic is the same quality on all the kits.

[Jolly Rogers]

oh ! hmm, i have a problem right now. talking about modelling experience. well, i managed to build PG gundam model. i dont think it will be a problem with me.

in other words i kinda complex mecha model kit

i cant decide which one to buy

1/72 Variable Valkyrie VF-1S http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/30497i.jpg

or

1/100 Variable Super Valkyrie VF-1S http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/models/bandai/30552i.jpg

they both look alike, any idea which one is better ?

PG Gundam wasn't exactly hard to build - you just follow the assembly diagram and snap the parts together. You don't even need to paint the finished model since all the parts were pre-molded in the right colors.

Now the 1/72 is another story altogether. Being a kit designed in the early 1980s, it did not even have matching pegs and holes on the parts so you have to glue them together carefully to avoid misaligning the parts. Paint is absolutely necessary as well.

I've broken one of the hinges for the arms, they can be fairly delicate.

Edited May 10, 2005 by Jolly Rogers