I'm Confused... More Than Usual

[kanata67]

I just recieved what was supposedly a loose Bandai 1990 VF-1S. It's in fair condition, but missing the super armor, gunpod, and clear canopy (replaced with a stock amber canopy). I say supposedly as the inner backplate says bandai 1984. Anyways, it's a bandai for sure [if I can't tell by now I should be shot ] and has nice and tight joints, green head visor, no mis-matched or obviously replaced parts. It looks pretty damn near mint in fact. What has me absoluty confounded is the fact that there are no landing gear triggers on it. Not that the landing gear triggers are missing mind you, but that it never had them. It doesn't even have the cutout's in the nose or legs where they should be?!?!? Is this a fluke or some thing or was this how the bandai 1990 super was released? the 1990 super is one of the few remaining 1/55's I don't have boxed [damn me for not buying chowsers just so I could pay rent at the time] so I can't compare. I do know that every other 1/55 I have seen and/or own has at least the cut outs and every boxed taka, joons, bandai, and KO has the landing gear triggers.

anybody have a clue? I'll take pics if I need to but it's just like the bandai reissue super but for the date on the backplate and the missing landing gear triggers.

[jenius]

That is exactly how the 1990 Bandai reissue super VF-1S should be.

EDIT - I did a full photo shoot with a 1990 VF-1S the other night and can show you pics of what it looks like to confirm. You have to fish your fingers in a bit to release the landing gears. There are a few other give aways too, such as the locking mechanism for the swing bars and, as mentioned, the funky head sculpt.

EDIT II - From my review of the toy on a website:

"Removing Takatoku's original landing gear doors leaves gaping holes in the legs and nose of the fighter."

Edited June 1, 2006 by jenius

[big F]

Sounds strange to me maybe its a miscast or somthing that should never have left the factory ( reject ). I cant answer any questions about reissued 1990`s as I dont have any. Thats a whole area I have yet to enter.

Im gonna stay tuned to this

[kanata67]

That is exactly how the 1990 Bandai reissue super VF-1S should be.

EDIT - I did a full photo shoot with a 1990 VF-1S the other night and can show you pics of what it looks like to confirm.  You have to fish your fingers in a bit to release the landing gears.  There are a few other give aways too, such as the locking mechanism for the swing bars and, as mentioned, the funky head sculpt.

EDIT II - From my review of the toy on a website:

"Removing Takatoku's original landing gear doors leaves gaping holes in the legs and nose of the fighter."

404601[/snapback]

so the chinese bootleg super was closer to the taka molds than the bandai???

[jenius]

I could be completely wrong, I only own one of them and maybe someone slipped me a bootleg (but I really doubt it since mine too says Bandai on it). It looks to me like the Bandai 1990 was really an attempt to improve upon the original. The little landing gear doors that always became loose on Takatokus was simply removed and the whole thing was made a little more user friendly.

The pics on this site suck but seem to concur that there just are no landing gear doors nor any mechanism to bring the gears down other than a mild pluck from a finger.

Edited June 1, 2006 by jenius

[kanata67]

and I scolded my wife when she was about to try and pry them out with her fingernails . Then again she did transform one of my officers pods... which I have yet to fix . Figures... 5 1/55's I don't have and one of them is an odd ball. I assume the taka max n milla are just like the other taka's so the only ones I have to wonder about are the matsu 1j and the damn frenchy which I only have parts to. Granted I need closer to ten mib to complete my collection but I have the ve and vt valks loose with resin so at least I'm familiar with the valks themselves. Thanks for the info guys. as always you guys are a wealth of information about vf's .

so who's gonna sell me a frenchy boxed

[Solscud007]

yes 1990s do not have triggers for the landing gears. Thats why the 5 dollar bootleg doenst either. they used a 90 super.

[jenius]

5 1/55's I don't have and one of them is an odd ball. I assume the taka max n milla are just like the other taka's

If you want to see a Milia Taka up close I have one that needs to have its feet replaced. Do you have spare clean takatoku feet with the knowledge of how to replace them? I just need to replace the the part that the toy actually stands on in battloid mode as I bought one MIB from eBay... and I'm sure you know how that goes. If you think you might be able to help let me know and I'll post pics later.

[kanata67]

5 1/55's I don't have and one of them is an odd ball. I assume the taka max n milla are just like the other taka's

If you want to see a Milia Taka up close I have one that needs to have its feet replaced. Do you have spare clean takatoku feet with the knowledge of how to replace them? I just need to replace the the part that the toy actually stands on in battloid mode as I bought one MIB from eBay... and I'm sure you know how that goes. If you think you might be able to help let me know and I'll post pics later.

404649[/snapback]

just the feet/thrusters themselves? those have been damn near identical throughout the mold transitions with the only change being if washers/spacers were used and the color of the washers. Jetfire feet would work as would any other bandai/taka/matsu mold. Joon's would probably work but would be of inferior quality. As for replacing them... the only hard part is getting the damn landing gear in the right position as you reassemble it... stupid springs. It's not hard so much as time consuming and you usually have to dry fit it, add screws, remove screws, adjust, add screws, remove screws, adjust, etc till you get it right. probably easier for somebody with steadier hands than mine. pm me your addy and I'll send you a set of jetfire legs so you can dismantle them to get the parts you need and you will know what you will need to do as you reverse the processon your taka. The one part I have to many of... vf legs. just send back what you don't use and a trinket of some sort . While I still haven't made my "refurbing a 1/55" web page I believe I have all the pics already on my hard drive for the procedure and I can walk you through it. Not that I have resurected a few 1/55's or anything

wait... I mean you can't do a thing and you should give me one of the few 1/55's I still need . Trade maybe

[myk]

Wait a minute. No triggers? How are you supposed to deploy the wheels? Finger-fishing yeah, but they're still spring loaded, right?

[jenius]

Wait a minute. No triggers? How are you supposed to deploy the wheels? Finger-fishing yeah, but they're still spring loaded, right?

Yep, still springloaded. You just give em a slight nudge and they pop right open.

Thanks Kanata, will PM later.

Edited June 2, 2006 by jenius

[jenius]

Here's a pic, hopefully not shrank down too much, of the Bandai 1990 VF-1S Super that shows all three landing gears:

There's also a pic of my poor Milia that was supposedly minty...