Image request: Macross 7 civilian destroids.

[mikeszekely]

This leads us to an interesting question.

What would the resale value of Destroids and VF-1s be a couple decades past their prime?

Given the amount of people who own antique cars, aeroplanes etc these days, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to imagine people owning their own Variable Fighters in the M7 universe.

VFTF1

If Max and Milia are any indication, pilots seem to get to keep their old fighters if they (the pilots or the fighters) survive to the end of the war.

Also, do we actually have numbers for the cost of variable fighters post Space War 1? Perhaps the Factory Satellite or the technology from it used in the Three Star ships has dramatically lowered the cost of producing a variable fighter.

And besides, if there's only the UN government, it's not like they have other countries to sell off their old equipment to. Selling them for a pittance to civilians is still probably better than not selling them and having them take up space at some military facility.

[sketchley]

Psst, don't forget all of the VF-11 and the VF-1 that they trashed during the Project Super Nova testing. That's one explosive use.

[David Hingtgen]

Also, once anything's old enough--it's generally up for sale. There's privately-owned (and flown) F-104's and F-4's now. 20 years from now, you'll might see private F-16's.

[Zinjo]

The costs of upkeep, maintenance, fuel and storage would be enormous even for a VF!

I can see those in active service getting use of non-critical storage facilities, but the retired, may have a bit of a problem...

Millia was in active service in the Mac 7 fleet until she was elected mayor of City 7, so that would explain her antique VF-1.

[mikeszekely]

The costs of upkeep, maintenance, fuel and storage would be enormous even for a VF!

I can see those in active service getting use of non-critical storage facilities, but the retired, may have a bit of a problem...

Millia was in active service in the Mac 7 fleet until she was elected mayor of City 7, so that would explain her antique VF-1.

Perhaps OT makes fuel and upkeep of VFs manageable. Enough civilians seem to have VF-1/VT-1s laying around (I believe the VT-1C was produced specifically for civilians), there may even been privately-owned businesses dedicated to servicing them.

[Exsedol]

After space war 1 many of the UN's Destroids were sold on the open market to local earth police forces, Mining and construction companies, and private buyers so it's probably pretty common to see various modded or repainted Destroids and valkyries around the galaxy.