is this a good kit?

[VenomMacbeth]

I need to know what kind of kit this is. It's bandai, so I can speculate that there may be some similarities to the gundam kits. Are there polycaps? also, are painting or gluing required? Is the green lense on the head painted, or is it a sticker? Pics of the completed model would be nice, as well as of the sprues and actual instructions.

[captain america]

...Similarities to the Gundam kits circa 1982, maybe. If you're expecting a MG-type model, you're in for a world of hurt.

This model is actually an Imai tool from 25 years ago, and unlike the current Bandai offerings, actually requires modelling skill to complete, so I wouldn't recommend it if you're a novice builder. Honestly though, with a little elbow grease, it's a great little kit that'll stand its own against most other Valkyrie models.

The camera lens is clear styrene, and needs a clear green overcoat... Much as the rest of the model requires painting and finishing; the photos in the instructions you posted are a fairly accurate representation of the kit, when built and painted as directed.

[VenomMacbeth]

I see alot of panel lining in that picture. I like the look of the kit, but I don't know about the build, if it's like what you're talking about. Is there a variable valkyrie kit that's not quite so involved?

[Fly4victory]

Are there polycaps?

It does not have the polycap ball and socket joints of today but has a 1980's attempt with hard plastic pins that fit inside white rubber rings.

For the time it was a great model.

[007-vf1]

You'll have to pre-assemble some parts before you putty. Painting and to some extent repair of seam lanes will be required to make it look good (this will be a headache if you don't have experience with that).

It is the most affordable-and closest to the real thing- transformable VF-1 model you'll find in the market at 1/72. The thing I fully dislike is the chunky and detail-less torso/hip part and stiff looking legs. But overall i think is a good kit from the 80's. Keep in mind is not a VF-1 from Hasegawa.

[mechaninac]

Another thing to keep in mind is that this is not a perfect transformation kit. The forward fuselage has to be swapped for a battroid specific component in order to go from Fighter/Gerwalk and Battroid modes. For an early '80s model, this is a great kit with a lot of room for improvements on the modeler's part; Ex.: by default there is no waist rotation, but this can be easily modified to allow movement, and if you're realy ambitious you can add locking pegs/slots or magnets to make everything lock tightly in fighter and Gewalk modes (the arm folding carriages are areas that could use some form of locking so they stay open at 90 deg. with the arms deployed in G mode).

[jardann]

If you're looking for a variable kit then I think this is your best, simplest and cheapest option. If you have built a few models before, then you should be able to finish this kit. A big key to building this kit and making it work is simply to take your time and be careful when glueing parts together. Do not use too much glue on the moving parts or they can get gummed up. This is not really difficult, just takes some care.

For the time they were made, these were amazing kits. They still hold up today when given proper attention during assembly and painting.

Edited February 12, 2008 by jardann

[MechTech]

Like everyone said, it's an older kit. It is a great kit to learn on and you can even repose/transform it when it's completed (noses have to be swapped out). I love it though. Before Hasegawa made their kits, this was one of the most accurate VF kits around - in styrene. If your brand new to building, this may be a little difficult. If not, this is a great kit to learn improved techniques. This was the first robot/Macross kit I built and I've been hooked since!!! - MT

[Warmaker]

I had the 80s era "Robotech" kit, but it was configured for the VF-1D (2 head lasers like VF-1J, double stacked eye lens). It even had the optional chestplates for the -1D as seen in the first episode of Macross or the standard chestplate with the chest stripe pattern engraved.

Still, as far as I know, it's still the same kit as the Imai. If so, this kit will require more extensive work than the newer Hasegawas. After all, you're putting together a kit that right out of the box is able to transform! You need serious skill and experience if you want to be able to do that with the non-transformable Hasegawas, as nice as they are.

Faults: From memory, there were in general 3 faulty seam areas.

1) The sides of the forward fuselage. The forward fuselage is in upper & lower halves. When put together, I had gaps to fill up.

2) Lower Forarms, specifically the outboard portions. The least problematic between the 3.

3) Lower Legs. The halves of the lower legs didn't mesh well together. You'll have to play a bit to ensure the seams are good to go. If not, it's quite noticeable, especially the front of it since it's so visible in Gerwalk & Battroid modes.

But as kid, I pulled it off just fine with the VF-1D. It took alot of work but it paid off. I recall someone around here posted their finished work on a Bandai / Imai VF-1J done in Millia's colors. With the work put in, it looked spectacular.

Not sure how cheap you can get these compared to the Hasegawas. In light of that, it may not be a good idea to waste one of these old kits for practice if you're new to modelling. The instructions I recall were longer than the usual kits back in the day. If you need practice, I suggest getting a dirt cheap aircraft kit in 1/72 scale for practice. Set aside this Bandai / Imai VF-1 kit or the Macross Hasegawas for when you're better. But that's just me.

[VenomMacbeth]

bugger. I'm not really into modeling for lots of gluing, painting, and modifying. I'm the kind of guy who builds Gundam and Zoids model kits. They need to make a gundam-style VF-1 Kit that is variable! That would rawk beyond belief.

[Noyhauser]

bugger. I'm not really into modeling for lots of gluing, painting, and modifying. I'm the kind of guy who builds Gundam and Zoids model kits. They need to make a gundam-style VF-1 Kit that is variable! That would rawk beyond belief.

No, it wouldn't. Maybe I'm a model purist, but I'd rather Bandai not have anything to do with Macross. I'm somewhat upset they get the first crack at macross frontier stuff. For years we got substandard crap from Bandai. When Macross 7 came out bandai made three so-so 1/144 models, and two terrible 1/100 VF-19. You want to see what a mess bandai can do, search for the 1/100 transformable model.... I wouldn't want that and neither would anybody else.

Then compare what happened when Hasegawa acquired the license; we got some of the best models we could ever ask for. The VF-1 the VF-1 Strike Battroid, YF-19, YF-21, and the VF-0 Reactive Armor, were all brilliant models. Bandai for some reason refuses to do "normal" scales, and they aren't good models. When I build a HGUC or MG, I don't feel like I'm building a miniature version of a gundam. I feel I'm building a toy. A hasegawa 1/72 is brilliant for details... and when you're done you have something that looks like it could exist in the real world.

Honestly? Give a Strike VF-1 Battroid a chance. It might be a bit more difficult than you're used to, but its well worth the effort. If you were interested in Moscato's Spartan, then this would be far far simpler, and look better than any model bandai can put out. If you want a transforming fighter, go buy a yamato. They are pretty good and might be more along the lines of what you want.

Edited February 13, 2008 by Noyhauser

[VenomMacbeth]

well, perhaps my problem is I want to build a toy. Not so much to play with, I'd just like a variable valkyrie. I dunno, I always found aircraft model kits to be very boring, and judging by what people have said about the hasegawa-made ones, that's what they sound like. And, as you said, it is nice to have something that looks like it would exist in the world. However, I'd like something that I can hold and manipulate without breaking as well. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd like something in between the Hasegawa and Bandai kits.

And as for the yamato valks...as much as I'd so passionately LOVE to own one, they are insanely expensive. Well, maybe not for alot of people on here, but I don't really have a steady income.

[cobywan]

It a freakin' classic kit! I built dozens of them as a kid. I can build these things with my eyes shut. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to complain about with it. It's from 1982 as other's have pointed out.

But I'm a grumpy old man.

[MechTech]

BUILD IT! Build it! You know you want to ! I think you should give it a shot. Some of these guys are talking about filling seems and stuff. Toys have seems and you're cool with that. Every skill is on a learning curve anyhow. build it...build it...build it... - MT

[Penguin]

I'll chime in to support cobywan and MechTech. These models are a ton of fun to build, not too complicated and the transformation is simple. Some glue and a quick coat of spraypaint, and you can turn these into something that looks decent and are robust enough to survive several transformations.

I built my first of these kits... gee, must be 20 years or so back... when I found an original Imai VF-1A gathering dust a the bottom of a stack of old Ertl Star Wars kits at a local model shop (and exclaimed "Wow, a Robotech model!" Ah, youth...). This was long before I got into all the "fun" of filling, sanding, etc., etc. Now I've got a couple on pre-order yet again, even though I've already built 10 or so of them before. Of course, I'll do all that extra finishing that's become second nature to me, but you really don't need to go through all that to make a decent end product.

One note: Be careful with the glue. That first VF-1A... I ended up glueing the retractable hands into the arms (pause here to curse darkly at ye olde red Testors glue glob dispenser).

[weshawl]

I need to know what kind of kit this is. It's bandai, so I can speculate that there may be some similarities to the gundam kits. Are there polycaps? also, are painting or gluing required? Is the green lense on the head painted, or is it a sticker? Pics of the completed model would be nice, as well as of the sprues and actual instructions.

I built one of these Years ago... I have the instructions laying around somewhere

Needs Gluing and Painting preferably with a airbrush. and by Polycaps.. if you mean the

Rubber joint inserts... Yes it uses them

The Green Lense on the front of the head NEEDS painting

I used Transparent Blue and Yellow mixed Transparent green is hard to find!

hope this helps,

Wes

[warpaint22]

well, perhaps my problem is I want to build a toy. Not so much to play with, I'd just like a variable valkyrie. I dunno, I always found aircraft model kits to be very boring, and judging by what people have said about the hasegawa-made ones, that's what they sound like. And, as you said, it is nice to have something that looks like it would exist in the world. However, I'd like something that I can hold and manipulate without breaking as well. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd like something in between the Hasegawa and Bandai kits.

And as for the yamato valks...as much as I'd so passionately LOVE to own one, they are insanely expensive. Well, maybe not for alot of people on here, but I don't really have a steady income.

I understand what you are saying, I build models for a living and last year was taken up with nothing much more than 1/72 Hasegawa Macross models (about 54 of them). Hasegawa do produce the best Macross plastic models there is no doubt about that but what most don't tell you is what is involved to produce even what is close to what you see on the box. What no one has told you is that to build a Hasegawa macross model you will require average to above average modeling skills, the model itself is not hard to put together however you will need to fill and sand all seem lines rescribe any panel lines which have been removed, which takes a little time and is about as exciting as watching paint dry. You'll then need to paint the model and airbrushing is the ideal way to go but you could use spray cans but brush painting would not be adviseable unless your a brush painting master. You also have to contend with some fit issues (not many as Hasegawa is very good) but there are some that need to be corrected, aswell to get a really nice finish you will need to remove thier injector pin marks from flat surfaces and some kits have slight sink holes that need to be filled ( VF-0S kit suffers from sink holes).

The Bandai model is still much the same you will need to do the same soughts of things to get a great looking model, you'll need to fill sand and so on to get a result you'll be happy with, but you have less detail to deal with as these models are old Imai and Arii kits that where aquired by bandai when those companies went out of business, Bandai just re-released the models under there own name. The Macross 7 kits that Bandai did where half assed at best and left a lot of people pissed that they didn't produce quality merchandise for that time and Gundam seemed to have all Bandai's attension.

Doing the above 5 days a week 8 hours a day is a little boring (I still love what I do and feel very lucky to be able to do it) but if you have the skill or want to develop skills to build great models then build either the Bandai kit or give a hasegawa a go, but if you just want some quick simple kits that don't take long to put together then there is not much if anything out there in Macross. I get tired of building at the end of the day and have found that my own collection suffers do to the lack of will to do more sanding ect. Not so long ago one of my customers asked for me to build a Gundam kit for him, just a simple HGUC kit and well was I impressed, for such a simple kit it was amazing. After building his I ordered four HGUC models GPO1, GPO1FB, GPO2 and GPO3, and sat down when they arrived to build the GPO1, it was an awsome kit more like a model action figure but still had great details and awesome parts fit not one part had fit isssues. I painted the whole kit on the sprues then washed and panel lined on the sprue then assembled and added some waterslide decals from the Gundam decal range, it took all of about four hours from start to finish and it turned out looking better than my Bandai FIX GPO3 which was the finish I was after.

So all in all if you want a quick simple kit you are not really going to find one in Macross and until Bandai release what they plan for Macross F then nothing is around to that quality in a simple model. Your only option is to develop your modeling skills, spend a good deal on equipment so you can do a good job from the start and start practicing apart from that you'll just have to go buy a Yammato collectable ( still have a problem calling them toys). Most model builders are doing it as a hobby and having fun and that's what it's all about, I have the prospective more of a production line where the slightest part fit issue is a pain as it adds time to the build, but it's nice to sit down and build something that is quick and easy.

Please note the VF-1S Minmay Guard custom is still not quite finished. Hasegawa make truely awesome models if you want to put the time in, the gundams turn out great with about four hours of work.

[VenomMacbeth]

OMG you have the GP01FB!!! That's...like...my favorite gundam kit ever!!

Well, I may end up getting this and giving it a go. It'll be nice to learn how to paint and stuff, anyway.

[Vostok 7]

Haha I had one of those kits AGGGEEESSSS ago. I bought it at a antique store or something, it was totally unbuilt. I think it was a Max but it might have been a CF -1A like the one you posted. It was what brought me to MacrossWorld so many years and forum revisions ago, IIRC my first posts here were about it. Once I was here I found the 1/72 Yammie Mac+ valks that were coming and HAD TO HAVE THEM. I think I sold my kit to a member on here in fact. Geez, that had to be 2000-2001 at the latest.

Vostok 7