The newbie guide to transforming the new Yamato 1/60 VF-1 2.0

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

The ankle extending thing is something that was in the 1/72 yf-21.

non-extended = fighter mode

extended at one click = gerwalk mode

extended all the way = battroid mode with long legs.

SV-51 also has that too.

The shoulder armor: that's in the sv-51 as well. You can click the shoulder armor which is seperate from the shoulder itself outwards or something to allow a bit of clearance.

Edited August 27, 2008 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[misterryno]

non-extended = fighter mode

extended at one click = gerwalk mode

extended all the way = battroid mode with long legs.

I actually prefer 1 click for Battroid and 2 clicks for GERWALK.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Did you notice the shoulder armor is quite independent of the shoulder itself? Try moving the armor "up and out" in battroid mode. Still haven't figured out why it can do that, and then can rotate.

Yep, I noticed that, and it was designed that way to free up more sideways movement for the shoulder. When the armor is done, the shoulder cannot move the side is much. The shoulder does the movement, though with that guard in place, it looks like the arm is moving.

I actually prefer 1 click for Battroid and 2 clicks for GERWALK.

Same here, 1 click for gerwalk does not give you the full range of motion, and full range of motion on the ankles can be fully appreciated when in gerwalk mode.

I miss the detents for the wings too. The others had "mid-way" points that looked nice in fighter mode (I always like VF-1 wings at the mid-way point). Now I just have to visually align them to something (like a panel line) and keep checking them, and keep adjusting them with the missiles to keep them even, etc.

It is annoying to have to do that. I prefer Bandai's way since it feels like a soft ratchet, and there is an audible click. On the 1/48, the detents would definitely loosen over time, it was all tension based. With the FAST packs and reaction missles on, I twist the outside ones as far as they will go, since they bump into the missle box, this keeps them aligned. Then I sweep the wings back enough that the missles are visually aligned, parallel to the intakes.

As for shoulders/arms---yeah, even if you could get replacements, I don't see how you could actually swap parts---the shoulder "rotating bars" are pinned to the back plate, and the shoulders themselves seem very "sealed up".

True, and that is a rather unfortunate predicament for anyone who has broken shoulders on their toys, or if anyone wanted to buy parts just in case. At this point, I don't even know how to access the 2 screws underneath the shoulder armor. The only solution I can think of, would be to loosen both of those screws. Then we will get shoulders that may loosen over time, and will dissapoint us further, since shoulders being able to hold position without drooping is a great aspect of this toy. God damn I hate compromises. Even if we find a way to get to those screws, we can choose from shoulders that are tight and a hinge that may eventually break, or looser shoulders that might loosen over time, with less worries of the hinge breaking. Not sure why the hinge was overlooked during r/d.

[wildger]

How to get that swing bar in the slot baby!!!

Getting the swing bar out is equally difficult. It took me 1/2 hour to figure out how to get the bar into the slot. Retrospectively, it was easy once you got into the right position and slided both hips downward. It went very smoothly without even a snap. Then, I had a very hard time of getting it out. This is one step that I don't like.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Getting the swing bar out is equally difficult. It took me 1/2 hour to figure out how to get the bar into the slot. Retrospectively, it was easy once you got into the right position and slided both hips downward. It went very smoothly without even a snap. Then, I had a very hard time of getting it out. This is one step that I don't like.

Its mainly tricky because the swingbar hinge is tight. It should loosen over time. The best way I can think of, is this, and I just did this now, which is very easy.

First, angle the swing bar, this will push the back out a bit. You will feel a noticeable "click" when you do this. You won't hear it, but you will feel it. Its a soft locking mechanism for the swing bar. After that, grab both legs, and rotate them forward 90 degrees. Doing this will slightly push the nose panel open. After that, push the legs/hip bar forward, and voila! Bar released from nose!

[misterryno]

Its mainly tricky because the swingbar hinge is tight. It should loosen over time. The best way I can think of, is this, and I just did this now, which is very easy.

First, angle the swing bar, this will push the back out a bit. You will feel a noticeable "click" when you do this. You won't hear it, but you will feel it. Its a soft locking mechanism for the swing bar. After that, grab both legs, and rotate them forward 90 degrees. Doing this will slightly push the nose panel open. After that, push the legs/hip bar forward, and voila! Bar released from nose!

You are correct....it does loosen up slightly over time which is a good thing. At first I was like "WTF! COMEONE!!!" and now I'm like "ohhhh that's much much better....yeah you like that don't you"

[wildger]

I guess the only advice I can give to anyone new to the Yamato models for transformation is "be careful". Blunt force simply does not work. Based on my experience with only the japanese instructions from the booklet, you simple have to apply subtle forces in different directions to loosen up the joints. It took me more than 2 hours for the first attempt and I could not even get the sidebars into the slot. In the second attempt, it took me 10 minutes to reach the final stage and more than an hour to slide the sidebars into the slot and another hour to get it out. I simply dont have the desire to tranform it for the third time, although it will be easier. Nothing is broken yet.

[clchieng]

It took me more than 2 hours for the first attempt and I could not even get the sidebars into the slot. In the second attempt, it took me 10 minutes to reach the final stage and more than an hour to slide the sidebars into the slot and another hour to get it out. I simply dont have the desire to tranform it for the third time, although it will be easier. Nothing is broken yet.

2 hours? That's the running time of a movie.

[misterryno]

2 hours? That's the running time of a movie.

Only took me 21 seconds and that's because I was making a vid of it.

Edited August 27, 2008 by misterryno

[jackdaniels]

I just realized that the hip bar release video wasn't even posted in this thread. Yamato noticed people had trouble with it so they posted their own video on their website. That's the way I do it and comes out easy.

Hip Bar release Video

Edited August 27, 2008 by jackdaniels

[wildger]

I just realized that the hip bar release video wasn't even posted in this thread. Yamato noticed people had trouble with it so they posted their own video on their website. That's the way I do it and comes out easy.

Hip Bar release Video

I wish I know how to read Japanese.

[jackdaniels]

I can't read Japanese, but the pictures are pretty simple and clear and they are simply showing you what the guy does in the video step by step.

I think the ease at which the hip bar comes out depends on how flush you make the backplate with the nosecone. When I first transformed it back to fighter, it came out really easily. The second time, I noticed that my chestplate and backplate weren't parallel so I pushed the two until the U shaped holder that locks down the arms in fighter pretty much meets up with the nosecone. I had a bit harder time getting it out that time.

Edited August 27, 2008 by jackdaniels

[misterryno]

I wish I know how to read Japanese.

Have you gotten the swing bar in to position in Battroid mode yet? And are you having trouble getting it out now?

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I noticed that even in the manual, there is a section and photo that highlights a guy pulling on the backplate to help get the swing bar out of the nosecone. This works by making the swing bar bend at an angle, upwards.

[Major Focker]

this toy is giving me a case of the stiffies, and not in the preferred way.

i'm scared stiff of breaking it, i end up leaving it at gerwalk.

are there any vids showing how to pop off the intakes from the body (page12)?

[m0n5t3r]

this toy is giving me a case of the stiffies, and not in the preferred way.

i'm scared stiff of breaking it, i end up leaving it at gerwalk.

are there any vids showing how to pop off the intakes from the body (page12)?

let one of your fingernails grow long for a few days...

[jackdaniels]

My intake covers came loose and popped out on their own when I was trying to force the legs back onto the chestplate for fighter. I leave them off now all the time since it looks way cooler.

[Major Focker]

sorry i may not have been clear. i meant, how to separate the upper-most part of the leg (where the intakes are) from the chestplate.

i tried swinging the leg inwards as instructed and wiggled it a little but it's still stuck.

[m0n5t3r]

sorry i may not have been clear. i meant, how to separate the upper-most part of the leg (where the intakes are) from the chestplate.

i tried swinging the leg inwards as instructed and wiggled it a little but it's still stuck.

ahhh... there are tabs on the inner side that connect it to the bottom of the chestplate (the metal part, i think). just wiggle it sideways to free it.

Edited September 1, 2008 by m0n5t3r

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

The easiest way to free the swing bar from the nose when going from battroid to fighter mode, is to move the legs down as instructed in the video, then pull on the back, not the backpack with the folded fins, but the back section itself, this will angle the swing bar and the hatch will pop open further. Then, merely push the hip bar upwards and its out!

sorry i may not have been clear. i meant, how to separate the upper-most part of the leg (where the intakes are) from the chestplate.

i tried swinging the leg inwards as instructed and wiggled it a little but it's still stuck.

You have to swing the intakes inwards, make sure the thigh piece is already down for gerwalk mode, because if it isn't, it will block the leg from going inwards. This should simultaneously free the securing tab, and let you pull the bar out of the catch

[Vegas]

watched ryno's and yamato's videos and it was piece of cake transforming the toy after.

[misterryno]

watched ryno's and yamato's videos and it was piece of cake transforming the toy after.

Woot wooott!!! Glad to be of service my friend!

[Vegas]

Woot wooott!!! Glad to be of service my friend!

thank you for your mad transforming skills

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

The fastest way for releasing the hip bar when going from battroid to fighter took me less than 3 seconds. Pull the back(not backpack, the actual back), which well angle the swing bar, then rotate both legs downwards 90 degrees, nose hatch is now open, now just push the hip bar forward. Its very simple and I think it is highlighted in the manual, there is a pic that seemingly refers to it.

That part no longer worries me at all. The shoulders on mine are loosening to the point that stress has eased on the shoulder hinge.

Those of you who broke the shoulder hinge, did breakages occur due to transformation or posing?

[jackdaniels]

I just saw this video review on the other thread by collectiondx. This is a pretty good transformation video too so thanks to him.

The only thing I noticed about the vid was that he skipped locking down the chestplate and went right to inserting the hipbar into nosecone.