1:60 Yamato VF-1S kit?

[tetsujin]

So, today on HLJ I found this thing:

Yamato unpainted VF-1S kit

On Yamato's site...

Looks like their current 1:60 transforming toy, but pressed as an unassembled kit... I'm curious about what material they used (ABS? Vinyl?) and whether this thing will actually lend itself to typical styrene kit modeling techniques (seam treatment, especially) or if it's something strictly for the customizer crowd...

[Vostok 7]

Woah, I didn't realize it was a kit! I bet it'd be a blast to put together.

I would assume that the materials are the same as the regular assembled 1/60 line, just shipped on the sprues so you can assemble instead of having it done at the factory.

[tetsujin]

Woah, I didn't realize it was a kit! I bet it'd be a blast to put together.

It's cheaper than the finished toys, too.. At least, when they're not on sale.

[David Hingtgen]

It's not news. And it is simply the normal toy, unpainted and unassembled. It's the successor to the unpainted but assembled version they did a month or two ago.

Based on other Yamato toys, I would use Plastruct weld to glue it together. (orange label)

[Chronocidal]

I'm actually wondering if any glue will be absolutely necessary.. maybe for certain things like the head, but the V.2 VF-1s I've taken apart seem to use glue as a backup for the screws in some places, rather than the main method of holding things together.

I had to take apart the left leg on my TV Max 1A to fix a floppy strake, and while it wasn't glued together too heavily, I did wind up breaking off one of the locator pins. But putting the leg back together with just the screws worked perfectly well.

If anything really needs glue, it will probably be the nose section.

I'm probably going to try and avoid glue entirely if possible, just to make maintenance easier if it's ever needed.

*curses all the glued joints and screw covers on the YF-19*

[Vostok 7]

I just pre-ordered two of these for the heck of it. When I saw all the kits (fanracer, SDF, etc.) they were releasing lately, I said to myself "they need to release a V2 1/60 as a model kit!" and lo and behold.

[Major Focker]

DIY low-vis!

[VF-19]

Or, better still, DIY *insert favourite F-14 squadron*

I'm thinking of doing mine up in either the Sundowners or Wolfpack. Not sure yet. I'd do a Jolly Rodgers, but then it would be simpler to get a Roy 1S.

[MechTech]

That is a good idea. I think it shows that Yamato has been listening to some of its customer's requests. - MT

[007-vf1]

OMG!! finally I'll be able to make my desired rainbow valk... Super !!

[fifbeat]

Wonder if the kit comes with smooth or knurled pins? *snickers*

[big F]

Could this be in the style of LOTR the one thing that unites the model makers an the toy collectors together. A toy that you can build paint and play with.

[Vostok 7]

Could this be in the style of LOTR the one thing that unites the model makers an the toy collectors together. A toy that you can build paint and play with.

I'm just waiting for someone to say "TOYS ARE FOR BABIES" like they do in most of the toy threads

[Excillon]

Taking a guess, this thing looks like a snap fit kit judging from the wings on the sprue pic, I know it says glue on the info by the preorder info, but looking at the parts I see a snapper. Very smart if they did go that route, it'd win over a lot of the toyboys.

Edited February 14, 2010 by Excillon

[David Hingtgen]

????? It's the Yamato toy, unassembled. It wasn't designed to be a glue-together kit, nor was it designed to be a snap-tite kit. It is what it is---an unassembled toy. One step away from LEGOs in that regard.

If anything, it's a screw-together "kit".

[Chas]

????? It's the Yamato toy, unassembled. It wasn't designed to be a glue-together kit, nor was it designed to be a snap-tite kit. It is what it is---an unassembled toy. One step away from LEGOs in that regard.

If anything, it's a screw-together "kit".

I'm with David on this it is exactly what the 1/60 toy is No different. Do you have any idea how much work it would be to redesign this to be snap fit? I also agree with the suggestion of Plastruct weld when assembling. Imagine a 1/60 with no seamlines! Personally I'd putty over the screw holes as well, I guess that's why I build models.

A little OT but do you suppose this is Yamato's way of competeing with Bandai's snap kits? I mean look at the price point. If this takes off I dare say we could be seeing the beginning of a new hybrid genre of the scale model/toycollecting world.

Consider, in the past we have had:

the traditional sacle model - designed to be a highly detailed, ultra-realistic, miniature, staic display piece for the skilled enthusiast.

Bandai's snap fit model kits - superbly engineerd, increasingly articulated, moderatelly detailed, relatively easily assembled kit that can be mildly played

with for a short time untill the wear become too much for it.

Collectible toys - high priced well designed (supposedly), detailed, very accurate representaitons of their subject, meant for the adult "collector" but also

robust enough to be played with.

Now enter Yamatos new 1/60 toy kit - it fits right between Bandai' snap together model toys and the high-priced collector's toys. plus the price point puts it in competition with Bandai's MG line.

Just imagine the possibilities if Yamato secures some new licences.

[big F]

????? It's the Yamato toy, unassembled. It wasn't designed to be a glue-together kit, nor was it designed to be a snap-tite kit. It is what it is---an unassembled toy. One step away from LEGOs in that regard.

If anything, it's a screw-together "kit".

I guess most of us will get at least 1. Could this be the modern day sucessor of the Chunky Monkey.

[Vifam7]

Now enter Yamatos new 1/60 toy kit - it fits right between Bandai' snap together model toys and the high-priced collector's toys. plus the price point puts it in competition with Bandai's MG line.

Just imagine the possibilities if Yamato secures some new licences.

I don't think this competes against Bandai's kits (or Hasegawa's for that matter). I don't know where these kits fall in the market. It's too simple to be a traditional kit and yet it requires painting. Is this a toy or a kit? It's too simple of a kit and has little room for mods for the modelers yet not complete enough to entice toy collectors.

These kits do not leave much room for the kit builders to do their magic except in the paint job area. But that leads to a problem. Since they're not painted, it has to be painted. But these are supposed to build up into robust PT toys. If the completed work is handled like a toy then paint scratches will be a problem. If it's going to stay static then these kits don't make much sense. Bandai's kits suffer the same issue in regards to paint but at least they come pre-colored and aren't expected to be handled like the Yamato PT series.

Plus, IMHO, these kits are in the wrong scale size. If Yamato is to compete in the model kits market, I think they need to come down to the more established scale of 1:72 or return back to the 1:48 scale.

Edited February 14, 2010 by Vifam7

[aquilon]

I don't think this competes against Bandai's kits (or Hasegawa's for that matter). I don't know where these kits fall in the market. It's too simple to be a traditional kit and yet it requires painting. Is this a toy or a kit? It's too simple of a kit and has little room for mods for the modelers yet not complete enough to entice toy collectors.

These kits do not leave much room for the kit builders to do their magic except in the paint job area. But that leads to a problem. Since they're not painted, it has to be painted. But these are supposed to build up into robust PT toys. If the completed work is handled like a toy then paint scratches will be a problem. If it's going to stay static then these kits don't make much sense. Bandai's kits suffer the same issue in regards to paint but at least they come pre-colored and aren't expected to be handled like the Yamato PT series.

Plus, IMHO, these kits are in the wrong scale size. If Yamato is to compete in the model kits market, I think they need to come down to the more established scale of 1:72 or return back to the 1:48 scale.

100% agree - if this was in 1/48 scale I'd pick it up for sure; 1/72 a very likely. 1/60 is too oddball a scale that doesn't match anything else I have so I've never had any desire to pick up one these or the toys.

[aquilon]

Dang - I just realized I'm still considered "Cannon Fodder" so when I receive my 1/48 Hasegawa VF-1 I'm gonna build it tan but in tiger stripes (a play on my old nickname).....

Edited February 14, 2010 by aquilon

[Excillon]

Whatever it is or ends up being, extra 1J/1A heads ala Hasegawa would have been nice, but that keeps them from making more money I guess. I'll get one, at that price it's worth the risk.

[Vostok 7]

Whatever it is or ends up being, extra 1J/1A heads ala Hasegawa would have been nice, but that keeps them from making more money I guess. I'll get one, at that price it's worth the risk.

+1, but oh well.

Anyone know when these are officially coming out? HLJ just says "Feb".

[captain america]

????? It's the Yamato toy, unassembled. It wasn't designed to be a glue-together kit, nor was it designed to be a snap-tite kit. It is what it is---an unassembled toy. One step away from LEGOs in that regard.

If anything, it's a screw-together "kit".

Agreed. In fact, they should market the darn thing by placing all the parts inside a chocolate egg, now THAT I'd buy!

[big F]

Agreed. In fact, they should market the darn thing by placing all the parts inside a chocolate egg, now THAT I'd buy!

Supersized Kinder Macross. That'd bring a whole new meaning to Super Dimensional Macross.

[Vostok 7]

Apparently these were moved back to March. I think Yamato was waiting for them to sell out the production run, which I believe they have now.

[VF-19]

Supersized Kinder Macross. That'd bring a whole new meaning to Super Dimensional Macross.

Heh. I wonder if it'll fit in the giant eggs. I don't mind that it's been pushed back to March. It'll give my wallet a chance to recover a little bit from February.

[VF-19]

Just a bump. According to HLJ, this has been delayed, again, to April. Kinda sucks, as I was looking forward to this. Oh well.

[David Hingtgen]

How can it be delayed? They can't be tweaking the paint scheme...

[Fly4victory]

How can it be delayed? They can't be tweaking the paint scheme...

shoulder pins?

[Excillon]

Bummer...I guess my custom plans are on hold.

[VF-19]

Perhaps the workers are assembling them, out of habit, and Yamato has to remind them not to assemble the Valks.

[EXO]

they have to glue them to the sprues!

[Vostok 7]

Hopefully they're including all the heads..........

We all can dream, right?

[miriya]

I am glad that it is delayed because I am so thin with money right now. Always am really but particularly now.

But yeah, if they included all the heads that would be sweet.

[areaseven]

Imagine all the Jetfire fans picking up this kit...