Variable Fighter Master File VF-19 Excalibur

[nexxstrait]

I took a look at this in the bookshop today. Interesting stuff. Nothing I would buy, but I was very impressed at the level of detail, and even the interviews with the pilots!

Also, apparently the Fire Valk is based on the VF-19E variant. Huh.

Lastly, it seems they finally explained what those random tubes under the chest are: yep, they're guns, Mauler-type. For those who know what that means.

Are there battroid images?

[Mr March]

It's probably best to set this in the same category as the VF-1 Master File, fun for reading but conflicts with the official data and should be considered un-official until noted otherwise.

That might be the wisest policy.

[Graham]

Hoping for drawings showing the layout of the various options for the leg missile bays.

Graham

[Graham]

Also, are there any figures on the total number of 19s produced?

Had mine on orde from Amazon for 6 months, so hope it will arrive soon.

Graham

[Funkenstein]

Is there anywhere that's still selling these? All the preorders from the usual places are gone.

[Talos]

Is there anywhere that's still selling these? All the preorders from the usual places are gone.

Amazon.co.jp is still showing it available for pre-order, if that helps. They do ship internationally.

Graham, I know how you feel! I placed my pre-order on January 6th and with any luck I'll get it sometime between June 5th and 8th.

[cool8or]

I just received a mail from HLJ, telling me that my pre order is "ready to ship"

[Graham]

Just got notice from Amazon Japan that mine has shipped by FedEx.

Can't wait.

Graham

[Talos]

Just got notice from Amazon Japan that mine has shipped by FedEx.

Can't wait.

Graham

I got that last night. Fedex is faster then Amazon.co.jp, apparently. The tracking info says I should have it in my hands in just about 24 hours. Amazon was estimating several more days.

[Roy Focker]

Got my notice in about 2 weeks I'll have mine.

[sketchley]

Just picked mine up. Funny that the local Animate didn't have it, but Tsutaya, two blocks away, had it!

Nice. Very nice. There are some things that are very nostalgic (ie: names of the optional wing ordinace seen on the cover of TiAS:M+), and other stuff that has me scratching my head (FAST packs that look like those for the VF-11B. Wasn't the point of the AVF to do away with FAST packs?) Anyhow...

Quick run down:

- Majority of images are of the (for lack of a better term) M+ wing version. Though, there is a noteable amount of the M7 wing version.

- development history has not only the VF-11C, but also goes back to the VF-9, VF-4, VF=1, and beyond, to the YF-21. There's a developmental craft, the XVF-19-1 that looks like a cross between the body of a VF-11, and the wings of a VF-19.

- talk of a new flight control AI: ARIEL.

- structure and systems section will have everyone drooling. Things I like: seat rolls to reduce G load; wing movement; thrust vectoring nozzle; a nose-bleed-inducing cut-away; a diagram explanation of how active stealth works; a diagram of the thermonuclear engine; a diagram of how the Pin Point Barrier works; flight wing/air shockwave; pilot suits (not just M+, but also the two from the VF-X games!); block numbers and details (I think it has total numbers produced, but they're buried in the text); CV Uraga Class (in space AND on the water FTW!); VF-11 & VF-17

Things I don't like at first glance:

- the sheer volume of micro-missiles in the (ficticious) FAST packs. Where's the FUEL?!?

- VEF-19E Warning Calibur II - what's with that dorky radome?!

[Seto Kaiba]

FAST packs that look like those for the VF-11B. Wasn't the point of the AVF to do away with FAST packs?)

Eh... wasn't the stated goal of the AVF project to develop a replacement for the VF-11 that could equip a pin-point barrier system and external fold booster? Are we talking about the same goofy looking set of super parts the VF-19F/S had in Macross 7, or are these something else? (Perhaps a close cousin or intended design predecessor to the packs in question?)

There's a developmental craft, the XVF-19-1 that looks like a cross between the body of a VF-11, and the wings of a VF-19.

Now THAT forms an odd mental image...

- the sheer volume of micro-missiles in the (ficticious) FAST packs. Where's the FUEL?!?

How many are we talkin' here? More than 40? More than a hundred? We into VF-25 territory with 200+?

- VEF-19E Warning Calibur II - what's with that dorky radome?!

Oddly, this is one of the designs I'm most curious to see... I'd always considered the idea of an ELINT/AWACS model VF-19 impossible due to the way it transforms, but they've apparently gone and made one... the guitar pick-shaped radome's an odd touch, and the designation is just BLEH. I'm assuming they probably parroted the line about which of the VF-19's variants were modeled on which version... I'm guessing they probably show or at least mention the VF-19C as being an upgraded VF-19A, and the VF-19E (which you said is the basis for Basara's machine) is a long-wing version of the VF-19F/S?

Ordinarily, I wouldn't spend a dime on a non-canon (and thus essentially useless for my purposes) book, but these clever people keep doing such an exemplary job in making the master file books eyebrow-raisingly perplexing, thus parting me from my hard-earned money yet again...

Edited June 3, 2010 by Seto Kaiba

[Roy Focker]

Didn't the VF-19 in Macross 7 have Fast Packs?

[Seto Kaiba]

Didn't the VF-19 in Macross 7 have Fast Packs?

It most certainly did...

[sketchley]

Are we talking about the same goofy looking set of super parts the VF-19F/S had in Macross 7, or are these something else? (Perhaps a close cousin or intended design predecessor to the packs in question?)

Read my original post a bit more closer for your answer.

@ Focker: the M7 aerospace packs are in there. These are heretofore unseen packs. I'm tempted to call them fanfic, given their missile payload.

How many are we talkin' here? More than 40? More than a hundred? We into VF-25 territory with 200+?

Text says 100. Weither that's 100 appiece or for both is unclear from the glance I had earlier. Someone else can do the actual count.

Oddly, this is one of the designs I'm most curious to see... I'd always considered the idea of an ELINT/AWACS model VF-19 impossible due to the way it transforms, but they've apparently gone and made one.

Three. Plus a VIP transport craft that can't transform. Of the three recon types, the one I mentioned is the most blaugh.

VF-19E (which you said is the basis for Basara's machine)

Who are you talking to? Wasn't me who said that. See above about reading more carefully.

Edited June 3, 2010 by sketchley

[Graham]

My copy arrived today, yay!

Nice to see the VF-19F/S getting lots of coverage. And yes, after all these years, I'm vindicated on my thoughts regarding the thrust vernier ankle ring on the 19 F/S/P/Kai (sorry 'E').

Heh, not too sure what to think about the VC-19 VIP transport though.

Graham

[Graham]

Little bit disappointed that the leg missile bays don't seem to get much (any?) coverage. At least I haven't spotted any drawings of them. No idea if they are mentioned in the text.

Graham

[sketchley]

Little bit disappointed that the leg missile bays don't seem to get much (any?) coverage. At least I haven't spotted any drawings of them. No idea if they are mentioned in the text.

Graham

There mentioned, but it's mostly along the lines of "internal weapon bay" - which is consistant with all of the other print material on the subject.

[Knight26]

My copy arrived today, yay!

Nice to see the VF-19F/S getting lots of coverage. And yes, after all these years, I'm vindicated on my thoughts regarding the thrust vernier ankle ring on the 19 F/S/P/Kai (sorry 'E').

Heh, not too sure what to think about the VC-19 VIP transport though.

Graham

What thoughts are those?

[Renato]

Who are you talking to? Wasn't me who said that. See above about reading more carefully.

It was me who said it. Funny how people keep getting us mixed up

[Renato]

Little bit disappointed that the leg missile bays don't seem to get much (any?) coverage. At least I haven't spotted any drawings of them. No idea if they are mentioned in the text.

Graham

Yeah, and I was expecting a whole section on EXACTLY how the guitar-stick system works for the 19kai, but alas...

[Seto Kaiba]

@ Focker: the M7 aerospace packs are in there. These are heretofore unseen packs. I'm tempted to call them fanfic, given their missile payload.

Considering the state of reliability the last book shows, and this book's invention of several new variants we've never heard of before and are completely unprecedented in the animation and production materials, the whole book oughta fall under "fanfic", just like the VF-1 Master File and Sky Angels VF-1 Tech Manual.

Text says 100. Weither that's 100 appiece or for both is unclear from the glance I had earlier. Someone else can do the actual count.

If it's 100 total, that's not so bad... 50 per side, if the packs are fairly large, is reasonable enough. After all, the VF-19 manages to squeeze what, 24 mini-missiles into each leg bay? (discounting Chronicle's inexplicable reduction)

Last contents question (honest! mine's on order):

Do they give us a cutaway of the gunpod that shows the feed system and internal view of the magazine?

Edited June 4, 2010 by Seto Kaiba

[Graham]

Haven't spotted total production numbers yet for the 19, but I did notice that one of the color schemes is for the 1,000th VF-19. That's a fairly large number, given that it was never adopted as the new main VF.

I like how in the markings section, they also show markings for NUNS as well as UNS.

Little bit surprised that the VF-X Ravens color scheme isn't shown or mentioned (at least I have not spotted it yet).

Also, no mention of the calibre or magazine capacity for the gunpod?

Graham

[anime52k8]

Oddly, this is one of the designs I'm most curious to see... I'd always considered the idea of an ELINT/AWACS model VF-19 impossible due to the way it transforms, but they've apparently gone and made one... the guitar pick-shaped radome's an odd touch, and the designation is just BLEH.

I don't see why it wouldn't be possible. actually the VF-19 would be one of the easiest to mount a radome to and still keep it fully variable.

really the I the VF-14 is about the only mecha I can't readily think of a way to mount a radome to the top of and still keep it variable.

[nexxstrait]

Little bit surprised that the VF-X Ravens color scheme isn't shown or mentioned (at least I have not spotted it yet).

Graham

It doesn't appear in Macross Chronicle either, if I'm not mistaken. Very strange indeed, since Yamato even made two toys out of it (1/72 and GNU)

[Talos]

Got my copy of VF-19 Master File finally and thought I would give some quick thoughts on it from my initial leafing through.

Awesome stuff:

VF-19A cutaway (drool-worthy)

A true, proper two-seater 1st generation VF-19 (VF-19B/D)

Long and short-winged VF-19F/S

Diagram of the way the wings can fold on the VF-19A, including a Grumman-style folding for the hangar (swept all the way back and rotated 90 degrees to lie flat against the engines)

Did I mention the cutaway?

Not so awesome:

Some of the CGI wasn't up to the standards of the line art. Case in point, the YF-21 on page 23.

VC-19V VIP-Calibur. Seriously reminds me of the ideas explored about making a B-58A Hustler derivative fast troop transport.

Sketchley, you're absolutely right, that's definitely a modified VF-11B FAST pack they show the VF-19A with. Note the round large exhaust nozzle instead of the two smaller round ones. As far as the triangular radome on the AEW&C one, that reminds me of just about any advanced or futuristic AWACS design idea that any manufacturer has these days. I don't know of any being made off the top of my head, but they are definitely realistic.

There was an interesting little thing on one of the colored profile pages in the back. On the DYRL-style one there was a bunch of named Macross ships on it, including Macross Galaxy, Frontier, Seven, Eleven (I know...), and a bunch of non-canonical ones like Macross Atlantis, Macross Endeavo(u)r, Macross Chal(l)enger, Macross Andromeda, and Macross Pioneer, as well as Planet Eden and some other planets.

Edited June 4, 2010 by Talos

[azrael]

If it's 100 total, that's not so bad... 50 per side, if the packs are fairly large, is reasonable enough.

Both 100-total or 100/side still seem somewhat unreasonable.

There was an interesting little thing on one of the colored profile pages in the back. On the DYRL-style one there was a bunch of named Macross ships on it, including Macross Galaxy, Frontier, Seven, Eleven (I know...), and a bunch of non-canonical ones like Macross Atlantis, Macross Endeavo(u)r, Macross Chal(l)enger, Macross Andromeda, and Macross Pioneer, as well as Planet Eden and some other planets.

Double dipping on the A's I see.

[Roy Focker]

These are gonna be a long couple of weeks for me to wait.

[Knight26]

any links to where we can order it stateside?

[sketchley]

It was me who said it. Funny how people keep getting us mixed up

Funny how that is. What with us having totally different user names, avatars, et al.

... and going back:

Lastly, it seems they finally explained what those random tubes under the chest are: yep, they're guns, Mauler-type. For those who know what that means.

I haven't come across that description, yet. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist (would you know the page number?) All I've found are the Mauler REB-30G adn Mauler-23 laser canons, which is consistant with information published elsewhere.

[sketchley]

It's probably best to set this in the same category as the VF-1 Master File, fun for reading but conflicts with the official data and should be considered un-official until noted otherwise.

I'm starting to revise my opinion of the book - as in it's official. Main reason is that both books list Kawamori Shouji as the Supervisor.

Of course, what role a supervisor plays is an unanswered question. So too would be asking if his current busy schedule has inhibited his ability to recollect what information was released in previous publications about the two craft in question.

Nevertheless, the main reason for my reappraisal of the books as being more official than not, is that in addition to the supervisor, the information on the gun pod in the VF-1 book is consistant with the data printed in the other publication currently in print: Macross Chronicle. Both these publications may very well represent the creator's current vision of the universe; specifically any revisions, small or large, that have developed over the years.

Which, in itself, is not new to Macross nor the VFs in Macross. The revision to the VF-1's transformation well over a decade ago is the best example of that.

[anime52k8]

Which, in itself, is not new to Macross nor the VFs in Macross. The revision to the VF-1's transformation well over a decade ago is the best example of that.

what got changed?

[sketchley]

If it's 100 total, that's not so bad... 50 per side, if the packs are fairly large, is reasonable enough. After all, the VF-19 manages to squeeze what, 24 mini-missiles into each leg bay? (discounting Chronicle's inexplicable reduction)

I transposed one set of stats with another with that post. The new VF-19A/B/C/D Super Packs* have 220 HMM-20(e) micro-missiles, per pack. (Text mentions the missiles have improved thrust and manueverability compared to the previous HMM-18 micro-missiles.)

Where did that 100 come from? The SPP-8 Propullsion type Mass (as in weight) Bullet Launching Pod; it carries 100 shells. Which apparently has the nickname "housenka" (sounds German to me, but can be translated into Japanese as either balsam, or, if the last syllable is a kanji; artillery battle force/strength. and is also called "popcorn pack", if that makes sense to anyone.

*pg 084-085: VF-19A/B/C/D F.A.S.T. Pack (visually the same as those for the YF-19), VF-19A/B/C/D Super Pack (new), VF-19E/F/S/P Super Pack (M7 aerospace packs).

Edited June 4, 2010 by sketchley

[sketchley]

Haven't spotted total production numbers yet for the 19, but I did notice that one of the color schemes is for the 1,000th VF-19. That's a fairly large number, given that it was never adopted as the new main VF.

I think it's fairly safe to double that number. Based on the following reasoning:

27 Blocks were produced (last was in 2049, and the book conveniently says that it's published in Macross City in 2050 (last page, bottom right of credits)

The 1000th was part of Block 17, produced in 2044 November.

Anyhow, some fun in the Squadron markings sections:

YF-19 Shinsei Industry Internal Test craft

YF-19 Planet Eden New Edwards Base #2 craft (M+)

YF-19 Galaxy Demonstration Tour (the one with the UNS Kite, and names of planets/bases visited under each one. Selling the VF-19, hmmm?)

YF-19 Rollout Anniversary Craft

YF-19 Galaxy Demonstration Tour (orange and white one)

VF-19C Angel Birds (!)

VF-19A Valkyries (!!)

VF-19F Emerald Force (Block 18 #102 craft)

VF-19S Emerald Force (Block 15 #101 craft)

VF-19E Nekki Basara Custom (Block 10 ? craft) Yup, that's not a mistype)

Some of the variants also have numbers produced listed:

YF-19: 8

VFA-19A Assoult-Calibur: 36 produced, 24 converted VF-19A.

VEF-19D Warning Calibur 1: converted from VF-19D Base (radar range given, production number not >.<)

VEF-19E Warning Calibur II: 36 VEF-19D produced (why it's mentioned here???), 58 VEF-19E produced)

VF-19V VIP Calibur: 24 produced

VRF-19D Recon Calibur: 56 produced

The others (VF-19A~D and VF-19E~F,S,P) donIt indicate how many where produced. Perhaps hundreds of each?

[Talos]

Both 100-total or 100/side still seem somewhat unreasonable.

Double dipping on the A's I see.

I was just grabbing random names and realized they were all space shuttles, so I just grabbed whichever random one was next, which happened to be Macross Andromeda.

any links to where we can order it stateside?

HMV, I think, has it, as does Amazon.co.jp. I got mine from them. Amazon ships to the US and goes pretty darn fast (just a few days for me). If you need any help ordering from them, drop me a PM and I'll answer any questions. It's pretty much just like the US site.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A1%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2%E3%83%96%E3%83%AB%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB-VF-19%E3%82%A8%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AA%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC-%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%86%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%83%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E6%9B%B8%E7%B1%8D%E7%B7%A8%E9%9B%86%E9%83%A8/dp/4797356936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275672225&sr=8-1

Now to get back to work on my old VF-19A line art, updating it with details from the new book.

Anyhow, some fun in the Squadron markings sections:

YF-19 Shinsei Industry Internal Test craft

YF-19 Planet Eden New Edwards Base #2 craft (M+)

YF-19 Galaxy Demonstration Tour (the one with the UNS Kite, and names of planets/bases visited under each one. Selling the VF-19, hmmm?)

YF-19 Rollout Anniversary Craft

YF-19 Galaxy Demonstration Tour (orange and white one)

VF-19C Angel Birds (!)

VF-19A Valkyries (!!)

VF-19F Emerald Force (Block 18 #102 craft)

VF-19S Emerald Force (Block 15 #101 craft)

VF-19E Nekki Basara Custom (Block 10 ? craft) Yup, that's not a mistype)

I thought the addition of Emerald Force and Sound Force logos was interesting. Didn't even pick the Emerald one out the first time I leafed through that section.

You forgot to mention that the YF-19 Galaxy Demonstration Tour one with the UNS Kites on it is painted in Roy Fokker's VF-1S colors.

Edited June 4, 2010 by Talos