Yamato 1/60 VF-17 Nightmare Diamond Force

[m0n5t3r]

the one on the psp cover actually looks more like WTF more than MTF...

[raptormesh]

Here is my contribution special Macross World Forum's Badge for decal sheet.

Haha well done mate, wouldn't mind that on a Thunderbolt or a sturmvogel for instance.

[charger69]

Finally, one more request, a screen capture from ep 43 (IIRC) showing the reaction missiles being loaded into the VF-17. Need a clear pic showing the reaction missile bay doors open on the VF-17.

Graham

Reaction missile bay doors are open:

Thanks to MMM

Edited June 1, 2011 by charger69

[charger69]

Layers are put together!

Landing gears and missile bay doors

Edited June 1, 2011 by charger69

[charger69]

Even made an animated gif from it

[CF18]

So the folded gun pod is stored on the inner side of the right leg, then you pull it out from a small door on the outer/front side of the leg. And then we want the landing gear, missile bay and ratchet hinge in the same leg too.

The designer is going to say what a nightmare! But when it work we will say it is the VF-17 Nightmare come true!

[Mommar]

That's a lot of interesting stuff but I've gotta say, good luck fitting all of that crap into the legs and getting a slim fighter from it. I don't see how it's possible. Maybe Yamato will make me eat my words but I'm almost positive that the gun pod, at least, is going to wind up like the VF-22 and be left outside.

[Mommar]

Thanks guys, greatly appreciate your speedy work. Had to (a) stop them making the same mistake as Bandai and (b) want to make sure they include the beam gun adaptor.

Graham

What was "the" Bandai mistake?

[Graham]

What was "the" Bandai mistake?

Having gunpod firing ports on both the right and left leg on the 1/65 DX.

Graham

[charger69]

That's a lot of interesting stuff but I've gotta say, good luck fitting all of that crap into the legs and getting a slim fighter from it. I don't see how it's possible. Maybe Yamato will make me eat my words but I'm almost positive that the gun pod, at least, is going to wind up like the VF-22 and be left outside.

Don't give them ideas come on

[kanedaestes]

I believe we may have to sacrifice the missle bays if we want a gunpod. I don't mind really if they can get the gunpod gimmick to work. Can't wail till the end of the year or early next year to see some prototypes.

[raptormesh]

Yeah prefer the gunpod hatch over missile bays anytime.

[charger69]

I believe we may have to sacrifice the missle bays if we want a gunpod. I don't mind really if they can get the gunpod gimmick to work. Can't wail till the end of the year or early next year to see some prototypes.

I still beleive that they can do a shallow missile bay and gunpod gimmick working all together.

Edited June 1, 2011 by charger69

[Mommar]

I believe we may have to sacrifice the missle bays if we want a gunpod. I don't mind really if they can get the gunpod gimmick to work. Can't wail till the end of the year or early next year to see some prototypes.

My feeling is in order to get the fighter mode sufficiently compact yet allow for a more bulky leg in Battroid that all internal leg stuff (minus the landing gear) may have to be abandoned.

[charger69]

My feeling is in order to get the fighter mode sufficiently compact yet allow for a more bulky leg in Battroid that all internal leg stuff (minus the landing gear) may have to be abandoned.

Don't give up so easly guys! We didn't expect a working cockpit hatch from VF-19 don't we?

[Vic Mancini]

Maybe this is a stupid question (it probably is) but does the GERWALK mode of the vf-17 have arms? I have not seen macross 7, and all the pics I look at make it seem like the standard GERWALK configuration of the vf-17 lacks arms.....

Yeah, weirdest gerwalk ever. The strangest part is the legs. I'm not sure why they don't bend forward more. There's no real reason why they shouldn't be able to.

Maybe those elbow cannons have SERIOUS recoil and the legs have to be positioned way behind the center of gravity so it doesn't fall on it's butt when it fires.

Edited June 1, 2011 by Vic Mancini

[Mommar]

Don't give up so easly guys! We didn't expect a working cockpit hatch from VF-19 don't we?

Better to be pleasantly surprised rather than let down though. I'm looking at it like none of it can be done. Even if they get partial that's a win for me.

[VF5SS]

I hope it comes with Fast packs just like this model.

[Mommar]

I hope it comes with Fast packs just like this model.

It doesn't fit together great but that model is proportioned pretty well.

[Chronocidal]

The big problem I can see is just from the sheer amount of stuff that's supposed to be in the legs.

1. The gunpod itself, which in the recent screenshots is longer than the leg itself

2. The landing gear

3. The missile bays

4. The actual joints and such to make the leg even work to begin with

Even ignoring the fact that there's supposed to be a full sized engine in those legs, I don't see how they can cram that much in there.

On another subject though, how does the gunpod get removed from the leg to begin with? I don't remember how the compartment opens, or how that huge gunpod folds up to fit in there. The entire inside of the leg seems like it will be taken up by the missile bay and gear, and I seem to remember the gunpod ejecting from the outside of that leg. But considering the outside of the leg becomes the top in fighter mode, and the gunpod barrel protrudes from the bottom.. I'm going to have to puzzle this out later I think.

The spot for the beam adapter doesn't seem too fancy compared with the other leg, and I can actually imagine some sort of spring-loaded or sliding mechanism working there, just to help minimize the space it takes up.

[Mommar]

The big problem I can see is just from the sheer amount of stuff that's supposed to be in the legs.

1. The gunpod itself, which in the recent screenshots is longer than the leg itself

2. The landing gear

3. The missile bays

4. The actual joints and such to make the leg even work to begin with

Even ignoring the fact that there's supposed to be a full sized engine in those legs, I don't see how they can cram that much in there.

On another subject though, how does the gunpod get removed from the leg to begin with? I don't remember how the compartment opens, or how that huge gunpod folds up to fit in there. The entire inside of the leg seems like it will be taken up by the missile bay and gear, and I seem to remember the gunpod ejecting from the outside of that leg. But considering the outside of the leg becomes the top in fighter mode, and the gunpod barrel protrudes from the bottom.. I'm going to have to puzzle this out later I think.

The spot for the beam adapter doesn't seem too fancy compared with the other leg, and I can actually imagine some sort of spring-loaded or sliding mechanism working there, just to help minimize the space it takes up.

The one saving grace to the design is that the feet don't really fold up into the leg all that much so most of the room inside the leg can be use for something things. Though I hadn't even considered the necessary room for joints/etc. Geez.

[UN_MARINE]

I'm pretty sure putting all those gimmicks inside the leg is possible.

There may be some small compromise to the proportion of the legs or gunpod, but I think there's enough room for all the necessary parts.

For example, the knee ratchet joint doesn't necessarily have to be inside the lower leg assembly.

[Chronocidal]

True, though the feet do need to extend at least a little to properly unfold, and let it stand without dragging the ankle cuffs.

Given a fat enough leg, I don't think the missile bays would be too hard to do, but I wonder how fat the leg can get before the plane starts looking bad. The thing I have trouble picturing is how the gunpod can pass clear through the leg without interfering with the landing gear. If my memory is right, and the gunpod pops out on the outer panel of the lower leg, then there has to be a massive internal space for that thing, because the barrel protrudes from the inner side panel of the leg. I'll have to look for some more details on that later actually.

I'm really curious how that gunpod folds up too, since it's not really clear in those earlier shots. I do hope they include the fold out side grip though, holding it like that just looks awesome.

I think it can possibly work, but those landing gear are going to need to be really slim to let a gunpod that big fit into the legs. I don't know what type of gear is canon on this thing, but something similar to the way the SV-51's gear are built just might work.

[valhary]

wow I imagine something like hasbro do with the new optimus

[Vi-RS]

yeah, it should only be on the right leg.

I can feel that the wings will be pretty big in B mode, pretty much exteded up to the knee like the VF-1. You can't have big elongated wings in F mode but tiny wings on B mode.

Edited June 1, 2011 by Vi-RS

[kanedaestes]

Maybe a slide out wing mechanism? They push in and up for Battroid and pull down and out for Fighter.

[Archer]

Looking at the previous comments, all the suggestions for the model, and the sheer number of potential gimmicks (which I am sure out do the vf-19 hands down), I have a feeling this toy will be a *nightmare* for all the yamato designers

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Toy of the year if they can squeeze it all in.

Bandai is probably seeing what they could borrow for vf-171 once they can figure it out. lol

This is practice for when/if we ever get to see macf toys from yamato.

I can live without PT landing gear if it means we get a great gunpod gimmick but the gunpod should have 2 versions:

1. A canon proportioned one that doesn't fit into the leg. (I'm assuming that it's too big and anime magic is involved, correct me if I'm wrong)

2. one that is pieced together in order to fit inside properly without making fighter mode chunky from the side.

Meh, space valks don't need landing gears anyway. It's so overrated.

I think the fighter mode fans are interested in slim looking jet mostly.

.....but let's see if they can give us everthing without compromise.

If I had to choose what to remove, though...I'd say make the landing gear non-perfect transforming.

I get the feeling what they will do is just make the gunpod smaller instead of making fighter mode fat from the side.

I like fold out gimmicks.

I like what takara-tomy/hasbro did with banzaitron for transformers with the sword folding out from his backpack/tank turret.

Edited June 2, 2011 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[raptormesh]

I can live without PT landing gear if it means we get a great gunpod gimmick but the gunpod should have 2 versions:ide.

Disagree about the PT landing gear. Integrated is a must for me. I don't want to keep around a box of wheels for my valk in a drawer somewhere.

[eugimon]

should be doable, but might need to shrink the gunpod to make it work. In that case, I'd suggest two gunpods, one for PT and a beefier, anime accurate one.

[Graham]

I can feel that the wings will be pretty big in B mode, pretty much exteded up to the knee like the VF-1. You can't have big elongated wings in F mode but tiny wings on B mode.

Yes, unfortunately the wings extend to the back of the knees. No easy way around this unless you have swappable wings, a small set for battroid and a full size set for fighter, but Yamato don't want to do that.

Graham

[Graham]

The VF-17's lower legs were always going to be problematic.They have to look big and chunky for battroid mode, yet slim enough to enable a relatively slim fighter mode.

And then into the lower leg, you need to fit the rear landing gear, folded gunpod, reaction missile bay, all the associated doors and the connections for the knee and ankle joint.

At this stage, I can confirm landing gear and a gunpod stored in the leg (in some form). I don't know yet, but I suspect the reaction missile bay may not be included (I should know later today).

The latest CADs look great. From what I saw yesterday, Yamato have done a good job of capturing the chunkiness of the Nightmare in battroid, while still keeping a relatively slim fighter mode.

Graham

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

That's good to hear. So gunpod gimmick is confirmed as well as PT landing gear. Nice.

I can live without the missile gimmick since I like battroid mode more.

What kind of joints can we expect?

I can see fans of basara posing vf-19 with his sound boosters near gamlin and having nukes appear useless anyway. Not even the space whale seem phased by the reaction bomb in one of the ovas if I remember anyway lol Mac7 makes reaction weapons the bad guy a lot.

Edited June 2, 2011 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[nightmareB4macross]

That is music to my ears.

Thanks for the update, Graham.

[jenius]

Ha, I like the comment about landing gears not being needed for a space fighter... but that it should look slim... as if aerodynamics would be important for a space fighter