1/60 Yamato VF-4G Web-Exclusive Toy

[David Hingtgen]

Kawamori never design it to transform. When the first VF-X game came along they took the liberty to make it transform in a very simplistic way until Kawamori step up and retcon it to make all 3 modes.

Wrong. Macross-Myth that is oft-repeated (and oft-corrected). See here: http://macross.anime...ndex.html#Mecha

The VF-4 has been fully variable from Kawamori's earliest sketches in the 80's of it.

[Archer]

As for the whole top heaviness issue, have you guys seen the feet of the Vf-4? They are pretty blocky, meaning that I'm fairly confident that regardless of top heaviness, it will work.

Also, about the gun pod: I did just read that the VF-4 does have under wing pylons, which means that I'm sure Yamato could take advantage of placing a gunpod mount, regardless of whether it is canon or not.

Just a thought!

Edit: I'd be in for a battroid cockpit access hatch as well. Think that is a really cool feature on the VF-19, and wouldn't mind it for the VF-4 either. Easily a selling gimmick for me...

Edited December 30, 2011 by Archer

[David Hingtgen]

I think of the VF-4 in fighter mode like I do the VF-17----gunpodless. If there's one valk that doesn't "need" one IMHO it's the VF-4---it's got some big guns in the forearms, to me they look much more intimidating than the YF-21's.

Remember--a gunpod still only uses one barrel at a time to fire, so much of its size is "wasted"---the actual barrel diameter/round size isn't nearly as big as it looks from the outside.

Question I just had----what's in the VF-4's shoulders? When it transforms, the "covers" flip down and expose---something. Missile launchers? Or at least the upper part--related to the guns in fighter mode? Surely the forearm guns work in battroid mode, so do they get a "power boost" when they're in fighter mode by hooking up directly to the aux/upper engines there?

[Hikuro]

Well, if it's under 300, I'll pony up for it. but it better be a damn nice lookin toy.

[hulagu]

Is the 2012 vf-4 supposed to have that fin head like on that vf-4g above or the concept art head in the PSP games?

[charger69]

I would be very happy if Yamato includes both visor type and fin type heads

Edited December 30, 2011 by charger69

[Lolicon]

Could something with such large engine blocks and small wings actually fly?

Not that I'm knocking this beautiful design, mind you.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Could something with such large engine blocks and small wings actually fly?

Not that I'm knocking this beautiful design, mind you.

F-104 & SR-71 Blackbird say yes

Edited December 30, 2011 by Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0

[treatment]

Could something with such large engine blocks and small wings actually fly?

Not that I'm knocking this beautiful design, mind you.

dude, seriously.

Kawamori has some dumbass dork ace-flying his VF-19 creation with Guitar-Hero controls and you're _questioning_ his VF-4 flight-design???

[David Hingtgen]

Could something with such large engine blocks and small wings actually fly?

The history of aviation has shown that "more power" can beat "fancy aerodynamics" most every time, and solves many problems. (the link between engine power and a wing's ability to produce lift is often overlooked-----wings are not perpetual motion machines, they cannot "create" the force of lift out of the void---they are more like converters, the original source is the engine---this is why when a two-engine plane loses an engine, it may lose 90% of its climb ability---the wings are just as good as they were, but there is now almost no excess power beyond what is needed for maintaining level flight--there's nothing to spare to dedicate to increasing altitude)

[Lolicon]

dude, seriously.

Kawamori has some dumbass dork ace-flying his VF-19 creation with Guitar-Hero controls and you're _questioning_ his VF-4 flight-design???

I guess you're trying to be funny, but I don't see how Basara being a "dumbass dork-ace" with a guitar has anything to do with real world physics and aerodynamics.

I was merely wondering aloud if an aircraft with such tiny wings could fly in the real world.

Thanks David H for providing an actual answer.

Tried to find some links to aviation design blunders, and this is what I turned up.

http://www.cracked.com/article_18839_7-planes-perfectly-designed-to-kill-people-flying-them.html

Edited December 30, 2011 by Lolicon

[treatment]

I guess you're trying to be funny, but I don't see how Basara being a "dumbass dork-ace" with a guitar has anything to do with real world physics and aerodynamics.

I was merely wondering aloud if an aircraft with such tiny wings could fly in the real world.

Thanks David H for providing an actual answer.

Tried to find some links to aviation design blunders, and this is what I turned up.

http://www.cracked.c...lying-them.html

Well, see you're not realizing that you're violating anime law by even posing your question in the first place and trying to wrap it with some real world physics and aerodynamics shenanigans. Specifically...

Anime Law #33 states...

• Law of Topological Aerodynamics, First Law of Anime Aero-Dynamics
  *ANY* shape, no matter how convoluted or odd-looking, is automatically aerodynamic.
  

so, there.

[Lolicon]

Well, see you're not realizing that you're violating anime law by even posing your question in the first place and trying to wrap it with some real world physics and aerodynamics shenanigans. Specifically...

Anime Law #33 states...

• Law of Topological Aerodynamics, First Law of Anime Aero-Dynamics
  *ANY* shape, no matter how convoluted or odd-looking, is automatically aerodynamic.
  

so, there.

You're brilliant.

[valid]

You're brilliant.

i'm not an aviation whiz kid.. but considering vf 4 delta wing forward carnard and streamline body.. i think it's fair to say that it will fly.. but one thing that i'm concerned if it where a real plane.. is the metal fatigue... but considering in that reality a new alloy was found from sdf 1 wreckage than i say.. there's nothing to worry

Edited December 30, 2011 by valid

[sketchley]

Hasn't anyone heard of rockets? Big engine. Even bigger fuel supply. Wings are only for stability...

[Graham]

Could something with such large engine blocks and small wings actually fly?

Not that I'm knocking this beautiful design, mind you.

The body between the wings would provide a lot of lift.

Graham

[Mechamaniac]

VF-4 first appeared in the final episode of SDFM Macross as a scale model Hikaru was toying around, it then appeared on Flashback 2012 but only in fighter mode, Kawamori never design it to transform. When the first VF-X game came along they took the liberty to make it transform in a very simplistic way until Kawamori step up and retcon it to make all 3 modes.

I'm also pretty sure it was seen as one of the model fighters Hikaru had in his quarters in DYRL.

[VF5SS]

I think that model Hikaru had was also white and blue instead of its final colors.

[vf_1s]

Anybody knows the tentative release date for this thing? What does it says about Feb in the sheet? Have anybody translated the sheet yet?

[Archer]

It would be awesome if this was ready for release in February. The vf-4 began official production in February of 2012 in the Macross world. Why not the real world as well?

Haha, I would think pre-orders will open up sometime in February at least.... :/

[UN Spacy]

I just noticed the copyright year on the pamphlet says 1997...shouldn't be 87?

Does that mean it'll be modeled after the Macross Digital Mission VF-X game version then?

[Kyp Durron]

I'd honestly be surprised if it wasn't the FB 2012 version. It's the final Valk we see Hikaru fly in before he and everyone just "disappeared".

-Kyp

[ff95gj]

I think that model Hikaru had was also white and blue instead of its final colors.

He couldn't paint models properly, like me.

[Archer]

Didn't the VF-X game version have the same paint scheme, or nearly so, as the version we see Hikaru flying in FB 2012?

Also, I've been meaning to ask this, but does anyone have size comparisons between the VF-4 and the rest of the valk line up?

I know what the VF-4 looks like, but I really would like to see how it stacks up against the other valks. I really don't want to spend over

$300 on a valk that is the same size as the VF-1.....a size closer to the VF-11 would be better (although it's not that big of a difference).

Edited December 30, 2011 by Archer

[Mommar]

Didn't the VF-X game version have the same paint scheme, or nearly so, as the version we see Hikaru flying in FB 2012?

Also, I've been meaning to ask this, but does anyone have size comparisons between the VF-4 and the rest of the valk line up?

I know what the VF-4 looks like, but I really would like to see how it stacks up against the other valks. I really don't want to spend over

$300 on a valk that is the same size as the VF-1.....a size closer to the VF-11 would be better (although it's not that big of a difference).

Well this is nice and unofficial but it kinda shows their sizes.

http://macross2.net/...s-black2000.jpg

Edited December 30, 2011 by Mommar

[charger69]

Well this is nice and unofficial but it kinda shows their sizes.

http://macross2.net/...s-black2000.jpg

VF-4 is quite big!!

[Penguin]

I think of the VF-4 in fighter mode like I do the VF-17----gunpodless. If there's one valk that doesn't "need" one IMHO it's the VF-4---it's got some big guns in the forearms, to me they look much more intimidating than the YF-21's.

Remember--a gunpod still only uses one barrel at a time to fire, so much of its size is "wasted"---the actual barrel diameter/round size isn't nearly as big as it looks from the outside.

Question I just had----what's in the VF-4's shoulders? When it transforms, the "covers" flip down and expose---something. Missile launchers? Or at least the upper part--related to the guns in fighter mode? Surely the forearm guns work in battroid mode, so do they get a "power boost" when they're in fighter mode by hooking up directly to the aux/upper engines there?

The VF-4's guns are always listed as "heavy" beam cannons of some sort, so maybe it's a question of rate of fire. If the VF-4's guns don't always cycle fast enough for dogfighting, a gun pod might improve effectiveness. Aren't rotary cannons in fighters a result of the philosophy that if you throw enough lead around it increases your chances of hitting something?

I always wondered about those shoulder covers too, although nothing I've read in the official literature mentions internal missiles. They expose an aperature that I would assume connects to the forearm barrels, given their position. Maybe the forearms don't work, and the cannons fire from the shoulders? Maybe the forearms become lighter guns with bigger blasts from the shoulders using, as you suggested, a power boost gained from direct connection to the primary power plants?

Edited December 30, 2011 by Penguin

[505thAirborne]

dude, seriously.

Kawamori has some dumbass dork ace-flying his VF-19 creation with Guitar-Hero controls and you're _questioning_ his VF-4 flight-design???

Classic!!

[Archer]

WOW, I did not expect the VF-4 to be even longer than a VF-17! This should be quite a large fighter then (although this is only based on the fighter profile, as I would suspect the VF-17 to be much thicker and more substantial in terms of mass).

[biggooftoybox]

Consider me sold! I almost choked on my coffee when i first saw Graham's post about the VF-4. I've been waiting for these obscure valks for a long time. Hope they will do more. However being a web exclusive is kind of lousy but as someone pointed out, likely Yamato would jsut produce exactly to the number of orders. I guess it keeps their risk low. However isn't most of the risk in taking the R&D time to design and engineer this baby in the first place? Unless the Yamato engineers were doing this in their spare time.

[Dobber]

Anybody knows the tentative release date for this thing? What does it says about Feb in the sheet? Have anybody translated the sheet yet?

From ff95gj on the first page:

"It only says it's to be merchandized and news to be released on the home page in Feb."

Chris

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

Hot damn, a 1/60 VF-4 toy. I will divert all my funding for Mac 7 valks for this bird instead!

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

This thing better not break if it is going to be expensive. lol

I don't think I can afford more than one if it will be even more pricey than mac 7 toys.

Graham should show us how much abuse it can take before release to assure us it really can survive ordinary handling. I get scared purchasing first releases. Not trying to panic people but the fact is yamato toys as good as they are, are still expensive. You never felt scared to buy the good ole chunky munkeys.

But it wasn't always rosy. People actually complained that there wasn't enough robotech/macross toys anymore and that they had to pay huge $ for vintage toys that are not easy to obtain thanks to lack of new shows. Finally now that the vf-4 is being made, people now say they won't get it because they know it going to cost an arm and a leg. lol I don't believe them because back when the VF-1 1/48 came out, people said that they would only get one of them, and then later what happened is people got addicted and then bought many of the variant paintschemes.

I think if you can only get one VF-4, but it is HIGH quality, it will be justifiable at high price just so long as the thing won't crumble to dust. The bar has been raised so if the price goes higher the expectations will also be higher too. The days of owning multiples of the same thing are over for me. I will be looking at reviews before I get one. Unlike the VF-19S and YF-19 I'm not that obsessed over this compared to them. True it does look cool in fighter mode, but the battroid mode isn't as nice as vf-25 or yf-19 imo.

I think those things hanging off its shoulder like a letterbox is what turns me off it. What are they anyway?

Edited December 31, 2011 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Jasonc]

I guess I know where one of my other presents is going towards.

[macrossnake]

I want to hold it like this...