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

[mechaninac]

They still have blisters on the nacelles as place-holders for the conformal missiles. I'm not worried, yet, that Yamato will goof it up and mold the missiles as blisters onto the engine pods as, like Dobber mentioned, it seems they're concentrating on the fuselage and inboard wings at the moment. I do hope their game plan clearly calls out those blisters as separate parts (missiles) so that the engineering team doesn't mess it up and run out of time to correct it before the files have to go out to the tool maker in order to meet the 2012 release date... a future CAD render or actual resin/RP sample picture should clarify where they're going with this.

Edited April 27, 2012 by mechaninac

[Chronocidal]

Check the actual missile attached to the underside of the fuselage though, that one clearly isn't just a blister.

Also, one of the pics earlier showed more detail on the nacelles, with a similarly detailed missile attached to the upper side of the left nacelle, and a fully detailed tail as well. I don't think these are actually the most recent pictures.

[mechaninac]

Like I said, not worried yet, and I guess I never really focused on the conformal misilles on the fuselage... good to have confirmation, however tenuous, that my nascent paranoia is misplaced.

[Kyp Durron]

I see they're still using the inaccurate VF-1 styled feet thrusters, hopefully they'll end up with something more accurate by the time this is ready to enter production.

-Kyp

[Kurisama]

Not only will it be more stable, I think VF-1 thrusters suit the VF-4 far more than its usual paddles. Hope they continue with them.

[Mommar]

For Kyp's sake I hope he gets what he wants. I personally don't believe they'll attempt to recreate those feet though.

[Reïvaj]

I'd say that in that regard Yamato will do exactly what Shoji Kawamori tell them to do.

[Chronocidal]

Honestly, I think there are a lot of ways they could do the feet, including ones that would match the canon feet if they decided to try it. The sharp angled ones from the VF-1 really don't fit it I think, at least not the way they've been implemented so far.

Now, if they could sink them further forward into the nacelles so the points don't poke out, I think that could work. But the VF-4 isn't supposed to have feet that protrude past the back edge of the nacelles.

The real trick to the VF-4 is how far the feet have to extend/retract so they fit inside the legs. They have to go a long way inside so they don't stick out. If they can pull that off, I probably would be fine with whatever shape they are in battroid.

[Archer]

Anime accuracy aside, I don't think I would mind too much if they went with VF-1 styled feet, as those ratcheted feet are definetely my favorites for macross mech in terms of posability and reliability...

[Kurisama]

I agree, Archer - now where is that photoshop I did of the VF-4 with diff style feet? I'm sure I did one with VF-1 style feet, just to see what it may look like...

[Mommar]

Yeah, I remember you did that and it wasn't so bad looking really.

[Kurisama]

Ah found it, my bad tho - I only potatoshopped VF-0 and VF-11 feet...

[Mommar]

Time for a VF-1 version now?

[UN Spacy]

Yo Yamato? How about stepping up your box art game for this release.

Give us a Tenjin drawn masterpiece we'd normally see on Hasegawa boxes.

Come on...your box art was great for Patlabor, Megazone 23, and Bubblegum Crisis...why do you keep screwing the Macross franchise?

[jvmacross]

Yo Yamato? How about stepping up your box art game for this release.

Give us a Tenjin drawn masterpiece we'd normally see on Hasegawa boxes.

Come on...your box art was great for Patlabor, Megazone 23, and Bubblegum Crisis...why do you keep screwing the Macross franchise?

Totally agree...however, I am sure they will just slap a 30th logo and photoshop image of the valk like with the current VF-1D re-issue:

[Raptor One]

It's an exclusive so the box will probably be white with a monochrome image of the valk

[VF5SS]

I want the same super pixelated Gerwalk line art they used on the promo insert

[MichaelS]

Ok I have been lurking on this site since before the "yamato" era and this has been my fondest wish, now for some glutiny what about fast/strike/super what ever packs? Or is that to much to think about.

[Pierre]

I don't think the vf-4 has official fast packs

[UN Spacy]

I don't think the vf-4 has official fast packs

orly

[Mommar]

orly

Is a sketch considered official? Because those look like the official VF-25 fast packs now.

[Dobber]

Plus, if you look at the un-fast packed VF-4 in that sketch, it doesn't have the upper/arm portion of the nacelles.

Chris

[Pierre]

I think that vf-4 is from macross the ride. It doesn't have arms to save weight i guess

[Lobizon]

I think that vf-4 is from macross the ride

There are VF-4 Super Parts for the Studio Nue timeline penned by Kawamori Shouji, but there official status is unconfirmed.

....like un spacy showed above back in '87.

http://www.macrosswo...ndpost&p=933028

Edited April 30, 2012 by Lobizon

[MichaelS]

So there is president thou small that their is such animal but would Yamato do it?

[VF5SS]

No because the design was never finished nor was it implemented in a high profile official work like in animation or a game.

[Jasonc]

Really, do you think it'd look better with fast packs, or a booster set? I think it only makes the VF-4 look too busy. I think the VF-4 is designed to not need the fast packs. It looks so sleek without them.

[EXO]

The nice thing about FP and armor is that you can always take it off. Unless you people glue them on.

[505thAirborne]

The VF-4 is probably the only Valk design that looks way better with out any fast-packs IMO. Shes sexy enough without all that clutter!

[MichaelS]

So no game had a fast packed vf-4 wow I knew there was nothing for TV but hard to believe they never explained why a fleet fighter doesnt have the same mass fire of it's Predecessor.

[sketchley]

So no game had a fast packed vf-4 wow I knew there was nothing for TV but hard to believe they never explained why a fleet fighter doesnt have the same mass fire of it's Predecessor.

Correction: the MII timeline games HAVE a VF-4 with Super and Strike packs. HOWEVER, that was created before Kawamori-san finalized the VF-4 battroid and GERWALK designs for MDM:VF-X (which is what the VF-4G toy is based on).

The creators have also explained why it doesn't need Super Parts. See here for starters: http://www.macrossro...g37738#msg37738

"Mass Fire" is a bit subjective, too. Super Parts were originally created for the VF-1 to compensate for lack of space endurance (read: fuel). As the VF-4 has more than enough internal space for fuel, it doesn't need FAST packs/Super Parts. The supplemental armour and munitions are just a bonus. The top image here has a VF-4 loaded w/ mass firepower: http://www.macrossro.../VF-4/VF-4.html

On the other hand, one must keep in mind the role of the VF-4: long range interceptor. The charged particle beam guns and long-range missiles it has are more than enough to deal with opponents at range. Close in defence? Some sources have indicated that the VF-4 works in tandem with the VF-1, and the VF-1 covers that role (ie: mass-fire of micro-missiles).

All that said, that doesn't stop us from making our own VF-4 FAST pack designs. Here's a set I made, about a decade before I learned that the VF-4 doesn't need them:

Fighter: http://studiootaking.deviantart.com/gallery/142336#/d11d6a4

Battroid: http://studiootaking.deviantart.com/gallery/142336#/d11damm

Edited April 30, 2012 by sketchley

[akt_m]

Not sure if this has been posted before, some 1/72 VF-4 pics from Model Graphix , there is a VF-1 next to it for size comparison.

Would be possible to place missiles there? I guess it would interfere with the transforming process no?

[MichaelS]

Thank you sketchley for all of that informantion, but now it begs the question why did they go back to fast packs for future vf's?

Scratch all that I seem to be highjacking bring out the vf-4g!!

[David Hingtgen]

The VF-4 is probably the only Valk design that looks way better with out any fast-packs IMO. Shes sexy enough without all that clutter!

Exactly---IMHO that's also why it's about the only design without lots of weapons on external racks/pylons---they're all conformal, blended with the body.

[sketchley]

Thank you sketchley for all of that informantion, but now it begs the question why did they go back to fast packs for future vf's?

Scratch all that I seem to be highjacking bring out the vf-4g!!

See if I can keep the answer short.

In universe: the VF-4 is a dedicated space fighter. It doesn't need supplements to do it's main role any better. Future VFs are more general purpose - they need supplements to assist them in doing more specific roles (ie fly for a decent length of time in space).

Out of universe: the VF-4 is the only main fighter that hasn't truly appeared in a major Macross production. As such, its technologies haven't needed to be improved upon or supplemented to defeat an enemy. Same is true for other VFs that haven't appeared in major productions, such as the 3000, 9 and 14.