DX Chogokin VF-171 Cannon Fodder

[Chronocidal]

Has anyone every thought to build a diorama of a valk graveyard, with all of their destroyed Cannon Fodder's? At least you'd get some use out of the various broken parts and pieces.

I don't think anyone was dumb enough to actually buy that many of them in the first place. Though it might exist from someone buying up the scraps of destroyed ones?

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

I threw out all 4 of my 171 in disgust about 6 months ago (2 x CF & 2 x Alto).

lol

[McFly!!]

Sell them as Schroedingers Valks. It's a unique selling point for people who like to gamble.

Lol! I suppose that would appeal to some buyers! XD Don't think I'm going to be able to get back what I paid for them though

[M'Kyuun]

Well I bought another 171 from another member for $50. This one had cracked shoulders but they hold just fine. The one you see with no armor pack is the one I had before with completely crumbled shoulders..

So i go to apply the shapeways fix to the one with no armor and wow they work great.. but i swear this toy has a mind of its own because as soon as i fixed that, this happened.....

Chest hinge crumbled.... No matter what it wants to remain in junk mode with something broken It actually holds in battroid with one hinge but i believe it will only be a matter of time before the other hinge breaks.

I had the same thing happen to one of my 171s, although it was my fault for using too much force. Anyway, I dremeled out the area where the rotation joint had been, and J-B Welded a piece of ink pen reservoir tube to serve as a new rotation point. I'm going to use a piece of styrene with a hole drilled to allow for a small nail to pass through and hopefully make it more solid. I let the Weld cure overnight, and it holds the tube, but didn't chemically bond with it. For the next part, attaching the styrene and nail, I'm curious if any of the modelers out there know what will adhere to the reservoir tube? PM me if you have any questions/solutions. Thanks.

[Chronocidal]

You know what? I just had an amusing realization. Your comment about the ink pen jarred my memory about how people used to rely on Bic pen mods to give their old 1/55ths thigh rotation joints.

If I can get the knee joint apart well enough to work on it and get it working, that old mod might be a decent way to get the thigh pivot working again.

[Brand-X]

I had the same thing happen to one of my 171s, although it was my fault for using too much force. Anyway, I dremeled out the area where the rotation joint had been, and J-B Welded a piece of ink pen reservoir tube to serve as a new rotation point. I'm going to use a piece of styrene with a hole drilled to allow for a small nail to pass through and hopefully make it more solid. I let the Weld cure overnight, and it holds the tube, but didn't chemically bond with it. For the next part, attaching the styrene and nail, I'm curious if any of the modelers out there know what will adhere to the reservoir tube? PM me if you have any questions/solutions. Thanks.

Totally off topic, but is that Quakewave in the background? Got a spare? Willing to sell? Got a friend with one who has a drug problem?

[M'Kyuun]

Ask Anubis; I was just quoting his post. But yeah, that looks suspiciously like Quakewave.

[Negotiator]

If anyone is considering junking their 171cf, please consider donating the black piece that 's under the cockpit that helps support the torso in 'bot mode, to me I'm still trying to salvage mine.

[Mr Bomber]

i got a question regarding this toy. is it true that it have many QC problems? like it breaks on leg joints and stuff like that?

i like it a lot and im considering getting it, but if it is as fragile as it seems im not sure.

[MacrossJunkie]

i got a question regarding this toy. is it true that it have many QC problems? like it breaks on leg joints and stuff like that?

i like it a lot and im considering getting it, but if it is as fragile as it seems im not sure.

It is probably one of the most QC riddled Macross toys to exist. The problems aren't constrained to just the exploding shoulders. Various parts are known to have broken or are missing right out of the box. Needless to say, it is a risky purchase. The EX variants seem to be much safer to get.

[Mr Bomber]

It is probably one of the most QC riddled Macross toys to exist. The problems aren't constrained to just the exploding shoulders. Various parts are known to have broken or are missing right out of the box. Needless to say, it is a risky purchase. The EX variants seem to be much safer to get.

ok man thx, i should focus on the plus EX then.

thx a lot for the tip.

[anubis20]

Well the chest hinge that was left on the one i posted earlier crumbled as well... This one is in forever fighter mode now should try Gerwalk to see if it'll hold.

[no3Ljm]

Just want to ask something on the DX VF-171 line. EX was produced before the CF variants, correct?

Thanks.

[jenius]

Yup, Alto's EX was first.

[no3Ljm]

Thanks jenius. Kinda weird that Alto's Ex is more superior when it comes to those exploding triangles knowing that the CF produced later on.

[calubin_175]

I was wondering, if I were to buy a VF-171 CF brand new with no intention of transforming it, but plan to attach the armored parts in its fighter mode, would I encounter any triangle problems?

[aceoftherebellion]

It seems to be a problem with the plastic degrading over time, identicle to (but much, much quicker) than the old Gold Plastic Syndrome. Mine had cracks strait out of the box that I noticed even before transforming it (at this point it disintegrated and had to be reconstructed with glue and joint re-engineering.)

[chyll2]

I was wondering, if I were to buy a VF-171 CF brand new with no intention of transforming it, but plan to attach the armored parts in its fighter mode, would I encounter any triangle problems?

Based on the stories from this forum, Yes.

[Rabidweezil]

I was wondering, if I were to buy a VF-171 CF brand new with no intention of transforming it, but plan to attach the armored parts in its fighter mode, would I encounter any triangle problems?

While I was rearranging my display case I moved my VF-171 and a piece of one of the triangles just fell off of one side. And the other side is about to do the same thing.

I have NEVER transformed this Valkyrie. So for those of you thinking that staying in fighter mode will help keep this from happening, it won't.

Thanks Bandai.

171.jpg

[Mechapilot77]

hmm, i wonder how mine are doing. i picked THIS release to "army build" back when it came out. I have 3. 2 have never left fighter mode. One was put in battroi mode with armor packs as ell and then transformed back to fighter. 2 remain on display in fighter mode. i wonder if they have spontaneously cracked without me noticing. i will take em out and check at some point. IF not, am i the luckiest CF owner?

[ChaoticYeti]

hmm, i wonder how mine are doing. i picked THIS release to "army build" back when it came out. I have 3. 2 have never left fighter mode. One was put in battroi mode with armor packs as ell and then transformed back to fighter. 2 remain on display in fighter mode. i wonder if they have spontaneously cracked without me noticing. i will take em out and check at some point. IF not, am i the luckiest CF owner?

You have Schrödinger's shoulders. They are both broken, and not broken. Don't risk it. Don't check.

[takatoys]

Are ALL the VF-171 cannon fodders prone to breaking? Is there a "first batch" that is inmune to any defect on the black plastic?

If you are rich enough, can you buy an Alto or the other new variants, exchange parts and have a perfect VF-171?

[QuinJester]

Are ALL the VF-171 cannon fodders prone to breaking?

Yes.

Is there a "first batch" that is inmune to any defect on the black plastic?

Unfortunately, no

If you are rich enough, can you buy an Alto or the other new variants, exchange parts and have a perfect VF-171?

Theoretically, sure. Unfortunately, beyond just the shoulder triangles there are other, structural parts of the CF VF-171 that are also made of the faulty plastic, like in the chest hinges and in the knees, and these parts are covered by screw covers, glue, and rivets, making swapping those parts likely a nightmarish experience. You'd honestly be better off just keeping the Alto or whatever stock and enjoying it as-is.

[takatoys]

Thanks for the clarification. It's up to Bandai then, to release a non "self destructive" cannon fodder.

Edited June 30, 2015 by takatoys

[ChaoticYeti]

They did it on purpose as a meta comment on the plight of cannon fodder pilots.

[Scyla]

I don't understand why Bandai didn't produce a few extra shoulders when they produced the RFV-171 and VF-171EX Itasha and just threw them in the box. I'm sure enough people would order to get replacement parts for their VF-171CF.

[calubin_175]

So there was no recall or parts replacement run?

[Kurisama]

...i will take em out and check at some point. IF not, am i the luckiest CF owner?

Valkyr morghulis... All Valks must break.

[no3Ljm]

I can't remember Bandai did product recalls nor replacements in the past. Probably it's a different story, if you live in Japan.

[Rabidweezil]

As far as I can tell, Bandai never acknowledged the issue at all.

[xrentonx]

I don't think toy companies do recalls unless the toy is a physical danger to children.

[mickyg]

If daddy throws his toy across the room due to anger over broken shoulders, and toy accidentally hits child, does that count?

[xrentonx]

How much beer was involved? This is important

[Chronocidal]

I don't think Bandai has ever even considered replacing individual parts, they pretty much seem to be an all or nothing replacement deal. They don't replace parts, they just request the entire thing back.

Given the manufacturing practices I once discussed with a former Toyota employee, it might not be common for Japanese companies to stock spare parts for anything at all.

[calubin_175]

So are the hardpoint weapons only attachable onto the VF-171 series(wings from armored pack), the YF-30 and VF-19 Advance?