Hi-Metal R

[ValkAddict]

On 1/24/2022 at 2:49 PM, jvmacross said:

Bring on the Tomahawk and Phalanx 2-pack!

^ Yes please Bandai!!

[Pontus]

Bandai just announced an upcoming pre-order for an HMR TV Kakizaki VF-1A!

Jk!  I thought about inserting a rickroll link above, but thought better of it.  Anyway, since I'm guessing there's not many who take their HMRs completely apart, thought I'd share some pics for reference.

I considered painting my CF, maybe buying another Hikaru for the white parts.  But they cost a lot, and I already have one.  I generally only collect one of each valk, and I recently got an Arcadia Hikaru GBP, so I don't really need an HMR.  

So I took to carefully tearing apart the cheaper CF first.  It was surprisingly easy, but the arms proved difficult.  I could have just pulled the elbow pin, but it wouldn't match the upper arm color.  

I opened the arms by splitting the arm at the seam on the elbow end with an exacto knife, then pop the middle apart by prying between the joint and arm box on one side.  It will break the plastic pin as you can see, but it's easily glued back together.

I needed to swap hip joints for the brown intake with white legs, so the gerwalk pin had to come out.  The hips pop off by turning hard on the peg while supporting the hip bar from breaking.  I used a short piece of thick paperclip to hammer out the gerwalk pin.  You have to do so in such a way that it can take a light hammering without moving while leaving space underneath for the pin to come out.

The lower leg comes apart easily with 2 screws, one of which is under a friction fit cover.  Here you can see the chunk of "hi metal" they put in the legs, lol.  I figured it was easier to match white than brown, so I decided to use the CF legs and paint the off color.  For now it doesn't even look that bad with the white wheel covers.  

But then I realized I'd still have to match brown for the shoulders.  Speaking if paint, I tried taking off the red stripes the soft way first with alcohol, then acetone, but they just smeared it around staining the rest.  Scraping it off carefully with my trusty xacto worked great without staining.  You need to clean off the chest, the wings, and the leg wheel covers... oh and the fuselage being careful not to cut into the kite.

Turned out pretty good if I say so myself.  Still needs some paint, and I haven't gotten the other wings out yet to remove the red stripes.

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Pontus

[Pontus]

Oh, and I didn't need to, but I disassembled the back panel by removing the little screw in the middle, but it took careful prying in the front of the wing slots to pop the plastic pins loose on either side.  It's not glued like the fore arms are tho.

Time to build an off white Frankenstein with all the extra pieces!

Now to make an extra large steak accessory!

Edited February 27, 2022 by Pontus

[Convectuoso]

@Pontus what's your plan for the shoulders?

About two years ago I bought two OHM VF-1As to repaint as Max and Kakizaki's TV versions, but the guy that was going to do the job disappeared several months ago without sending the repainted valkyries back. He's not answering my calls anymore. 🤬

[Pontus]

4 hours ago, Convectuoso said:

@Pontus what's your plan for the shoulders?

About two years ago I bought two OHM VF-1As to repaint as Max and Kakizaki's TV versions, but the guy that was going to do the job disappeared several months ago without sending the repainted valkyries back. He's not answering my calls anymore. 🤬

I'm gonna have to find/match the brown color to paint the shoulders and tips of the rudders.  White for the lower legs should be easy tho.

[nightmareB4macross]

7 hours ago, Convectuoso said:

@Pontus what's your plan for the shoulders?

About two years ago I bought two OHM VF-1As to repaint as Max and Kakizaki's TV versions, but the guy that was going to do the job disappeared several months ago without sending the repainted valkyries back. He's not answering my calls anymore. 🤬

That’s a bummer.  Was that someone on these boards that we should be aware of?

Would have been nice to have that set.

[Convectuoso]

2 hours ago, nightmareB4macross said:

That’s a bummer.  Was that someone on these boards that we should be aware of?

Would have been nice to have that set.

No. It was someone here in Chile

[twich]

Any new information on the potential/upcoming Hi Metal R VF-0S? Will it have integrated landing gear, as previous pictures suggest?

Thanks!

Twich

[badboy00z]

4 hours ago, twich said:

Any new information on the potential/upcoming Hi Metal R VF-0S? Will it have integrated landing gear, as previous pictures suggest?

Thanks!

Twich

No but just trust that any new info will be here when released.

[sh9000]

I’ve done my share of HMR customs and the brown should be easier to paint match of the CF VF-1A than the off-white of the VF-1J Hikaru.

[Podtastic]

So any news on the HMR Regult Scout?

Or the last of the HMR  Destroids?

Edited March 1, 2022 by Podtastic

[jenius]

You can just page back and look at the recent posts to see if there was... Sadly, it seems Delta is getting all the attention at the moment. I think the last five announcements were all Delta. 

[jvmacross]

I know it's all about Delta Macross these days....but it would be nice to actually get "something" SDFM-related in time for SDFM's October 40th Anniversary....the final 2 HMR Destroids would be nice....so guessing the PO would have to be no later than June for an October release?  Although at this point I'd be happy to just get an official release date announcement before the end of the year...

[seti88]

14 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

I know it's all about Delta Macross these days....but it would be nice to actually get "something" SDFM-related in time for SDFM's October 40th Anniversary....the final 2 HMR Destroids would be nice....so guessing the PO would have to be no later than June for an October release?  Although at this point I'd be happy to just get an official release date announcement before the end of the year...

Hmm, cant see a SDFM HMR this year, if anything, HMR M0 valks would be a more likely focus? 

For SDFM related for its 40th, i might guess something in 1/48th...maybe completion of vermillion squadron..

[no3Ljm]

Or they could just finally announce these two... again.  

[sh9000]

1 hour ago, jvmacross said:

I know it's all about Delta Macross these days....but it would be nice to actually get "something" SDFM-related in time for SDFM's October 40th Anniversary....the final 2 HMR Destroids would be nice....so guessing the PO would have to be no later than June for an October release?  Although at this point I'd be happy to just get an official release date announcement before the end of the year...

This.

[derex3592]

9 hours ago, sh9000 said:

This.

Double This.

[Ignacio Ocamica]

12 hours ago, derex3592 said:

Double This.

Triple this.

[vlenhoff]

On 3/2/2022 at 8:46 PM, Ignacio Ocamica said:

Triple this.

Quadruple this.

[Big s]

Personally, I’m tired of the vf1, I want that teased vf 0 or those last two destroids or some more great Zentraedi mecha

[Rein+]

5 hours ago, Big s said:

Personally, I’m tired of the vf1, I want that teased vf 0 or those last two destroids or some more great Zentraedi mecha

they should make something new imo, like zentradi ship or the earth battleship

bandai should remake that macross quarter.

[jvmacross]

9 minutes ago, Rein+ said:

they should make something new imo, like zentradi ship or the earth battleship

bandai should remake that macross quarter.

I think Bandai has a separate line for small scale battleships...they released the TV SDF-1, but that's about it

I'd like to see a SOC TV SDF-1, but I guess this is the HMR thread....

[sh9000]

7 hours ago, vlenhoff said:

Quadruple this.

Quintuple this.

[Anasazi37]

9 hours ago, sh9000 said:

Quintuple this.

[Drad]

Still waiting for TV VF-1S Roy, TV Max and TV Kakizaki VF-1As and.. the last two Destroids. Figuarts has a prime opportunity to make Zentran/Meltran soldiers to go against the Valks, too.

An SOC TV SDF-1 would be fantastic.

[Big s]

Speaking of figuarts, remember that Bretai they teased. And the Char and the Faye. I just hope some things  pop up this year

[Convectuoso]

For those who have made HM customs, especially @sh9000, what's the safest way to remove the head of a HM Valk?

[sh9000]

55 minutes ago, Convectuoso said:

For those who have made HM customs, especially @sh9000, what's the safest way to remove the head of a HM Valk?

If you’re talking about the neck joint that is connected to the hinged flat panel then I use a blade to very carefully disconnect it from the panel.

[Convectuoso]

Thanks!

[Pontus]

On 3/5/2022 at 9:38 AM, Convectuoso said:

For those who have made HM customs, especially @sh9000, what's the safest way to remove the head of a HM Valk?

I used a pair of hemostats (or just fine needle nose pliers) to squeeze the clip together underneath the plate while pushing up with my thumb and it popped out easily without damage.  Personally, I wouldn't pry with a blade if you can access the clip.  I tried that but didn't like the stress it was causing to the plastic.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Pontus

[Convectuoso]

1 hour ago, Pontus said:

I used a pair of hemostats (or just fine needle nose pliers) to squeeze the clip together underneath the plate while pushing up with my thumb and it popped out easily without damage.  Personally, I wouldn't pry with a blade if you can access the clip.  I tried that but didn't like the stress it was causing to the plastic.

Thanks

[sh9000]

On 3/5/2022 at 11:31 AM, Convectuoso said:

Thanks!

No problem.  All of my HMR that had the neck joint removed are still in perfect condition.  I just slightly budge the blade and the neck joint disconnects from the panel very easily.

[RDX17]

So, the Hi-Metal R Soltic H8 is due out in April to be followed by the Xabungle in October. 2022 isn't looking good for an HMR Macross release.

[vladykins]

20 hours ago, RDX17 said:

So, the Hi-Metal R Soltic H8 is due out in April to be followed by the Xabungle in October. 2022 isn't looking good for an HMR Macross release.

If I didn't already have the earlier Roundfacer release, I'd have to grab that just for the little tank guys.

[RDX17]

5 hours ago, vladykins said:

If I didn't already have the earlier Roundfacer release, I'd have to grab that just for the little tank guys.

I hear ya! In a similar vein, I haven't picked up any of the DX releases but I seriously considered getting the VF-1D just for the Fan Racer.