Hi-Metal R

[anubis20]

 

[sh9000]

Thanks to the post office for delivering today.  I got 4 in so far.  

[Sildani]

Flory’s Dark Dirt huh? Looks sharp as a tack. Any tips and tricks? May well do that for my 31 and 27. 

[no3Ljm]

@derex3592 Nice touch on the Flory's Panel Wash.

@anubis20 You forgot to pull back the vertical stabilizer sections. That's how I want to pose my VF-2SS with Hikaru's VF-1J.

 

[sh9000]

Here’s the pose as close as possible on the stand attachment with the arms and legs angled and the heat shield more flush.

Edited December 12, 2017 by sh9000

[derex3592]

5 hours ago, Sildani said:

Flory’s Dark Dirt huh? Looks sharp as a tack. Any tips and tricks? May well do that for my 31 and 27. 

Nothing hard about it. Small paintbrush to brush it on, then let it dry, lick a clean makeup wedge sponge or paper towel and wipe of the excess.  Sometimes it takes two passes to get it perfect. Nice and easy, always removable with a toothbrush and some water if you don't like the outcome. 

[SuperHobo]

3 hours ago, sh9000 said:

Here’s the pose as close as possible on the stand attachment with the arms and legs angled and the heat shield more flush.

Yes, good, more Obari posing. 

[vlenhoff]

I am so glad i did not miss this one. I could only get one, and it is still on its way 

MY old bandai model kit 

Not perfect, but it is the only VF-2SS i ever had.

It now rests perpetually in fighter mode. I can't wait to get my HM-R VF-2SS!

[Slave IV]

Messed around with my VF-2SS late last night and I'm not all that impressed...It's my only VF-2 toy and I know it's a difficult design to realize in 3d form but just it's not polished enough to me. Mainly, I don't like how most of it is just floating together in all three modes. I'm surprised to see some people conider this a better toy than the VF-1...the increased metal joints are a nice touch but it also seems like the toy would crumble without them so they were pretty much a must. Still, happy to add it to my collection but I'm not looking forward to a whole squad of every variant. 

[anubis20]

7 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

Messed around with my VF-2SS late last night and I'm not all that impressed...It's my only VF-2 toy and I know it's a difficult design to realize in 3d form but just it's not polished enough to me. Mainly, I don't like how most of it is just floating together in all three modes. I'm surprised to see some people conider this a better toy than the VF-1...the increased metal joints are a nice touch but it also seems like the toy would crumble without them so they were pretty much a must. Still, happy to add it to my collection but I'm not looking forward to a whole squad of every variant. 

Thats how i feel, its not really all that solid in any mode. My journey with the Bandai 2SS ends with this one. 

Only thing i can say the 2SS is better at than the VF-1 is the amount of partsforming. Much less parts needed to go from one mode to another. 

Edited December 12, 2017 by anubis20

[davidwhangchoi]

haven't had my vf-2ss yet. but reading the comments, i hope the VF-1 dx is more promising. the vf-1 hi metal does not impress, and was hoping the vf-2ss was better. it does look nice in the photos.

[Chronocidal]

4 minutes ago, anubis20 said:

Thats how i feel, its not really all that solid in any mode. My journey with the Bandai 2SS ends with this one. 

Only thing i can say the 2SS is better at than the VF-1 is the amount of partsforming. Much less parts needed to go from one mode to another. 

I can definitely agree that it feels cobbled together, but at the same time I don't think I can fault the HMR for that.  The ship design itself is pretty much just a bunch of robot parts that kind of float around with no solid attachment to anything.  The only thing holding any of it together is the stiffness of its own transformation joints, and while it doesn't make for a great toy design, I can't say it isn't actually accurate.

There are a few areas they could definitely improve though.  Some sort of notch or clicking joint to tell you when the hips are in the right spot for fighter could be nice.  Also, the little nubby hands they included to fold into the arms are less than worthless, and actually make it more difficult to fold the wrists into the arms, because they pop off at the slightest pressure.  The little ball pegs seem too undersized to hold anything, and I think I would have preferred a single piece solid fist to rotate in and out, for all the good those do.

[no3Ljm]

I have to agree with all you guys. It's not perfect. But for me, it still beats Evolution Toy's VF-2SS.

 

[davidwhangchoi]

1 minute ago, no3Ljm said:

I have to agree with all you guys. It's not perfect. But for me, it still beats Evolution Toy's VF-2SS.

 

have to agree with the Evolution comparisons =)

[Roy Focker]

I think my VF-2SS must on a mail truck that's stuck between 2 wildfires.

[sh9000]

41 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

Messed around with my VF-2SS late last night and I'm not all that impressed...It's my only VF-2 toy and I know it's a difficult design to realize in 3d form but just it's not polished enough to me. Mainly, I don't like how most of it is just floating together in all three modes. I'm surprised to see some people conider this a better toy than the VF-1...the increased metal joints are a nice touch but it also seems like the toy would crumble without them so they were pretty much a must. Still, happy to add it to my collection but I'm not looking forward to a whole squad of every variant. 

Pretty much how I felt when I took it out of the box yesterday to pose.  My main nitpicks would be that the sliding thrusters on the backpack and the chest area should have been able to lock and the fists should have been able to plug in better.  For its complex transformation and engineering put into it, I still like it and to top it off it still goes well with everything else in the line.  The VF-2SS kind of feels like a modern HCM toy.

I still love the VF-1 because it is classic with less tiny moving parts and a simpler transformation yet still poseable.

Tenjin pose!

[Chronocidal]

26 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

Pretty much how I felt when I took it out of the box yesterday to pose.  My main nitpicks would be that the sliding thrusters on the backpack and the chest area should have been able to lock and the fists should have been able to plug in better.  For its complex transformation and engineering put into it, I still like it and to top it off it still goes well with everything else in the line.  The VF-2SS kind of feels like a modern HCM toy.

Not sure about the chest area, but the backpack thrusters do actually have a little bit of a lock that clicks into place when they slide, at least to the rear.  They still wobble around and look horribly fragile on their little struts though.

[Slave IV]

Pretty much sums it up! I removed the tiny hands and will probably never use them again...better off just removing whatever larger hand I'm using completely if I'm transforming to Fighter mode. Looks great as part of the HMR collection and I definitely don't fault them or anyone else for the design that just hasn't worked in 3D toy form. This tells me that I most likely will not want a DX 1/60 version just because it will be more expensive and not much room to improve significantly. 

[Sildani]

This is a design that would benefit from magnets helping to lock everything into place. Problem is, would the factory worker bother to respect the polarity? I wonder. 

[sh9000]

I love them all.

[Lord_Of_Tetris]

Random request: Can someone pose the VF-2 next to a few Deluxe-class Transformers? Mine has been shipping since FOREVER, and I NEED more photos. 

Most of my collection is Transformers, and so seeing the VF-2 next to some Deluxe figures will be a clear visual indicator, to me, of the size.

Thanks!

[Lolicon]

On 12/10/2017 at 8:09 PM, derex3592 said:

Did some simple Flory's Dark Dirt panel lining on the SAP and Battroid wings today, tried to bring some details out. Might do the whole aircraft next weekend if I get a chance... 

Ooooh that looks fantastic! Nice work! 

I've been slowly working on mine as well, as I've felt the VF-2SS looks way too plain out of the box for such an expensive toy. Almost like an unfinished model kit. 

I, uh, didn't exactly enjoy working with all those tiny NO STEP decals lol

[Scyla]

27 minutes ago, Lolicon said:

Ooooh that looks fantastic! Nice work! 

I've been slowly working on mine as well, as I've felt the VF-2SS looks way too plain out of the box for such an expensive toy. Almost like an unfinished model kit. 

I, uh, didn't exactly enjoy working with all those tiny NO STEP decals lol

Nice work! 

It is a shame that it doesn't look that good straight out of the box.

[no3Ljm]

29 minutes ago, Lolicon said:

Ooooh that looks fantastic! Nice work! 

I've been slowly working on mine as well, as I've felt the VF-2SS looks way too plain out of the box for such an expensive toy. Almost like an unfinished model kit. 

I, uh, didn't exactly enjoy working with all those tiny NO STEP decals lol

Lovely. Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[derex3592]

@Lolicon NICE!!!! Where did you find the tiny decals???

[seti88]

9 hours ago, Lolicon said:

Ooooh that looks fantastic! Nice work! 

I've been slowly working on mine as well, as I've felt the VF-2SS looks way too plain out of the box for such an expensive toy. Almost like an unfinished model kit. 

I, uh, didn't exactly enjoy working with all those tiny NO STEP decals lol

 

Nicely decaled! Cant wait for pics of it re-assembled!

On a separate note, since you had it sort of dis-assembled, did you also fix the heat shield?

 

[Lolicon]

@no3Ljm @Scyla Thanks guys!

@derex3592 I scanned and scaled down the ET and some Yamato sticker sheets and then printed them on decal paper.

@seti88 No I didn't fix the heat shield. This one is going to stay in fighter mode once I get the SAP finished. My other one will stay in battroid so I'll probably mod that one. Though I might change my mind and mod it anyway.

 

[sh9000]

On 12/12/2017 at 10:51 AM, Slave IV said:

Pretty much sums it up! I removed the tiny hands and will probably never use them again...better off just removing whatever larger hand I'm using completely if I'm transforming to Fighter mode. Looks great as part of the HMR collection and I definitely don't fault them or anyone else for the design that just hasn't worked in 3D toy form. This tells me that I most likely will not want a DX 1/60 version just because it will be more expensive and not much room to improve significantly. 

If Bandai were to make a DX version, then I’d buy it so that I can truly get rid of the ET version.

The HMR VF-2SS will be a keeper.

[Slave IV]

30 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

If Bandai were to make a DX version, then I’d buy it so that I can truly get rid of the ET version.

The HMR VF-2SS will be a keeper.

I don't really want it but that doesn't mean I won't buy one if it's made. 

and yeah, no way I'd give up my HMR. It's one of if not the best line in toys to me right now and saying I'm not as impressed with the VF-2 is just that the bar is so high and I'm extremely impressed with so many of the other releases. 

[locidm]

I just got VF-2SS earlier this week. Didn't have time to mess with it but my initial impression on the battroid mode alone is that its guts (metal frame) is showing and not in a subtle way. There's a lot of hate for the ET version, but the battroid mode of the ET one looks a lot cleaner than the HMR battroid, and holds together better than the HMR battroid.

Haven't transformed the HMR VF-2SS yet, but am hoping that the fighter mode looks good and hold together (ET fails majorly in fighter mode).

 

[Convectuoso]

3 hours ago, Lolicon said:

@no3Ljm @Scyla Thanks guys!

@derex3592 I scanned and scaled down the ET and some Yamato sticker sheets and then printed them on decal paper.

@seti88

Could you please post those scanned sticker sheets here?

 

[QEssential]

Has the hi-metal line been re-issued before? Looking to get a VF-1S Hikaru and Roy.

[sh9000]

Just saw these pics of the setup of the transformation and a custom VF-2SS.  Awesome!

2 minutes ago, QEssential said:

Has the hi-metal line been re-issued before? Looking to get a VF-1S Hikaru and Roy.

None from Hi-Metal R yet.

[Chronocidal]

59 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

Ok, this is just awesome.  Makes me really tempted to repaint one somewhere down the road.  Might have to order a pair of Nexx ones when they come out to make a couple custom schemes.

[Dobber]

Whoa, that looks really nice!

Chris