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Posted

Very nice! I really wish these would've been in 1/144 scale like the YF-29 and VF-25 kits that bandai made a few years ago. There extreme small scale is the main thing that is putting me off. The Price of the Gimix kits is the hold back for them. :( I'll probably just wait for the Hasegawa kits.

Chris

Posted (edited)

Those old fighter-only kits were actually 1/100 I think, which would have been a much better size all around, especially since they would have been in scale with the HMR line.

But you know, heaven forbid that the Bandai model and toy divisions should ever coordinate on anything ever.. :p

Edited by Chronocidal
Posted

Oh yeah, your right they are 1/100. I agree it would be even better.

Chris

Posted

Nice!!

How long is the 171?

Thanks guys. This kit is 8.5 cm long. Yes, I too wish these kits were 1/100 scale or even 1/144 scale as a matter of fact. I can't justify paying over $30 for the Tomytec "models".

Posted

Again, for something so small, and so cheap, these are really impressively done. Even with stickers instead of water slide decals.

Posted

My order finally came in. Got a VF-31J, VF-31S, VF-171, and SV-262. Built the J and it was a solid and easy build except for the head laser which keeps popping out. The sticker however...OMFG. That was f**king painful. Ended up wrecking two of the stickers. Ugh i'm probably going to have to buy another kit to get replacement stickers.

Posted

My order finally came in. Got a VF-31J, VF-31S, VF-171, and SV-262. Built the J and it was a solid and easy build except for the head laser which keeps popping out. The sticker however...OMFG. That was f**king painful. Ended up wrecking two of the stickers. Ugh i'm probably going to have to buy another kit to get replacement stickers.

Keep it up^^

Join forces with others like this (during our recent gathering in an expo):

DSC_4587.JPG

Posted (edited)

My order finally came in. Got a VF-31J, VF-31S, VF-171, and SV-262. Built the J and it was a solid and easy build except for the head laser which keeps popping out. The sticker however...OMFG. That was f**king painful. Ended up wrecking two of the stickers. Ugh i'm probably going to have to buy another kit to get replacement stickers.

Re: head laser

That's odd. Mine fits snugly in, and was actually a bit "sticky" when removing it to put the sticker on. Are you using tweezers to line it up and gently, but firmly push the part in?

Re: stickers

Many modelling magazines and guide books (eg the latest issue of Hobby Japan) recommend dipping the stickers in water before applying them to the model. After carefully positioning the sticker (they use tweezers, I have much better luck with the edge of an X-acto knife), carefully roll a Q-tip over the sticker to squeeze the water out from under it.

I've seen other guide books recommending cutting larger stickers into more manageable sizes, but (if memory serves) that was for stickers going over rounded or unusual shaped surfaces, it may not be the best approach. Lining up the cut seems may also be beyond your current skill set.

The only thing to always keep in mind, is to do it patiently and tentatively (I should probably add that there's no way that anyone is ever going to get a perfect sticker alignment, so you probably shouldn't try - aim for 'close enough that anyone but the pickest person (which includes you ;) ) won't notice.

Oh... and speaking of that latest issue of Hobby Japan - the buildup for the VF-31J shows the modeller shaving the bumps off the head part, to get a better fit for the sticker!

Edited by sketchley
Posted

No i didn't use tweezers for the head laser. I try to set it with my fingers but pretty much any bump will dislodge it. I will have to buy some tweezers and give it a try. Is there a specific tweezers that is better than others?

Posted

No i didn't use tweezers for the head laser. I try to set it with my fingers but pretty much any bump will dislodge it. I will have to buy some tweezers and give it a try. Is there a specific tweezers that is better than others?

I put the head laser with my fingers on mine after applying the stickers, I even heard a light click and it's firmly secure there, but on the VF-171 I had to use tweezers for the head lasers, so just try that first, if not maybe use a bit of glue?

Posted

No i didn't use tweezers for the head laser. I try to set it with my fingers but pretty much any bump will dislodge it. I will have to buy some tweezers and give it a try. Is there a specific tweezers that is better than others?

Needle-nose tweezers work better than the flat/angled head (hair plucking) types.

Posted

Re: stickers

Many modelling magazines and guide books (eg the latest issue of Hobby Japan) recommend dipping the stickers in water before applying them to the model. After carefully positioning the sticker (they use tweezers, I have much better luck with the edge of an X-acto knife), carefully roll a Q-tip over the sticker to squeeze the water out from under it.

I've seen other guide books recommending cutting larger stickers into more manageable sizes, but (if memory serves) that was for stickers going over rounded or unusual shaped surfaces, it may not be the best approach. Lining up the cut seems may also be beyond your current skill set.

The only thing to always keep in mind, is to do it patiently and tentatively (I should probably add that there's no way that anyone is ever going to get a perfect sticker alignment, so you probably shouldn't try - aim for 'close enough that anyone but the pickest person (which includes you ;) ) won't notice.

Oh... and speaking of that latest issue of Hobby Japan - the buildup for the VF-31J shows the modeller shaving the bumps off the head part, to get a better fit for the sticker!

Hi, I'm new here. I finished my Hayate's VF31J and I have problem with sticker like other too, especially canopy sticker that seem doesn't fit with surface.

Can you please explain how dipping sticker in water help? I wish to do better in other kits.

Posted

Hi, I'm new here. I finished my Hayate's VF31J and I have problem with sticker like other too, especially canopy sticker that seem doesn't fit with surface.

Can you please explain how dipping sticker in water help? I wish to do better in other kits.

The only thing I can add is that it causes a thin layer of water to form under the glue on the sticker, allowing for the sticker to be gently moved into position (it's not 100% foolproof, and like any modelling technique, one gets better at it with experience).

The canopy stickers (and some other) come pre-cut with short cuts in them to give you a little bit of overlap. I affix the base of the canopy first, and gently roll the Q-tip over the (now 2 or more) halves to get them to smoothly cover the canopy - with up to 1 mm of overlap in certain places.

Posted

It looks great, from what I see is chopping off the fsw end and adding a scratch built fixed wing end...wonder if that wing end is being sold anywhere...

Posted

Well, although I promised not to buy anymore of these things, I walked past a model shop yesterday and they happened to have Arad's VF-31S and Keith's Sv-262 so they sort of followed me home......Hahaha!

I slapped them together quickly last night, took about 30 to 40 minutes for each one. Assembled them using a few drops of superglue where necessary as I worry about parts falling off and then applied the stickers. Didn't get perfect sticker placement especially on the Sv-262, but good enough for my low standards.

At least no stickers tore this time when removing them from the sheet, unlike on the VF-171.

Will panel line the underside of the VF-31S later, as it looks a bit plain.

Posted

I wonder if they held out on mirage and messers valks because of changes coming in the show. Maybe mirage's valk gets the 02 markings on her valk and a new pilot becomes 04 with messers old valk. I find it odd that chuck is released before mirage who is a main character of the show. She should've been released before Arad too. Arad valk really hasn't been shown that much either so far.

Posted

In case anyone missed it, this was posted in the 1/72 thread, but is kind of relevant here: (from Figure King magazine)

1LOfqm2.jpg

Looks like Mirage's VF in August, and Messer's in October. No word on VF-31As or Sv-262Ba though.

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