Max Factory 1/20(!) VF-1S/A Hikaru

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Official product page: https://www.goodsmile.info/ja/product/8904/PLAMAX+MF+45+minimum+factory+VF+1+ファイター+バルキリー.html

First announcement: February 2016

Finally released: March 2020

Though they did get sidetracked a bit....

 

EDIT: Blogpost of runners

https://plamax.exblog.jp/30834546/

Edited October 18, 2019 by TMBounty_Hunter

[peter]

The size of this thing still boggles the mind.  I don't live in big house or anything, but I can't imagine how much real estate these things hog up in smaller apartments, lol!

 

[Anasazi37]

17 hours ago, peter said:

The size of this thing still boggles the mind.  I don't live in big house or anything, but I can't imagine how much real estate these things hog up in smaller apartments, lol!

 

I'm setting aside a nice chunk of space in my home office so I can put the Fighter and Gerwalk kits next to each other. I'm also leaving room for a Battroid kit so all three modes can be displayed in sequence. That kit hasn't been announced yet, and we don't know if Max Factory will do one, but I really hope so. It might take another four years, though, and as discussed previously in this thread, it would require all new molds if they want to stay close to the line art (different proportions). Might be too costly....

[Anasazi37]

On 10/17/2019 at 9:31 PM, TMBounty_Hunter said:

Official product page: https://www.goodsmile.info/ja/product/8904/PLAMAX+MF+45+minimum+factory+VF+1+ファイター+バルキリー.html

First announcement: February 2016

Finally released: March 2020

Though they did get sidetracked a bit....

 

EDIT: Blogpost of runners

https://plamax.exblog.jp/30834546/

I broke down and pre-ordered one from HLJ. I'm thinking that I'll turn it into a Cannon Fodder, maybe display it at work. I've always had a soft spot for the CF and it doesn't get nearly enough love.

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Even though the release is in March, Max Factory has been handing out sample kits to plenty of modelers:

 

 

 

 

[arbit]

This guy is extending his 1/20 into a 2-seater 1D. Amazing stuff.

 

[Chas]

Wonder if the 2nd figure is gonna be Misa from DYRL or Minmay from SDF?

[TMBounty_Hunter]

I saw that VF-1D build and it bothers me slightly that he's making the same mistake that Arii did with their kit. They just added a two seat cockpit onto a regular VF-1A/J/S body when the double cockpit is supposed to extend backwards into the body and keeping overall length the same.

 

 

Extra Long Arii version:

 

That Arii kit was my first attempt at any Macross kit, I though it would be a quick and easy straight build but once I noticed this I started modifying endlessly to the point where it's just sitting back in its box half done.....

[Chas]

Is the VT-1 the same as the VF-1D? Maybe he's converting to one of those. If that's supposed to be Misa in the second seat it kinda makes sense, but the canopy of the VT-1 is pretty different from the  VF-1D\VF-1, so you are probably right.

 

[TMBounty_Hunter]

He mentions at the start of the video that it's the D, he carved off the DYRL shoulders from Hikaru and in the latest tweet in the background you can see he gave Minmay the helmet already.

 

 

As for the VT-1, the cockpit isn't as long so it doesn't extend that far back but the panel detail on the body still changes. It also has a differently shaped canopy frame.

[Chas]

Yeah, just watching his other videos now. it's definitely the D.

So who's gonna get one of these and convert it to a VT-1, or VE-1? any takers?

Edited November 20, 2019 by Chas

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Not a kit announcement, but Max Watanabe is doing a custom build for the Tengu Modelers exhibit taking place on the 21st.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2019 by TMBounty_Hunter

[nightmareB4macross]

The Battroid looks impressive.

Looking at the neck, Mr. Watanabe took some ideas from the KC VF-1 head bust series.

 

[Anasazi37]

One step closer to an actual kit. At least he's thinking about it now and playing around with some ideas.

[tekering]

Oh, his camouflage scheme looks more like a remedial art school project.  

 

[TMBounty_Hunter]

That's not camo, that's the pre-shading. That style is pretty popular with Ma. K stuff. Max has done it previously with his Shizuoka Hobby Show valk build.

 

 

EDIT: Whoops, wasn't Shizuoka. It was Wonderfestival Winter

 

 

Edited December 16, 2019 by TMBounty_Hunter

[peter]

2 hours ago, tekering said:

Oh, his camouflage scheme looks more like a remedial art school project.  

 

I'm glad he fixed the head lasers on the 1S.  In fighter and Gerwalk, they were way too thin and close together.

 

[joscasle]

14 hours ago, tekering said:

Oh, his camouflage scheme looks more like a remedial art school project.  

 

I know is Max Watanabe and all that, but I really don't like the scheme. 

[Chronocidal]

I always wondered what it would look like if you projectile vomited an entire paint set onto a model.

[nightmareB4macross]

Hey,

The scheme is okay. Mr. Max Wat[er Color]nabe  know how to execute this scheme.  IIRC he has done this before with Gerwalk. 

Eat you heart out Jackson Pollock.

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Guys, for the 2nd time, it's just the pre-shading
 

 

 

The whole point is to give you a much greater tonal variance to your colors than just white/grey/black pre-shading allows.

Here's another example:

[peter]

I can't tell, but is it mostly a fixed pose?

 

[Chronocidal]

2 hours ago, TMBounty_Hunter said:

Guys, for the 2nd time, it's just the pre-shading

The whole point is to give you a much greater tonal variance to your colors than just white/grey/black pre-shading allows.

The tonal pre-shading thing I get, and I can appreciate the effect it gives, but I'm far more baffled by the fact that the entire thing looks permanently assembled before final painting.  I have to assume it's only pinned together, and can all be separated out to actually apply proper colors, because otherwise painting things like the feet and missile pods is going to be a miserable process.

[Atrial]

He brush paints everything. There was a post above that shows a video of him starting the white on a wing. And he's pretty much done. 

https://twitter.com/MAXWATANABE/status/1206897395046350853

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Seems to be ready to go for Saturday's exhibit
 

 

[electric indigo]

14 hours ago, Atrial said:

 

Pro tip #5: After painstakingly painting the parts over the course of a few days, throw them randomly into a box on the floor...

[derex3592]

that's exactly what I was thinking! He must REALLY trust his clear coats! 

[peter]

Or he's going for that used, battle worn look.  Never heard of that guy who painted his AR and threw it down his driveway? 

[Atrial]

Willing to bet that there's no top coat. I doubt he throws them, but after decades in this business he probably doesn't baby his work the way we do. And he probably brings a bit of paint for touch ups in case something gets dinged.

[kajnrig]

On 12/18/2019 at 3:04 AM, electric indigo said:

Pro tip #5: After painstakingly painting the parts over the course of a few days, throw them randomly into a box on the floor...

I mean look, when your "model" is the size of a small child...

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Event time

 

 

[milhouse]

On 12/17/2019 at 6:34 AM, TMBounty_Hunter said:

Guys, for the 2nd time, it's just the pre-shading
 

 

 

The whole point is to give you a much greater tonal variance to your colors than just white/grey/black pre-shading allows.

Here's another example:

I'm interested in using this technique, but am baffled about the correct way to go about doing it... I tried it a couple times, but each time the top color just completely covers the "pre-shading" variance... does it work better with lacquers, or acrylic? or do I just have to thin the heck out of the top base coat color? Any help/step-by-step would be much appreciated! 

[Big s]

To me the Ma k kit just ends up looking like a faded camouflage. I like the creativity, but it’s not for me.

[electric indigo]

On 12/21/2019 at 9:20 PM, milhouse said:

I'm interested in using this technique, but am baffled about the correct way to go about doing it... I tried it a couple times, but each time the top color just completely covers the "pre-shading" variance... does it work better with lacquers, or acrylic? or do I just have to thin the heck out of the top base coat color? Any help/step-by-step would be much appreciated! 

I have not tried this myself, but a greater amount of thinner should do the trick. Alternatively, you can mix the base color with a clear medium like varnish to reduce the opacity of the paint.

[Big s]

Honestly, if you’re going to try it just practice doing light passes when you coat it. If it has clear mixed in it would probably show too much of the psychedelic rainbow under coat. Practice on some simple plastic spoons before a main project.