TomyTec GIMIX Macross Delta 1/144

[Vifam7]

If you're going to use the decals, just make sure you know whether it's regular water-slide decal or MYK's ASU-DECA. It'll say on the instruction sheet. Some kits have regular water-slides, others have ASU-DECA

[derex3592]

What's ASU DECA?

[David Hingtgen]

Seconded. Never heard of ASU DECA.

[kajnrig]

http://hlj.com/scripts/hljlist/?SeriesID=2914

Looks like just regular ol' waterslide decals...???

[Vifam7]

ASU-DECA is a type of water-slide decal made by MYK Design. Like normal water-slide decals, ASU-DECA decals are removed from the paper backing with water. Once the decal is applied onto the model, you remove the excess water and let it dry. You might notice that the decal is shiny. Do not put on decal softener or flat clear coat. The shiny thing is a carrier film that is to be removed the following day when the decal is dry. When the carrier film is dry the next day, it can be removed by carefully using a hobby knife and lifting it off, leaving behind a marking that looks like it's painted on. Essentially, it's a decal that eliminates one of the banes of kit building - decal silvering.

"ASU" in Japanese means "tomorrow". The name "ASU-DECA" is short for "Tomorrow's decal".

Edited May 1, 2016 by Vifam7

[David Hingtgen]

Do they deal with being applied to matte surfaces better than traditional water slides?

This kit's sheet says printed in China---not a good sign in my decaling experience.

[Big s]

Sounds like a hybrid between watersides and dry adhesive markings. Any way I don't think they give an option of markings types.

[Vifam7]

Do they deal with being applied to matte surfaces better than traditional water slides?

Yes, they're made to stick better on matte surfaces.

[derex3592]

that all sounds very scary to me...but maybe not.

[Big s]

So I checked the link and I have seen these while searching for decal sheets, but I didn't realize they were a different type of marking. Most of these look like an after market option rather than something included with a kit. Are these types of decals included with any current or past kits?

Now that I know there is a new type what should I look for to indicate that included decals might be assu deca?

[Vifam7]

So I checked the link and I have seen these while searching for decal sheets, but I didn't realize they were a different type of marking. Most of these look like an after market option rather than something included with a kit. Are these types of decals included with any current or past kits?

Now that I know there is a new type what should I look for to indicate that included decals might be assu deca?

I think most of the new kits from Tomytec are the ASU-DECA type. But the only way to know for sure is to read the fine print on the instruction sheet. On my 'MiG silhouette' F-4EJ it was written here -

The first line says "it's a special kind of decal where one can remove the carrier film after it is applied".

[David Hingtgen]

Minor update---I don't plan to paint very much (would defeat the point!) but I greatly disagreed with their cockpit colors (it was fine for an F-15...) So, bits before painting:

(quarter for scale)

and after:

(some parts were painted "on the other side"---but I'm not going to reposition all the parts that fell over while photographing)

This is 1/144, with a closed canopy (that's not especially clear). So I'm not too concerned about painting nicely. I just don't want "black and grey" where it should be blueish. (modern Flankers are not "Soviet cockpit blue-green" inside, they are blue-grey---I read that RLM 76 is close, and it looked about right, so that's what I used)

[Big s]

So unfortunately I don't read or speak Japanese, so are there other indicators to spot for these decals.

[MechTech]

Thanks Vifam 7, I've never heard of or used those before. They sound great though. - MT

[anime52k8]

13 or 4? I'm tempted to do 4, but 13 is so much better-known.

Get a second.

[Graham]

Ok, so I'm confused now. Will the markings on the Delta kits be already printed on, or will they be decals that we need to apply ourselves......urghhh.

I was originally under the impression that all the markings came printed on, which was one of the main reason I pre-ordered them.

If they are decals that we need to apply ourselves, I may cancel my pre-order.

I thought these were supposed to be pre-painted and pre-marked kits for people who either lack skill or are too lazy to paint and decal (I'm both )

[Big s]

It looks like they are prepainted, but some markings are decal. On the pics for the vf1 it looks like some of the important markings may be printed, but from those pics some like the un spacy on the gun has a rectangular edge that leads me to the conclusion that there may be a need for decals, but I really don't know if it's just a case of those being prototype pictures. There also appears to be a decal sheet, but I wasn't sure if those were for customizing current or upcoming kits like support vehicles and backgrounds or if they are the ones you need for these.

[seti88]

when in doubt refer to the manual or in this case the japanese translated page...

http://www.tomytec.co.jp/gimix/lineup/macross_delta/index.html

Tampo printed up to the mark of all parts painted & details!
High quality model was completed in only assemble adhesively!

In other words, its prepainted and pre-decaled.

As i know in the VF-1 GIMIXes they also included an extra decal sheet mainly spacey kites and stuff, for gerwalk so you can do decaling on anything else.

Am really hoping they will show the 31A samples in the Shiz hobby show next weekend!

[Vifam7]

Ok, so I'm confused now. Will the markings on the Delta kits be already printed on, or will they be decals that we need to apply ourselves......urghhh.

I was originally under the impression that all the markings came printed on, which was one of the main reason I pre-ordered them.

If they are decals that we need to apply ourselves, I may cancel my pre-order.

I thought these were supposed to be pre-painted and pre-marked kits for people who either lack skill or are too lazy to paint and decal (I'm both )

It depends on the kit but most of the Tomytec kits have all markings tampo printed on. But some do have decals. But even then, it's like 2 or 4 decals. Usually as an option to choose your modex or tail number.

[David Hingtgen]

Decals will be very few. If any. Modex numbers are the main thing----but since every VF-31 is unique*, they should just have the proper number printed on.

*the VF-31A, THAT will likely come with some decals for the modes numbers. But that'll likely be it.

[David Hingtgen]

The first rule of jet modeling is that Tomcat/Flanker-type intakes won't fit well. Never do, never will. And with putty/sanding not really an option, did the best I could.

They painted the interiors/edges of all the gear doors red. Even the "closed" doors, so there's an occasional tinge of red visible around the edges.

All of the above shouldn't be present on a VF-31, so it should be an easier/quicker build. (You could probably knock one of these out in a day or two, depending on intake/fuselage fit---I gave each intake a day to dry, and 2 days for the main fuselage halves)

They are "almost" snap-fit, in a way. They fit quite well, but most parts are not tight enough to avoid using glue. Nor is it designed that way---they intend you to use glue. But it's more like a "making it tight/permanent" thing, vs a "needs it to hold together at all" thing.

Cockpit and belly-plate installed:

Intakes on:

Top and bottom fuselage halves glued, and tail sting installed:

PS---I repainted the pilot in a medium-dark grey. He was "evergreen" out of the box, not "G-suit olive drab". And if anything I think Erusea would use greyish suits, like earlier USSR pilots.

[David Hingtgen]

Update: OK, the wing roots didn't seem to glue at all. Re-doing them now, so no progress today. But I am so not going to use CA on a pre-painted kit.

[seti88]

The draken will appear in this week's shiz show!

https://twitter.com/tomytec_gimix/status/729664766143127552

The first rule of jet modeling is that Tomcat/Flanker-type intakes won't fit well. Never do, never will. And with putty/sanding not really an option, did the best I could.

They painted the interiors/edges of all the gear doors red. Even the "closed" doors, so there's an occasional tinge of red visible around the edges.

All of the above shouldn't be present on a VF-31, so it should be an easier/quicker build. (You could probably knock one of these out in a day or two, depending on intake/fuselage fit---I gave each intake a day to dry, and 2 days for the main fuselage halves)

They are "almost" snap-fit, in a way. They fit quite well, but most parts are not tight enough to avoid using glue. Nor is it designed that way---they intend you to use glue. But it's more like a "making it tight/permanent" thing, vs a "needs it to hold together at all" thing.

Cockpit and belly-plate installed:


Intakes on:


Top and bottom fuselage halves glued, and tail sting installed:



PS---I repainted the pilot in a medium-dark grey. He was "evergreen" out of the box, not "G-suit olive drab". And if anything I think Erusea would use greyish suits, like earlier USSR pilots.

Update: OK, the wing roots didn't seem to glue at all. Re-doing them now, so no progress today. But I am so not going to use CA on a pre-painted kit.

Those pics look great! It seems not that difficult to put together. Bear in mind, am NOT the 'exact fit with no seams visible' kinda guy, so it appeals to me.

It looks realistic with really good details at a 144 scale!

[Big s]

Why not use ca glue?

Whenever I use ca on painted parts as long as the area being glued is clean it works fine with no mess, as log as there are no clear parts. The styrene model glues can get messy and act like a paint solvent. If you're careful either should work.

[slide]

The first rule of jet modeling is that Tomcat/Flanker-type intakes won't fit well. Never do, never will. And with putty/sanding not really an option, did the best I could.

I Think they look pretty good for not being able to do anything about the inevitable gaps.

My one gripe about the kit [not your work with it] is the Pilot is incorrectly modeled even in 1/144... Yellow Squadron don't wear flight-suits, They're BALLERS, they wear old-school fighter jackets.

Edited May 11, 2016 by slide

[David Hingtgen]

My one gripe about the kit [not your work with it] is the Pilot is incorrectly modeled even in 1/144... Yellow Squadron don't wear flight-suits, They're BALLERS, they wear old-school fighter jackets.

Well aware of that, but anything was better than the GREEN it was originally.

The draken will appear in this week's shiz show!

https://twitter.com/tomytec_gimix/status/729664766143127552

::clicks on the next couple pics:: Oh, yeah, NOW they realize what color Flanker cockpits are... (boy, for only one having ever been built, they sure are releasing a lot of different Su-37 kits...)

[electric indigo]

boy, for only one having ever been built, they sure are releasing a lot of different Su-37 kits...

What can you do, it's the coolest fighter on earth...

I like the Hinomaru on it.

[Duymon]

Gotta milk the molds, hasegawa style :0

[David Hingtgen]

Progress is slow, due to "fiddly bits". Like tailplanes that have a very small attachment point (at the rear!), so it's a balancing act to try to glue them on perfectly straight and then dry that way overnight. But most (all?) valks have no tailplanes so that won't be an issue for them.

Past couple days it's been basically "glue on 3 parts that have roughly similar alignment, so I can "hang it up to dry in position" for a day. Repeat.

[Vifam7]

This is why I recommended using CA glue. It'll be easier and faster to get those fiddly bits glued on. Trust me, you'll want to use CA glue when you get to the missiles and pylons.

[seti88]

WHY HELLO GORGEOUS!

Edited May 12, 2016 by seti88

[seti88]

Draken 1/144s!

[David Hingtgen]

This is why I recommended using CA glue. It'll be easier and faster to get those fiddly bits glued on. Trust me, you'll want to use CA glue when you get to the missiles and pylons.

Noted, the ordnance should be fairly easy to do with CA. (I'm so picky about getting tailfins etc on perfectly straight, I'd need like 2-min CA to have enough working/adjusting time, which doesn't exist AFAIK) (though I'm that picky about weaponry too...)

(probably should have CA'd the nozzles too, thinking about it)

[Graham]

Maybe it's the lighting but Mirage's VF-31 looks too pink in that photo.

[hachi]

August is still too far away...And now HS ran out of Luminescence Unit already.