R2KF 1/72 Gnerl Fighter

[cowie165]

Morning folks,

Just wanted to put up a thread about a reissue of the Captain's 1/72 Gnerl. The original Gnerl masters were purchased a year or two ago by a friend of mine here in Aus, who runs Return to Kit Form. He asked me to post a thread here because he can't join (MW not accepted new members at the moment?).

Here's a few pics of the kit. It's big. There's info in the pics - its official release is today and you can hit up Brett through the R2KF address: returntokitform@gmail.com

I don't have the price. If I find out I'll post it here, otherwise just contact him through the email.

Thanks

Mark

[mickyg]

Well this is very welcome news!  And an Aussie as well?  Nice!

[seti88]

wow thats a nice gnerl scheme...

[derex3592]

I might be down if the price isn't astronomical. 

[cowie165]

4 hours ago, derex3592 said:

I might be down if the price isn't astronomical. 

 

Aye. Sorry, he didn't give me pricing. I'll ask again. USD->AUD should work out well. AUD is back to Pacific Peso value these days.

[vincemoto7]

I just looked up their Facebook page, they posted $350 (I'm assuming that's AUD) not including shipping.  That would be around $265 USD just for the kit.  I might be in for one.

Edited April 25, 2017 by vincemoto7

[cowie165]

Thanks vince. I heard back from Brett/R2KF. Pricing is set at USD$350 (+shipping).

R2KF is also releasing the 1/72 Moscato Regult later this year at USD$120. There's flex to discount for multiple purchases. Best to hit them up via their email.

Again, I have no business/financial interest in R2KF. I'm just a Macross modeler and Brett is a good buddy of mine so I want to share some info on some hard to find kits.

Mark

[vincemoto7]

13 hours ago, cowie165 said:

Thanks vince. I heard back from Brett/R2KF. Pricing is set at USD$350 (+shipping).

R2KF is also releasing the 1/72 Moscato Regult later this year at USD$120. There's flex to discount for multiple purchases. Best to hit them up via their email.

Again, I have no business/financial interest in R2KF. I'm just a Macross modeler and Brett is a good buddy of mine so I want to share some info on some hard to find kits.

Mark

Thanks for the clarification Cowie, I guess I didn't scroll down far enough to see "price in USD", my bad.  I asked him about shipping to my address and it's pretty reasonable, its a little cheaper than what I get charged from HLJ.

Edited April 25, 2017 by vincemoto7

[electric indigo]

On 24. April 2017 at 2:57 AM, cowie165 said:

 

 

 

On a side note, it looks like Alitalia is going the way of the Dodo, so they'll never make the jump to interstellar.

[Jasonc]

I'd be down to get one, but with so many other things coming out this year, I just can't justify that price. It looks great though.

[jvmacross]

Do they own a 1/60 valk that they could pose next to the Gnerl?  I am sure the sizing specs are correct to the lineart....but it just looks too big next to the 1/72 valk.....may actually look better next to a 1/60...more "anime scale" accurate perhaps....

A 1/100 would be perfect.....especially for HMR fans

Edited April 28, 2017 by jvmacross

[Spitfire_BR]

Great News ! Nice to see some of John's models back in market, your friend is plannig a reissue of all Regult versions ? I still need 3 of then to complete muito collection !

[cowie165]

That's a good question. I'll ask. I have John's original Regult with the clear pieces but could never afford the missile regults at the time.

You're welcome to hit Brett up directly too. He's at https://www.facebook.com/Returntokitform/

[cowie165]

Price has also been adjusted to AUD. Now AUD$400. That makes for a better deal for both AU and US folks.

400 AUD =299.638USD

[spanner]

This is way cool! and it looks awesome in the Alitalia colors! 

I'd love to pick one up also but $400 its a bit much for me for something I have to build and paint especially.. 

[Cesar Enrique]

I'll wait for the Regult releases, they are awesome sculpts. I'm glad regults are being re-released. 

[captain america]

On 4/28/2017 at 7:24 PM, jvmacross said:

Do they own a 1/60 valk that they could pose next to the Gnerl?  I am sure the sizing specs are correct to the lineart....but it just looks too big next to the 1/72 valk.....may actually look better next to a 1/60...more "anime scale" accurate perhaps....

A 1/100 would be perfect.....especially for HMR fans

When I mastered the Gnerl, I had to scrutinize and correlate all the data related to the fighter itself as well as for the Zentradi pilot. Just as with the Regults, the pilots are practically shoehorned-in. Zentradi mechs have to be bigger by virtue of the average zentran being big enough to wrestle with a VF-1 battroid.

In fairness and without bragging, these models are likely the best version of this mecha that will ever be made. After the financial upsets of companies like Imai, Arii, and Yamato when tackling Zentran mecha, no major toy or model company will ever devote significant ressources to making something like this due to its minor role in the series, legal entanglements, sheer size, and level of detail. If you're a fan, get it while you can, because the last time it was available was 10 years ago and probably won't see a 3rd run.

[jvmacross]

10 hours ago, captain america said:

When I mastered the Gnerl, I had to scrutinize and correlate all the data related to the fighter itself as well as for the Zentradi pilot. Just as with the Regults, the pilots are practically shoehorned-in. Zentradi mechs have to be bigger by virtue of the average zentran being big enough to wrestle with a VF-1 battroid.

In fairness and without bragging, these models are likely the best version of this mecha that will ever be made. After the financial upsets of companies like Imai, Arii, and Yamato when tackling Zentran mecha, no major toy or model company will ever devote significant ressources to making something like this due to its minor role in the series, legal entanglements, sheer size, and level of detail. If you're a fan, get it while you can, because the last time it was available was 10 years ago and probably won't see a 3rd run.

So did the Gnerl you created follow the specs of the lineart or does it's scale work around your estimation of an "average" Zentran's size?

I do not think the "average-sized" Zentran is bigger than a VF-1 Battroid.  It would make no strategic sense for the VF-1 to have been designed to be "equal" in height to the average enemy soldier.  You would want it to be superior in size so it would have the advantage in potential "hand-to-hand" combat situations.

I am sure you are familiar with the available scale lineart....

 

 

 

I think the problem is that there is no "one size fits all" Zentran/Meltran.  It does not help that there is no canonical explanation for the wide variation in sizes between Zentrans/Meltrans.  However, based on what information does exist and what we can see on film and other media, it is logical to assume that as "biological weapons", the Protoculture probably created the variations in their sizes to fit the need on the battlefield.  Thus, although there is an "average" size for both Zentrans and Meltrans in general....it would be incorrect to use that average-sized Zentran/Meltran to "make it fit" into any given mech.  Each mech seems to be able to accommodate a certain range size of pilot, thus the "average" would then be for just the specific mech in question.  So basically, the average pilot sizes would likely be different for the Glaug, Reguld, Queadluun Rau, Nousjadeul-Ger, and the Gnerl....among others.

Especially when it comes to a kit, where precision and accuracy is more important, it is just best to create it according to all of the available specs for the mecha...and then build the pilot to fit into the mech without thinking about "general" average sizing for it, but instead average size for that specific mech.  I assume that is what you did for the Gnerl and that is why it looks so much larger than the Hasegawa 1/72 VF-1.  In other words, your Gnerl is true 1/72 scale, correct?

 

[VF-1A Grunt]

21 hours ago, captain america said:

After the financial upsets of companies like Imai, Arii, and Yamato when tackling Zentran mecha, no major toy or model company will ever devote significant ressources to making something like this due to its minor role in the series, legal entanglements, sheer size, and level of detail.

Captain, do you think there is any hope for a mass-production Regult in 1/72? I'd like to think that as the most recognizable  enemy mecha, that there would be enough demand for one. Ideally it would be a series like the Wave Destroids that could capitalize on the common parts and add the missile variants and maybe even the recon version. I'd be in for at least four regular pods and one of each of the other versions.

[captain america]

12 hours ago, jvmacross said:

 In other words, your Gnerl is true 1/72 scale, correct?

 

Correct. 

As for the Regults, I think that the closest thing you will see to a mass-market item is the Bandai Hi-Metal toys, and that's 1/100-ish and has no cockpit. Something like the scout would require significant re-tooling, so you can forget about having all variants for the Hi-Metal line. I suspect that the Regults I mastered will remain THE reference in 1/72 for the foreseeable future  by virtue of their proportions, detail and of course, all variants are covered. 

[007-vf1]

 

Mark.. Is it possible for you guys to scale it down to a 1/144 model and make it available?

[big F]

I wish someone would so a 1/72 scale Metran power armor.... Hint Hint!!

[Return To Kit Form]

3 hours ago, big F said:

I wish someone would so a 1/72 scale Metran power armor.... Hint Hint!!

Me too and it i s on the list. Just got to knock a few projects out of the way first. Canopy masks, The N-Ger and aome Zentran Infantry are ahead of the Q-Rau.

-Brett

[Return To Kit Form]

Teaser.

-Brett

[big F]

NICE !!!!