MΔ - VF-9

[Xigfrid]

Making correction to the file is fast, but you know it takes time, and cumulatively, it takes a lot of time. Hey Tage, I am glad you like the design too

Now that I have received the N52 magnets, I need to confess that I am completely blasted by their strength. I previously used small N44 magnets but you can really feel the difference. I am planning now to use 6 magnets to keep the small flaps closed, for a total of 3 Kg, 3 kg I could hang any entire macross with these 6 magnets.

More details and panel lining also

Edited June 1, 2018 by Xigfrid

[Xigfrid]

[valhary]

WOW!!!!!!

This will be a must have it for my collection

[arbit]

Yes, those N52s are strong. But I learned that they can still swivel when you dont want them to. So keep that in mind when choosing the size.

[Xigfrid]

Thanks Arbit for the advice, I think magnets can be used well in articulation when it should swivel freely. But in the case of my VF-9, I will use 3 rectangular magnets on each wing and they will be aligned so that the left and right wing tips connect and keep their "closed" angle firmly.

The magnets are modeled in "Gold yellow" in my 3D files. BTW, I came to a satisfactory point with this model and ordered all the parts from Shapeways, including the canopy in "high detail plastic" to confirm if it can be used or not. I have put them on my shop to let anyone know the current price of the complete VF-9 BUT please hold on until I got my parts and confirm that everything is working well before ordering it. Total price is 205 USD with the canopy or 196 USD without. I am sorry it is 50ish more than I expected, this is because of the numerous intricate parts, that rise the price by a fair amount because the VF-9 is "dense", without much inside free space.

I need to confirm this but from memory, you will need steel M1.7 screws (6mm round head mainly, a few 6mm flat head, a few 8mm flat head,  and one 10mm round head) and 1mm diameter pins (various length mainly less than 20mm and a few up to 30mm)

As the assembly manual, I will take pictures during the assembly process and put them into a pdf file later. Sorry I won't make a pdf from 3D views because it takes a lot more times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2018 by Xigfrid

[sumyumgoy]

Awesome man, looking forward to how it turns out.

[valhary]

With every image more I want it!!!!!!!

[Sanity is Optional]

Looking good. All hail neodymium magnets.

[Grayson72]

Oh man the cutlass!! How hard would it be to make a 1/72 non-transformable version?

[Xigfrid]

2 hours ago, Grayson72 said:

Oh man the cutlass!! How hard would it be to make a 1/72 non-transformable version?

Hey @Grayson72, I know you will hate me for this answer ... The honest answer is that it is rather easy, but it takes a lot of time and requires manual corrections on Sketchup. If I knew another software that would do it automatically for me I would try it. ( @Sanity is Optional any recommendations ?)

I know a few other models were asked in 1:72 scale, but I just couldn't get me in this scale yet.

[Sildani]

No pre-assembly and paint options this time around?

[Tage]

Yeah i'm properly loving this. Can't wait for the photos Xigfrid! :-)

[Sanity is Optional]

7 hours ago, Xigfrid said:

Hey @Grayson72, I know you will hate me for this answer ... The honest answer is that it is rather easy, but it takes a lot of time and requires manual corrections on Sketchup. If I knew another software that would do it automatically for me I would try it. ( @Sanity is Optional any recommendations ?)

I know a few other models were asked in 1:72 scale, but I just couldn't get me in this scale yet.

Sorry, I don't know anything that would do it automatically, only some features in solidworks that would speed it up.

[Xigfrid]

I still don’t know if I will try a low viz paint or a bright schem as seen in the serie, but I already choose who would pilot it. 

 

Edited June 8, 2018 by Xigfrid

[valhary]

Milia always a good option

[NZEOD]

On ‎20‎/‎05‎/‎2018 at 8:01 PM, Urashiman said:

I've been working on something similar some time ago. After fixing my Papercraft VF-9 I thought about doing a high detailed model in 3D to send to Shapeways and have it printed.

 

I had the HQ wings done and was working to get the mainframe done, but you know - I don't have much time, so this ended up in development hell. Maybe I have to take it up again. My idea was to have it in fighter mode in 1/72 to stand with my Hasegawa models.

@Xigfrid: I am thrilled to see your model printed and in action.

If you ever complete it for 1/72 scale I'd buy one for the Museum display

[Urashiman]

10 hours ago, NZEOD said:

If you ever complete it for 1/72 scale I'd buy one for the Museum display

Maybe when the FF7 Remake gets released ...

[Chthonic]

Found some old pics on my HD for a High Def  Model of a VF-9

[slide]

Just now, Chthonic said:

Drooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

[Xigfrid]

That’s an amazing model @Chthonic

[derex3592]

daaaaaaaaaamn!

[Tage]

Oh dear. That as a 1/72 model and Xigfrid's 1/60 to go please. Take my money.

 

 

[Xigfrid]

Today's updates : I have received the parts (most of them ) I am missing the wings' flaps and I have one shoulder flipped. I have good and very bad news.

The good news is that the model is pretty enjoyable in battroid, the articulations can be tighten at will thanks to the screws and he can be posed quickly.

The BAD news now...
1) This thing is small, so small that it can hardly be a great toy. It was difficult to 3D modelise small tabs and small details and once printed, these details are almost smoothed out. That tells me that SLS is not anymore a viable option for this kind of model. Perhaps HP Multijet would do a better job.
2) Floppy mess in fighter: the arms are floppy (working on it) and couldn't be locked with the tabs I made on the legs. bummed. Also, because of the Gerwalk gimmick with the canopy rotating, the nose is somewhat not locked as firmly as I wished.
3) The knees that really need a better system than a sliding mechanism.
4) I have 2 difficult transforming steps that need to much force and flexing the plastic parts, when rotating the arms and pushing the backpacks backward. I need to review these steps and find a way to smooth it.
5) This model is really complex to assemble, and too much pins... I have learn during the assembly that I don't want to cut that many of M1 pins anymore... My next projects will only use standard size pins, or standard screws! I have also just bought around a thousand of different size M1 pins of eBay.

At the current state, I've already ordered the missing wings' parts and new versions of the shoulders and the landing gears.

I still need to finish the assembly, then fix a lot of things, adding bigger tabs, modifying a few articulations before considering to sell this model.

 

[Xigfrid]

[wmkjr]

Awesome work Xigfrid! Dunno if it's a stupid question but are there adapters for each mode? I'd definitely have 2 up on a Yetistand. 

[Chronocidal]

Wow, first-print issues aside, that looks incredible!  Might be a bit small, but it looks in good scale with the VF-1, and the articulation looks awesome.  

Just a thought, but maybe something that would help the overall scale, the nose looks a bit oversized for the airframe.  It's hard to tell how it would affect the transformation, since it works so well already, but I wonder if stretching the neck and enlarging the rest of the aircraft would make the design a little easier to work with.  It's hard to tell without the wings attached, but moving the cockpit a little farther forward might do it without any other changes.

However you improve it, I can't wait to see what you pull off.  I want one of these for my own shelf.  

Edited June 14, 2018 by Chronocidal

[Xigfrid]

Once I got this thing more sturdy, I will know where to attach an adapter, but it can already use a flat adapter (such as Yeti Vf-0’s) if needed. 

Thanks for your input Chronocidal, in fact the cockpit is as small as I could make it and still feel it in scale with the VF-1 and the whole design has been a little compressed to match the official 11.20m length. I think my model ended at around 12m long. But I agree that this design deserves to be longer, at least 14.20m like the VF-1 if not a bit much more. 

It was a great challenge to make the gerwalk pose so enjoy it!

 

Edited June 14, 2018 by Xigfrid

[MILKAUTICO]

48 minutes ago, Xigfrid said:

Once I got this thing more sturdy, I will know where to attach an adapter, but it can already use a flat adapter (such as Yeti Vf-0’s) if needed. 

Thanks for your input Chronocidal, in fact the cockpit is as small as I could make it and still feel it in scale with the VF-1 and the whole design has been a little compressed to match the official 11.20m length. I think my model ended at around 12m long. But I agree that this design deserves to be longer, at least 14.20m like the VF-1 if not a bit much more. 

It was a great challenge to make the gerwalk pose so enjoy it!

 

Wow!!!!!!

[valhary]

so this means is ready for purchase?

[frankell05]

insanity

[Xigfrid]

7 hours ago, valhary said:

so this means is ready for purchase?

Sorry my friend, but I was looking at the work I must do on this model, and I couldn’t make an approximative lead time. The model is way too far from my expectations right now. 

[Xigfrid]

Hey guys, I am planning to redo the work of the VF-9 (almost) from scratch. 

I will keep the current good articulations and change the ones I am not really happy with. But that means that I can also adapt the global shape of the VF-9. 

Any suggestions?

I am planning to add 10 mm at the legs, making the battroid and fighter modes a bit longer and making it easier to add articulations inside for the knees. 

I think I can beef up the air intakes, and would you think the legs need to be larger too?

i dont think that the upper fuselage needs to be enlarged.

About the air exhausts, Do you think they are enough far from each other? Or would you prefer them to be farther like the VF-1?

i am planning to make the wings 2-3 mm larger, not much to change, what do you think?

[Rodavan]

Great work   - I would suggest work a parametric model program to make changes a bit easier . I have done some stuff on FreeCAD not too bad for a free parametric model software , once you get the hang off it quite easy  to model and edit .

 

[Sildani]

Bigger air intakes are sexy. 

 

Oh, and Xig, you’re insane in the best possible way. Bless you. 

[CHAVAKAISER]

Where is the gunpod?