PLAMAX 1/72 VF-1 Valkyrie

[Shawn]

I get serious F14 vibes at the size of wheels on the rear landing gear

First thing I noticed..but I like the proportions...a bit beefier than the hasas.

[Anasazi37]

6 hours ago, Big s said:

The deciding factor for me is gonna be if they do the other modes. I do think it’s a nice looking fighter and the simple build is definitely tempting, but I’m waiting to see if they do a great battroid and gerwalk. If they do those and do them well, I’ll definitely pick them up

I'm still waiting for them to make the 1/20 Strike Battroid. We see you with that prototype, Max....

[Big s]

8 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

Well, that's not their fault: it's the animators IMO. And frankly, having to get all three is a PITA when money's an issue.

It doesn’t make that much of a difference if you think about display value. Here’s an affordable kit in all three modes possibly for a great looking display versus the previous parts formers where you had to buy four of the kits to make three models. And a transforming vf-1 would probably be more like perfect grade price in a larger scale and then multiply that times three if you want separate displays

[pengbuzz]

8 hours ago, Big s said:

It doesn’t make that much of a difference if you think about display value. Here’s an affordable kit in all three modes possibly for a great looking display versus the previous parts formers where you had to buy four of the kits to make three models. And a transforming vf-1 would probably be more like perfect grade price in a larger scale and then multiply that times three if you want separate displays

It does when your wallet takes the hit no matter what.

On that note:"affordable" has different meanings to different folks, and "just three kits" is often four kits more than I can afford.

So, I'm out of this convo regardless then.

 

-Pengbuzz out.

[VF-1A Grunt]

On 5/11/2022 at 10:19 AM, slide said:

It's no Tamiya or Hasegawa as far as detail sharpness, but it looks good. I'll probably stack one in the stash.

At least the got the "legs" straight.

One other minor detail I noticed is that they appear to have blunted the nose a little to match the artwork in the show and movie a little closer. I think the Hasegawa nose looks realistic, but it appears longer and more pointed than the artwork. My apologies if this has been mentioned already, I'm just catching up with this thread.

[Urashiman]

7 hours ago, VF-1A Grunt said:

One other minor detail I noticed is that they appear to have blunted the nose a little to match the artwork in the show and movie a little closer. I think the Hasegawa nose looks realistic, but it appears longer and more pointed than the artwork. My apologies if this has been mentioned already, I'm just catching up with this thread.

Yeah, but it still doesn’t look right. There is this weird edge, on the „black rope“ around the nose, and then tilting up, without going into the proper rounded triangle form. Makes it look super bulky.

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Ok this is legit a much better way to attach the tail fins and make sure they're both secure and aligned properly.

 

 

 

Couple dozen breakdown pics on one of the Max Factory staff accounts, too many to embed:

 

 

There's also a bit of a Q&A:

They are also recommending glue/cement since apparently a lot of this is for alignment:
 

 

It will come with stickers, not waterslides:
 

 

Q&A rounded out with a "No comment" stance on further VF-1 or other VF kits coming in the future.

Edited June 3, 2022 by TMBounty_Hunter

[Big s]

25 minutes ago, TMBounty_Hunter said:

It will come with stickers, not waterslides:

That’s highly disappointing. Someone should be fired for that decision 

[Anasazi37]

8 hours ago, TMBounty_Hunter said:

It will come with stickers, not waterslides:

Okay, that's just being lazy and dumb after putting so much work into designing a new 1/72 valk. Stickers have no place on a scale model. I was unhappy with them on the 1/20 kits and they make even less sense with this one. We know they are capable of making decals, they are just apparently unwilling to do so.

 

[Big s]

20 minutes ago, Anasazi37 said:

Okay, that's just being lazy and dumb after putting so much work into designing a new 1/72 valk. Stickers have no place on a scale model. I was unhappy with them on the 1/20 kits and they make even less sense with this one. We know they are capable of making decals, they are just apparently unwilling to do so.

 

I mostly agree. I personally hate stickers, but seriously it wouldn’t cost much more to include a water slide decal sheet. If they already designed the pattern then the hard work is done. At least give the option. And the same goes for Bandai, but at least 60% of the time they do an aftermarket set that you then have to buy separately.

[Anasazi37]

3 hours ago, Big s said:

I mostly agree. I personally hate stickers, but seriously it wouldn’t cost much more to include a water slide decal sheet. If they already designed the pattern then the hard work is done. At least give the option. And the same goes for Bandai, but at least 60% of the time they do an aftermarket set that you then have to buy separately.

[Urashiman]

okay, stickers are a bummer. but I got so many left over waterslide decals from other Valks, I'll just use them.

[Thom]

Very odd choice. I wasn't considering buying one anyway, as I have quite a few already gathering dust, but buying this new kit, and then either having to raid the stash or buy an aftermarket decal set just to complete what should already be in the box, would give me another reason to say no.

Although, if you can scan and print reasonably well, you could make your own decals, but even then you're having to buy either clear or white decal paper to do it. So more steps ether way.

Edited June 4, 2022 by Thom

[Anasazi37]

On 6/4/2022 at 4:24 PM, Thom said:

Very odd choice. I wasn't considering buying one anyway, as I have quite a few already gathering dust, but buying this new kit, and then either having to raid the stash or buy an aftermarket decal set just to complete what should already be in the box, would give me another reason to say no.

Although, if you can scan and print reasonably well, you could make your own decals, but even then you're having to buy either clear or white decal paper to do it. So more steps ether way.

Having scanned in the sticker sheets for the 1/20 VF-1 kits to do just that, I can tell you that it's a really frustrating experience. The quality of their stickers is not great.

[Chronocidal]

Yeah, that's just a frustratingly bizarre choice for them.  Judging by the assembly details, and the fact that Hasegawa keeps cranking out their kits, I think they're trying to offer an alternative for people who just don't want to deal with building an actual model.  Maybe they're trying to compete with the Bandai kit?

[Thom]

After market decals then, though they can get pricey, esp evilbay. I would find it cheaper to keep buying the old Bandai kits, that come with decals, then go through the trouble of the Plamax.

[pengbuzz]

9 hours ago, Thom said:

After market decals then, though they can get pricey, esp evilbay. I would find it cheaper to keep buying the old Bandai kits, that come with decals, then go through the trouble of the Plamax.

*re-entering this convo for important info*

The U.N. Spacy/ N.U.N.S  logo (the words, not the "kite" roundel) is in a bold/ "black" style Helvetica font. I know Chartpak makes white dry transfer lettering in Helvetica; it would just be a matter of locating it in bold and in the correct point size.

Also Thom: if you did buy one, I have spares of decals from my 1/72 Ima/ Bandai's  I could send you.

Edited June 6, 2022 by pengbuzz

[Thom]

14 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

...

Also Thom: if you did buy one, I have spares of decals from my 1/72 Ima/ Bandai's  I could send you.

Thanks for the offer, but I'm good with my old Hasegawa birds!

Edited June 7, 2022 by Thom

[Sanity is Optional]

16 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

Yeah, that's just a frustratingly bizarre choice for them.  Judging by the assembly details, and the fact that Hasegawa keeps cranking out their kits, I think they're trying to offer an alternative for people who just don't want to deal with building an actual model.  Maybe they're trying to compete with the Bandai kit?

Yeah, they're definitely aiming for the same style ok kits as Bandai. Mostly snap-fit, doesn't need a lot of putty and modding. Mostly out-of-the box ready, no painting or messing with decals.

[Duymon]

inb4 introducing the Plamax 1/72 weapon and decal set?

[Chronocidal]

2 hours ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Yeah, they're definitely aiming for the same style ok kits as Bandai. Mostly snap-fit, doesn't need a lot of putty and modding. Mostly out-of-the box ready, no painting or messing with decals.

To be fair to Plamax.. I actually do prefer how they've assembled the kit to how Hasegawa did it.  Hasegawa made some bizarre choices for how the plane goes together (the entire backpack and knee assemblies in particular), so I would welcome something that goes together cleaner without modding it, but when you consider this is more expensive than the 1/48 Hasegawa that fixed most of the issues the 1/72 kit had..  

[Anasazi37]

2 hours ago, Duymon said:

inb4 introducing the Plamax 1/72 weapon and decal set?

Yeah, I'm betting those will come along as expensive add-ons, where you don't get enough weapons for one valk unless you buy two sets and the decals are okay but don't include all of the main things you need and will also be missing a lot of detailed markings. That's what happened with the 1/20.

[JRShirley]

Sir, by any chance you are selling the water slide decals for the 1/20 scale Valkyrie?

[joscasle]

On 6/6/2022 at 7:20 PM, Chronocidal said:

To be fair to Plamax.. I actually do prefer how they've assembled the kit to how Hasegawa did it.  Hasegawa made some bizarre choices for how the plane goes together (the entire backpack and knee assemblies in particular), so I would welcome something that goes together cleaner without modding it, but when you consider this is more expensive than the 1/48 Hasegawa that fixed most of the issues the 1/72 kit had..  

Totally agreed 💯%

[MechTech]

Boxing the kit with stickers is LAME! However, I like that they went the GunPla route with the construction on this model. - MT

[Knight26]

WIll they be doing the Bandai-colored sprues route too?  I stink at painting and applying stickers/decals so just snapping in the colored markings would be great.

 

[Big s]

3 hours ago, Knight26 said:

WIll they be doing the Bandai-colored sprues route too?  I stink at painting and applying stickers/decals so just snapping in the colored markings would be great.

 

Some of the parts are in color, but probably things  like emblems, marking lines and number will be stickers.

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Seems a sample is out in the wild. Bottom post with the runners.

 

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Boxart
 

 

[Big s]

Still hoping they do the other modes. 

[Urashiman]

14 hours ago, TMBounty_Hunter said:

Boxart
 

 

Looks nice

[Duymon]

I'm getting super duper strong Airfix Vibes from that Box design 🤔

Edited October 3, 2022 by Duymon

[electric indigo]

Builds are coming. This is cool:

 

[no3Ljm]

[Urashiman]

just got my charge mail from HLJ. The VF-1 will now be shippable. I will wait till the WAVE VF-171 is charged and ready as well and then have it shipped.

My fingers are tingling to get my hands on it