1:72 Bandai/IMAI Macross VF-1J Super Valkyrie plamo build lighted with LEDs

[SteveTheFish]

Here is a build I'm particularly proud of. I'll see if the HTML can be inserted properly into this post as I had documented the build on my Tumblr feed.

Post 1:

https://stevethefishdotnet.tumblr.com/post/164634393344/172-bandaiimai-macross-vf-1j-super-valkyrie?is_related_post=1

Post 2:

https://stevethefishdotnet.tumblr.com/post/167975787554/172-bandaiimai-macross-vf-1j-super-valkyrie

Post 3:

https://stevethefishdotnet.tumblr.com/post/630418257033216000/bandaiimai-macross-172-vf-1j-super-valkyrie?is_related_post=1

Post 4:

https://stevethefishdotnet.tumblr.com/post/654068348243574784/bandaiimai-macross-172-vf-1j-super-valkyrie

Post 5:

https://stevethefishdotnet.tumblr.com/post/671095149341884416/bandaiimai-macross-172-vf-1j-super-valkyrie

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by SteveTheFish

[SteveTheFish]

Instead of posting a ton of images into this topic, I'll just provide links to the build posts I made on Tumblr. What I did was take this old Imai-tooled Super Valkyrie kit and modified it for lighting. The main thrusters in the fastpack are perfect for 5mm LEDs, and the smaller thrusters are perfect for 3mm LEDs. I created a mold of the cockpit's terminal (as inaccurate as it is), cast it in clear UV resin, and adorned it with custom-made waterslide decals. I cast the Hasegawa pilot figure in clear UV resin too, as well as the foot thrusters from the Hasegawa Battroid kit. The gunpod has a 3mm flashing yellow LED. I cut away the red laser sensor from the gunpod, cast it in UV resin, and placed a tiny SMD there. I also placed red SMDs into the fastpacks and the sensors in the nose cone. Actually, please help me out here... those are IR sensors in the nose, right? 

Post 6:

https://stevethefishdotnet.tumblr.com/post/676351665180377088/bandaiimai-macross-172-vf-1j-super-valkyrie

Post 7:

https://stevethefishdotnet.tumblr.com/post/692263848691089408/bandaiimai-macross-172-vf-1j-super-valkyrie

[SteveTheFish]

Final reveal post:

https://stevethefishdotnet.tumblr.com/post/692264406831251456/bandaiimai-macross-172-vf-1j-super-valkyrie

And here is a quick video I made of the completed build. I posted this on the Macross Reddit at the time.

https://odysee.com/Valkyrie-SFX:cb3ecb3771a128669033b77dfd6e6313f1b0d412?src=embed

[Kerr Avon]

This is really well done. It looks so alive with the thrusters and positioning lights lit up like that. But what really put a smile on my face are the lit shoulder pads on the pilot - just the concept is so out there, and your implementation is really clever.

 

[SteveTheFish]

12 minutes ago, Kerr Avon said:

This is really well done. It looks so alive with the thrusters and positioning lights lit up like that. But what really put a smile on my face are the lit shoulder pads on the pilot - just the concept is so out there, and your implementation is really clever.

 

Thanks! So many things went wrong with this build, but I managed to rescue it. The suit glows in the movie, so that's what gave me the idea. However I only managed to make the shoulders glow and not the cuffs. After he crash-lands with Minmay, Hikaru turns his suit's glow lights off and her glow-in-the-dark dress lights up.

[Bolt]

You did a most excellent job ! So much to love and appreciate there. 

[SteveTheFish]

6 hours ago, Bolt said:

You did a most excellent job ! So much to love and appreciate there. 

Thanks! I managed to accomplish a lot with this old kit, drilling holes and inserting SMDs for the sensors on the fastpack, etc. Nav lights are disabled during combat, and with the flashing gunpod in an attack pose, it was my excuse to not try to light those up. I'm currently working on a non-lighted Hasegawa Valk (I plan to build it as Kakizaki's Valk) and I'd like to start on the Plamax Valk soon too. I also have the Hasegawa Armored Valkyrie left unfinished, and yesterday I started on three Zentraedi ships from Arii. But someday whenever I tackle my 1:48 Strike Valk by Hasegawa, I intend to have nav lights, collision strobes, and the wing lamps lighted as well. This old Imai mold kit was practice!