DX Chogokin VT-1 Super Ostrich

[Lolicon]

Reassembled the ostrich

 

Wanted to do a side by side pic with the Yamato but it's a gigantic hassle to take the Yamato out of the Moducase and Yeti stand just for one pic, so I just stitched an old pic with the new. 

[Chronocidal]

Still kind of sad we never got a PF VT-1 from Arcadia, seemed like the logical thing to do after the VE-1 came out, but it just never happened.  Probably not enough demand?  I would have thought the VT-1 would be more popular than the Elintseeker, but who knows.

[davidwhangchoi]

wow that's incredible @Lolicon you got the rainbow canopy look on the DX

edit: oh wait that's the yamato

 

Edited August 9 by davidwhangchoi

[mark-1s]

It’s amazing what a difference white landing gear makes. 
 

Great work Lolicon!

Edited August 12 by mark-1s

[Chronocidal]

"Hikaru, you're getting an early promotion."

"Awesome!"

"But it comes with one requirement.  You have to change your helmet."

".... Deal."

If Bandai is going to be throwing spare pilots at me, you better bet I'm going to be doing their work for them.  

[no3Ljm]

On 8/8/2024 at 5:27 PM, no3Ljm said:

Has anyone ordered this from Anime-Export? I paid my shipping August 1 last week. August 2, following day, I have my DHL info posted by Anime-Export. That's it. No movement since. And it's already August 8. I just shoot an inquiry message a few minutes ago via their Contact page.

I'm in no rush. This is actually the first time I've experienced from them this slow shipment process. But I just want to know if anyone experienced this from them esp for this item and if this is their regular norm now? Thanks.

On 8/8/2024 at 7:32 PM, Radioguy said:

Not this, but their customer service has taken a huge dive as of late in my opinion. I won't be dealing with them again.

On 8/8/2024 at 8:07 PM, Chronocidal said:

See, I want to say I had the same sort of experience, but it wasn't just AE, and it wasn't just DHL.

I had two separate shipments by two separate methods just held up with no explanation and no update for several days shipping recently, one by DHL, and one by EMS.  They just stalled out after the tracking number was sent to me, and then I received no updates until the day they were out for delivery.

Just posting an update. AE hasn't replied on my first inquiry message last Thursday and DHL tracking still shows as 'Shipping infomration received' last August 2. I just sent my 2nd inquiry message thru their Contact page. I'm now wondering if they don't have stock to ship at this point.

Anyone ordered from AE that experienced the same thing?

[jenius]

Yikes, I hope you're wrong, I just asked to have mine ship with the Hi-Metal R VF-19Kai and Tiny Session YF-19. 

[grogall]

9 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

Just posting an update. AE hasn't replied on my first inquiry message last Thursday and DHL tracking still shows as 'Shipping infomration received' last August 2. I just sent my 2nd inquiry message thru their Contact page. I'm now wondering if they don't have stock to ship at this point.

Anyone ordered from AE that experienced the same thing?

It might not have been picked up on time, since it's a holiday week over in Japan! I received two off my Ostriches (Not @LUNA PARK) 🤬  just before the holiday started and waiting for one more from another dealer wich also showed what you are dealing with... But some dealers have really dropped the ball on customer service over there, and some I will not recommend dealing with at all! 🤬

[MKT]

3 hours ago, grogall said:

It might not have been picked up on time, since it's a holiday week over in Japan! I received two off my Ostriches (Not @LUNA PARK) 🤬  just before the holiday started and waiting for one more from another dealer wich also showed what you are dealing with... But some dealers have really dropped the ball on customer service over there, and some I will not recommend dealing with at all! 🤬

So what happened to your copies from @LUNA PARK? 

Well, holiday week in Japan makes sense now. I requested shipping over the weekend from HLJ but nothing is moving yet.

[no3Ljm]

3 hours ago, grogall said:

It might not have been picked up on time, since it's a holiday week over in Japan! I received two off my Ostriches (Not @LUNA PARK) 🤬  just before the holiday started and waiting for one more from another dealer wich also showed what you are dealing with... But some dealers have really dropped the ball on customer service over there, and some I will not recommend dealing with at all! 🤬

I was actually hoping that it will be shipped from 2nd of August prior of the holiday closure they posted below which I think they have an ample time of doing it. But I guess it didn't make it. It's either they have a lot of shipping backlogs during that period or they just dilly-dally due to the incoming holiday break the following week after.

Anyways, this what it states on AE's page:

[Notice] Office Closure Notice
Due to the Japanese national holiday, our office will be closed from August 12th to 17th. During this period, we will not proceed with shipments, and customer service will not be available. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.  Thank you for your continued support.

[jenius]

Well I won't freak out for another week. Fortunately I have my first VT-1 to work on..

[grogall]

41 minutes ago, jenius said:

Well I won't freak out for another week. Fortunately I have my first VT-1 to work on..

Sounds great hope to have your thoughts on the bird soon! But since both the VF-1D and VT-1 are trainers would be great if you finally did a review on both since I'm sadly still miss you're review on the VF-1D... 😉

[Mechapilot77]

late to the party here...marking myself safe in VT-1 fingate.  at least for my first one.  now i have a second one i was gonna keep misb for a while but with fingate i gotta dig that one up and check too.  btw whoever designed that plastic clam shell.....man they needed to leave more clearance.  literally if i were to press down on the product box and if it were to flex down a tiny bit in the right spot - i am pretty sure i could break that fin super easy.  there is next to zero clearance to the plastic and not much from the plastic to the box.  Thankfully the brown "shipper box" is kinda rigid, and my vendor (at least one so far) wrapped the brown box in bubble wrap and then put that into an actual heavy corrugated shipping box.  anyway its a crap packaging design.  I doubt an actual packaging engineer looked at it before being sent off for  manufacturer.  now that i passed VT-1 test (so far)....i gotta gear up for YF-21 antennagate test next week! 

[MKT]

8 hours ago, Mechapilot77 said:

late to the party here...marking myself safe in VT-1 fingate.  at least for my first one.  now i have a second one i was gonna keep misb for a while but with fingate i gotta dig that one up and check too.  btw whoever designed that plastic clam shell.....man they needed to leave more clearance.  literally if i were to press down on the product box and if it were to flex down a tiny bit in the right spot - i am pretty sure i could break that fin super easy.  there is next to zero clearance to the plastic and not much from the plastic to the box.  Thankfully the brown "shipper box" is kinda rigid, and my vendor (at least one so far) wrapped the brown box in bubble wrap and then put that into an actual heavy corrugated shipping box.  anyway its a crap packaging design.  I doubt an actual packaging engineer looked at it before being sent off for  manufacturer.  now that i passed VT-1 test (so far)....i gotta gear up for YF-21 antennagate test next week! 

The packaging look to be the key offender at initial glance, much in the same way the YF-19 Full Pack did with so little clearance on top, but then again every single report we’ve seen of broken stabilizers are of the left side. 

Edited August 14 by MKT

[Chronocidal]

Honestly?  I would have no trouble believing that Bandai just forgot to tell the factory workers, "Hey, this one's tails don't fold over."

[danth]

On 8/4/2024 at 9:27 PM, MKT said:

The issues on the VT-1 seem to be worse than the YF-21.. so far the running list:

1. Broken tailfins. All on the left side.

2. Snapped head sensor, and easily broken from handling due to poor design. This is surprising, because T-Rex usually doesn't make these kinds of mistakes. Unless, Bandai handled the VT-1 design changes from the base VF-1 themselves. I remember prodding that part a bit out of the box in Fighter and it felt pretty fragile.

3. Something about nosecone tabs not working properly in Battroid? Not sure if this only afflicts certain copies or everyone's like that. I haven't transformed mine yet to know.

Thanks for the round up.

Well, I opened mine, and no tail fin issues. The tail fins angle enough to get them vertical, I assume to align them for snapping into the back. But I wonder if it would have been wise to just allow them to fold all the way down.

I want to transform it but I'm too afraid to touch that head antenna that everyone is breaking...

[Chronocidal]

I think if you're careful not to press on the antenna in any way, you should be fine.  If you're worried about putting pressure on it by accident, you can twist the top hinge piece around until it slides off the peg, and you'll just be left with the peg sticking out (the one that has been getting broken).  Without the panel mounted to it, there's less chance to accidentally press on it, and snap that peg.

And even then, if you do happen to break it, that's one of the easier fixes to perform.  Just takes a steady hand and a very small drill, so you can reinforce that mounting peg with a piece of a metal pin or wire.  My personal go-to material for those fixes is to cut a small segment off of a paperclip.

[Radioguy]

LP saying now they just emailed Bandai "again". Now, I'm worried.

[Agent-GHQ]

Here’s a preview of a sealed case from Yokaaaaaahhkuuuuunow😊

 

[Radioguy]

17 minutes ago, Agent-GHQ said:

Here’s a preview of a sealed case from Yokaaaaaahhkuuuuunow😊

 

Ah, a herd of Schrödinger's Ostritches. (Yes, they are called a herd)

[Shawn]

A case of Ostri? That is 6 right?
Are you going to open them all up for inspection? Would love to see a pic of them.

In 10 years we can look back at this thread it and go 'wow!' when they are all reselling for $800 each.

[vt102]

3 hours ago, Agent-GHQ said:

Here’s a preview of a sealed case from Yokaaaaaahhkuuuuunow😊

 

At least I know what part of that case looks like. LOL 

[Agent-GHQ]

Yup, 6pcs, like a case of 6 pk rootbeer! I’m only opening one, for now, but we shall see how well I resist in 10yrs 

[Bolt]

You'll want to check for yellowing in 10 years. 

[Agent-GHQ]

Ooooh that instant joy from cracking a sealed case…. 

[Agent-GHQ]

No breakage(s)… but here’s the shipping case of the VT-1 since 1984 

[Shawn]

You are the king of VT-1 Ostrich cases...wow wow wow!!!
An original Bandai 1/55 shipping case from 1985, unbelievable!

Please make sure you put a note inside that case for your kids, so that way down the road  when they sell off your toys from your estate, they don't ditch that as a generic cardboard box LOL

Stock number on the case matches the box, just so cool!

[Radioguy]

Macross hoarding is a terrible disease. I pride myself on helping fans like yourself declutter and improve your lives with my takeaway service at very reasonable rates.

Just call 1-800-GOT-VALKs and leave off the last s for saving...space.

[vt102]

6 hours ago, Agent-GHQ said:

Ooooh that instant joy from cracking a sealed case…. 

Oh my God!

[vt102]

6 hours ago, Agent-GHQ said:

No breakage(s)… but here’s the shipping case of the VT-1 since 1984 

Oh my God!

[Sayroll]

Because I believe we won’t be able to rely on Bandai to replace the broken tailfins, I’m trying to fix it my self.

So has anyone already opened up a DX backpack? There are probably several pegs holding the 2 halves together and I need to know where they are located to try and pry them open. Unfortunately I can’t just glue the tailfin back because it needs to keep its limited mobility for transformation…

[Radioguy]

7 hours ago, Sayroll said:

Because I believe we won’t be able to rely on Bandai to replace the broken tailfins, I’m trying to fix it my self.

I'm even more worried now. Are you just feeling pragmatic, or relying on some past experience in a situation like this with Bandai?

[Chronocidal]

8 hours ago, Radioguy said:

I'm even more worried now. Are you just feeling pragmatic, or relying on some past experience in a situation like this with Bandai?

Most likely just being practical at this point, because we don't have any "official" avenue to request Bandai's assistance with their own broken product, no matter whose fault it actually is.

The very nature of having to rely on proxy services for these web exclusives means anything we get is already essentially second-hand, and they have absolutely no qualms about giving international purchasers the finger when we're not their "target market."

[Sayroll]

9 hours ago, Radioguy said:

I'm even more worried now. Are you just feeling pragmatic, or relying on some past experience in a situation like this with Bandai?

As Chronocidal says, I just don't think Bandai is going to send our various resellers a brand new backpack to replace the broken ones (although they should). And I'm tired of having a brand new toy sitting here without me enjoying it.

So I reiterate: if someone has disassembled a backpack and know of a good method, I'm all ears.

[Agent-GHQ]

On 8/15/2024 at 6:58 PM, Shawn said:

You are the king of VT-1 Ostrich cases...wow wow wow!!!
An original Bandai 1/55 shipping case from 1985, unbelievable!

Please make sure you put a note inside that case for your kids, so that way down the road  when they sell off your toys from your estate, they don't ditch that as a generic cardboard box LOL

Stock number on the case matches the box, just so cool!

Noted! 😊