Talos

I presume it looks a lot like a normal VF-1, without the cut down tails, the enlarged dorsal strakes, the boosters built into the leg packs, and the additional thrusters on the nose and wing gloves.

Well, there is the normal VF-1X++ it's based on, supposedly an updated VF-1X made decades after production ended for special forces use, as I recall, with vastly updated technology. Something about them blending in since there are so many VF-1s out there. As for the pre-91 aircraft, I wonder if things like the Dragon and Sea Sergeant were reserved for ships like the Prometheus. We saw conventional aircraft operating off a normal carrier, while the Asuka II got OTM fighters and destroids in addition to Seahawks and Vikings. Whenever I see the Asuka II name, though, I can't help but think it was from the JMSDF originally. The Asuka is a JMSDF electronics test ship, so it would fit for the Asuka II to be their OTM test ship they donated to the UN.

Yes, it was. 25th fleet, VF-25. It was even broadcast at 25:25 on TBS (1:25 the day before, according to those crazy Japanese TV schedules).

Frontier did have two little references to it, at least. One being Megaroad-01's course in the first episode, ending abruptly, the other being Bilrar's motivations for the entire operation...

Looks like Master File VF-19 and VF-1 Wings of Space (vol 2) are coming next...

Verdammt! You're right. Shows you how long it's been since I studied German. I think I got overzealous correcting people with Jäger and Kämpher (Gundam, obviously) and mentally connected that with the VF-22.

I think he's asking why is there an English dub on the Japanese DVDs, Keith.

In the episode "Northern Cross", when Luca's on the Quarter's monitor, you can see text that includes the directories for Satelight's HIBIKI, who was a motion graphics guy on the show. "RecentContentDir I:\HIBIKI_works\SAT\FGG\hibiki(it cuts off there)" It's from whatever 3D program they were using.

IIRC they even promoted him to Major before he retired and joined a certain other organization. He was chief test pilot for that program. At least one other was killed and another injured.

Nah, let's say the target is a Zentradi destroyer. You fly out ahead of it at long range, out of it's sensor range, turn towards it, and fire two of them. They light up for a moment to build acceleration, then coast the rest of the way in totally silent, gutting the destroyer without a problem. Zero friction means zero kinetic energy loss before impact.

Kinetic penetrators work quite well in zero-g. Remember, a chip of paint at orbital velocity can tear through a spaceship like a hot knife through butter. Imagine what a boosted heavy-weight weapon would do

It's probably a question of capability, I would argue. Would you rather have a pretty good dual-type seeker doing IIR and SARH modes, or two separate ones that are really good at each? There's only so much room in the seeker head of the missile to pack stuff in. The warheads are a pretty varied set, so it's difficult to meld in the best aspects of all of them together. We might even argue that the AAM-1X is that ultimate balance of seeker head and warhead condensed into one general purpose type. A bayonet on the GU-11D? Interesting. Very interesting. As for the magazines, if I was doing it I would have them in the leg-parts of the FAST packs.

Not crazy about the paint scheme, but it's nice to see a VF-11D model kit coming out, along with a Macross the Ride one. Interestingly (and probably appropriate for a race plane), it has the VF-11D kai modifications that the Jamming Birds' planes got.

No, Macross the First is the serialized manga retelling of the original series. Macross Ace was the (now-cancelled) magazine it was serialized in.

Glad I could help. Yeah, that's a good site. I've used it as a source trying to track down the BuNos of a few specific aircraft before.

It means Bureau Number and is the Navy equivalent to serial numbers. They were called that because they were assigned to the plane from the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics.

Bah, I did it twice! That's not /entirely/ true, there is one small snippet of one, a partial side view, mostly of the forward fuselage. http://www.macross2.net/m3/macross2/vf-2ja/vf-2ja-transformation1.gif Yeah, that's the number I used, 13.505m. Still bigger then the VF-9...

Yeah, it totally is. I didn't believe it either when I scaled it to the numbers Seto provided, based on that top view valhary posted above. Like most sports cars, it's a rather wide design too. I might have emphasized the shortness of it by putting it next to the insanely-long SV-51 though... grapetang, I'll see if I can get Seto Kaiba over here, he's the guy to go to for Macross II info, especially background stuff.

In fighter mode the VF-2SS is actually quite a bit smaller then the VF-1 in length (but quite wide). I included a (still undetailed) side view in my size chart I've been working on.

No, but we know a few things about it based on the description of the mods for the Jamming Birds model. A basic, military VF-11D will have the smaller VF-11B/C canard and lack the additional VF-19-style verniers behind the cockpit, according to the Compendium.

Yeah, I know. The details are different, but the installation is pretty much the same.

The turret's from the VF-X-7, if I remember.

Good work on those, sketchley. Just some quick comments for now, I'll add more later when I get the time. The VF-1G, it's probably renamed because, as you put it, they wanted a more unified system. I like the detail about it being able to use single or two-seat forward fuselages. The VEFR-1 line art shows it with a VF-1D forward fuselage and a plain chest plate. VF-1N, the name was probably chosen in reference to the McDD F-4N Phantom, which was an update of the earlier Navy F-4B to include new engines and wing mods. I would have rather liked to have seen the VF-1B (Half-S) myself. When I did some VF-1 profile drawings, I used a (Master File block designations) block 13-14 VF-1 with a VF-1S head as a stand-in for the VF-1B, so it has the new panel arrangements, tail, ventral fins, and flat-panel antennas. On an unrelated note, I also did a block 17 VF-1A, using the MF VF-1X/P nose blisters to represent the improved sensors listed in the block 17 description. The J+, S+ (and A+ with a theoretical D+ as well) were just the Block-6 onwards VF-1s anyway, any with the DYRL cockpit, as I recall. Now for the VF-1D....I hate it when sources write off the VF-1D like that. I think it was in the Macross II/DYRL background info that listed weak engines as the reason for the unpopularity of it, which is an awful reason (especially if they have the same engines as a VF-1A!). It always reminded me more of the two-seat combat capable planes like the B/D models of the F-15, F-16, and F-18 in addition to training duties, while the VT-1 normally is more unarmed and like the Hawk trainers. Two different functions.

I don't have too much to add to this. The VF-4 was one of my first Macross profile works, so I've gone back to the TIA Macross Plus Movie Edition version, which I like better, proportionally, and tweaking the shape and details to better fit the original design. I've updated it since then, but this is the newest one I had on hand. I've since done a new cockpit interior, moved the forward fuselage missiles back some, and started tweaking the tail shape, since I intend to do both the original swept one as well as the TIA straighter one. I also intend to do the VF-4xL versions, with lacked arms, and draw the boosters and alternate weapons pods, so I had to draw the inner wing areas (still unfinished here). I can't really comment on the battroid mode that much, but if there's any help I can offer in the fighter mode, I'm more then happy to comment. So much more left for me to do to finish my line art...

Naturally, naturally. Seeing this got me working on my VF-11 again, enough to mock up a cockpit interior (that I'm going to have to redo anyway, I'm not satisfied with it).