Bandai 1/72 Scale Macross Frontier Model Kit Thread Ver.3

[honkhet]

hi dudes, i just super parted my luca and wanna share the pics

without the radome:

without a display stand, the battroid can just barely stand in normal position

dont even try anything remotely related to posing

[Kyp Durron]

guys.. know this is off topic, but where do you get clear canopy for the 1/72 Vf-25F messiah Valkyrie ?

I just screwed up canopy and i am really upset now.. any ideas on how to repair? i dropped my canopy into the thinner and it went frosted, and no matter what i do, it just cannot remove the frost, instead it got worst.. sighs..

Edmund.

Hey man, have you tried Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner & Polish? You can find it at any Advance Auto Parts or AutoZone store.

You can use it to polish/buff plastic with a dry, clean cloth. With some time and luck, you might be able to get that fog off the inside and outside of the canopy pieces.

Just a possible solution for you.

-Kyp

[MR_Hyde]

you could also try giving it several dips in some Future. It has worked for me before, and I hope it will work for you.

[Cent]

Damn, they must have some extra supports to keep the wings from ripping off. All that plastic on the farthest point from the joint must be hell for the joints.

Yea, didnt the regular Super Packs already give the 1/72 wings a hell of a time in Gerwalk mode? These Armored packs looks to be twice as heavy.

[onderon]

You can also try using some ultra fine polishing compound after you go through a couple higher number sand papers such as wet and drys and then buffer with the stuff. I'm also going to try to see if polishing compound is good for removing smudges left by panel lines and those annoying residue stuck in the fault lines that you tend to find in bigger pieces of plastic.

[David Hingtgen]

Ehh, in my experience most thinners will eat/melt/soften a canopy pretty quicker, clear plastic always reacts differently. I'd be surprised if a "dunked in thinner" canopy can be salvaged.

eyesonme---you'll probably have to buy the entire sprue, not just the canopy. If that happens, I'd buy a piece or two from you---one of my leg parts on that sprue is "stained" in a weird way. And I'd like to re-do the head visor if I could get another.

[alfye]

Please, could someone show me a comparative picture of a VF-25 vs ZakuII Ver.2.0 arms???

I'm thinking of using the hands of ZakuII in VF-25´s

[eyesonme78]

Ehh, in my experience most thinners will eat/melt/soften a canopy pretty quicker, clear plastic always reacts differently. I'd be surprised if a "dunked in thinner" canopy can be salvaged.

eyesonme---you'll probably have to buy the entire sprue, not just the canopy. If that happens, I'd buy a piece or two from you---one of my leg parts on that sprue is "stained" in a weird way. And I'd like to re-do the head visor if I could get another.

Hi Guys;

Thanks for the help, but i made a decision to paint the whole canopy while waiting fopr my ozma full armour valkyrie..

and i have made enquiries to rainbow ten, Hw japan, and HLJ ... hopefully i can get some solution, and david if i have extra parts, i will let you know =)

Thanks guys, but then i also checked on the net, when clear canopy gotten eaten by thinner, nothing helps.. sighs... stupid me..

haha no choice i take it as a lesson learnt =)

[eyesonme78]

some pics... one very painful lesson learnt.. but then this valkyrie is gonna stay on battleroid mode.. hahahah...

[onderon]

Please, could someone show me a comparative picture of a VF-25 vs ZakuII Ver.2.0 arms???

I'm thinking of using the hands of ZakuII in VF-25´s

I'll get some pics up for a comparisons of the hands later when I can find my camera but i can tell you that the zaku 2.0 hands are a lot bigger than the VF hands but something like the MK2 ver2.0 hands are perfect size and the ball joint is exactly the same. I was thinking of giving the armored ozma some left over freedom hands as well.

[Pegasu Saint]

hi dudes, i just super parted my luca and wanna share the pics

without a display stand, the battroid can just barely stand in normal position

dont even try anything remotely related to posing

Congratulation for your great built

In the anime, the green on the super sparts is different than the green on the valkyrie?

I checked the anime to get an answer but that's not really clear.

Edited April 8, 2009 by Pegasu Saint

[protostar8]

hi dudes, i just super parted my luca and wanna share the pics

without the radome:

without a display stand, the battroid can just barely stand in normal position

dont even try anything remotely related to posing

Thanks for posting some pics of yours. Mine looked "busy" with the Super Parts on it, so I removed them and they are awaiting Michael to arrive. Something about the radar dish just makes it look like too much is going on and I just didn't like it as much. Glad yours turned out well though!

[General Chaos]

These threads have been a great source of info and temptation for me and I would never have even thought of getting these kits or even attempting a kit without reading them so thumbs up guys. On the flip side I think I am now addicted so I hold you all accountable!

I have just finished my first (Ozma) kit and am very pleased with how it has turned out. Panel Lines and Stickers only for this effort and it will now display in battroid mode from now on.

For any novices out there worried about the difficulty I can assure you it is straight forward and produces a top quality looking piece of kit just using the provided sticker sheet.

I am now working my way through an Alto build (much easier the second time around) which will stay in fighter mode and tonight I will be kicking it up a notch and trying a tint on the canopy etc.

I was thinking next up I'd try a Super Kit but it doesn't seem there is a Michael combo yet, has one been announced that I have skipped over?

[alfye]

I'll get some pics up for a comparisons of the hands later when I can find my camera but i can tell you that the zaku 2.0 hands are a lot bigger than the VF hands but something like the MK2 ver2.0 hands are perfect size and the ball joint is exactly the same. I was thinking of giving the armored ozma some left over freedom hands as well.

Thank you very much for your comment, but i´m not a GUNPLA modeller. Which model is the MK2 ver2.0?

Like these? http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10076860 http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10076861

I was thinking about ZakuII ver2.0 cause its hand has articulated fingers (all). What do you think about a RGM-79 GM Ver.2.0 or RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.2.0? They have all fingers articullated too, but i dont know their size...

Edited April 8, 2009 by alfye

[wolfx]

The ranka deculture decal is out for selected macross purchases from HLJ.

http://www.hlj.com/hljlist2/?SaleGroup=MAC...Decal%20Present

[onderon]

Thank you very much for your comment, but i´m not a GUNPLA modeller. Which model is the MK2 ver2.0?

Like these? http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10076860 http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10076861

I was thinking about ZakuII ver2.0 cause its hand has articulated fingers (all). What do you think about a RGM-79 GM Ver.2.0 or RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.2.0? They have all fingers articullated too, but i dont know their size...

I just used the MK2 ver 2.0 as an example but it has the same hands as the rx78 ver2.0 and GM 2.0. most of the recent gunpla models have articulated fingers and every 2.0 kit has them for sure. Still have no idea where my camera is so no pics atm.

[regult]

Please, could someone show me a comparative picture of a VF-25 vs ZakuII Ver.2.0 arms???

I'm thinking of using the hands of ZakuII in VF-25´s

At your service (Zaku II V2 Char custom is the only Gundam I own)!

1) no, the Zaku hands don't stay in the VF sockets...the ball joint is not smaller, but it just does not stay. For the picture I used blue tac

2) look at the massive size of Zaku's hands! they make the VF look funny.

I expected poseable hands with the VF kit, but instead got the fixed ones, and thought of the switch long time ago when I built the VF.

[alfye]

Regult & onderon Thanks for your help!!!

If anyone can show us pics of RGM-79 GM Ver.2.0 & RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.2.0 hands compared with ZakuII V2 or VF-25 hands, we will appreciate forever!!!

Damn, they must have some extra supports to keep the wings from ripping off. All that plastic on the farthest point from the joint must be hell for the joints.

Yea, didnt the regular Super Packs already give the 1/72 wings a hell of a time in Gerwalk mode? These Armored packs looks to be twice as heavy.

Another issue with the model kit & SuperParts( http://blog.goo.ne.jp/zyaa15189/c/e6b4fade...fd00edbd9d52495 ) :

Not mine, but I´ll consider this picture and glue these parts to the wingroot of my VF-25G WIP, cause he´s the chosen one to bear the weight of SuperParts. My Ozma has broken mini-peg crotch caused by the Superparts on Battroid Mode and he will be free of weight

Edited April 8, 2009 by alfye

[Lolicon]

The ranka deculture decal is out for selected macross purchases from HLJ.

http://www.hlj.com/hljlist2/?SaleGroup=MAC...Decal%20Present

Did anyone who purchased a VF-25 from Rainbow Ten during the previous Deculture Campaign receive Sheryl decals? I prefer not to order from HLJ if I can help it.

[Ghadrack]

This seems like as good a thread as any.

Has there been any rumor or serious discussion of "Perfect Grade" style Macross Frontier Kits?

I would be extremely excited about a PG version of any of these kits.

[azrael]

Has there been any rumor or serious discussion of "Perfect Grade" style Macross Frontier Kits?

I would be extremely excited about a PG version of any of these kits.

Not at this time. It's very rare for a non-Gundam kit to get PG treatment. There has to be a serious demand for it or else Bandai won't go through with it. Start a polling of people in Japan and put some pressure on Bandai.

[miriya]

How about a model kit of the Macross11?

Thank you Mr. March.

[regult]

Regult & onderon Thanks for your help!!!

If anyone can show us pics of RGM-79 GM Ver.2.0 & RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.2.0 hands compared with ZakuII V2 or VF-25 hands, we will appreciate forever!!!

Another issue with the model kit & SuperParts( http://blog.goo.ne.jp/zyaa15189/c/e6b4fade...fd00edbd9d52495 ) :

You're welcome, the VF really looks funny with huge pink hands, you can clearly see they're of different magnitudes in the "mano a mano" comparison shot! I cannot help you with more Gundam to VF hand comparisons, as I said, I only have 1 ZakuII in my model collection. A smaller one would probably work, and the socket/ball joint problem may be easily solved with clear coats or the good ol' superglue solution (or non-permanent bluetac!)

That breakage makes me think twice about the Super-pack installation. I have the 25F w/Super pack in the box, and I am probably going to get the Armored 25S...but I now realize how stupid it is for that small piece to bear the weight of the boosters/missile pods...maybe we need multiples of that hinge included in the kit. Bandai is nice enough to include the SMS stand with the Armored (they know it cannot stand on its own)!

[regult]

This seems like as good a thread as any.

Has there been any rumor or serious discussion of "Perfect Grade" style Macross Frontier Kits?

I would be extremely excited about a PG version of any of these kits.

Just spotted your posts...I asked the same question on the first version of this discussion, sometime last year.

Certainly, a bigger VF model (1/48? 1/32??) with more robust/smooth articulations, locking tab mechanisms here and there, moving hands, more range of movement, small parts broken down to correct colors for the lazy modeler, actual metal parts for the internal skeleton, etc. would be uh...PERFECT!

If it happens, it may take years, or maybe Bandai is crazy and we'll get the kit by the end of 2009?

To take up where azrael left (whenever I see his avatar I think "gubaba", while gubaba is another member!), I wonder if the markets for gunpla and other stuff like Macross toys and models are so different.

I mean, a PG kit set is not outlandishly expensive compared to what a Yamato or DX toy is selling for these days. OF course, with a toy you open the box and instant fun (or breakage, or inaccuracies and frustration), with kit sets, you open the box and get sprues, sometimes metal rods, stickers, decals and hope for free time. Model builders and toy collectors are really so far away from each other?

Edited April 8, 2009 by regult

[azrael]

To take up where azrael left (whenever I see his avatar I think "gubaba", while gubaba is another member!), I wonder if the markets for gunpla and other stuff like Macross toys and models are so different.

It's comparatively smaller. When I go to stores, I see an entire wall dedicated to Gunpla, and yet a shelf or 2 dedicated to Patlabor. I'm not saying it's ridiculously smaller, because that's probably not the case. But if a a Gunpla kit gets 10 units made (let say each unit is a palette's worth), then chances are, a Macross or other series kit may only get 7-8 units on an initial run and let the market decide. But at the same time, Gunpla is comparatively small next to model cars or airplanes.

I mean, a PG kit set is not outlandishly expensive compared to what a Yamato or DX toy is selling for these days. OF course, with a toy you open the box and instant fun (or breakage, or inaccuracies and frustration), with kit sets, you open the box and get sprues, sometimes metal rods, stickers, decals and hope for free time. Model builders and toy collectors are really so far away from each other?

The thing about PG kits ARE that they're expensive. On average, I see more modified NG/HG and MG kits than I do PG kits. $30-75 USD is not as bad as $200+ USD. Plus you have to build the kit. So that's time and money to consider in the market.

[onderon]

I highly doubt Bandai will release a PG kit outside of the gunpla range. It took them a couple of years since the last PG ( about 5 i think ) and then they released the PG astray this march and they recycled like 80% of the parts from the previous kit. One of the main reasoning behind PG is do they offer enough gimmicks and a believable increase in detail and difficultly to go with the jump in price which are around 18.000yen and above. If you look at the VFs the detail they have is remarkable already in terms of construction and accuracy so the next step up would be increase in size maybe a slightly better inner frame and some more hatches and whatnots but the effort is definitely not worth the trouble considering Bandai is one of the laziest bunch of ppl ever, this is a company which released the same few kits with different color variations and minor accessory changes within the space of a year *cough* zaku2 and 8 variations*cough*. Also if you look at the number of transformable MG level kits and PG kits you can tell that they shy away from transformation gimmicks but when they do it they do it right but the only transforming PG they have, the PG zeta, took way too much designing and they probably don't want to go through the same things again.

And yes gundam has a larger market and therefore more predictable profit and Bandai is a company which won't do anything unless there is a considerably gain and the VFs just don't hold up as well as we would like to believe they do.

On the side note I would love to see a PG VF but I won't be holding my breath and getting my hopes high.

Edited April 8, 2009 by onderon

[mrsmithz]

guys.. know this is off topic, but where do you get clear canopy for the 1/72 Vf-25F messiah Valkyrie ?

I just screwed up canopy and i am really upset now.. any ideas on how to repair? i dropped my canopy into the thinner and it went frosted, and no matter what i do, it just cannot remove the frost, instead it got worst.. sighs..

Edmund.

http://www.hobbyfanatics.com/index.php?showtopic=18472

See here Bandai Policy for replacement parts

[mrsmithz]

VF-25S Super Build Magazine scan

Going to paint mine this way lol

[Kyp Durron]

WOW...that looks fantastic.

That reminds me, does anyone here know what paint can be used to match Ozma's yellow markings? I want to paint the yellow on the vertical stabilizers rather than use the stickers.

-Kyp

[gsquared]

VF-25S Super Build Magazine scan

Going to paint mine this way lol

that is Awesome! and they did the landing gear mod . looks so good, too bad i didn't know how to do that on my VF-25F

[General Chaos]

Ugh!! I should have just gone with a blue tint!! Put me down in the list of people chasing the magic bulltet that is the purple tint.

I had some luck with food dye and future but the tint is barely noticable. Dye can definately be mixed to make purple you just have to use small amounts and blend very slowly. I might try and add some more in or use less future but the danger is that the dye goes a deep plumb colour when you start mixing too much.

Future and Tamyia purple is a confirmed fail. They just don't mix at all and you end up with little globs of purple.

Today I go looking at a party store for straight up purple food die, might also hit up an art store and see what inks they have that I could potentially mix. Failing that I might attack some inkjet refils and see how they go....

Yep should have just stuck with blue

[Zeropioneer]

Ugh!! I should have just gone with a blue tint!! Put me down in the list of people chasing the magic bulltet that is the purple tint.

I had some luck with food dye and future but the tint is barely noticable. Dye can definately be mixed to make purple you just have to use small amounts and blend very slowly. I might try and add some more in or use less future but the danger is that the dye goes a deep plumb colour when you start mixing too much.

Future and Tamyia purple is a confirmed fail. They just don't mix at all and you end up with little globs of purple.

Today I go looking at a party store for straight up purple food die, might also hit up an art store and see what inks they have that I could potentially mix. Failing that I might attack some inkjet refils and see how they go....

Yep should have just stuck with blue

I did mine with purple chinese ink, brand is Stafford, but I'm note really sure if they sell it in the States, I'm in Mexico. I'll take a couple of pics tomorrow, as right now the effect won't be fully captured by the camera, but I am really happy with the result, and I didn't do anything fancy, just put some ink in a little cup with water, a dip, some paper towels, and all done.

[General Chaos]

Cool thanks for that. I'm In Australia and just went to my local art supplier. I am now armed with several purple substances to try out.

One is some form of Drawing ink and the other is a small block of watercolour. I will try diluting both into future then applying and see how it goes. Left over bits from a Clear Gundum action base will be my test subjects.

[David Hingtgen]

Every purple ink is different. Some form blobs in Future like purple Tamiya does, some look like they dissolve but really just make much smaller blobs that will become evident when it dries.

[westfall]

That Ozma Super Part Custom is just BEAUTIFUL.

I never liked the color of the super packs throughout the Macross franchise.

Why have them in that "Purple/Blue/Grey/Whatever the hell that color is"?

It just pops out too much. And not in a good way.

Even in the logic that they are disposable parts (not as much with the 25), why that color? Simple grey primer would look better.

But if they go to the trouble of having certain markings customized to a particular craft, why not the paint scheme?

At least in the 25, where the packs are only jetisoned in case of damage or absolute need.

And this Ozma Custom sells that point with flying colors. No pun intended.