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Macross Master File

Galaxy_Stranger

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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My copy rolled in the other day, just in time to render true my joke about it being SoftBank's birthday present to me...

Fairly satisfied with the book, despite it reiterating the somewhat nonsensical claim that the VF-4 wasn't capable of transforming until around the VF-4G. I did get a chuckle out of the few nods to Macross II: Lovers Again on pages 26-27 and 64. Nice to see we're not forgotten by the licensees.

Also, did anyone else notice the subtle in-universe plug for Variable Fighter Master File: VF-31 Siegfried on page 117? They've got a VF-31A Kairos with markings from NUNS SVF-168 Death Adders, captioned with a mention of the VF-31 Master File. Like the others, the VF-4 book is written as a later date retrospective on the fighter's service history, in this case conveniently a retrospective published with an in-universe date of July 2067.

Bored of those you say?

How about.....

Smart Lightning.....

Spiny Lightning? :wacko:

I'll hold out for Volume 2, and the inevitable Greased Lightning.

(They missed a golden opportunity to make that the name of the VF-4A-HSA "Hypersonic Agileness" test airframe.)

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jvmacross Hory Froating Head

jvmacross

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My copy rolled in the other day, just in time to render true my joke about it being SoftBank's birthday present to me...

Fairly satisfied with the book, despite it reiterating the somewhat nonsensical claim that the VF-4 wasn't capable of transforming until around the VF-4G. I did get a chuckle out of the few nods to Macross II: Lovers Again on pages 26-27 and 64. Nice to see we're not forgotten by the licensees.

Also, did anyone else notice the subtle in-universe plug for Variable Fighter Master File: VF-31 Siegfried on page 117? They've got a VF-31A Kairos with markings from NUNS SVF-168 Death Adders, captioned with a mention of the VF-31 Master File. Like the others, the VF-4 book is written as a later date retrospective on the fighter's service history, in this case conveniently a retrospective published with an in-universe date of July 2067.

I'll hold out for Volume 2, and the inevitable Greased Lightning.

(They missed a golden opportunity to make that the name of the VF-4A-HSA "Hypersonic Agileness" test airframe.)

I'll have to use google translate on those pages and see how well it translates....right now I just used it on all the squadron names....love birds....dancing skulls...etc...

Here are some more pics if you guys want to "transgoogle" them...

gallery_12176_640_246247.jpg

gallery_12176_640_239799.jpg

The Cavaliers-looking scheme on the VF-4 looks awesome!

gallery_12176_640_172136.jpg

gallery_12176_640_41875.jpg

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wm cheng SMS Squadron Leader

wm cheng

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Hey I pre-orderedf it a while ago for private warehouse. I just checked in today (having been on vacation) and it says BackOrdered in my account. It went from Pre-order to backordered - does that mean I pre-ordered too late and they didn't have enough to cover the initial pre-order? Should I worry about not getting anything from HLJ? Should I contact them or just sit tight and wait 4-6 weeks?

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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I'll have to use google translate on those pages and see how well it translates....right now I just used it on all the squadron names....love birds....dancing skulls...etc...

Here are some more pics if you guys want to "transgoogle" them...

The Cavaliers-looking scheme on the VF-4 looks awesome!

It looks like a lot of the squadrons in this book are ones that have also appeared in previous books...

The SVF-168 Death Adders are new, but we've seen the following squadrons before:

  • SVF-1 Skulls (VF-1 Vol.1)
  • SVF-137 Metal Robins (VF-19)
  • SVF-26 Royal Cavaliers (VF-1 Vol.2)
  • SVF-50 Spirits of the Sword (VF-1 Vol.2 and Squadrons)
  • SVF-152 Star Streaks (VF-25)
  • SVF-166 Tiger Waves (VF-19)
  • SVF-73 Sidewinders (VF-19)

Hey I pre-orderedf it a while ago for private warehouse. I just checked in today (having been on vacation) and it says BackOrdered in my account. It went from Pre-order to backordered - does that mean I pre-ordered too late and they didn't have enough to cover the initial pre-order? Should I worry about not getting anything from HLJ? Should I contact them or just sit tight and wait 4-6 weeks?

Ah, yeah... that happens occasionally when they don't get enough copies in their initial shipment to fill all the preorders. I'm not sure if they dole them out to private warehouse accounts "first come first served" or in order of who files their shipping request first when it shows as available, but it's usually best just to sit tight unless you're really impatient for it to arrive.

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jvmacross Hory Froating Head

jvmacross

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It looks like a lot of the squadrons in this book are ones that have also appeared in previous books...

The SVF-168 Death Adders are new, but we've seen the following squadrons before:

  • SVF-1 Skulls (VF-1 Vol.1)
  • SVF-137 Metal Robins (VF-19)
  • SVF-26 Royal Cavaliers (VF-1 Vol.2)
  • SVF-50 Spirits of the Sword (VF-1 Vol.2 and Squadrons)
  • SVF-152 Star Streaks (VF-25)
  • SVF-166 Tiger Waves (VF-19)
  • SVF-73 Sidewinders (VF-19)

Oh cool! So the official name is Royal Cavaliers not just Cavaliers.....I knew the "SVF-26" looked familiar but I was not sure...I should have googled it!........thanks anyway for confirming it!

Their VF-4 upgrade really makes them look even better than before! Still one of my favorite squadrons in the Macross Universe.....

ep05-vf1cavaliers.jpg

I miss Yamato...... :(

vf-1a-cavaliers-1-60-005.jpg

Awesome VF-4 upgrade.....the Super Packs make the VF-4 look menancing....so i won't bother trying to figure out how they are mounted! :rolleyes:

gallery_12176_640_336401.jpg

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spanner Super Dimension Member

spanner

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having a quick flick through the VF-4 Master File there sure are a few weird looking alternatives. Some I like and others not so much.. Those super packs on the VF-4 look pure afterthought and don't suit it at all..

I kinda get the impression that the designers struggled a little bit coming up with ideas for this one. Still there is plenty to like and its a great addition to the rest of the Master File collection. So no real complaints.

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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having a quick flick through the VF-4 Master File there sure are a few weird looking alternatives. Some I like and others not so much.. Those super packs on the VF-4 look pure afterthought and don't suit it at all..

Actually, the Super Packs are a very old design Kawamori did back in 1987... we have some pics of line art prints of it that were included with an old VF-4 model kit over on M3's VF-4 page.

I kinda get the impression that the designers struggled a little bit coming up with ideas for this one. Still there is plenty to like and its a great addition to the rest of the Master File collection. So no real complaints.

The annoying part is that, but for the VF-4A and VF-4G, the authors basically ignored the existing (official) VF-4 variants entirely.

Those official variants were:

VF-4A: Initial all-regime mass production type.

VF-4B: Two-seat enhanced attack type, sometimes used as a training aircraft

VF-4C: Atmosphere-service retrofit #1

VF-4D: UN Navy version 1 (mostly used at Naval Air Stations)

VF-4S: UN Navy version 2 with improved salt damage resistance

VF-4G: Final space-use enhanced type

Instead we got:

VF-4A: Initial all-regime mass production type

VF-4B: Two-seat standard version

VF-4C: Improved VF-4A

VF-4D: Two-seat VF-4C

VF-4E: Improved VF-4C

VF-4G: Improved VF-4E

VF-4S: Command variant VF-4G complete with VF-1 style head lasers

... and the later-mentioned Smart Lightning is actually the VF-4SL type from Macross the Ride.

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jvmacross Hory Froating Head

jvmacross

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having a quick flick through the VF-4 Master File there sure are a few weird looking alternatives. Some I like and others not so much.. Those super packs on the VF-4 look pure afterthought and don't suit it at all..

I kinda get the impression that the designers struggled a little bit coming up with ideas for this one. Still there is plenty to like and its a great addition to the rest of the Master File collection. So no real complaints.

I think you were referring to the tv-style super packs slapped onto the VF-4 and not the Super Lightning packs....unless you prefer your VF-4's naked? :)

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sketchley Galactic Diva

sketchley

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... and the later-mentioned Smart Lightning is actually the VF-4SL type from Macross the Ride.

Which first appeared at the same time as Kawamori-san came up with those VF-4 exclusive Super Packs: http://monkeybacon.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/VF-4/VF-4.php#OPTIONAL_SYSTEMS

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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Which first appeared at the same time as Kawamori-san came up with those VF-4 exclusive Super Packs: http://monkeybacon.mywebcommunity.org/Stats/Statistics/VF-4/VF-4.php#OPTIONAL_SYSTEMS

Aye... it was also in that picture I linked earlier, dated November 1987. ^_^

Why they are called "smart"?

That... isn't super clear from the text, or maybe I'm missing something. They talk a little about a similar VF-4A-based variant (VF-4AS "Special") and an unarmed YF-4 (YF-4 Nak.) and something about the service ceiling being over 100km, but exactly what makes it smart... either I'm missing it or it's not said.

The original (official) version VF-4SL was, essentially, the VF-4 Sea Lightning, Light Equipment-type.

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jvmacross Hory Froating Head

jvmacross

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Aye... it was also in that picture I linked earlier, dated November 1987. ^_^

That... isn't super clear from the text, or maybe I'm missing something. They talk a little about a similar VF-4A-based variant (VF-4AS "Special") and an unarmed YF-4 (YF-4 Nak.) and something about the service ceiling being over 100km, but exactly what makes it smart... either I'm missing it or it's not said.

The original (official) version VF-4SL was, essentially, the VF-4 Sea Lightning, Light Equipment-type.

Thanks! I can only get so much out of the machine translators....I am sure I speak for everyone when I say thanks to both you and sketchley for all of your translation work! :)

screen15.jpg

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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Maybe they're just using it in the adjective form. Eg: He looks smartly dressed.

I could buy that... though I'd be disappointed it didn't have a Battroid mode. They could have done the paintjob to look like a tuxedo, like how they did the Angel Birds up to look like sailor fuku or the Sister Valkyrie from Macross R was done up to look like a nun's habit.

(The beam cannons are like cufflinks... deadly deadly cufflinks.)

Edited by Seto Kaiba
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spanner Super Dimension Member

spanner

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I think you were referring to the tv-style super packs slapped onto the VF-4 and not the Super Lightning packs....unless you prefer your VF-4's naked? :)

the ones in the photo just a few posts back.. in the "pitfall" picture.. that looks pretty terrible actually. not impressed with that one at all.

I kinda got the impression that the VF-4 was designed with included super parts hence those two big exhaust nozzles mounted above the feet??

I think that is the point....it reminds me of how they depict the cobbling together of parts that were never designed to work together in Macross the First....

Actually, the Super Packs are a very old design Kawamori did back in 1987... we have some pics of line art prints of it that were included with an old VF-4 model kit over on M3's VF-4 page.

The annoying part is that, but for the VF-4A and VF-4G, the authors basically ignored the existing (official) VF-4 variants entirely.

Those official variants were:

VF-4A: Initial all-regime mass production type.

VF-4B: Two-seat enhanced attack type, sometimes used as a training aircraft

VF-4C: Atmosphere-service retrofit #1

VF-4D: UN Navy version 1 (mostly used at Naval Air Stations)

VF-4S: UN Navy version 2 with improved salt damage resistance

VF-4G: Final space-use enhanced type

Instead we got:

VF-4A: Initial all-regime mass production type

VF-4B: Two-seat standard version

VF-4C: Improved VF-4A

VF-4D: Two-seat VF-4C

VF-4E: Improved VF-4C

VF-4G: Improved VF-4E

VF-4S: Command variant VF-4G complete with VF-1 style head lasers

... and the later-mentioned Smart Lightning is actually the VF-4SL type from Macross the Ride.

did they do a similar thing in any of the other Master File releases?

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jvmacross Hory Froating Head

jvmacross

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the ones in the photo just a few posts back.. in the "pitfall" picture.. that looks pretty terrible actually. not impressed with that one at all.

I kinda got the impression that the VF-4 was designed with included super parts hence those two big exhaust nozzles mounted above the feet??

did they do a similar thing in any of the other Master File releases?

Cobbling together armor and super parts to make new, wild creations?

That's the bread and butter of the VF Master Files series.... :rolleyes:

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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the ones in the photo just a few posts back.. in the "pitfall" picture.. that looks pretty terrible actually. not impressed with that one at all.

The funny part is that one actually makes more sense than the Super Pack they put elsewhere in the book that completely covers the engine nacelles... that would inhibit transformation, while the conventional FAST packs wouldn't.

I kinda got the impression that the VF-4 was designed with included super parts hence those two big exhaust nozzles mounted above the feet??

Pretty much, yes. The VF-4 is basically a VF-1 that internalized its FAST packs and, in so doing, achieved a 40% improvement in combat performance in space.

I suppose that, since engine efficiency and fuel storage didn't increase by an incredible amount due to the similar airframe size, they'd still need some drop tanks or something.

did they do a similar thing in any of the other Master File releases?

Some, yeah.

The VF-0 and two main VF-1 books didn't really do anything wild, but there were some oddities like the configuration with the four NP-BP-01 boosters in the VF-1 Squadrons book. The VF-19 book had a few kooky variants, mostly in the special purpose roles like the dedicated attacker variant, AEW variants, and non-transforming transport model. The VF-25 book didn't really come up with new ones, it inherited most of its wacky ones from existing magazine custom jobs in Macross Ace and Figure Oh, IIRC.

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sketchley Galactic Diva

sketchley

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The VF-0 and two main VF-1 books didn't really do anything wild, but there were some oddities like the configuration with the four NP-BP-01 boosters in the VF-1 Squadrons book. The VF-19 book had a few kooky variants, mostly in the special purpose roles like the dedicated attacker variant, AEW variants, and non-transforming transport model. The VF-25 book didn't really come up with new ones, it inherited most of its wacky ones from existing magazine custom jobs in Macross Ace and Figure Oh, IIRC.

The VF-22 book had a bunch of wonky ones.

Edited by sketchley
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no3Ljm Hory Froating Head

no3Ljm

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Hey I pre-orderedf it a while ago for private warehouse. I just checked in today (having been on vacation) and it says BackOrdered in my account. It went from Pre-order to backordered - does that mean I pre-ordered too late and they didn't have enough to cover the initial pre-order? Should I worry about not getting anything from HLJ? Should I contact them or just sit tight and wait 4-6 weeks?

HLJ backorder is still good, wmcheng. Just paid mine now. ^_^

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slide Pineapple Eater

slide

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HLJ backorder is still good, wmcheng. Just paid mine now. ^_^

got my request yesterday, huzzah!

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no3Ljm Hory Froating Head

no3Ljm

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gallery_12176_640_229734.jpg

gallery_12176_640_74936.jpg

That SVF-99 Long Bones scheme looks clean and crisp. :rolleyes: Along with SVC-125 Strato Bogey(?) and SVF-73 Side Winders. I really do like the Red, Black, White/Tan schemes in a Valk. :wub: The Long Bones will be an easy custom paint job for the VF-4G figure. Would it look better if the nose is dark grey or black? I should have bought 2 Arcadia VF-4G during the July sale. :lol:

Edited by no3Ljm
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slide Pineapple Eater

slide

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That SVF-99 Long Bones scheme looks clean and crisp. :rolleyes:

um... given the squadron emblem, shouldn't that be "Long-Horns"? as in the cow?

is "Long Bones" really how that translates?

if it is, their squadron emblem should change slightly... B))

The Long Bones will be an easy custom paint job for the VF-4G figure. Would it look better if the nose is dark grey or black? I should have bought 2 Arcadia VF-4G during the July sale. :lol:

If I were to change the scheme, I'd do the black anti-glare panel on the nose in the same red as the tailfins, and run the glare panel all the way back from where it is; resulting in an enlarged red section on the spine.

It seems too... I don't know... subdued, as presented... if you're going to be painting your colours on your fighter, make them Loud! [0:25 - 01:12 for relevant section of video, though I do recommend the whole film :D ]

I would leave the nose a darkER grey than the main body [i would stick with the subtly darker nose as illustrated in the Masterfile]... I think a black nose would be too much maybe? then again, re-painting the anti-glare panel in red

Edited by slide
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