Graham

Well, if it's appearance they are talking about, they are kinda stating the obvious However, if they are referring to performance that is interesting. My best guess so far is that it is a slightly improved version of Brera's beam gunpod. Graham

No, the wings slide into the wing gloves. Graham

Gotta be fanart. Very good fanart, but still fanart. Graham

Thanks for the feedback Renato. I will definitely pass on this game. Only a few days now until Macross Triangle Frontier is released anyway. Very psyched about that. Graham

Cockpit canopy shape is different, as are the feet. Graham

CAD art from the new March 2011 issue of Dengeki Hobby magazine. Basically the same pics as in thee Figure-Oh (or maybe it's Hyper Hobby) pics posted a few days ago, but bigger and clearer. Starting to like this more now. I wonder if the text mentions if it uses the legs from the VF-25DX or not? Graham

Just gonna replace the pics with larger versions. Graham

Unpainted Model kit scan and sprues from the new March 2011 issue of Dengeki Hobby magazine (out today). Graham

Here's the scans of all 6 pages of the latest installment of 'Macross the Ride' from the new March 2011 issue of Dengeki Hobby magazine (out today). Notice the SV-52y Oryol model kit has rear-swept canards, whereas the lineart has forward swept canards. Other changes from the SV-51 that I can see, as well as the feather-like outboard ailerons and new head that sketchley mentioned are: The Oryol has the wing root guns deleated. Active stealth antenna around the nose gone. Side hybrid sensors infront of the canopy gone. Lacks the SV-51's dowward tuned wingtips. No gunpod in the lineart, yet something is filling the space where the gunpod's magazine normally goes. Slightly redesigned legs (the part with the orange band around it on the planes dorsal surface (i.e batroids knee area). I'm wondering if the SV-52y uses thermonuclear engines? (Edit: changed pics to larger versions) Graham

Yes, a few days ago. We've been discussing it in the YF-29 toy thread. It's Durendal or Durandal, named after the legendary mythical French sword. Kawamori seems to have a mythical sword thing going at the moment. Graham

I'm hopeful that the VF-17S/D in MTF will finally have a correct shell firing gunpod, as per the anime. The attached picture from the official MTF website shows the VF-17S with the icon for a standard shell firing gun pod. I fired up MUF on the PSP this morning to check what gun icon is used for the VF-17D/S and it is a different beamgun icon. Graham

Some of the things written/drawn on that board are by Japan-based MWers. IIRC, The 'VF-2SS' is by MWer Save and the Orguss is by Renato. Graham

Pics of the sprues and also completed, but unpainted kit in the new (March) issue of Dengeki Hobby magazine. Will post hi-res scan when I get home tonight. The design is slowly growing on me. Graham

SV-52 'Oryol', featured in new Macross-R episode (March issue of Dengeki Hobby). Hi-res scans to come tonight. Graham

Yeah, it was strange in MUF the Mac 7 VF-11C got Super Packs, but the Mac Plus VF-11B didn't. But both of them could use the Protect Armour. Graham

How did the side fighter mode look like, relatively slim like Kawamori's lineart, or chunky like the old Bandai 1/65 toy? Getting a lineart accurate, slim looking VF-17 fighter mode, while keeping the battroid nice and beefy looking is going to be one hell of a trick to pull off

No, good find. Graham Save, Renato, Tochiro - did you actually get to see a VF-17 CAD data sheet? I haven't seen that yet If yes, which mode(s) did it show? How did it look, what can you remember? Graham

The official Macross Triangle Frontier site has an update today. Both the Mechanic and System pages are updated Confirmed are FAST Packs for the VF-17....yeah! This makes me really happy . I'm hoping the VF-17 will also finally get a proper shell firing gunpod instead of a beam gun. Also, confirmed is the Metal Siren (previously only the prototype Metal Siren was shown in the recent Famitsu article). Less important, but still nice is that the Macross Plus VF-11B also gets FAST Packs, which it lacked in MUF. Oh, and the big fortress of the Marduck leader from Macross II (sorry, I forgot his name), may also be a playable mecha. Some of the mecha like the VF-9, Proto-Metal Siren, VF-19S with FAST Packs and the 'Q-whatever' from Macross 7 the Movie that were shown in the recent Famitsu magazine/online update also get pages in the Mechanic section. Really hoping for the inclusion of a VF-2JA Icarus and VF-3000 Crusader in MTF. The System update seems to be about the Mihoshi Academy part of the game....yawn (no interest). Even if this game had 100% identical, unchanged missions from MUF, I would still think it worth it to buy, just for the chance to use the VF-17S w/FPs, VF-19S w/FPs and VF-25F w/Tornado Pack. Graham

Absolutely no interested in a Zentran space cucumber or space watermelon. Graham

Honk Honk!

From the various toy and model kit pics, I'm going with FAST packs. The YF-29 appears to use standard Vf-25, legs and the micro missile launchers appear to be just stuck on the outside of the legs. Graham

I quite like the Sheryl scheme, but the Ranka one is just nasty IMO. Graham

Heh, keeping on the mystical sword theme, I hope the next two VFs are called Stormbringer and Mournblade (big Elric fan). Actually quite liking the color scheme in these latest CAD pics. I far prefer the legs mostly grey or white rather than red. Although I'm sure the final production version will have them red. Graham

Where? Please cite source. Graham

Probably some sort of tactical battlefield comms / map device, that allows the commander to know where all his troops are and communicate with them. Graham