Graham

I shot down the Morgan on my 4th or 5th attempt on Normal. I'm now working my way through the game on Hard. Presently up to mission # 8. I find the underground base in AC0 mission # 17 to be really easy. I just use any plane with FAEB as a special weapon (such as A-10). I fly at maximum spead along the ravine to avoid SAMS, taking out the occasional target along the way. Once I get to the base, I slow way down, enter the base and then just drop 2 x FAEB on each of the 3 clusters of targets inside the tunnel, exit the base and then it's mission accomplished in one run of the tunnel, no need to repeat. I never bother with destroying the gun towers on the surface. Of course, as you have to use the same plane in mission # 18 as you used in # 17, I usually end up running out of time to destroy the Morgan as it's quite difficult to do so in an A-10. I just exit, then continue and switch to my favorite the Typhoon to beat the Morgan. Graham

Heh David, you are slipping. Where's you characteristic "bring back the YF-23"? I agree, kill the F35, so the US can buy more F-22. I'd also say no export sales of the F-22, so the US can keep it's edge. UK should develop a navalised Typhoon for it's carriers and buy more regular Typhoons as well and provide more funding for the Tranch 2 & 3 improvements. As for all the other JSF partner nations, they can choose between the Gripen, Rafale, Typhoon, Shornet or modenised F-16 or F-15 variants. All very capable planes. Graham

More JSF troubles? Just read the following article on one of the aviation forums I browse: - Growing Tension Between U.S. and Israel Over F-35 Jet Fighter (May 23, 2006) The U.S. has indicated that it will not allow Israel to install its own advanced equipment on next generation fighter planes, the F-35, limiting Israel’s technological edge over its enemies. The F-35, a next generation jet fighter, costing $276.5 billion in development and purchasing costs, is being built in the United States with input from a number of U.S. allies. Though Israel is playing only a small role thus far in developing the plane, it expects to ultimately purchase the jet for the IDF. According to a report in Ma’ariv, the U.S. is refusing to allow Israel to develop its own guidance, firing, and missile systems for the new aircraft. That policy will come as a heavy blow to Israel Aircraft Industries which has traditionally has put its ultra-advanced high-tech equipment in fighter jets purchased from the United States. Many military strategists claim that Israel’s technological superiority over its enemies is derived mainly from the advantage it attains by grafting its own top secret equipment onto the American planes. This is especially true in cases where the U.S. sells some of its most sensitive and sophisticated equipment to erstwhile allies, such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which are potential military adversaries of the Jewish State. Israeli aeronautic military technology has gained worldwide renown for making U.S. fighter jets much more effective in combat. Souped up Israeli versions of American jets have a clear military advantage over their generic counterparts. U.S. refusal to allow Israel to use its unique technologies on the F-35 may put Israel’s strategic military advantage at risk. An Israeli air force delegation that recently visited the U.S. and toured the Lockheed Martin plant where the plane is being developed failed to convince American officials of the importance of fitting Israeli weapons systems into the F-35. As a result, Israel is considering withdrawing from the project altogether. Other countries involved in developing the plane, Britain, Turkey, and Norway, are also reconsidering their involvement due to widespread cost overruns that are running into tens of billions of dollars, and production delays. A Lockheed spokesman said the company expects to test a prototype by 2008 and deliver the aircraft by 2011. The Pentagon is planning on manufacturing 2500 jets, primarily for the U.S. and British air force." Heh, seems like the US is going out of it's way, to purposely piss-off every JSF partner nation. Ya' know I can well see a situation developing, where every other country cancels their orders and the US is the only one that ends up buying the plane, probably at double or triple it's original cost. JSF or Joint Strife Fiasco, as I've seen it called. Graham

Taken them down for the moment until the toy is actually confirmed as released. Graham

Heh, my display cabinet only has a small portion of my Macross toy collection. A lot of it, such as the Takatoku 1/55 & 1/144, Bandai 1/55 (original & reissue), various Banpresto and most of my Yamato 1/60 VF-1 toys and some 1/48 VF-1 toys are packed away in boxes. Anyway, on the shelf above the low vis 2 is where the completed model kits and Doyusha toys hang out. Above that is the Yamato 1/72 shelf and above that, 2 more shelves jam packed with Yamato 1/48, Q-Rau & Konig Monster. Graham

And the first person to suggest a group hug gets banned! This is Macrossworld, not fricken Barney! Graham

As requested: - Bandai 1/65 Scale DX VF-19 variants: - 1) 1/65 DX VF-19 Custom Fire Valkyrie, released 1995, price ¥4,980. Packaged in Battroid mode. Yellow & white lightning bolt markings as well as other small markings are supplied as stickers (see here). Gunpod comes on sprue and requires assembly. 2) 1/65 DX VF-19S Blazer Valkyrie, released 1995, price ¥4,980. Packaged in Battroid mode. The yellow trim & UN Spacy Kites are stickers. Gunpod comes on sprue and requires assembly. Note, the toy is incorrectly supplied with the VF-19 Fire Valkyrie type Speaker Pod Launcher, instead of the correct YF-19 style gunpod used in the anime. 3) 1/65 DX VF-19S Blazer Valkyrie Limited Edition with silver metallic finish, released 1996, price ¥????. Packaged in Battroid mode. No stickers, but comes with numbered plastic collectors card with VF-17D, VF-17S & VF-19S head illustrations by Kawamori-san. Plain box with no box art. Gunpod comes on sprue and requires assembly. Note, the toy is incorrectly supplied with the VF-19 Fire Valkyrie toye Speaker Pod Launcher, instead of the YF-19 style gunpod used in the anime. 4) 1/65 DX VF-19 Custom Fire Valkyrie reissue, released 2001, price ¥6,800. Packaged in fighter mode with redesigned box. Markings are now painted on, instead of using stickers. Gunpod comes on sprue and requires assembly. 5) Unreleased 1/65 DX VF-19F Blazer Valkyrie. Prototype was displayed by Bandai at a Japanese toy show back in 1995. As well as the above official variants, there have been several unofficial bootlegs made in Taiwan and perhaps mainland China as well. Graham

And just what's with all these touchy-feely 'Waaaa..........Mommy threw away my toys' and 'Waaaa........Mommy wouldn't buy me this toy' type threads recently anyway, huh? If this goes on much longer, I'm gonna have to break out the violin and start passing round the hankies! Graham

What's wrong with automatics? Graham

Bunch a wimps, get over it already! Graham

Heh, abandon all hope of ever being able to buy a house or send your kids to college. Yamato is going to own all your money. Mwahahahaha! Graham

There's lot's of cool stuff coming out over the next few years. That's all I can/will say. Graham

According to the FAQ I've been using: - To get the Morgan you have to complete the campaign on all ace styles on any difficulty. To get the Falken you have to be awarded the Supreme Mercenary, Supreme Soldier, and Supreme Knight medals. To be awarded the Supreme Knight medal, Complete the Campaign with the ace style meter at the extreme right. To be awarded the Supreme Soldier medal Complete the Campaign with the ace style meter at the exact center of the style gauge. To be awarded the Supreme Mercenary medal Complete the Campaign with the ace style meter at the extreme left. Graham

Eh, I wasn't aware there was more than one book, at least not by Philip K. Dick. Graham

Heh, I'm not supposed pics until the toy is officially released, but I guess I can do that now. Graham

No, it's not complex in function. Variants are: - 1) 1/65 DX VF-17D, released 1995, price ¥4,980. Packaged in Battroid mode. The blue trim & UN Spacy Kites are stickers. 2) 1/65 DX VF-17S, released 1995, price ¥4,980. Packaged in Battroid mode. The yellow trim & UN Spacy Kites are stickers. 3) 1/65 DX VF-17D Limited Edition with dark metallic finish, released 1996, price ¥????. Packaged in Battroid mode. No stickers, but comes with numbered plastic collectors card with VF-17D, VF-17S & VF-19S head illustrations by Kawamori-san. Plain box with no box art. 4) 1/65 DX VF-17S Limited Edition with gold metallic finish, released 1996, price ¥????. Packaged in Battroid mode. No stickers, but comes with numbered plastic collectors card with VF-17D, VF-17S & VF-19S head illustrations by Kawamori-san. Plain box with no box art. 5) 1/65 DX VF-17S reissue, released 2001, price ¥6,800. Packaged in fighter mode with redesigned box. The yellow trim & UN Spacy Kites are now painted on, instead of using stickers. 6) Unreleased 1/65 DX Millia type (red) VF-17S. Prototype was displayed by Bandai at a Japanese toy show back in 1995 along with a prototype VF-19F. Both were never released. Graham

Finished the game last night on normal difficulty in my trusty Typhoon as a Mercenary Ace. Started playing though a second time on Hard. Going to try playing as Soldier Ace. AC0 is a great game. I had no desire to replay AC5 after completing it, but I really want to replay AC0. Graham

That's what I've been hearing as well, that it's the US congress, not Bush himself that is deathly opposed to the ITAR waiver. Oh well, I'd rather UK have more Typhoons and a navalised Typhoon variant than F-35s anyway. Graham

I'm also surprised at the apparent lack of a sense of humor in some of the posters in this thread. Come on guys, it's supposed to be a parody, it's not supposed to be taken seriously. Graham

Heh, for those of you who have seen it and think it's crap, I'm gonna say "I told you so"! I mean it's Brett-Frickin-talentless-hack-Ratboy (sorry, Ratner) directing. In my book, he's right up there with Uwe Boll & Paul W Anderson. I had the displeasure of having to work on set with Ratner when he was filming Rush Hour 2 in HK (my company provided the blank firing guns & ammo) and the guy is a clueless dick IMO. Graham

Do not touch Gundam! Step away from the Gundam! In Gundam lies the path to damnation. Stick with Macross Graham

First of all, it's not a Stealth Bomber. According to the official Macross Compendium, the correct designation of the VF-17 Nightmare is; "UN Spacy special operations variable fighter and heavy battroid". In the Macross 7 TV series, the VF-17's of Dimaond force are actually used more as interceptors than in any other role. IMO, the Banadi VF-17S (original or reissue) and VF-17D (original) toys are definitely worth getting. On the positive side: - They are probably the most durable and rugged variable toys Macross toys ever made by any company, despite being all plastic, with no metal parts except screws. You would have to work really hard to break one of these. Proportions in Battroid mode are good. Arm articulation is good. The toy has a lot of panel lines, more so than Bandai's VF-19 toys made at the same time. In fact, the VF-17 toys have all the panel lines shown in Kawamori-sans 'detail-up' lineart. Transformation is quick and simple (30 seconds or less). It got that mean "don't mess with me look". It's Gamlin's ride. Gamlin is a special forces pilot from Macross 7 and my favorite character in the TV series. On the negative side: - In Fighter mode, it's too chunky when viewed from the side, but looks great when viewed from above. The knees do no bend backwards, so the toy cannot be put into a kneeling pose, although it is possible to modify the knee joints so that the toy can kneel. Hip articulation is limited, so the toy cannot do a spread leg pose. The landing gear is terrible, basically just little fold-down tabs of plastic, with minimal detail. Hands are non-articulated. While no doubt if they choose to Yamato could make a much better VF-17 variable toy, but I can't see it happening. Personally, I love the Bandai toy and have about 10 of them. Graham

Looks better than Ghost Rider and X-Men 3. Graham

The July 2006 Dengeki Hobby magazine scans (just added to the main site), have a great 2 page photo spread on the Wave 1/100 VF-0S Battroid kit. Graham

The July 2006 Hobby Japan magazine scans (just added to the main site), have a great 4 page photo spread on the Hasegawa 1/72 VF-0S Battroid kit. Graham