Aztek

Much better Les!! I like the exposed metal on the paint job. Nice touch.

I haven't had a chub like that since Jr High. Seriously, it looks great. I have a feeling there will be TONS of tweaking and refining not just with eachothers own WIPs but the final layout. I for one dig the -1s in the extreme foreground (hehe) and would like to suggest the cliche of it in the classic DYRL "Boldoza drive-by (fly by?) stance" with Strike cannon and GU-11 ready for action. There is some serious talent on these forums. I can truly appreciate being in the presence of you all. Thanks!!

Brilliant DG. My time will be almost wholly consumed by trying to finish my piece of the puzzle. Should you need some extra help and have no takers, PM me and I'll make magic happen. Az--

For everyones info, the ELINT will be done in a stripped down fighter mode. I'll be removing all the mesh that pertains to xformation and such to speed the modeling and manipulation time. My booster/dish etc. package is over 50k polys in itself. I'll probably start out by copying the mesh and seat for the backseater from the front, and when I get time refine it to be as accurate as the -1S is. I'll try to post some untextured shots soon. The -1S textures have been using up all my time. More to come!! BTW !! Hehe, my wife got me an Yammie Ostrich and ELINT for our anniversary last week. So I'll have a kick ass ref for all that needs doing. I just have to walk on eggshells for a while cuz this is WAY out of character for her ...

**Added ELINT and "Strike" to VF-1S model** MASS CG PROJECT MASTER MODELS LIST VE-1 ELINT - Aztek VF-0S Focker - Brianw76 VF-1A Max TV Colors - Datterboy VF-1J Max TV Colors - Datterboy VF-1J Millia TV Colors - Datterboy VF-1J Hikaru Colors - Brianw76 VF-1S Strike Hikaru Colors - Aztek VF-1S Focker Colors - Doktor Gonzo YF-19 - Brianw76 SF-3A Lancer - The Woz

MASS CG PROJECT MASTER MODELS LIST VF-1S Roy Focker Colors - Doktor Gonzo VF-1J Hikaru Colors - Brianw76 VF-0S Roy Focker (If we can allow it to be in space) - Brianw76 YF-19 - Brianw76 VF-1J Max & Millia TV Colors - Datterboy VF-1A Max TV Colors - Datterboy VF-1S Hikaru Colors - Aztek

Dat, Doh. I forgot to send you those scans. I used Hase fighter model decal intructions mixed with Hase battroid decal instructions mixed with various lineart that already previously existed. I composited them all together in Photoshop into different ortho views. Mainly top, side and bottom. The front and rear views are harder to stay true to because of the adjustments that needed to be made to the width of the arms and legs. I already had a mesh before I worked on the ortho refs, and after incorporating the refs into the scene I damn near had a new model. I firmly believe in doing as much prep work as possible before spending the hours (or days if you're like me) it takes to churn out a realistic non morphing valk. 90 percent of the texture refs I use are straight from Hasegawa. The most detailed textures are from Design Works and hands on knowledge of aircraft.

The head got a lil distorted from the perspective in the second post, I may have been a lil too close. I did the head and shoulder texs' on the plane ride home so they need to be aligned better and have the density adjusted. I modeled the spacer panels between the chest and back plates to fold onto themselves and store under the chestplate intake. that was a bitch, but after I texture them a lil I think it will improve the battroid scenes. K, inputs please, so I can get this thing ready !! BTW, I'll post some shots later in different modes. Thanks for the offer DG. It was late when I was trying to upload those pics. I'm better now .... as it shows.

HA!! Got it. I think I "saved as" an invalid format. ... Here's the next one for now ...

Trying ...

Shoot, it's not letting me upload pics. Can someone PM me if somethings up?

K Guys, I'm back from over seas with tons of new textures. I'm about 80 percent done with texturing, and with the exception of vernier thruster texs' the valk is in pretty damn close to project ready. I still have to work on the texs' for the boosters since I'm going with the Strike. Well here's some screens of the head/shoulders area. Still some tweaking left, some textures are mirrors and hence inverted, i.e., "100" instead of "001". Just a matter of flipping the tex. Enjoy!

hellohikaru, If you are still around, I kinda hit this post a lil late, I used to have a 1/72 or 1/48 KC-135R Stratotanker. I can't remember the scale, but I did it for a diorama of an "Open Fuel Tanks" work area. It's been long donated to my old shop and I don't have any pics. I do remember it was an Italia model. It had awesome details, every panel line and access opening. Floor boards all through the cargo area, boom pod details and a pretty detailed cockpit. I'm almost positive it was before the "Pacer-Kraig" glass cockpit upgrade but it was awesome nonetheless. I think the wingspan was close to two feet or more (if i remember correctly) .... BTW that RAAF 130 it was awesome !! I'd love to make a Compass Call version of the -130 since that's what I work on right now. PM me if you have any -135/-130/A-10 specific questions. Hey David!! I just picked up orders to Misawa AB Japan, I'll be working on -16s, I think CJ models. At least I'll be a little closer to the class of aircraft our Valks were bred from. As hard as I try, I don't think the -130 would make a feasible xforming Macross aircraft ...

Sorry to hear about your crash Brian. I have about 3 or 4 backups of my mesh and textures. I'd lose my mind if anything happened to them. Well for everyone else, I'll be offline for about a month while I go to England for an exercise. I CAN promise that my valk *should* be fully textured on my return. Hopefully I'll get the fast packs textures as well. Be aware that if I go with the Hikaru scheme and strike packs, I am SO gonna pose the DYRL *gotcha* pose .... Maybe I'll have some renders on my return. Take care all ... BTW ... I gotta finish that ELINT !!

Here's my 4 second crop input. We need it to landscape, and as awesome as the main guns on the Mac are they limit the detail we can fit in a landscaped image. I'd like to see both decks of the ARMDs the *chest* and bridge of the Mac, with the main deck of the right *arm* taking up about 2/3's to 1/2 of the left section of the image. I thought about my last post and maybe a direct shot off the deck wouldn't be a good idea. The camera may have the focal point at the *bicep* section of the arm still but I think it should sit 15-25 degrees above parallel with the deck. I dunno. Any one else ??

Wolf, Have you tried playing with different lenses on the camera tools? I only know Max so I'm not sure how and to what degree you can manipulate your perspectives with the camera alone. Personally I think putting your camera even with the deck and dolly it *away* into space may(?) help get the look without morphing your dimensions. hmmm .... ... wish I had a SDF to tinker with, I'd try to help you out bro !!!

That it was wolf, I still have a >100k poly model of the Falcon I dl'd from the site before it went under. That thing was impressive. (SWMA)

Yeah, what's even better is I'll be pulling almost a grand more a month just because of the cost of living over there. Shoot I can live on Top Ramen if it means spending a few C-notes a month on the Yamato movement !! ahem .... How about this project, wow there's alot of nice valks around here !! B)

At least 3 or 4 years ... Maybe a little longer but not much.

This has SOOO nothing to do with this thread except for the fact that it concerns me and I'm part of the thread. I just found out I have orders to Japan. Kinda weird. I watched alot of cartoons as a kid, mainly Robotech, Starblazers etc ... I grew up and wised up and got a hard-on the first time I saw DYRL and was hooked on Macross. I joined the Air Force because of my interest in aviation and aircraft in general (hmmm Macross maybe?) Now the Air Force is sending me to Japan. Down the street from TRU and in country for HLJ shipping rates (do they ship to Japan?) ... This is too cool. Wish me luck though, I have to move 4 kids and my wife over a 2 day period and 16 hours of flying to reach it. I should get outta the States around May '04. So, Here's my point. I'm moving to Misawa, on the north tip of the main island, and was wondering if anyone who frequents this post knows the area? Lemme know!! Good times at the Aztek residence !!! Late!!

LOL David, I'm gonna have to take some pics of some intakes from here at my base bro. I've done pre flight intake inspections on -130's ALOT and after every one I have to damn near change my uniform. It's an ugly tight mess in it's intake. A-10's I agree are cleaner and even more so on F-designated fighters. Directly above the jet intake on the -130 is the props main gear box. I'm assuming alot of fluid leakage lends to the intakes being dirty. I was playing on that thought to mess up the valks intake because of all the actuators and gear boxes/drives that would be directly above the intake scoop to swing the "legs" fwd.

I'd love to see the STL model when it's done. Make sure you let us know hoe it comes out. Good luck!

Hey all, I need some help with some reference info. I'm trying to rig and finish modeling my landing gear. The nose gear is pretty straight forward, I have that covered. What I'm looking for is some info on the main landing gear (rear) retraction system. I know it rotates 90 degrees inbd (under) as it stows. Does anyone have any shots of this rotation? I know the F-14 and -18 have a similar gear setup but they retract forward and not aft like the VF-1. Please help me out. I'm going overseas for a few and would like to knock out my landing gear while gone. I have it mostly meshed out. I just need to rig it and make it stow. Thanks!!

Rod, Man you must have some big time funds or some pretty tight connections to be gearing your mesh towards a STL cut out. I've heard of that process just never seen it in action.

I've only seen the ELINT in the Macross Design Works and DYRL, so as far as official lineart goes, the exact attachment point for the dish arm is left to interpretation. My take on it not being able to xform as easily is I don't think switching to fighter mode w/out the booster pack/accessories should be an issue. The ELINT is a special purpose/duty aircraft and * wouldn't * normally be exposed to the hostile environments that would require it's equipment to be jettisoned. As far as the toy aspect goes, mine may go from battroid to fighter twice a year just to keep the joints from seizing.