David Hingtgen

Re: splitting into invidivual variants. No way IMHO. A VF-25 thread, and a VF-27 thread. There's going to be way too many variations of Alto's alone. Seriously, an Alto thread would probably be longer and larger than the Michael/Ozma/Luca/CF threads combined--which'd defeat the point---there'd still be one massive thread about Alto. And splitting into "accessory" variations would be a nightmare---super, armored, Gallia-IV, tornado, presumably revised super and revised armor, etc. Also--agree with eugimon. We need all-new armor to go with a V2 VF-25. The whole reason the VF-25 is skinny, is so that it doesn't look so incredibly bulky with super packs or full armor----Bandai seems to have completely ignored that. Battroid mode is fat when it's stripped bare...

You found variations? I don't think I've ever seen a plane that was "wrong". I'd love to see a pic that was the other way.

I do have some Fokker 0S, and that's about everything I have---no Shin, no Ivanov.

Jet engines can run on most anything---rubbing alcohol, diesel, gasoline. It's just not the best thing to use. I am totally unimpressed when Richard Branson boasts about how he got one engine on one of his 747's to use 10% algae-oil or whatever. Anyways---A321 doesn't have enough wing, plain and simple. If it was a thrust issue, that could have been easily corrected, and the later variants with more power would have performed better than they do.

If you guys want dedicated threads, you're going to have to make them and link the relevant sections of the old threads to them.

I know you wrote you weren't going to "focus on accurate color" but you do have the wing and squadron insignia swapped---since everything else is 100% "USAF standard" that aspect pops out at me. Should be wing badge on the starboard side, squadron on the port side.

I have some of the valks they put up there. But they're all the same small pics at the same angle. Here's Nora's.

I kind of wanted to see the transformation sequence, but after the first two pages, I think I might die of old age first. "Start to rotate piece. Rotate it more. More. More. More! Then stop. Then do the exact same thing to the identical piece on the other side---but photograph it just as thoroughly. Then take multiple photos of different angles, showing this single piece (and its twin) in the new position relative to all other pieces. Then go to the next piece".

Yeesh, he didn't need to photograph the OUTER SHIPPING BOX. From 15 angles. Wow, it's brown and has a mailing label----clearly far superior to those UPS and FedEx boxes...

I thought about that too. Should we split into VF-25 and VF-27 threads? Though do we really have much overlap in discussion? We just had Brera, now we're talking about the Tornado pack. Next will probably be Grace's. There's way too many VF-25 variants to try to split them up, and there's not going to be very many VF-27's--and Grace's will likely be PURELY a repaint of Brera's, with little to talk about. IMHO, one generic "1/60 DX Frontier toys" thread is sufficient. Now maybe if we start getting VF-171 toys or something we might need a split, but not now.

You may already have these, but these are the CG renders of the VF-0D from Bandai's site back when Zero was airing. They never did put up Shin's though.

A321 sucks, period. Wing is too small and even Airbus knows it. It sold poorly because it is nowhere near as good as the 757. No range, no climb rate, no internal fuel capacity. Similar pax capacity, far lower capability. Simple fuselage/wing size mismatch. You'd have one heck of a short-range, no-loiter tanker if you made a KC-321.

It'll be easy to afford FansProject stuff this year, with how crappy the new official combiner line seems to be. (seriously---you'd think that limb-only TF's with no bot modes, would let Hasbro make BETTER-LOOKING limbs, not worse)

I automatically skip any episode in which Padme (or her twin the duchess) is featured in the preview. Same rule for Jar-Jar.

PM for links to every ep in HD with no commercials.

I just watched the stealth/Trench ep. Pretty good, likely much better than all the "duchess" ones I skipped.

How far can a 787's wings bend? THIS far: ::edit:: Apparently, they did not bend them 'till they broke. Which is unusual, I can't recall an airliner which didn't have its wings bent to destruction to find out the absolute limit. Though both the A330 and A380 had them snap BEFORE 150% was reached. For the 787 they only bent them until they hit 150% above design load, which is all that's required for certification. Now, it's unlikely they would have hit even 155% before breaking, but still---people like to see them snap! Like this: http://www.guzer.com/videos/boeing777_wing_test.php 777 got to 154%. Now, the 767 and 777 are both reported to have had the fuselage start twisting and rippling from the strain once you get around 150%. (in short, the wing-to-fuselage connection is stronger than the fuselage itself--I think)

Found a pic with GE engines and the big probe: http://aerofiles.com/grum-f14b.jpg (can't tell if they're F101 or F110's though---they're VERY similar) Edit---some good pics here, a few I've never seen before: http://www.afwing.com/intro/f14/story-4.htm One with HARMs and bombs (with a D-style chinpod though), and one with the vanes out. I would actually say this particular photo is probably the best to base the kit off of: http://www.afwing.com/images/f14/story/f14b110.jpg Note the chinpod. Also, just knowing what/why the F-14D is how it is, I would guess that while testing F110's in the mid-80's, 157986 did NOT have the bumps ahead of the glove vanes.

Yup. 157986 has one heck of a history. Basically, it has carried nearly every part of an A, B, and D, at one time or another---but rarely in a "correct" assortment. You really do need to find a couple of photos taken about the same time, and base your kit on that. As it is "right now" it's REALLY a mish-mash and I wouldn't recommend building it like that--however, that is what the vast majority of pics show, as it's on the Intrepid now so be wary of any really clear, good pics---they're probably recent! Also--don't build it TOO early. That'd require some very rare engines, like the F401 or F101. Actually, those may be the only engines which use the long nose probe. I'll have to check my books. You've got F110 engines, so that determines what you're going to build of course. I just have to see exactly how you should build it, as I don't think the kit instructions are right at all. Step 9--correct, but also shave off the bump that is molded on the underside of the glove---it's forward and outboard of where E21 goes. Does this kit have the bumps that are RIGHT in front of the glove vanes? If so, they need to go as well. (probably---that plane currently has them, but I bet it didn't in the 80's---another thing I have to check) Step 15--correct. Step 16---may have to use E18 instead of E19. Will have to check. Thought of what it's going to carry yet? This'll be your only chance to put a HARM on a Tomcat: http://www.tomcat521.com/tomcat/walkaround...grumman-14l.jpg

Do you plan to use those exact markings? Because that's the original, one-of-a-kind F-14B prototype, and it's an utter freak, physically, in nearly every way. Being one of the first F-14's ever built, it does have glove vanes. They might even still work. Checking the instructions at 1999.co.jp, I think they're wrong in at least a few spots---that one doesn't have the bumps under the gloves, shouldn't use the N1 gear door, and nose probe, gun vents, and chin pod will all be determined by what year you're modeling. (and even engines---as it sits now, it has TF30's---yet still retains GE-style nibs that don't fit well) They basically just gave you the instructions for a normal F-14B---which will work for every F-14B ever except that exact one. (Hasegawa always shows working glove vanes, no matter what variant/year the kit is for).

The VF-25 painting is VERY nice. (forgot to mention it earlier). Damned realistic, that's the difference between an "artist" and an "aviation artist" when it comes to making a valk look like it could actually be built---all the little things, like the gloves being so much thicker than the wings, the bulges for the rudder actuators, knuckles in the landing gear, etc.

Huh. Playing around a bit post-game, I just found a whole chunk of the world I missed. I don't think it was inaccessible previously, I just sort of "walked right by the entrance" the first time. "Paddra". (anything more would be a spoiler).

Interesting how much more tan the VF-27 kit is compared to the quite green VF-27 toy. (still can't see if they've added tailfin markings though)

So the heads are removable and they just swapped them, or is there actually remolding?

End of Ch 9 is when "everything is revealed". (well, as much as anything in XIII gets revealed). Same time that you get the "major boss fight" music. (which is the best music in the game IMHO, final boss music(s) aren't as good)