David Hingtgen

Heh heh. If any of you read Penny Arcade, you should be familiar with Video Game Depot. They're only 20 mins away from me. I get EVERYTHING from there. www.videogamedepot.com (And they sell Pocky, too)

Toys and models often use tampo pads as well, another way they're different. Anyways, the best tape (for general masking) is Scotch Magic tape (green package). It doesn't stick nearly as much as most tapes. For VERY low-stick tape, look for Scotch Removable tape (blue package). But it's so low stick it won't go around corners or edges at all without lifting--but I guarantee it won't peel up paint! For detail masking, I usually use Pactra tape, but many like Tamiya's.

Paint chips/flakes off of diecast parts with very little effort. It's why the 2nd version of the YF-19 and VF-19 have more plastic parts than the original. The original had horrific paint chipping problems, and anywhere where metal-to-plastic joints occurs usually leads to problems. (plastic-to-plastic parts--they'll each "give" a little---with metal, the plastic will just break if there's a slightly imperfect clearance). The only paint flaws/chips on my valks occur on the diecast parts, 'nuff said. Sure, diecast may be heavier/stronger, but that just leads to paint chipping, and problems where plastic parts attach. (If you want to see some SERIOUS flame-wars about plastic vs diecast, go check out some model airplane forums)

Yeah, but Tamiya absolutely doesn't make anything remotely close to 1943 5L grey, nor 5N blue, nor Revised 20B blue. (Well, they do make modern 5N blue in a spray, but not a bottle--and it's not quite the 1940's version) I'd have to do white+black+ultramarine blue+purple and custom mix them all. When you start mixing color after color, you start to get browns, unless you've got pure pigments. (Yellow+blue doesn't make green, when dealing with paint--no pigment is PURE) Tamiya doesn't make a pure ultramarine blue do they? I do have the formulas for the actual colors, it's just that Norfolk Navy Yard tends not to have WWII-era stocks of paint, nor sell to civilians in small quantities... As for MM marine--while they say on the bottle they can be airbrushed, they do need to be thinned (3:1 p/t) according to the site, and that does seem correct. And they brush better (as flats go) than just about anything I've used. (Tamiya is superior though). (Humbrol's the best for gloss) But the whole reason for using Testor MM acryl is the colors. It's not like I'm doing 36375 Light Ghost Grey, which every paint manufacturer in the world makes, I'm doing WWII US Navy camo colors. (If there was any color even rremotely close to 1943 5L grey from any manufacturer, I'd use it in an instant, just to make life easier--but there's not) My current theory is along the lines Omega20 said--multiple very thin coats over light grey. But 5L grey is VERY light, and very blue, and even camouflage grey is darker and browner than it, and isn't that much better than plain old grey primer. Might have to buy a bunch of Tamiya this week and see how well it works, if I can mix up the right colors.

Then I shall save $50 by keeping my JP GC version, and use the money for F-Zero X.

Ok, going to rephrase/specify: Assassin/Berserker/Lizardman were in the JP version, but not playable. In the US, they're playable. Yes, Assassin is obviously supposed to be Hwang. But is there *Hwang* playable in the game? As in looks like Hwang and everything. Not Hwang wearing a mask pretending to be someone else. Simply, plain, Hwang. Nigh-identical to the DC Soul Calibur version.

No, Hwang wasn't in the arcade version, nor the JP release. There's "The guy who looks and fights like Hwang" but he's not Hwang. And Sophitia is an easily unlockable character. (I KNOW she's there, I've played as her--she's got probably the best 3rd outfit of all, as opposed to Seung Mina, who has the all-time worst 3rd outfit of all time)

Dang. 4 airbrakes that big, with that degree of extension---should be able to out-brake anything but a Harrier or a valk putting its legs forward.

Here, a P-51C (one of only 2 in the world that can still fly) and an A-10. PS--Apollo Leader--for the in-the-air shots, did you use a camera or did you you snag them from a camcorder? I've tried both methods, but results vary.

Yeah, the exhaust is the REALLY nifty part of the 117, but the grill is still more than a simple grill--the size of the apertures has to be the right size to not reflect radar (I think it's one-way--lets them (radar waves) in but not out) yet not affect flow to the engines. Barpharanges----they're not Cessnas, they're WWII fighters. 400mph is no problem for them. And they don't go anywhere near that for the slow "Heritage Flights". PS---it'll ALWAYS be SAC headquarters to me. PPS--an F-15 will outmanuever an F-16 at high altitude and high speed. (big wings help a LOT when the air's thin, as does two engines)

Can someone confirm for me that Hwang's in the US version? I have the JP GC version, but Hwang's my fave character, so it'd be worth it to buy a US one. It was said he was in it long ago, but no one's talked about him quite a while. (All any site ever says is Spawn/Link/Heihachi). PS--opinions accepted on any version, I have every system.

Ok, so I'm not painting a valk, but I still need to get pale greys/whites on a model. For many reasons (#1 being that I truly suck with airbrushes, and that is NOT an option), I am going to have to brush-paint the entire thing. (1/350 battleship). Now, I have achieved "satisfactory" finishes brush-painting ships before with Testors acrylic, but this particular paint isn't as good. Dries faster, and is noticeably more transparent (usually 2, sometimes 3 coats). And it seems to REALLY like to pool in corners, ridges, etc. I'm going to be using flat light aircraft grey as a primer/base coat (lightest grey I can find that I know is compatible), but the biggest problem is actually little pieces. I can paint a nice smooth big area without difficulty, but little parts, or anything with lots of curves and surface details--big trouble. (Especially parts with small lips/ridges/overhangs--they're just killing me) But it's the only way, so I'm wondering if anybody has any tips for brush-painting acrylics. Testors Model Master to be specific, MM marine 1943 5L to be really specific.

Many people believe the "Megatron" prototype to be the new Scorponok. I mean, he's green, and a triple-changer, and a scorpion. (Though that is a SAD 3rd mode airplane--there's NO plane-specific parts). A good triple-changer has parts for each mode. Astrotrain had TRAIN parts, and SHUTTLE parts. Blitzwing had PLANE parts, and TANK parts. And they don't share many pieces between modes. This new toy just has a bunch of generic parts roughly shaped into a triangle. No wings, no tail, no engines. More like a fan-based "I fiddled with it until it looked like something" alt mode.

I considered that (insufficient height to flip the backpack, thus an oversweep position for low-ceiling places)---but I mean, the vertical stabs are pretty tall. Not much shorter than a vertical backpack I'd guess. (Anyone got the stats for that? Or a VF-1 vs F-14 sideview?) Because F-14's are pretty tall,(though not REAL tall, due to having two fins) and have enough hangar clearance.

"Oversweep" means you can't fly like that. Maximum sweep is just that--the maximum (useable) sweep angle. Oversweep is beyond that--so far swept it physically interferes with the aircraft, and can only be used on the ground. It's the same as when carrier planes fold their wingtips up 90 degrees vertically--you can't fly like that, it's just a feature to take up less space on deck. An F-14 cannot move its stabs when the wings are overswept. (Well, it can, just not very far, and they bang into the wings if they do). The stabs must be in the neutral position to move the wings into oversweep--I've never heard of any sort of lockout feature, but there must be one, as a powered-down stab wouldn't be in the correct position, and you'd probably crush the stabs if you tried to. (F-14 pivot mechanism is rated for over a million pounds of force) AFAIK, oversweep is unique to the F-14, no other variable-sweep plane has this feature.

Apollo Leader got a nice up-close pic of the canopy w/mission marks. And you can cleary see the intake grill details, which is one of the most advanced parts of the plane. I've read that at some airshows, they have platforms set up so you can get pics from above the F-117! And of course, there's always any F-117 book, which shows each and every single panel, rivet, and button. PS---you can't see the 117's engines at all, they're totally hidden, it's part of the design. And you physically can't stick your head up the exhaust or intake. And of course, that's FAR closer than they'll ever let you get. (Unless you're a professional doing a book about F-117's)

Ok, we'll go with "must have backpack up to *fully* sweep wings". Thus "oversweep" would be "furthest sweep possible without moving backpack". Though it still seems not to have much point---if you're trying to fit into as small a space as possible, why not flip the backpack up to swing the wings back to reduce wingspan? Maybe it's just there for informative purposes, and isn't really ever used.

My Yamato 1/60 Millia. I've wanted a red VF-1J more than any other valk, longer than any other valk.

Hmmn. Overswept and stowage as two different settings. Normally, that's the same thing. Technical question--to have its (VF-1) wings fully back (like in battroid mode, touching each other)---if it's in fighter mode, can it do it? Or does it have to flip the backpack up for them to fit? Otherwise, I can't think of a reason to have an "oversweep" position, since it already has the "ultimate oversweep" of having them straight back touching each other.

Offutt Air Show at Offut AFB. Just south of Omaha. SAC headquarters. Anyways: 1. Inconsistency of the USAF! I was 30 ft away from the rope (so like 50ft from the plane) from the last F-117 I saw, and they (guards) yelled at me the second I took my camera out. You get pics of yourself next to it. 2. Inconsistency---all the A-10's, F-18's, and F-15's looked to have pretty far-off ropes. At same "no F-117 pics" show, I could touch whatever I wanted, no ropes (except the 117). (F-14 was at another show, but it's ropes were only like 2 feet from the plane--rather pointless, didn't restrict access at all) 3. Oooh, E-4B. Interesting that it doesn't appear to have any IR/ECM for the engines, only the APU. (Contrasting with Air Force One, which has them on the engines too) 4. I'd NEVER thought there'd be a Nimrod there. PS--it's a modified Comet 4C, which is quite a bit different from the original Comet. (Like, YF-17 vs F/A-18F different) 5. Man, I've NEVER seen a Harrier. That's the number one reason I wanted to go this year. (I haven't been there since 1990). Never seen a B-2 either, nor a B-1B in the air. This year appeared to be a GOOD one. 6. F-16's rock, especially ones from Hill AFB. (Even if Shaw AFB is now considered the main F-16 home) 7. F-15's my fave *operational* jet too. (YF-23 rules all)

Will go check it out, thanks. PS--anyone have the official numbers for the wing sweep angle for any of the valks? I'd rather not have to go get a protracter and line drawings...

Well we haven't had any new "valks vs real planes" threads on the new board, so I figured I'd bring one up. Anyways---anyone know the rate of wing sweep change for any of the valks? There's lots of issues to be addressed: 1. What affects wing sweep angle for a valk? Speed alone? AOA? 2. Is it affected by transformation? (As in, could a VF-1 sweep its wings back VERY quickly while in fighter mode, since it can do so to transform to battroid) 3. G's. Real planes sweep their wings slower as the G-forces increase, as the mechanism simply can't handle the strain. Any evidence of this happening in Macross? (As in, a hard-manuevering valk having a visibly slow wing movement) 4. We've already discussed the FSW aspects of valks, but that may become an issue here. Hey--should we archive that thread? I put a LOT of effort into it, and a lot of people commented how helpful it was.

The Yamato's -19 wings are too small (and I've alsways thought the nose was too short). It should actually be even bigger in fighter mode. Anyone got a Hasegawa VF-1 and YF-19 in fighter mode to put together and photograph? That'd give us a better sense of size, since they're both very accurate to the anime. (As a 1/48 YF-19 hopefully will be)

IIRC, the original Alien suit (first movie) used an *actual* skull behind the dome-thingy, not just a mold/cast. Freaky. As for why--I've always thought for shock value/coolness. Makes you think. (Anyone have a good shot of the alien skull from Predator 2?--might reveal a lot more)

One of the things I missed while MW was down: Areaseven's bad anime reviews. PS--how about Pilot Candidate? Nothing's caused me more pain than that.