ChristopherB

Love this build, really impressive, great details, decals and colors!

@pengbuzzNice job, yes I agree with you that's a good explanation.  From what I also understand, IHP and Liquid Stone are the same company.  Some or all of the group went on to form Experten, which has similar kits.  If you or anyone else ever comes across the IHP 1/72 VF-1 complete model or the conversion kit for the Hasegawa please let me know.  I've been looking all over for one around 20 years now.

@BoltThanks very much, and I hope you're doing well!

@XigfridYeah, amazing work on the drone my friend, and thanks for reminding me I have one from you already.

@captain americaWell, that explains why it looks so good!  Now I just have to find one for sale.

Holy Grail Kit/Project Compilation #4:

IHP resin kits, they're super rare, (10) or less of each and sold at certain Wonder Festivals in Japan.  They are considered to be perfect variable, and IHP are pioneers because they are the first company to release several valkyries as 3 mode transformable.  Very small group of 2 - 3 people creating and then producing designs from scratch.  These are definitely the pride of my Macross collection, please enjoy!

$50 Reward to whomever can tell me if "IHP" is an acronym and if so, what it stands for.  Also, any information about the origin of the company, who is in it, etc. Likewise the relationship between IHP, Liquid Stone and finally Experten.

1.) 1/100 VF-11-C "Thunderbolt" Kit 
2.) 1/100 VF-11C "HWC" Macross World Version Kit 
3.) 1/100 VF-11-C "Thunderbolt" Built
4.) 1/100 VF-11MAXL "Custom" Kit
5.) 1/100 VF-11D "Jamming Birds" Kit
6.) 1/100 YF-19-2 "Alpha One" Kit
7.) 1/100 YF-19-2 "Super Nova" Kit
8.) 1/100 YF-19-2 "Super Nova" Assembled/Not Painted
9.) 1/100 VF-19 "Sound Force" Kit 
10.) 1/100 YF-21-2 "Omega One" Kit 
11.) 1/100 YF-19/YF-21 Super Armor Parts
12.) 1/100 VF-22S Mission "Orpheus" Kit 
13.) 1/100 VF-22S Mission "Orpheus" Kit 
14.) 1/100 VF-22S Mission "Orpheus" Built
15.) 1/100 VF-22S Conversion Kit 
16.) 1/100 VF-4G Lightning III "Orpheus" Kit 
17.) 1/72 VF-4G Lightning III "Orpheus" Kit 
18.) 1/100 VF-17S Nightmare "Diamond Force" Kit 

IHP Variable Resin Kits x 18
Price Range Each $150 - $300

Hello,

To buy or to make your own?  Hopefully this will help anyone who is wondering what's the best approach to take.  It's hard to find a ready-made cabinet that is sturdy, has the right dimensions to fit in the space you have while also giving the optimum display area.  Not only that, but they often have doors that slide or make it difficult to get the valkyries inside.

I was lucky to have some existing shelving in my bedroom.  So I decided to dust off my rusty carpentry skills to upgrade the shelves into what I wanted.  Fortunately, I also had the help of an experienced friend who recently passed away.  Whenever I look at my display I think of the fun we had together building them.

I started off by measuring the various mecha in my collection to get their maximum height, width and length.  The top two shelves use a hinged single door that lifts upwards and is supported by adjustable hinges.  I did this so it was easy to arrange everything without any obstructions.  The lower section has three doors which swing all the way to the sides to also allow easy access and arrangement.  Wood shelves alternated by glass shelving.  

Thanks for looking!

Is this the Xigfrid drone for sale here?:  https://www.shapeways.com/product/7KNE9LRD4/drone-fighter-from-macross-plus-v2

Comparing them I see a lot of similarities, but the HMM missiles seem to be different.  Thanks in advance!

They all look amazing, love the paint scheme and weathering!  It's also cool to see the enemy mecha for a change.  The Zentraedi Soldier has a great sculpt nice not so skinny like some I've seen, reminds me of the Experten version:  http://experten.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/

Who made your kit?

@pengbuzz @Bolt  Thanks very much, and I'll do my best to post more.  I've been dealing with depression for a long time, I get distracted and procrastinate about visiting Macross World.  But collecting, building and enjoying the box art from Macross kits always makes me feel better.  Plus I really enjoy seeing other people sharing their model kits with us.

@Convectuoso I'm really happy your kit arrived safely and I have one being built now that I hope to share soon.

@Hiriyu I can give you a lot of credit for getting me interested and dedicated to completing the HEWAT set as well as the others.  I was doing research for my Macross Complete Model List (MCML) Project when I came across your pictures.  You did a great job finding the (6), and I wish you would have been able to finish the set.  They really had amazing box art back in the 1980's.

@SpacePirateNeko Really nice collection, you have a lot of kits and some rare ones too, especially the Club M 1/72 Q-Rau.  I'm still missing that one, what's in the brown cardboard box please?

@Shawn  Greetings and I hope you're doing well.

@razgriz  Nice find!

My recently completed Hasegawa 1/72 VF-0S with Ghost commission.  This guy has some really awesome builds please check them out when you get time.  I'm not sure if others do it, but with kits that have color coded parts runners he paints the parts on the sprue, carefully removes them, and then does touch up later if needed.  That's a huge time saving on kits with a ton of parts.  Here's a sample:  https://codyscoop.com/liger-zero-panzer-zoids-172-hmm-kotobukiya-model-kit

This projects was the inspiration:  https://codyscoop.com/hasegawa-vf0s

Since the above valkyrie is from Macross Zero, I would love to share my recently commissioned F-14 Tomcat.  Just add some Macross kite emblems and it'll fit right in.  Enjoy:

Really amazing builds!  Yes, I was thinking the same as Shawn about the rarity and cost of this project.  Especially if original Club M 1/72 kits were used.  If not, I know from experience that hiring someone to make a mold and recast resin kits can be expensive as well.

Very cool!  I would love to order one.  I have a few of these in resin, but until now it's been difficult to find out the name of the Japanese garage kit company that made them originally.

23+ years Macross World Member, more than $50K in sales on MW with 100% positive feedback!  Items are Mint In Sealed Box (MISB), never opened or displayed straight from Japan!  Shipping will be via LBC, DHL, FedEx or Post Office Airmail with tracking.  PayPal Friends & Family preferred, and buyer pays for delivery.  Prices are negotiable within reason and I always love offering package deal discounts.  The more you spend, the more you save!

1.) Super Nova Gundam MG 1/100 Snow White Prelude Kit w/ Base & LED Set: $200  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZectO1C0LBA

2.) CangDao Model 1/72 CD-01 Azure Dragon Gundam Metal Build: $200  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhONxWzXa6M

3.) Kalavinka Bird Of Dawn (Mint In Tray/No Box): $65  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV3gETIzUMM 

4.) Madox-01, Moderoid, Warhammer Kits/Figures: $35 Each  https://youtu.be/3dJyYOZzoyE

5.) Bandai MG 1/100, Evangelion, Transformable ship, Kotobukiya Megami Device, Transformers Kits/Figures: $65 Each  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IlSCibn3D0

6.) ThreeZero 1/6 Fallout T-60 & X-01 Power Armor Figures: $500 Each 

T-60: https://youtu.be/-Wi09_RY_V0

X-01: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kt77vXJdk38

7.) Date Masamune 1/72 - MoSho Progenitor Effect Figure: $165  https://youtu.be/EqcL7m_cAVs

Sold Items: (3) Zoids kits, (6) Tank kits, (8) Macross/Robotech figures/kits, (1) Bandai DX, (2) Phantasy Star Online 2, & Silpheed

(Trades Considered Remaining Items:  I will accept Macross 1/55 waterslide decals, Macross custom valkyries and resin kits as trade/discount please send me pictures and prices.)

Please contact me directly via MW Messenger if you have any comments or questions.  Thanks in advance!

Me too, they're really cute!  Definitely something I wouldn't mind collecting.

@Gabe QYes, I tried my best to get the dimensions just right.  What I did is measure various boxes in different scales, while stacking/arranging them.  The box art makes for an interesting display and helps me to relax.  Thanks for your compliment and I'm looking forward to seeing your display shelves.

@HiriyuMuch appreciated, please share the picture(s) when you get will be cool to see your collection.

I'm sorry for not posting for a while, please enjoy the video.  I'll do more for the other shelves plus all the stuff hiding behind the front boxes.

"Pic 42: the burner cans are also done, though these still feature a seam. I’m debating whether it’s best to leave these smooth and let the builder fill them, or try to mask the seam with ribbing of some sort. As much as I would have preferred a seamless unit, the complex shaping of the part made this impossible."

As beautiful as your Dragon II is, that gap/seam always bothered me a bit, and I know you mentioned not having a choice.  Plus I'm not too sure how visible it will be to begin with especially with the nozzles there.  Likewise it can be filled with putty and so forth.  But looking at the most recent pictures you posted of the final version, there's only one that really shows that area from the right angle although it's hard to see thanks to the dark gray primer and lighting.

The gap is still quite large in this picture, but that's mostly because the upper/lower sections haven't been glued/compressed together.  As such, I was wondering what's your feedback on how good/bad the seam will be in the production version.  Did you decide whether to leave the seam smooth or camouflage the seam with ribbing?

Great job John, it's awesome to see all of your progress!  I see some white lines possibly putty &/or sanding on the two large rear tires.  Although I cannot see the back of them, the rear section of the front two tires seem to have flaws.  Both smaller wheels have circular indentations and the rims of one has flash along the edge.  I'm guessing you took these pictures just to show some progress and you didn't yet finish all the QA.  I know how important it is to have the masters perfect so the flaws aren't reproduced in the mold and then recast parts.

I really like your comments about how much you appreciate all of your customers.  I really take a lot of pride in owning many of your kits, maybe 20+ and they're some of my favorites in my collection.  So, we feel the same about you and it's fortunate for us that you have the skill, time and interest in Macross to make these kits for us.  I sincerely hope that you and I can work together in the near future to make my 20 year dream of a certain armored valkyrie come to fruition. 

Not to diminish your achievements, but a project unlike many of your Macross kits that have had several releases in various scales & companies.  It would be refreshing and challenging for you to make a Macross item that hasn't been done in more than 30+ years and by a single Japanese person in their house.  Not only that, without taking the same shortcuts like Hasegawa did with their recent GBP-1 release.  Based upon my knowledge of your former projects taken from list we worked on together, I don't think you've ever attempted a Macross kit as ambitious as my proposal.  Thanks in advance my friend!

Hasegawa released their 1/72 GBP-1 kit which looks good and has cool artwork.  Although, I'm disappointed in the shortcuts they took especially with the legs.  They released a pretty nice battroid kit a long time ago.  I'm not asking for a variable Hasegawa VF-1, but we've had integrated armor GBP-1 model kits more than 40 years without any innovation occurring.  Hasegawa has the money and means to have made a proper removable armor GBP-1 kit, which no one has done in plastic.  There's really no excuse for that in 2021/2022 with all of technology available.  Sure you can buy a toy like the Bandai HMR, but us model builders have seen what's possible with full interior detail tank kits in 1/35 scale.

Who can say how much more or less it would have cost Hasegawa to have taken their existing battroid kit, and then make the GBP-1 armor able to fit over it.  While taking into account the nosecone and joints being strong enough to support the weight.
Just so you know it's feasible, a small Japanese garage kit company consisting of a few people are the only ones to have accomplished the feat.  Not only did they make a 3 mode perfect transformation VF-1 in only 1/100 scale, but they made a GBP-1 set that fits on the valkyrie and looks good.  Hasegawa cannot even do that with a fixed mode battroid they already made many years ago.

Bearing in mind the Experten kit is more than 10 years old and done without the millions of dollars in resources and all the employees Hasegawa has at their disposal.  The Experten kit obviously costs more, but that's only because so few were made so it's more valuable.  I'm lucky to have an Experten 1/100 VF-1J with GBP-1 set, and then an individual set.  Amazingly enough, Experten did the same with the VF-11 heavy armor battroid set and super armor.  3 mode perfect variable and the armor sets.

http://experten.cocolog-nifty.com/.../1100vf-1jgbp-1-.html

Amazing collection!  I also love to collect Max & Milia models.  My pride and joy are the VF-1AG (Armored Gerwalk) resin kits painted in their colors.  Only known AG kit in the world, and maybe 5 or less in existence.

Very excited and ready to order!  This will complete my collection of (3) F-203 resin kit variants in 1/72 scale, unfortunately I haven't been able to get the 1/144 kit yet.  But the other two are in storage, so I'm looking forward to seeing this one built.

@sh9000Thanks for finally posting, I was worried whether you saw my messages.  Most likely your kits were in storage, so I appreciate you getting them out and taking a picture, amazing collection I'm envious!  Do you have other Macross plastic/resin kits besides these?

@BoltNice find, I'm pretty sure it's listed as 1/72 in my Macross Complete Model List, because it's slightly larger than 1/100.

@PhotogirlGreat addition to your collection!

@Grayson72I'm glad to see you posting here and sincerely hope you're doing well.

My Macross kit collection/pending stash, (16) shelves full front to back, plus the large top shelf which has room for future releases. Each shelf is 2' by 20" and was custom made so the original 1/55 valkyries can fit perfectly. Lots of rare resin kits I hope to post videos of each shelf showing what's contained within. I really love looking at the box art, some amazing artists!  When I'm feeling depressed or anxious I'll just grab a box or two and admire the details.

Amazing find, would love to have one, wish it was released!

Some new arrivals:

These will be used to make the custom decal versions of the Bandai 1/72 VF-25S & VF-25F with a sample of each:

Samples:

Congrats @Convectuoso really nice kits, and I know you need them to replace what we've been discussing.  I hope you can find someone reliable and trustworthy to build them for you, and I hope to be able to mail your SHE VF-11 with Fast Packs soon.

These are all the left over boxes from my Bandai 1/72 valkyries that were built:

Really impressive kit and build, great job to both of you!