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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    You sound like you have an inside track. I've read Rowland White's "Into the Black" concerning the development of Columbia, the astronauts involved, her first flight, and certain secret govt ops with which she was tasked. Very interesting book. I'm currently reading "Bringing Columbia Home" by Michael Leinbach, who was intimately involved in the recovery and fault determination after Columbia's disintegration upon reentry, which was due to the damage to tiles and the loss of a reinforced carbon carbon(RCC) structure(s) on Columbia's left leading edge upon liftoff and upon achieving orbit, respectively. It goes without saying, if one is familiar with the heat resistant tiles and their maintenance, even at layman's level, that they posed both the only solution for heat protection and the greatest weakness to the orbiter on every flight. NASA had some close calls, the experience of which made them a bit too nonchalant in Columbia's case. In reality, had the crew done an EVA (the Canada Arm wasn't equipped on STS-107, so an EVA would have been much more difficult to accomplish), there's likely little they could have done to make repairs, and thus would have been aware of their fates upon reentry. Instead, NASA gave them reassurances that there was "absolutely no concern for reentry", believing it to be true without validation. The rest is tragic history. I'm more aware than most, as Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson, USAF, was from my adopted hometown of Spokane, WA, and we have any number of streets, highways, and monuments dedicated to his memory. Anyway, concerning Parker, it's apparent, given the mission at hand, that she's going to need some serious sunblock 3M if she's to survive her mission intact. I'm just curious what that protection entails, especially given the fragility and difficult application of the ceramic or foam tiles used in the Shuttle program.
  2. M'Kyuun
    I've done no reading on the Parker, but I'm curious if they swathed it in tiles similar to what were used on the orbiters (the accidental dislodging of which spelled Columbia's doom), as not much else, at least here on Earth, can handle the temps and still allow anything to survive.
  3. M'Kyuun
    Makes you wonder why they didn't at least use a soft ratchet here, especially since the arms have die-cast. Friction joints are nice for freedom of movement, but once there's too much wear, you're stuck with a floppy toy requiring constant maintenance to artificially recreate that friction. On a toy this expensive, it should never be an issue. If this becomes a prevailing issue common to the figure, I hope Arcadia addresses it prior to further releases. Thanks for sharing guys.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Yawn. Reminds me of the 'extreme' trend from the early 2000s. Didn't like it then either.
  5. M'Kyuun
    The shoulder joints themselves on my copy don't seem to have any issues, although the joints that rotate the entire arm under the hood for transformation are pretty tight on mine. Still, I appreciate the heads up. I noticed that the stalks for the shoulder ball joints are pretty thin, so I'm already wary of putting much force at all on them; they would have benefitted from being die-cast rather than plastic.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Just got my Gundog, transformed him (great example, IMHO, of how a transformation should be; complex enough to satisfy, but not overly so, with nothing superfluous, and tabs-o-plenty to keep it all together), and put him through his paces, so to speak. Sublime toy. This is my first Maketoys figure, and it's left me thus far with a very positive impression. Flaws- so far the only things I see are the front bumper is loose and may require a drop of adhesive, and there are some very obvious sprue marks on the outside lower surfaces of the aft front fenders that can be clearly seen when folded up into the heels. Fortunately, they aren't too visible in jeep mode, unless looking at it from a 3/4 view from the side. The only engineering qualm I have so far is that, despite being on a ball joint, there's virtually no up and down movement with the head. In my mind, with today's articulation standards, that should be a given. The other is that the jeep gun stores a little awkwardly in bot mode by tabbing into the shoulder cannon, or to his arm. Both look weird, and I kinda wish there was a way to mount it to his back in such a way that it could swing up over the shoulder. It's not canon, but I think it'd be a nicer looking alternative, especially if there was a back armature that allowed the gun to swing into position for jeep mode as well. Gripes aside, until more info comes out about the official MP, I've found my Hound. Additionally, I got him in the dark green G1 toy deco, and I'm glad , as it's sharp, especially in contrast with all the chrome, but also much more apropos for a military vehicle.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Dumbassery on my part- simply wasn't paying attention when I transformed him to bot mode the first time, so the detentes which allow for ankle tilt were facing out instead of in. After a healthy dose of facepalm, I rotated them to the correct orientation, and all was right with the world. His dino ankles are still weak though, and I see no way to artificially strengthen them. Still, with patience and tweaking, I can get him to stand unassisted with his tail in the air, so they are strong enough to hold him up, but a gentle breeze will knock him over on his nose. I think those joints could have benefitted from some medium strength ratchets. I don't think dish soap in the ratchets is a good or necessary fix to the shoulder ratchet issue, as it's messy and by it's very nature of breaking down grease and oil, primary constituents of plastic, probably not a good substance to have in contact with plastic over a long-term. Rather, it's an issue of space between the two sets of ratchets. A better solution would be to make a small gasket (folded paper would do) or find a small thin o-ring and sandwich it between the gold shoulder armature and the ratchet that holds the dino leg panel. Whatever choice of spacer used, it needn't be very thick, no more than 1 mm thick. If an o-ring is employed, simply cut it so that it can be placed over the pin. The leg panel ratchet can be easily slid along the pin by grasping the plastic bit that runs from the ratchet up to the panel and moving it inward so the tongue and groove mesh together , after which said spacer can be placed into the opening created next to the gold armature. I've not had to do it to my copy (yet), but that's the method I intend to use should my copy develop the prevailing issue. It should prove to be a simple, inexpensive, non-destructive, and completely reversible method for fixing the issue.
  8. M'Kyuun
    Well at least he was inside the aircraft; in the last MI, he was strapped to the outside of a plane while it took off and flew about, a stunt that would probably make professional stunt guys a little nervous. He learned to fly a helicopter for this film, and as a novice chopper pilot, wanted to push limits. The safety folks were the clearer minds in that scenario. But I'll tip my hat to the guy for doing most of his own stunts; not many do. Well, Jackie Chan, but he's been doing stunts before Cruise was even making movies (Jackie was a stuntman in the 60's and 70's before becoming a leading man).
  9. M'Kyuun
    Just had to rub it in! Seriously, nice pic. I like both color schemes, but that dark green with the red knees and chrome bling really make him stand out.
  10. M'Kyuun
    I don't own MP-09, but I concur with your observations about the paint and engineering on these BW figs, not to mention sculpting- the face sculpts for Primal, Cheetor, and Dinobot are all spot-on, with beautiful paint. At least two of Dinobot's faces have moving jaws so you can change his expression just by how much his mouth is open-brilliant. I just transformed Dinobot back to raptor mode going by memory from transforming him to bot mode yesterday, and from a few glances at the box to figure out what goes where. It's not a super difficult transformation to understand, but there are a lot of moving parts, the legs need to break up and be positioned, and there are any number of tabs that need to be snapped into place to arrive at the finished product. I noticed that most of the tabs have a slight flange which gives a satisfactory 'snap' that keeps the connections solid. In essence, he turns inside out from one mode to the other, with a bit of extreme yoga thrown in to cram everything within the body cavity. It's a good solution to realize the very different looks of both modes. I also discovered that I had his ankles turned the wrong way; once remedied, he now has ankle rockers and the joint feels stronger than it did before- holds him up just fine with both of his weapons equipped. No issues with the shoulder ratchets, either.
  11. M'Kyuun
    Same page with Classics Hound- still one of the best TF toys ever made, IMHO. Alex Kubalsky designed Classics Hound, Mirage, and Bumblebee, and after eleven years, they still stand out as amazing designs, esp Hound and Mirage. I love them so much that either one or the other always accompanied me on deployments, and even today, I often sneak one of them into my bag when I go on a trip. I was greatly bummed when Alex quit Takara-Tomy, as nearly all of his TF designs were notable. All that being said, toy colored Gun Dog will be a nice addition to the MP shelf, as I need a Hound, and the similarity to the Classics version makes him more appealing to my eye.
  12. M'Kyuun
    You're lucky, Kuma. I looked for deals, found none, paid full price with free shipping via slow boat, so I won't get mine until the end of the month or September. Wish they'd paddle that canoe a little faster. But, I think the patience will pay off; it looks like a solid figure from the reviews I've watched, and I like the toy homage better than the animated look. Just the overall chunkier look of it, really. I think Takara made too many compromises on their official version, especially since the head attaches to the end of that fugly armature and doesn't really appear to tab into anything, the shoulders look too small, and the face doesn't look like Hound at all, at least to me.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Recall. Yeah, right. Not a big deal for me personally, as I don't like keeping batteries in toys too much- there's always the fear of leakage ruining the toy. However, in a toy costing in excess of $200, it's not acceptable, either.
  14. M'Kyuun
    Got my Dinobot today, and was extremely mindful and attentive of the shoulder ratchets. Both of mine are fine, although the gap is very slightly wider on one of them (don't recall which side, now). Anyway, while handling the parts in question, I would grip the armature holding the raptor leg panels and push in towards the center while rotating it, thus ensuring the tab stays interlocked with the slot. It seems to me the gold shoulder mount is just a little too wide, or the tab too short, for what Takara intended. It makes me wonder if a small thin o-ring couldn't be inserted in there to keep the parts closer together as a more permanent, non-damaging fix. Alas, I've made no mods, but am mindful of that joint when transforming him. Got through his transformation sans instructions on my first try- it seems a bit daunting at first, as he is chock full of moving parts, many of which are necessary to break up his bot legs and body in order to contort into position for his raptor mode, but once you just look at everything, it makes sense. The only parts I wasn't sure about for bot mode were those very same dino leg parts attached to the ratchets of concern. However, a glance at the box showed me where they go, and I successfully got him into bot mode without any casualties. Tomorrow, I'll probably put him back in dino mode, as that actually seems the more challenging side of his transformation. I'll say this, his head ends up in a most unflattering position in dino mode- maybe that's why he was always in a mood on the show. He's a chunky bot, rather top heavy, and the ankles on my copy are a bit weak. Same for his raptor ankles. I have to very carefully tweak this and that to get him to stand unattended in both modes, a situation that I find dismaying on a new and expensive figure. Engineering-wise, just looking at the transformation, Takara did some really nice work. Dinobot's on-screen incarnations benefitted heavily from CG magic which does in no way lend itself to a three dimensional representation. I'm sure the designers spent a few sleepless nights wondering how they were going to get him from bot to beast and maintain the toon looks of both. The solution is a clever bit of plastic origami that comes together well. It's not perfect; both modes have seams showing bits of each other, but it's all forgivable when you consider how much they got right. I think his tail is one of the most impressive bits- rather than just contenting themselves with an inflexible tail for the sake of its becoming his weapon, the tail features several joints along the latter half in two axes of motion for some nice expressive poseability, while still maintaining the ability to fold and split into his iconic spinning weapon. Very cool. Kudos, too, to Takara for the spot-on sculpting of both bot and dino heads (love that tongue), and for the rich scaly texturing throughout and the lovely paintwork. It's a beautiful figure. Last note, referring to ArchieNov's post; I haven't tried putting batteries in mine yet, so I'm not sure if it suffers the same issue. The weak ankles in both modes are thus far the only issues I have.
  15. M'Kyuun
    'Preciate the heads up concerning Dinobot, TKing22. Mine was supposed to be delivered today, but the DHL guy never knocked on my door; he just filled out one of those 'nobody home' slips and slapped it on my door. By the time I realized there was someone on my porch and went to check, he was pulling out of my driveway. I went to go grab my box, and found the slip instead, as the package requires a signature. I was cooking lunch and modding my LEGO Monster in my kitchen, about 20' from the front door, so I know for a fact he never knocked. Anyway, redelivery is set for tomorrow, so I'll be ready for the sneaky bastard. As for that joint, that's a pretty shite design. Surely, with 30+ years of experience, they could have come up with a more durable locking mechanism. Thanks again for pointing it out.
  16. M'Kyuun
    I can't wait to get Voltron- hopefully soon. I have the VW, and yeah, great set with a lot of neat techniques used to achieve the rounded look of different areas. The only flaw I saw was that the spare has to be wedged in a bit under the bonnet for it to close properly. I don't know if that was to keep it from moving around, or if there just wasn't room for it to just plop in and still maintain structural integrity, but it is what it is. 'Tis but a small trifle on an otherwise great set. If you like that, I'd also suggest the Mini Cooper. The Tron set, while a little better in its finished form (the submission didn't have rolling wheels and was basically a static display, not to mention only came with one bike), I still felt underwhelmed by it. The designer did a nice job giving it rolling wheels, but comparisons with the source still show the inaccuracies, especially the hollow wheels and the large teardrop shape of the front end. But I'm glad it got made, nonetheless, as I've always thought Tron would look cool in LEGO form, and it does. They did a great job on the minifigs.
  17. M'Kyuun
    Mike, you're awesome. My druthers tend towards the toy color (that dark green with red details at the knees is lovely) , but I'd take either. I'll go check 'em out. Thanks again, Mike. Edit: Found the toy version MISB on ebay for $99 with free shipping, so I did that. It's coming economy, so I won't see it for another month or so- ships are slow. Not a big deal, as I've lived without it this long. Shrug. I didn't see any mention of sales on the Maketoys store site- just the regular price plus additional shipping. Oh well, at least this way I'm covered by the Ebay money back guarantee if there are any issues. Fingers crossed there aren't; I just wanna enjoy my new toy.
  18. M'Kyuun
    He doesn't have his silver louvres on his legs, either- kinda iconic to Prime. I realize that's a digi, but those louvre panels are blue on Prime in the Movie, so I'm guessing they'll follow suit. Really can't wait til this whole toon obsession is over at Takara. I still think the Hasui era had it right in terms of mixing aesthetics, both toon and toy. 'Masterpiece' and 'plain' don't belong in the same sentence when I think of a masterpiece class of figures. Using shellforming to accommodate the dichotomy between alt and bot aesthetics, in my mind, should never be a part of these figures. Ever. I realize some panels are necessary, but not to the degree where half the alt is a shell. His tanks, or lack thereof in truck mode, plus the kibble behind his cab, are detractors as well. Think this'll be the first official pass I make on a MP figure. Just not digging it. Concerning V3's elbows, yep, Pac-Man. Looks like he's about to summit Mt Everest with that pack. On the fence for MP Hound, as well. I don't like the face at all, the armature to which his head attaches doesn't look good, I don't like the faux tires on his ankles (why?), the round parts of his shoulders look a bit too small and, given there are two joint attachments, worry me a little for long term endurance. I was really looking forward to an official Hound; I'm bummed that I'm not caring for it, and a little regretful that I didn't pick up Gundog when it was available at regular prices. Secondary market prices are too much. Hopefully as we near the release of the official MP, if I haven't changed my mind about him by then, Gundogs will be flooding ebay and Amazon at more reasonable prices.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Voltron mod by Chubbybots: Definitely a challenging set to mod for better articulation. He managed it, but at the cost of some stability. As a mech builder myself, I can certainly sympathize. He did a good job with what LEGO provides. I still think this set was a prime opportunity for LEGO to trot out some beefier, more versatile joints for larger mecha. Aw well, I continue to hope.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Both 3P Ops are looking better to me than V3, not to mention they have a standard transformation rather than a cab shell that forms around the torso. Not a fan of the shellformer solution at all. I can happily accept a slight overhang of the windshield chest parts if they are part of the alt mode. I think the only area that V3 will vastly be superior to the 3P versions is in its articulation. Takara have notably stepped up their game here; I love 'em for it, but some of the other compromises they've been making to achieve that total toon look aren't as appealing. Surprised no one else has commented on Hound's decidedly un-Hound looking face. Looks like they took another bot's face, aged it, and slapped it on Hound. Took a look at my $10 Classics Hound last night, and they got it perfect, so I expect better from a figure that'll probably range from high two digits into the three.
  21. M'Kyuun
    Not feeling that truck mode on OPV3- sides are too streamlined with no discernable fuel tanks, and the aft chassis looks like it's jumbled with bot kibble. Not sure if it's just the angle, but the back tires look smaller than the front. Prime's got a sizeable backpack, probably crammed full of his truck mode shell. While I think the overall look in bot mode isn't terrible, there are already enough niggles that make the third party offerings look more appealing. Really wish they'd ease up on this toon accuracy kick. Hound looks alright. Been waiting for an official version of this guy, and I guess I should have known it'd look more like Willis than Gun Dog. I prefer the look of Gun Dog. The biggest thing that bugs me about him is the face-just seems off to me. Usually, I feel like Takara do a really good job with faces, but not this one. However, I'll reserve final opinions after reviews start surfacing.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Thanks for the clarification, ArchieNov. Takara did an amazing engineering job here. The only 'flaw' I saw from pics was that parts of his shins and feet are visible when viewing him from the rear, but this was a far better design compromise than the legs and feet folding to become the dino chest, all the while doing a blatantly unconvincing job. So kudos to Takara for completely reimagining the entire transformation process; it clearly paid off- looks like he stepped right out of the animation in either form (ignoring some of the gold bits here and there on his raptor mode which hint that there's 'more than meets the eye' going on). I especially like how the faux dino head/chest bits serve both modes- that's clever. Would have been a waste to have that much real estate covered in dino skin and not use it for the dino mode. Also like the swappable hands/raptor feet, instead of trying to use one set to pass for both. So far, there's a lot to like. And bonus- no whiskers to get all mangled during transformation- so wish Takara had made better room for them, or made them retract or something on Cheetor.
  23. M'Kyuun
    AmiAmi, bless their very kind hearts, cancelled one of my Dinobots , and I just paid up. Looking forward to having him in hand. Just from pics, it's been clear that this was by far the most faithful representation ever made, and he's not an easy character to do given the liberties taken with the animation models. ArchieNov, does he tab together solidly? From the pics over on TFW, there's a lot of stuff swinging hither and thither to build up his bot form, so the thought of a gentle breeze causing him to dissolve into a bunch of hinged bits seems not unrealistic.
  24. M'Kyuun
    Just found my payment request from AmiAmi and realized I ordered two copies at different times- my memory is crap, what can I say? So, I just sent AmiAmi a request to cancel one of them, and hopefully they will, as that's an unexpected chunk of change to dole out when I only need one Dinobot figure to complete my life.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Y'know, that sort of thing just amazes me, as, aside from inflicted or accidental damage, none of my LEGO or other plastic toys from the 80's have ever crumbled. Heck, I have LEGO from the '70's that's still in good shape and viable- wouldn't hesitate to use it in a model today. Yet my Yamato YF-19's shoulder crumbled-just sitting on a shelf, not being touched. So I have to wonder what's up with the materials being used in these premium toys- we pay a pretty decent chunk of change for them, just to have them disintegrate before our eyes, or sometimes, as Jenius mentioned, still in their boxes without having ever been handled since the factory. I count myself fortunate, as my old YF-19 is the only poor plastics casualty in my collection thus far out of around 30 or so Macross toys. I've never had any of my Transformers crumble, either, and I have hundreds of those little beasties, and they're all, presumably, made from plastics originating in China and Japan. So, again, I have to wonder what's different about the plastics being used in some of these collector's toys. Digression aside, looking forward to seeing RavenHawk's review of the Proto- pretty sure I watched a vid of the old Yammie years ago, but it's nice to get another perspective, as the toy has some years on it now, and it's nice to see, in hindsight, what they did right, what could have used a tweaking, and what was just flat out wrong, as I hope Arcadia would have done prior to creating this new version.
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