VF-1A Grunt

Success! I found a Destroid Defender, and it’s safely packed for my trip home. I actually found two. The first was at Surugaya, a really excellent hobby shop in Akihabara, which has a fantastic selection of older Macross kits. It was ¥9,500 ($69), a bit more than I hoping for, but I decided to browse some other stores and then buy it on my way back to the station. At the corner of the next block, I decided to look in a small store called Liberty that was mostly figurines and other anime products. They had Defenser buried in a display case for ¥8,000. With tax exemption, it was ¥7,273 ($53). Really glad to find it for about half the price that they’re listed on eBay and Amazon these days. On a related note, I was curious about whether Wave had corrected the Destroid Phalanx kits that were re-released this past spring for the Macross 40th Anniversary (they have a small Macross40 logo in the upper left corner of the box top). The first batch of kits this year apparently mistakenly included the PV sprue for the Tomahawk kit. They were missing the PV parts for the Phalanx head (neck) and two missile cover hinges. Wave sent out a small replacement PV sprue to dealers with just those three parts. One of the very helpful staff at Yodobashi in Akihabara was kind enough to open a Phalanx kit for me, and we confirmed that the small PV sprue with the three parts is now packed in the kit. It’s sealed in a bag that contains the body components. I think Wave must have released a second batch of these kits to restock after the initial release sold out, and they corrected the issue with that run. Of course, it would be hard to confirm which one you’re getting if you order online. I regret that I couldn’t buy one at Yodobashi, as I had run out of room in my luggage by that point. Maybe next trip…

Those look great, and that’s a fantastic idea with the clear helmets! I’d love to see some generic SDFM TV pilots like that for flight line dioramas. I want to eventually do one on Earth with pilots inspecting a new VT-1 parked next to an old VF-1D.

I’m in Tokyo this week and mentioned it in another topic but thought I’d update here too. The Tomahawk and Phalanx kits are readily available in several hobby shops in Akihabara. The big Yodobashi store actually had a stack of about eight Phalanx kits up front in a separate display from the main Macross model section, so I’m thinking they may be a recent restock. I’m curious if they corrected the issue with the missing PC parts sprue. Unfortunately, no Defender kits to be seen yet, but I’m going to check a few more stores.

Just a quick update: I spent the day in Akihabara and visited Yodobashi, Volks, Jungle Store, and TamTam. The last three were quick walk throughs to check their Macross kits, as I was running short on time. The first three all had a bunch of Wave Destroid Tomahawks and Phalanx, but no Defenders. All of them had Hasegawa Regults, the Operation Bullseye armored Valkeries, and a decent number of other models (though they all pale in comparison to the quantity of Gundam kits, of course). TamTam even still had a Hasegawa 1/48 VF-1A Sonic Birds, which I was really tempted by, but I already have two (love that scheme). I may go back for ¥1,650 Bandai Destroid Spartan I saw at one of those shops. It’s not perfect, but I’ve never had one of those kits, and it’s the only game in town at the moment. One thing I noticed is that Yodobashi’s prices are about 10% cheaper than other shops, plus they offer tax free purchases for foreigners. They just have an incredible selection of kits and hobby tools. I never ceased to be amazed by that place. Volks is a nice shop too, but I didn’t have much time to look around there. I’m hoping to spend a few more hours in Akihabara and check a few other shops around town before we head home. Still on the hunt for my Wave Destroid Defender…

Congratulations! That’s definitely well deserved for a fantastic model.

Yeah, that’s unfortunately where I had the Defender in my cart, along with two Hasegawa Regult Small Missile Pod kits, but the hobby budget was stretched a little thin, so I hesitated, and it sold out.

I’ve found Australian modeler Luke Towan’s YouTube channel to be very informative and inspirational about what can be done with 3D printing for modeling. He’s primarily a model railroader, but he includes basic information about the software and techniques he uses to design his prints. I found it helpful to see examples of the different sized objects he’s able to print with the various resin printers he gets from his sponsors, and how the cleanup process works. Luke Towan I also like British modeler Kathy Millatt’s channel. She does a lot of sci-fi projects and frequently resized or modifies designs that she purchases or downloads for free. Kathy Millatt I’m getting ready to dive into 3D printing once we get settled after an upcoming move and find it helpful to watch channels like these to get a better understanding of what’s possible, and what’s involved in getting there.

I’d love to see the Spartan reissued! As much as I’d like to see Wave add it to their Destroid line, I doubt they’ll produce it. I don’t think it has any components that a common to the other models, which I’m sure is what made the Tomahawk, Defender, and Phalanx logical to make. It seems like this recent re-release of the Tomahawk and Defender sold out really fast. I wanted to get another Defender but must have completely missed them at HLJ (never saw it in stock, only the Tomahawk), and I had one saved in my cart at another store but was too slow, and they sold out. Hoping to find one in Japan when I visit this summer.

Thanks a lot for the feedback. I saved all those shops so I can visit them if I have the chance. I’ll probably have one day in Akihabara, so I should be able to hit most of them. Last time I was there, I only made it to TamTam and Yodobashi - both great shops but not much older stuff. Looks like we’re going to be in Kyoto for a couple days, so I’ll check out the Yodobashi there too. I enjoy just poking around the shops too. I usually end up only getting one or two models while I’m there. A Wave Destroid kit takes up quite a bit of space in the luggage on the way home, so back in 2015, I bought just one and then ordered the others from Amazon after I got home. The higher price makes up for not having to lug them home! I’ll focus my search on rare or out of production models on this trip.

I’m still hoping for a VF-1D fighter in 1/48. I’d love to see the VT-1 and VE-1 in 1/48 also, but I figure the D is a much simpler update. I wonder though if they might be reluctant to do that because they’d feel obligated to include Hikaru and Minmay figures in the D, which would require additional tooling, of course. I’d be happy to have two TV pilots come with it, but then they couldn’t really offer the 102 aircraft from the series, or people would complain about the figures.

Instead of starting a new topic, I thought I’d ask here: I’m heading to Japan this summer to visit family and would love to check out some shops that may have a decent stock of recent kits (Wave Destroids) and maybe some older ones, especially resin garage kits. I’m hoping I can find a Wave Destroid Defender, since I seem to have missed out on the recent release on the major websites. I know Tokyo well - spent a lot of summers there as a kid and have been back a couple times as an adult. I’ve been to a couple shops in Akihabara - Yodobashi usually has a good collection of recent stuff; I think Yellow Submarine is closed now(?); and TamTam was a great store last time I was there in 2019. I’ve been to Mandrake in Shibuya but was mostly looking for books that one time. I also expect to visit Kanazawa, Himeiji, and maybe Kyoto this time. Any tips on stores to check out would be much appreciated! Thanks!

I do think these new hands look kind of odd, not chunky enough to look like the TV hands. I personally don’t mind variations between models (like TV vs. movie hands). I like the Master Files approach that the TV version of things, like pilot flight suits, cockpit design, etc. are early VF-1 features, and movie designs represent later “block” versions of the VF-1. I’m curious if the hip and head changes will be incorporated into the standard VF-1 Battroid, since they’re re-releasing that model at the same time. I’d like to see the Super Battroid joint upgrades included in the standard model too.

There are some photos of a completed model here: And the original “monster-long” Monster thread:

Is that a reissue of this 1/72 kit? I can’t see the whole image. VF-19A `SVF-440 Dullahans` w/Fast Pack & High Maneuver Missile

Wow, great work so far! I had no idea that some of these Hasegawa kits had so many parts fit issues. That shows how little work I’ve done with mine so far, I guess. I have plenty of sanding sticks, putty, Mr. Surfacer, and a couple panel line tools, so I’ll prepare myself!

I would love to see a Wave Spartan to go with their other Destroids. I would probably be in for two or three of them. I can understand why they’d be reluctant to invest in that model though, since it doesn’t share any parts like the others. I was fortunate to get two Wave Tomahawks, a Defender, and a Phalanx when they were first released. I discovered them on a trip to Japan in 2015 that rekindled my interest in Macross models. I picked the Tomahawk as the one kit I could fit in my suitcase to bring home. I haven’t gotten around to building them yet - life has been too busy, and I want to get my painting skills up to snuff before tackling these more expensive kits. But I want to get another Defender, at least, now that they’re available again. I have a grand plan to build a diorama of an airfield on Earth with a VF-1 in a revetment and a Defender nearby providing air cover.

I think when campaigning for a new model, it’s worth distinguishing between a completely new mold and tooling a few additional parts for a new variation. If you look at the 1/72 VF-1D, I think the fighter version involves about 30 additional parts on two sprues (one solid and one clear), plus decals, of course. Looking at the images here, you can see what was added to the 1/72 kit in the parts diagram from the instructions: Hasegawa VF-1D While that’s obviously additional cost, it’s more affordable than tooling a completely new model. It seems like a reasonable investment to offer a new 1/48 fighter variant. I’d like to have the VT-1 and VE-1 in 1/48 also, but those would be completely new models with the addition of the Super parts, which are unique to each of those variants.

I’m simple. I’d like to have a 1/48 VF-1D fighter and a 1/72 VF-1D Battroid.

Really fantastic work! I love how you modified the artwork with the wavy color separation between the top and underside. Reminds me of the many Vietnam era and early ‘80s paint schemes. I’ve been thinking about turning one of my models into a hypothetical brown “cannon fodder” scheme, adapted for the VF-4. I’ve been struggling with where to place the color separations, and I think Ben’s artwork will translate nicely into my concept. I may go with Skull Squadron tail markings as an update on the Skull brown VF-1 artwork in the Master File book. Thanks for sharing this awesome project!

I suspect they’ve already done the design and tooling for all the variants, and they’re just staggering the releases so they don’t overwhelm people’s hobby budgets. I’m sure people are more likely to buy multiple copies when only one model is released at a time. I also think it’s logical to spread out the two missile types with the recon one in between. Since the recon is the most different of the four, it’s the riskiest investment. They wouldn’t want people to be tired of buying Regults or decide they can’t afford any more by the time the financially riskiest variant hits the market. Really excited to see this one. I’ve procrastinated on buying the light missile variant - need to order a couple.

It looks to me like there are knee joints, but what appears to be missing is the joint just below the intakes, which provides the articulation at the hips. If I can link to this image from the Macross Mecha Manual site, this test sample doesn’t seem to have a joint between the brown intakes and the rest of the legs. http://www.macross2.net/m3/sdfmacross/vf-1j-valkyrie/colorcode-vf1j.gif I believe all previous Battroid models have been articulated at that spot. It’s a little unclear without going back to watch SDFM or DYRL whether the legs bend at that joint in Battroid mode (they definitely do in Gerwalk form), but I think there should be a more prominent seam there across the front of the “thigh.” http://www.macross2.net/m3/sdfmacross/vf-1j-valkyrie/vf-1j-battroid.gif As you said, this is an early sample, so I’m not passing judgement, just observing.

Oh, man, that looks very cool! I like the realistic appearance of the Hasegawa kits, like they replicated how the Battroid should look if it was a real transforming machine, but I love how this one replicates the style of the TV artwork. Glad to see TV hands too!

I’d love to see that. As much as I’d like to have a VE-1 or VT-1, the D is a simpler kit for them to tool, just adding the cockpit section, head, and chest plate, if I recall correctly.

That’s awesome! Love the artwork.

I just received my shipment of five Regults from HLJ yesterday. I paid ¥4,520 for Surface Parcel, which they were offering to the US, but it took almost exactly three months to arrive from when I ordered March 15. I went a little overboard, buying five of them, but I’ve waited for years for a quality Regult kit. I want to have a couple spares in case the first build doesn’t go well (with paint and weathering, etc.). The model does look a bit small for 1/72, but I think it will make up for it in appearance. I have in mind building a Macross City street fight diorama with a couple VF-1A battroids at one end of the block and several Regults at the other end, so some forced perspective would offset the relative scale of the two models.