VF-1A Grunt

I actually really appreciate that they went to the trouble to (presumably) develop and test these color combinations to match the animation / line art / whatever research material they used. I will happily follow these formulas to save me the trouble of figuring them out myself!

With these pilot sets no longer available, is there any way to convince Hasegawa to sell their 1/72 VF-1 TV pilots (and maybe others) separately? I'd love to be able to buy them without being limited to one extra pilot per Gerwalk kit through their parts purchase system (which Jefuemon has been valiantly helping us with). I have at least a dozen kits that need pilots, and while I appreciate the DYRL pilots being available with the weapons set, I'd like to have access to more of the TV pilots. I'd also like to use parts from them (i.e. heads) to modify conventional pilot figures to represent Macross crew members on the ground, inspecting aircraft, etc. Does anyone have contact with Hasegawa that could pass along the suggestion? At the very least, it would be great if they could start including pilots with their 1/72 fighter kits in future releases. I'm used to U.S. hobby manufacturers that have online suggestion forms and contacts in the modeling community to pass these ideas through. Come to think of it, it would be great to be able to buy a few extra Wave Destroid pilots too...

Yeah, I guess I should have said that the masking would be easy, not necessarily the white paint!One minor point that I disagree with Valkyrie addict on that he mentioned in his build is that I think the Alaska Base Valkyries would be kept clean and freshly painted, since they are stationed at the UN military headquarters. I recall that he said that he "failed" to weather them to represent them serving in a remote, desolate location like Alaska, but I think the nature of the installation would mean they were well-maintained. I think his model looks great! I guess at some point I'd need to do a Hasegawa Battroid in that scheme, since that's how they appear in the animation.

Thanks for the CD Japan tip - I just ordered one. Would have liked to get two, but I have some competing purchases at the moment! To be honest, I'm not sure that I need to VF-1D Gerwalks, but I usually like to have a spare kit in case I ruin one. I threw in the first two issues of Macross the First to make up for it - been wanting to check it out.

MT - I have two fighters planned before these, a standard brown VF-1A and a brown Skull Squadron VF-1A as depicted in the Master Files. The latter looks like a brown VF-1A with Fokker's black stripes on the fuselage sides, wings, arms, and legs, along with black Skull tail fins. If I can get those done, I'll move on to these. The Alaska Base might get bumped up though, since the mostly white scheme would be easy to paint, and my skills are pretty rusty.

Slide, thanks a lot for the feedback. I managed to dig up my Master Files, which I remembered that I had stashed in the bottom of a box in my car for the move. I wouldn't have found the Cavaliers very quickly without your reference, though. It sounds like Yamato took their Cavaliers scheme from the book (or vice versa). One other difference I noticed from the Macross Mecha Manual is that both wings have the two red stripes near their tips, which I can actually just make out in the screen shot from the Mecha Manual on the lower left aircraft: http://www.macross2.net/m3/sdfmacross/variant-vf-1a-cavaliers/ep05-vf1cavaliers.jpg The UN Spacy kite actually overlaps one of the stripes in the animation. The Alaska Base scheme is included in the first VF-1 Master File and is listed as SVF-15. It doesn't quite match the appearance from the show and the Mecha Manual, in that the vertical stabilizers are solid green on both sides with white tips and a white leading edge, and the aft portion of those small fins on the legs are also green. The scheme looks good but doesn't match the animation. I'll have to mull over these variations and decide which version to go with for each of these schemes. I like being able to include the squadron numbers though, thanks to the Master File references. Thanks for the feedback!

Has anyone here looked at or attempted to model the Cavaliers or Alaska Base schemes from SDFM? I keep hoping that Hasegawa will offer them eventually, but in the meantime, I'm collecting info (and paint) to turn a couple VF-1A kits into them. Referencing the Mecha Manual: Cavaliers: http://www.macross2.net/m3/sdfmacross/variant-vf-1a-cavaliers.htm I'm not that excited about how Yamato did their toy version (I don't own it, so I'm just referencing online photos): http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=36375 I prefer the Mecha Manual interpretation without the gray trim around the cockpit and nose. I also think the front and backs of the legs should be more of a gray color than the lighter blue that Yamato seems to have used (unless it looks different in person). Was this squadron referenced in the Master Files? I don't have access to mine at the moment but don't recall seeing it in the SDFM squadrons book, which would have been the logical place. It would probably be a more interesting scheme with appropriate squadron markings, but I guess I'll have to make up something convincing. Any idea on a good Mr. Color dark blue for this scheme? I think Navy Blue (14) might be too dark, but I'll get a bottle to try out. Alaska Base: http://www.macross2.net/m3/sdfmacross/variant-vf-1a-alaskabase.htm Valkyrie addict did a nice job painting one of the Yamato kits in this scheme: http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=39189&hl= He used Tamiya TS-43 Racing Green, which I think is a pretty good match based on his model photos, but I'll have to try my hand at decanting the Tamiya spray paint, as I'd prefer to airbrush it. I'm pretty sure this scheme appeared in the Master Files, but I don't recall if it mentioned a squadron number or any other information. Does anyone have that reference handy? I'm in the process of moving the family cross country and have a lot of things in storage. These schemes don't get a lot of modeling attention, which is understandable, since they only appeared for a few seconds, but I like the idea of replicating more official paint schemes that haven't been done much before.

I've been checking back periodically and was surprised today to see that HLJ is listing the VF-1D Gerwalk as discontinued:http://hlj.com/product/HSG65832/Sci I'm not sure they ever listed any as in stock, just preorders. I'm guessing they'll probably get some back in eventually, but it seems strange (unless they really sold that well and Hasegawa ran out of them). Might have to check Amazon...

Ok, might as well add my update from the previous discussion, since my Hasegawa collection has grown a bit: 3 X 248002 VF-1A/J Valkyrie 1 X 248003 VF-1S/A Valkyrie 4 X 248004 PE Intake cover parts for 1/48 VF-1 15 X 272003 VF-1 Cockpit 15 X 272004 VF-1 Intake and Nozzle Like others, I would need to save up and probably purchase them in a couple batches, but I definitely want a bunch of them!

I'd love to see Hasegawa reissue the Black Aces kit. It's still available through Amazon but getting expensive. It would be great if they could add some new ones, like the Alaska Base and Cavaliers. I think I'm starting to sound like a broken record...

If they release the D, I'd be totally sold on buying a bunch of 1/48 kits. I want to build a couple D variations, including an Angel Birds #6. The fact that they include the TV cockpit and pilot alone would convince me, since I'm trying to figure out how to get enough TV pilots to meet my needs. However, I would still want to build 1/72 kits to go along with the Destroids that aren't available in 1/48.

Looking back at the previous discussion, there were pledges from a half dozen people for 49 of the VF-1 cockpit detail kits and 33 of the VF-1 intake kits (and I'd probably increase my pledge when the time comes since I've bought more Hasegawa kits since then!). There were additional people who said they'd buy them but didn't pledge specific numbers. I think that's a good start towards 300 of each of those kits considering only a small percentage of modelers probably saw that discussion.

HLJ has been showing for a couple weeks that a bunch of Hasegawa kits, including the VF-1A/J/S fighter kit, Battroid, Strike Battroid, VF-0A/S Battroid, and lots of others are due to be restocked in July. That could be the re-release.

I check Amazon every few days because the prices fluctuate so much. The Ostrich actually dropped down to about $35 + free shipping a few weeks ago, but I was getting ready to move and wouldn't have been at the same address after the three weeks it would take to reach the U.S. From Japan. I should have had it shipped to a friend and picked it up later, because it's back up to $60+.Back on topic, excellent work with the landing gear doors! I'll have to tackle that soon. I've only worked with 1/72 but am considering buying a 1/48 VF-1. Maybe I shouldn't or I might not want to go back!

Actually, the same VF-1 parts the OP mentioned were included in that previous request. You can see my post from March in regards to the response I received from Jasmine. No indication that they plan to re-run them at this time. I definitely think additional email requests from members of this forum will be needed if they are to be persuaded to run them again. I'd love to have a bunch, as I listed in that thread.

I've always wondered - who was the first to come up with this style? Was it originally based on kids' anime, i.e. replicating the style of the drawings in the comics themselves? Whenever I see these, I always think, "only the Japanese would think up something like these!" I've never been sure if they were intended for kids, adults with a good sense of humor, or what. This one really looks need - I think my kids might need it!

That looks fantastic! Great interpretation of the training color scheme. How about a VT-0 next?

That's what's held me back from jumping into 1/48 also. I'm eventually going to buy the Hasegawa VF-1A/J kit and build it as a centerpiece display model, but I want to have a collection that includes Destroids and other vehicles and aircraft alongside the Valkyries. If Wave produced their Destroids in 1/48 and Hasegawa brought out a VF-1 Battroid, I'd be more likely to commit.

Those are great models! If there were any blemishes in the paint, you did a great job of blending them in with the weathering. The heavy weathering makes it looks like they're coming straight out of a hard fight, which is very believable. Nice work!

That's excellent - I'm surprised they didn't just remove the pilot since it's a separate sprue. On the other hand, however, I'd actually like to see this kit include two TV pilots so I could model a VF-1D other that 102 in its "final hours".I didn't preorder this kit because in getting ready to move, but I'll definitely put one in the HLJ private warehouse when they get them back in stock. On a side note, I noticed that HLJ is showing several discontinued Hasegawa kits as due back in stock in July, including the VF-1A/J/S fighter kit.

If I was really concerned about parts coming apart / weak glue joints, I would drill holes in the contact surfaces and insert a short piece of brass rod to connect the two mated surfaces, securing the rod with CA. It adds extra work, but it won't come apart. I'd only do that if you were really concerned about a weak joint or if one fell apart after a bit of light handling.

That's fantastic work! Congrats on completing another great project!

That Scout is looking good! What I wouldn't give for a line of Hasegawa or Wave 1/72 Regults in all four variations...

SDFM depicts the vertical stabilizers folding on top of each other (the second option you described). I'm watching Episode 6 right now, the one about Hikaru's first combat mission near Saturn. It shows two VF-1As moving up to the flight deck on the elevator, and their stabilizers unfold as a single piece, one laying on top of the other. Not sure if any of the technical books depict it - I'll have to look back through the ones I have. Hinging in the middle of each fin like the Hasegawa model looks kind of tidy, but I think it would add complexity to the design and would result in one more mechanism that could potentially malfunction or even fail.

That's a cool shot (and nice work). I've never seen the VF-1D and VT-1 cockpits side by side like that - I knew they were different, but I didn't realize how much more the VT-1 seats were compressed together. I guess I need to open up that kit!