PsYcHoDyNaMiX

Okay... Even thought I was aware of the current problems plaguing the VF-0 line I decided to splurge and the get the VF-0S and the VF-0A Shin (w/ ghost) along with a seperate ghost for the VF-0S from HLJ. I was planning on opening the VF-0S and play with it aware of the problems (shoulders) for both valks, I figure ehh what the hell anyways I'll order the extra arms and what not.

I was planning on keeping the VF-0A Shin (w/ ghost) in the box untouched, but unfortunately the shipping box was poorly packed and some how the shin's box was damaged beyond belief. Blah.. wth I thought, so I opened it as well.

So I ended up opening both and decided to make it an objective to check out the shoulders on the VF-0S first. With the MW forums being down I contemplated for a day on how to transform them and disassemble them (thinking that the first transformation to Gerwalk could cause a large amount of stress marks). I took extra caution on transforming the VF-0S to Gerwalk and as soon as the shoulder screws were exposed enough to get the screw driver in I dove in with it.

Of course I was already aware of the problems and I wasn't too upset when I saw the stress marks on both the left and right shoulders of the VF-0S. One of the arms had more stress marks on the top screwed part of the shoulder and the other arm had stress marks more towards the bottom screw. I ended up loosening all the screws on both shoulders including the shoulder cover. I somehow believe the shoulder cover also played a small role in the stress marks. I reassembled them and started typing up the email for the replacement parts. I didnt bother posting pics for it since you've all seend similar cases. But the following seems pretty new to me...

Whoever assembled the VF-0S mustve gone totally glue happy on the head because there was so much glue on the head that the head couldn't telescope out off the neck. I had to literally disassemble the fuselage to unscrew the head and yank on the head with enough force to free it from the excess glue. Ontop of the neck issue there was also the green visor issue. The visor was miss aligned so poorly that it seemed as if the factory worked decided to heave extra glue onto it to have it stay in place. There is literally a gap between the green visor and the head unit. I ended up including a replacement head on the email list of replacement parts. Lets just see if HLJ can pull through on this one. If not then I'll send them these pictures... (see pics below)

The excess glue settled in the neck that you see was cleaned up a bit with my exacto knife. There was originally alot more. I was already scraping away with the blade when I realized I should've taken pictures.

As for the VF-0A everything turned out fine with the shoulders. There were no stress marks on the shoulders what so ever. They were extremely tight compared to the VF-0S, in other words they could've held up the gunpod and maybe more. They were so tight I decided to loosen them for precautionary measures. And yes the shoulders seem to be tighter at certain angles when posed. I'm just surprised that the VF-0A Shin survived a reck like this (see pics below):

The left chest piece you see floating around in the clear packaging was there when I opened the viewable flap (before the clear packaging was removed from the already smashed box). I already figured that piece could easily be placed back into position and if it didn't stay I could always throw a little epoxy or glue on it. IMO... The VF-0A Shin seemed alot more sturdier in some points compared to the VF-0S (legs, shoulders, ankles, etc.).

FYI... Since the VF-0S had the shoulder cracks I'm definitely going to assume that the version of the VF-0S that I have is still the first production run. Although the backpack hinge problem that Graham stated about the VF-0S having as opposed to the VF-0A Shin; my VF-0S didn't seem to have that problem at all. The backpack for the VF-0S was just as flush the VF-0A Shin.

***EDIT***

Oh BTW whoever probably handled the box at customs or the postal office must've seen the box labeled as Yamato and probably had some hidden feelings for them. The result is as the following picture... (see below)

Aww damn... sucks to hear that. I still have to run out to get the epoxy to re-enforce the hairline. I'll try mounting it up later on and let you know how it goes. If not then looks like you got yourself another custy for the hinge recasts. Hopefully you still have some. XD

Max

I'll update later.

Small update...

I just put the hinge pieces back in without the re-enforcement of the epoxy (just yet), so I can test fit it and here are the results:

[attachmentid=43279][attachmentid=43278][attachmentid=43277]

As you can see the front fuselage of the plane isn't as flush as it once was and there is very little play that you spoke of DyNo (well in this case). IMO, the transformation process is simpler and less stressing to the hinges.

I guess if I actually took just a bit more off with the dremel (even half a mm) I would've ended up with a case similar to the one that DyNo spoke of. Where the front fuselage (neck) would not lock up with the rest of the fuselage.

In this case it does lock up... which is some good progress. I'll update some more later.

***UPDATE***

After a few transformations it seems to be holding up pretty well. -=]

Just a little off topic, but since you guys were talking about the YF-19 hinge joints... I replied to the current YF-19 mod thread with this:

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...mp;#entry495886

EDIT***

If this is one of the major problems then I think this can seriously be band aided by Yamato as a very simple QC issue.

So I transformed my valk today like once since the past two months and decided to check the neck. I was already totally aware of the issues with the YF-19 and I recall there being some white stress marks on the hinges, but never a crack. I wasn't too surprised when there was a small hairline and wondered if those grey pieces had a shelf life... lol. Okay, so I decided to take the measures to fixing it with some glue or expoy before it got worse (I unscrewed them and they popped off easily and noticed that they used some sort of glue, but whatever it was it didn't really do the job):

[attachmentid=43265]

Then there was something else I noticed. When both pieces were lined up next to each other there was this significant difference between the groove of both hinges:

[attachmentid=43260]

Here it is again in another angle:

[attachmentid=43261]

Did anyone ever have this problem? or if it exists on the majority did anyone notice it? Blah... so I took the dremel to it (similar to soze's fix):

[attachmentid=43262]

I think I took off a little more than I wanted, but hopefully I shouldn't have to remod it again. I just have to go out to get a tube of two part clear epoxy tomorrow cause I can't seem to find the current one in my room.

BTW... When I first got the valk back in late January early February I recall me... (yes me, not yamato; but hell it was their fault anyway... just keep reading) creating this nasty stress mark on the front fuselage right where the joint detaches into the battroid mode:

[attachmentid=43264]

I just thought damn... I might've been rough, but I actually wasn't. After disassembling the front fuselage and its hinges I found this culprit:

[attachmentid=43263]

It was an excess drop (or run) of about 1mm (high) of glue that found its way into the groove of the hinge. I pull out the tamiya round chisel and picked away at it:

[attachmentid=43266]

In my conclusion the possible reasons why that hinge side (the left) obtained a hairline crack and why that same side (left) of the front fuselage stressed upon my first transformation was not only because of the groove in the hinge joint being filled with excess glue, but also from the grey piece which was significantly different from the other.

I guess I'll just update my post next time after I get the two part epoxy, let it settle and see how it holds up.

Nice! Definitely Nice. Many props for all the hard work.

i believe "venerable dreadnaught/nought" is what he meant.

Looks good...

Lookin good -=]

Check out the money shot for the preorder of Max at BBTS.

Here's the link for BBTS's order for Max (similar link can be found for Miria)

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product...amp;picture=out

Someone knows how to play with their valk. It just makes me wonder how they got the "beans over the frank..." XD

Those are nice -=]

nice conversion -=]

Thanks for the heads up! -=]

Yea... Yahoo Japan Auctions are nice, but thats the problem. I can't read any chinese or Japanese characters. Other than that I would buy that one too. XD

Any helpers? Seriously. -=X

*EDIT*

Thanks valkyrie13. I wasn't aware of those links were for such services. I'll keep them for future reference.

Thanks to Grayson72 for the WF VF-22S/YF-21 Conversion and 1/72 Hasegawa VF-22S kits.

Nice work! Does it come in blue & white? XD

VF-2SS plox... XD (even though the transformation process is similar to the original VF-1 variants. Hell, or even the Star Mirage plox (VF-5000).

Sure I'll take like two or three of those as well. XD

Sweet! I just thought they would've done a battroid conversion on that piece too. Thanks for the pics though. -=X

It seems like they're using the Hasegawa VF-22 kits to make the battroid conversions for Max and Miria instead of the Hasegawa YF-21. In conclusion... its a given that the underbay areas of the VF-22S and YF-21 are different, but I noticed the difference of the underbay exterior/interior (leg shield panels). -=X

Interesting...

The underbay wings are on the wrong sides for the first pic of the YF-21 (R on Left and L on Right).

[attachmentid=41204][attachmentid=41200][attachmentid=41201]

[attachmentid=41202][attachmentid=41203]

*EDIT*

Aww crap... that means I may end up having to look/hunt down the OOP Hasegawa VF-22S kits for the actual conversions. Unless someone can correct me otherwise. -=\

Nice conversion -=]

ahaha... Your story seems all too well to relate to.

Yes... I am hoping to get some time soon to work on all the models I have sitting/piled up in my room. I have many... trust me when I say "many". I have many model kits from garage (resin), injection, vinyl and miniatures (WH, WH40k, Rackham, Reaper, etc.); Macross, Gundam, Evangelion, and plenty of girls (dressed, beautifully poised and/or naked). What can I say... I guess you can label me as an avid collector. XD

Oh yea, I forgot to mention the abundance of toys I have as well.

Since I'm still trying to finish up with school... (I do attend a technical college). I am hoping to put in the time to make some small recasts of the many kits I have. Not for profit, but for variations. IE. I have the SHE VF-22S and thought of the idea of making not only the Max version, but a Miria and a Gamlin (Dynamite 7) versions as well. I have the VF-19 Fire (Basara's) Valkyrie and may plan on making a Dynamite 7 version of the VF-19P. Well those were just a few of the ideas I have in mind. I still need to finish up the SHE Yf-19 and Yf-21 I have sitting somewhere in the piles of my room... along with all the other stuff that's half done. -=X

I just have to say that New York City sucks for model building due to the lack of space. I can't seem to make a mess anywhere without eating over it later. -=\

-Max

*EDIT* since I don't want to double post... (oh, yea I know what it is. Coincidently I was just speaking of it. XD) anyone got more pics of this?:

[attachmentid=41181]

ahaha, Thanks Valkyrie addict. I was already mentioning the whole thing about the Wonderfestival event in Japan and the conversion kit to my girlfriend. She'll be looking to smack me over the head with it if I really get it. That's if she finds out. XD

@Big F... On ebay recently? Really? hmm... XD. If one shows up on ebay again I maybe tempted to get it. -=]***

Unless...

@Grayson72... If Valkyrie addict doesn't want the VF-22 Battroid Conversion Kit and if you don't mind I may be tempted to take it off your hands. XD

Kicker... I just realized that your YF-19's Head Laser is in backwards? Was that deliberate?

Just to add to the pile of responses... yes, Wave did make the VF-19 Fire with the Sound Booster (Yellow Box). The reissues were in white boxes, but as Valk009 said there was no re-release of the sound boosted VF-19 Fire. I forgot how much I paid for the "SB" VF-19. I think it was no more than 80$ on ebay some years back.

I have the re-release of the VF-19 (white box) and the Sound Boosted VF-19 Fire (Yellow Box). Along with the VF-17 and VF-19 Blazer.

Come to think of it the re-release VF-19 was a WIP victim of my dremel... I got to dig that 19 up one day and finish working on it. hmm...

Great work! Nice job!