Valkfan

Hello all. I have waited to find these on eBay but realize that they're more than likely not going to appear. Does anyone here in the US know of a place to get them? I would be willing to share the shipping cost with others so that we could get some of these Bootlegs. That is if Sebastian is still able to get them.

I believe that the store you are referring to is named Mikado's. He definitely has Macross related items that are WAY TOO OVERPRICED. However, I didn't think that way about his prices 20 years ago when I purchased my Bandai Strike, Elint and Ostrich from him for a combined priced of about $120. If I only had a time machine.

By the time Jetfire arrived on the scene, I had learned my lesson with the Strike valk.

Hello all. I was just curious to know about your worst mistake as a kid in regards to your toys. Basically, is there a toy that, had you left alone would be worth a pretty penny now? I for one have the most regret with altering my original VF-1S Strike valkyrie as a kid.

When I was a kid, my father took me to Japantown in San Francisco so that I could buy Robotech (didn't know of Macross yet) toys. When we arrived at Mikado's, I was extremely disappointed to find that they didn't have any of the valkyries that were on TV. They only had massive quantities of a few valkyries that I had never seen. I asked the owner about this and he said that the Takatoku's had been released a couple of years earlier and that they were harder to find. To me this didn't make sense since Robotech was new. As opposed to buying those ugly ass valks that were in the American stores, I purchased the 3 valkyries that he was selling. Of course, these were the Ostrich, Elintseeker, and the Strike valkyries. I decided that Bandai must have made a mistake painting Skull Leader red. I decided to take it upon myself to paint over the red and make it yellow. I did this with a paint brush and a bottle of Testors paint.

Hey Agent ONE, did you live in the San Francisco Bay area as a kid? When I was young, I befriended a kid from the neighborhood who showed me a collection of Takatoku valkyries that his dad had stored in their guest house. It was a really cool display that he said his father had purchased for him when he grew up. He also said that there was a second set that he was going to keep MIB as a future investment. If you're not him, then you must be the only other lucky kid on the planet who's father was one of the original members of Valkoholic's Anonymous.

Rick

And another

Another

I agree with you EXO. Those pictures are just alterations (Photoshop?) of an existing image. As a matter of fact, that valkyrie posing in the image is the same one we've seen for over 20 years on toy boxes, Macross ads, and more recently on the SDF DVD's. It is a television style valkyrie with an altered image of the VF-1A head. Here is the same image reprinted with different alterations over the years but the "VF-1B" in the pictures above is definitely original.

The VF-1B is mentioned in This is Animation Special: Macross Plus. In episode #27 ("Force of Arms") we see what appears to be a standard VF-1A, refit with a large AWACS antenna; we have called this variant the VF-1E.

A version of the VF-1A with three lasers on the head, the extra two in mounts similar to that on the VF-1J, is seen in episode #32 ("Broken Heart"). 

Archer pilots a new Veritech Fighter called the VF-1B (also created solely for this game).

Hey geecie30, thanks for all the research. I for one, need to look at episode #27 ( "Love Drifts Away") again to see this "refit" VF-1A. All I can remember seeing is the Orguss mecha with the VF-1A head.

In regards to the VF-1B, I think that many would disagree with most of these statements about it. It was discussed thoroughly on the old boards and most of us agreed that the frankenstein valkyrie witnessed in episode #32 was more than likely anime error courtesy of Anime Friend. This happens throughout several episodes in the Macross Series because many episodes were outsourced to different Anime studios in different countries to keep up with the demanding deadlines. That is why the quality of the anime changes from episode to episode. Off hand, I can recall an episode where either Max or Kakizaki have what appears to be small canisters (missiles?) on the tail wings that disappear in the very next scene.

Harmony Gold and Toynami claimed to have created a new "veritech" for the game "Battlecry" but all they did was take the credit if you can call it that, for a 20 year old mistake from a sub par studio. As for the name of the "veritech" that is "created solely for " the game, it's called a VF-1R not a VF-1B. All that seems to be known is the "half S" retrofit. This seems to leave the actual look of the VF-1B open to interpretation. I hope that this helps with the mystery of the VF-1B.

Rick

before i red this post i though yellowing were exclusively bandai valk problem shows how much i know.

Actually, I think that the main reason yellowing seems to be an exclusive and extreme problem for the Bandai/Takatoku valks is because they are the only one's that have stood the test of time. About 20 years of exposure will tell all. Come to think of it, I have yet to hear anyone complain that they notice yellowing on their Bandai reissues. I have heard some complain about yellowing on their Yamato 1/60 arms. From personal observation I would say that the Yamato plastic seems to be inferior in quality to the Bandai's. I am interested to see which of the two would look worse if they were kept in the same environment for 20 years. This of course wouldn't included them being stored in a dark sealed box or chamber filled with inert gas.

I also had read about the VF-1B in Macross Compendium. However, if there are any differences in the bodies of a 1S and a 1A, it seems that they are almost non-existant. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to make a custom super VF-1B about two years ago. I decided that my VF-1B would be the color of most VF-1A's (cannon fodder) with a VF-1S head retrofit painted to match. Graham has posted my interpretation of the VF-1B in the customs section. Unfortunately, it's labeled as a Super VF-1S. I guess it's because many Macross fans either refuse to believe in the existance of the VF-1B or know nothing about it and therefore see it as a Cannon Fodder VF-1S. Oh well!

Rick

Bmaximum, you can get Goo Gone from Wal-Mart. This stuff is great for removing old stickers or the sticky residue that they leave behind. The yellowed tape is just another example of this amazing product.

Rick

Hello all. I know that from time to time we see members post miracle solutions that are claimed to reverse yellowing on valkyries. I have tried all of them and have been disappointed with the results. First of all, I know that yellowing is a chemical change in the plastic that can't be washed off. However, I can always hope. That is the reason that I continue to try new methods that claim to work.

Unlike these plastic miracles that I have mentioned, I have discovered a way to remove that old yellow unsightly tape from vintage Bandai DYRL boxes. To do this, I used Goo Gone and a Q-Tip on my vintage Bandai VF-1A Hikaru box. I just dipped the end of the Q-Tip in the Goo Gone (don't soak the whole tip)and used a back and forth as well as a circular motion with medium to light pressure until the tape had disappeared! The strange thing is that the tape almost looks like it has fossilized into part of the box itself. Other than the yellow discoloration that you see, you need to look at the taped section from an angle to see that it has a more reflective surface than the area around it. After I had used the damp Q-Tip on the taped part for a while, I looked at the area and saw that the yellowing and reflectiveness had almost completely vanished. However, I was a little worried at first because the treated area became slightly discolored due to the fact that the area was wet. Fortunately, when the area dried, it wasn't discolored or distorted at all. I was also a little concerned that I would rub off the top layer of the box and expose the bare cardboard, but with the medium to light pressure nothing like that happened. I then tried this method on my Bandai Elintseeker box and had the same excellent results. I'm sure that this method would work the same on a Takatoku box. I know that it takes a lot of courage to try this out on vintage items so I suggest that if you do decided to try this method, make sure to try it on a small and somewhat inconspicuous area. Let it dry to see that there is no discoloration. The results definitely made my boxes look better.

Rick

Hey Anasazi37, thanks for the support. You and I have done business before and all I can say is that it was excellent dealing with you. The quality and servie you provide are second to none. However, this guy and what he sells, is crap! He attach a link to his auction and I encourage you to view it again with my new replies and pictures added. I will say it again, this guy is another youknowwho209!!! He doesn't accept responiblity for misrepresenting his merchandise. All he did was blame me for not contacting him sooner. The argument is pointless when you realize that he knew he was selling me a lemon. Why do I need to contact him to tell him it was a lemon? I encourage anyone to take a look for themeselves to see the picture of the Superostrich lemon. The panel lines on the plastic are even yellow enough to have originated from an actual lemon.

I have to agree with CID! MW became even better when the customs section was added. Hey Valhalla and Lightning 06, didn't you guys already know that the customs section was up and running? If you didn't, here's the thread.

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/toys/m...ustoms-main.htm

Actually, it's a VF-1B(Tamiya Light Sand). I was inspired by this write-up at Macross Compendium.

"VF-1B: VF-1A version upgraded by the "Half-S" retrofit (overhauled avionics and S-type head unit)."

I forgot to resize the picture! Sorry.

Hello all. Here is a picture of one of my customs that was made from spare parts. Hopefully, more pictures of this will soon be in the customs section.

Rick

Hello all. Yesterday I had a really cool transaction with Legioss2. He doesn't post often, but he and his fiancée were really cool people. And his collection? Anyway, I feel that he's someone that deserves to be put on the Straightshooters list. Thanks again Legioss2!

Rick

Heh, that elint looks like it's been dunked in a vat of Future.

LMAO!!!

Thanks for the laugh Grayson72. It was the best one I've had all week. This shows that I am not the only one who can see the obvious clearcoating. Too bad the shine wasn't as obvious in the pictures from the Ostrich auction I won. Maybe your right, it could be Future Floor Finish.

Hey Culverin, how's it going? First of all, I will say that modifying and selling a modified item is okay as long as it is mentioned in the auctions description. In the auction I won, the only thing that was mention about the Super O was that it had a yellowed chest plate. As a collector I decided to bid up to $400.00 for this rare item. However, I never agreed to bid $400.00 to purchase a sanded and clearcoated (damaged) Bandai Super Ostrich. If I'm going to pay that much for something that has been altered, I would have purchased his VF-1D custom w/box. I'm letting everyone here know about this so that they don't get burned like I did.

Rick

Hello guys. I have finally identified a MW member that sold me a Bandai 1/55 Super Ostrich that was sanded and clear coated to hide yellowing for $400! I have provided two links below that will show you about an Elintseeker auction that I consider absurd. I was taken by this guy and I don't want to see it happen to anyone else on these boards.

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=7011

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...pic=172&st=160&

This message has been brought to you by your local MacrossWorld Community Watch Program.

Yeah, I'm sure he does know about painted parts. The "glossy clear coat" definitely applies to my Super O that I won from him as well as that Elintseeker. I have never bad mouthed anyone on these boards before. I'm sure that the many MW members that I've had transactions with would vouch for my credibility. I am on the Straightshooters list for a reason. I just don't want to see other members receive damaged goods. And if I can help people avoid the pain in their wallet, I will. Clear coated vintage 1/55's for $400(what I paid) is receiving damaged goods at an inflated price.

Rick

Hello all. I have another name to add to the Blacklist, Zeke. First let me say that I was burned by this MW member on eBay a few months ago and would have warned everyone then if I had only known who he was. The auction that I won was for a Bandai VT-1 Super Ostrich. He claimed that it was white with the exception of the chest plate, which had yellowed. Sorry I no longer have the link or pictures from the auction to show this item.

When I received it, I was very preoccupied with other aspects of my life and didn’t immediately inspect the item. When I got around to it, I took the Ostrich out of the box and immediately noticed that a few things about the Valkyrie itself weren’t right. I decided that I was going to contact the seller within the next few days. Unfortunately this was well over 30 days after I won the auction. I no longer had the seller’s information and my wife threw away the box that the item was mailed in. Because of this, I learned then that I was unable to use the search option on eBay to locate the seller through the auction listing because the search option only covers the last 30 days. Also, for whatever reason, the seller didn’t leave a positive feedback for me once he had received my payment. I then decided that it was a hard lesson learned and tried to forget about it.

One day I received and email from an eBay member that was titled Re:VT-1 Auction”. I immediately realized that it was the seller trying to contact me. He was letting me know that he had a Bandai VE-1 Elintseeker for sale. Who knows, maybe he thought that I was blind or dumb enough to have overlooked the problems with the Super O he had sold me. At this time I emailed him about the issues and he kept referring to the fact that if something was wrong I should have contacted him immediately. The problem is, I find it hard to believe that this guy didn’t know exactly what he had sold me.

The Super Ostrich chest plate was yellowed but someone had tried to sand down the unpainted portion to minimize the yellow color. They then applied a clear coat over the plastic to try and hide the fact that sanding had taken place. The nose section appeared white at first but under the light you could see that the panel lines were yellowed. This was because the whole nose section had been sanded and clear coated as well. The same thing was done to the left arm. In fact, the whitest part was the back plate. I became suspicious because there was a slight difference between the color of the main wings and the back plate. Sure enough, the back plate had been taken from a Jetfire. I know this because the red paint that gets scrapped from the wings of a Jetfire was still present. Also, the mid arm sections were from different Valkyries. One of the mid arm sections had the two little holes present and the other arm had no round holes present which indicated to me that it was from a Jetfire, Bandai Strike, or a Bandai Hikaru VF-1A.

To sum up my disappointment, I told him that I would have still bid on his item if he had disclosed these issues in the auction. Needless to say, I wouldn’t have bid as high as I did. I know that it is possible that he had received the item in this condition and expressed this to him. Therefore I had never accused him of doing the tampering himself. I never received an answer from him on why he hadn’t noticed the tampering or had avoided leaving a feedback. All he kept doing was pointing the finger at me for not contacting him sooner. The fact of the matter is that it was his responsibility as a seller to thoroughly inspect the item and mention the obvious problems with the item. I truly believe he had “a wait and see” attitude about leaving feedback for me. This way he could leave a retaliatory negative feedback for me had I left one for him. This truly reminds me of the practices of someone by the name of 209 who has recently been banned from here. I am tired of these shady practices and will not hesitate to sound the alarm.

Hey Zeke, small world! I'm the guy that you sold the sanded and clear coated Bandai VT-1 Super Ostrich to. I've noticed that your current auction for the VE-1 Elintseeker looks to be clear coated as well. I promised you that I'd warn my friends to avoid your auctions. This includes my friends here at MacrossWorld. Now that I know who you are, I will recommend your name be added to the Blacklist. Sorry, but this is something that I feel needed to be said and done. For anyone wondering about the clear coating practice that I mentioned above, here is the link to a strange highly glossed Bandai VE-1 Elintseeker auction that Zeke had placed on eBay. Keep in mind that even the new Bandai reissues don't carry a shine like this 20 year old item does. Even the armor looks like glass!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...ssPageName=WDVW