BlueMax

Personally, I am willing to accept omitting the pilot and all internal cockpit details, just to bring down the costs for production.

Ive just recently purchased the AV-98 "Alphonse" Ingram Unit 1 @ HLJ @ 40% off. Now I have both units 1 and 2! Now... where the heck is the command car?? Haven't had the chance to open the box to really handle it, but it has insipred me to catch the series in full (after a 2-evening marathon, I've just finished the episode where Economy model Mk II got defeated by Noa. Only watch a a few episodes when it was broadcast on free to air some 10 over years ago) Anyway, for those who are still looking for the 1/24 Ingrams, HLJ still has them for sale at 40% off for Unit 1, 25% off for unit 2 and 59% off for the CLAT version. For US folks, the current 50% off shipping via FedEx might help too.

Except for maybe the canopy/heatshield of the V1 VF-1, there are no other parts that needs to be swapped to ensure transformation, unlike the 1/100 VF-25s. You could still transform the V1 VF-1 without the presence of the the filler peg for the nose and arm panels, and even without the canoppy/heatshield. But you can do the same with the 1/100 VF-25s. It wasn't perfect transformation, but you did not need to really swap essential parts just to transform For the VF-19, I'm pretty sure it is perfect transformation, but they might bundle some optional accessories to fill up the upper calves of the VF-19 in battroid mode. However, I think it is pretty much fine as it and I really don't see the need for any fillers. I'm sure the the Hi metal VF-19 owners would think the same for their toys as well. Really hope that this can be released by end November this year so that each of us can buy ourselves a nice Christmas present.

Yes, but at this point, I rather they focus on making new moulds before revisiting the YF-19 mould. In fighter mode, it still looks pretty ok.

Apparently Macross 7 did very well during its run in Japan 15 years ago, so at the very least for the Japanese market, I think it should do pretty well. Having said that, if you guys want the F/S/P, you guys gotta buy this to make it financially feasible to release them!!

Judging from the sculpt, I must congratulate Yamato for being able to make what was previously thought to be impossible, possible: An anime accurate (well, as close as it gets anyway) battroid mode AND fighter mode for the VF-19. This is almost equivalent to the feeling of wonder when pictures of the 1/48 vf-1 1st came out. Kudos Yamato.

Looking darn good! Sold!!!!

Nice! Now you should look into ways of mass producing it....

Haha... the irony of it..... it looks menacing, when it really stands for pacifism

Ditto, except the US$400+ price tag (before shipping!!) is seriously making me consider my opportunity costs.

The opening hatch, (possible due to) the rotating cockpit, the internal (removable?) missles... Man, this has to be the most technically advanced 1/60 valkyrie to date! Now, if they can pull off the fighter mode... then this is as close to perfection as it gets.

I think it is suppossed to be a web exclusive...... if so, I hope somehow HLJ gets to distribute it.

Still looking more chunky than I like, since I am more of a fighter mode guy, but I will get this plus the inevitable F/S/P versions too

Looks REALLY chunky, but it could just be the camera. Would love to see more photos

White Ink!! Anasazi/ Devin!! Time to get back to work regarding the decals!!! Anyway, for all people who have missed the boat, prior to late 2006, there were loads of decals / stickers in production: Here are the thread that gives information about decal production http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=20605

Fixed.

they really should have done this the 1st time...

The battroid mode is looking pretty cool so far. However, until a colored prototype comes out, we can't really be sure how it will really look. I sure hope the final colors used will be darker shades of red and yellow (something like the high end iron man 1/6 figures), rather than bright red and yellow, which probably will make it look real cheap (IMO). Like I said, I sure hope they don't ditch the fighter mode too much... though Anime52k8 said, probably the fighter is probably gonna look wonky.

Just to be very clear: The canopy doesn't crack. so-called rainbow color coating might be prone to flaking/ peeling. More cosmetic an issue. The shoulders, on the other hand, is a real problem with especially the earlier releases.

No news on any Macross toy announcements by either Yamato or Bandai??

Those in Bold are the items that personally I hope to see as well. I've always thought that the best way to generate interest in Macross is to sponsor their own Macross weekly 1/2 hr advertisement series. I mean, they can't forever be relying on nostalgia and us fans who have grown up with the earlier series... or even Macross 7. They need a new generation of fans and consumers. The current bunch (i.e us) are all hitting the 30s or beyond, and alot of us will have to give financial priority to our families/ children, if not already. Of course I hope that Yamato will continue to be committed to making more quality Macross stuff for us, but who knows how long they will have to wait, if they are just waiting to rely on ambush marketing like what they did with Frontier, or even Macross Fever Pachinko game. Anyway, I digress. I just hope to see theose items in bold above... and I would really really love to see the VF-17(1)s. Makes for almost an apple to apple comparision.

Ditto! I seriously hope they don't ditch the Fighter mode proportions too much. If the Fire Valk is something like what is shown in the CG pictures of the 19, I think that would really be nice. I have always thought the M7 lineart is WAYYYYYYYYYYY too chunky, so much so that the 1/65 Chunky Monkeys seem almost anorexic in comparision.

Actually I have experiences of the Valks yellowing in different degrees, but the truth is that all plastic yellows, even clear ones, just how obvious, and how much. In the best case scenario, I had the initial release of the 1/48 Hikaru VF-1A, that after some 8 years, has yellowed significantly, though evenly. In my worst case, the initial release of the 1/60 V1 Hikaru 1A (Again?!) has its yellowing very unevenly. the landing gear doors has a way yellow-er hue than most parts, for example. Probably the composition of the different batches of ABS plastics. White has to be the most unforgiving of all colors as obvious yellowing goes. It is just too obvious. I don't need a comparision to a newer specimen to see that it has yellowed. It is detectable just like that. Are you sure the SNES cartridges have not yellowed? You can't really be sure until you have compared it a very recently produced cartridge. Only that way you can be sure if it has yellowed. I have a Low-vis 1/48, and while I don't detect any yellowing right now, I'm sure if I were to compare to one that has has been stored in the correct conditions Mint in the box, i 'm sure there will some some difference that I can make out. Of course you might say that the newer/ differnt batches of plastic might have a different hue, but when certain parts of the same toy/ object/ whatever starts to exhibit slightly different hues of color (like my 1/60 VF-1A), you know that is happening. In anycase, this serves to substantiate that darker colors renders the effects of yellowing less obvious.

Sorry to be pour cold water on you guys, but I'd rather all the white plastic on the TV valks came were slightly tinted grey, just like the DYRL valks. For 1 simple reason: Yellowing. Yellowing is way more obvious on white plastic than grey. In fact, some of you might have seen postings regarding some TV valks already showing signs of yellowing. Heck, even the GBP giftset that had the re-cycled 1Js, the color difference between the head, which had been replaced with one with grey visors, and the rest of the valk was already obvious to some. The difference in production dates was probably less than 1/2 year. For those who want to maintain the white, maybe some anti-UV clearcoat is necessary to protect your investments