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Looking at the cruiser mode, it seems that it transforms almost like a variable fighter. The crotch is actually the bow, or at least the forward part of the central superstructure. When transforming, it folds up and forward similar to a VF-1 (or 11).

One thing about KumoKumo though she seems to have zeroed in on Freyja's main problem, that now that she's part of Walkure, she doesn't really know what to do next, as well as what it means to be part of Walkure.

It's a much better looking transformation than the Quarter class.

For that matter, anyone else annoyed that the cradles weren't also catapults? There are clear channels down the runways for catapults, but when the squad was ready for launch, the cradles just released them and they flew off on their own power. Why not just lift them out on booms DYRL style, if that's the case?

Sorry, nitpick over...

I'm assuming that those are for atmospheric launches.

If this one is the better ones they've got, then I would have to say that that Delta's music is seriously lack lustre. Except for Ikenai borderline, non of the songs's tunes have made it enough an impression that I am able to recall the tune.

Kanno is seriously missed here.

But I actually like Walkure Attack better than Ikenai borderline. The song, with that drumline seems a much better fit for space battles. Also, IMO it does a much better job of balancing each of the girls voices (whereas Ikenai Borderline seems to be mostly Junna).

They rose up from within that way. Each deck has elevators to the inner hangers I'm sure since it is designed to split like that for space travel.

There's no elevators though. It seems to me that they come out from the rear hangar area similar to the Uraga or Battle Class, the only issue being that part of the deck is disconnected somewhat from the angled decks.

One thing that's been bothering me, how do they get the planes onto the angled side decks?

The new song, Walkure Attack is really growing on me. One of their best, if not their best one, IMO.

Onto the Walkure side of things, I've noticed that, for all her criticism, Mikumo seems to act quite "big sisterly" (for lack of a better term) towards Freyja on stage. Aside from acting quite protective of her when the missiles start coming in, later on when Freyja reacts to Hayate saving them, she has this tender smile on her face.

It really brings up a nice comparison in regards to Messer who may actually be her foil somewhat. Despite both being antagonistic towards their juniors, Mikumo at least acknowledges Freyja's potential and is subtly trying to bring it out by challenging her. Messer on the other hands doesn't seem to give a damn about Hayate. Of course, how Freyja and Hayate respond to these seem to have a nice contrast as well, Hayate straight up rises to the challenge on his own, while Freyja on the other hand, seems to stumble and suffer from some self doubt at first - this despite having a mentor who believe much more in her.

EDIT: As for Messer x Kaname shipping, more than a few people on the net have noted that Messer gets weird anytime Kaname is nice to him. Additionally, that's usually shown in the context of Arad being present. Also, in episode 6, the camera cuts into a very subtle frown on Messer's face as he's walking away from Kaname and Arad.

Here's a GIF I made

http://i.imgur.com/Q9m3pQ7.gif

I made it pretty slow so you can experience the magic

Also, note the other -171s don't have gpods. Guess there was only so much magic to go around.

Because only Machida was manly enough to materialize a gunpod out of thin air.

I think it's more important to list the best couple so far, MakiMaki x ReiRei for that yuri goodness.

Too long ago, can't remember episode 14 of Frontier, but VF-171s store their gunpod externally on the underside of the VF like the VF-1, not internally in the leg like the VF-17

Wasn't that only for the toy?

http://anymoon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Bandai-DX-171-7.jpg

I've checked the episode and they're not ventrally mounted in frontier. As Product9 states, Machida's 171 already has one in its hand when the arm swings out from behind the wings.

As for the phantom gunpod, you guys are looking for it while I'm still trying to figure out where the VF-171 in that episode of Frontier got its gunpod, since the -171's legs are far too thin to store it in there like the -17 does.

I think that the legs of the 171 aren't thinner in a "these are thinner than the 17" sense. Rather, they're thinner in the "we can't do anime magic anymore" and that those are the new proportions of both the 171 and 17's legs.

Sorry. It's either an animation mistake or she picked it up on her way back to the asteroids. I stepped through all of Delta's sequences. That image you have of Arad's 31S also has the same mistake. The gunpod is missing in the launch sequence, it's there in that sequence and when he goes dual knife on that 171, it's gone. Not mounted on the arm, not on the back, just gone.

It's there, at least in this shot.

Only Chuck's didn't had it. And maybe Hayate's because we don't see him with one in the hangar, but since the armor parts were added after that specific shot, maybe it attaches to the armor parts instead when using that specific loadout with the projection pack.

EDIT: After the armor parts are added, the next shot shows that there might be something under there, but it's a bit hard to see since the catapult is in the way.

I think it can be mounted underneath. Here's another pic looking at it from another angle. Yes? The real question is did Mirage have a similar loadout? I could never get a good view of that area on her particular valk, so it's possible I suppose. I didn't think Hayate had the gunpod. Where does it go when in battriod mode if it's not being held in it's hand?

Edit: also I don't think the bottom gunpod is the same as one that would be mounted on the weapons rack on top. From googling pics it looks like the bottom mounted gunpod is smaller then one that would go on top. I don't know, maybe it's the same one.

There's a pic at taghobby showing the gunpod underneath.

http://www.taghobby.com/1-0/1-2/tomytec-2016年8月發售-技mix-series-mcr10-1144《macross-delta》vf-31j-siegfriedhayate-immelman機-fighter-mode-4000yen/

If you rewatch the part in episode 4 where Arad and Messer deploy theirs, you can clearly see that, when the rear weapons rack is stowed, the gunpod ends up in that same position, pointing forward.

EDIT: Here's a shot from that episode

And here's a shot where Mirage is shooting it.

As you can see, the markings seem to line up as well.

Also, from episode 6, you can see that when they deploy the sound boosters, the gunpod stays behind. You can just barely see it in this pic.

I think it's safe to assume then that everyone, except Chuck, has this same loadout.

Okay the same source in 2ch where Walkure anime magazine info came from says not only does Reina likes to eat jellyfish alive she is wondering what Seacats taste like.

Mercat sio pao and sio mai!

I wonder if parts for that early Windermere fighter are as easy to acquire as those for a 104, and you can just buy a field and wait for one to crash on it. 😂

Wasn't it mentioned that they detonated a dimensional weapon or something in the previous war?

Was the

ejection system for that noobs Draken damaged due to Hayate's fire?

What's up between...

After doing some research, it has been stated by Kawamori that the YF-19 is inspired by the X-29. It's weird as the YF-19 bears a MUCH closer resemblance to Grumman's Concept 9 ATF proposal than the X-29, and also the Concept 9 proposal has been designed and submitted to the USAF around 1982, way before work on M+ has been started.

Probably because being a variable fighter design has some design limitations (twin engines, twin vertical stabs) that end up making the plane look more like the latter, despite being inspired by the former.

The 262 is probably the first time in forever that he's deviating from the twin exhaust/twin tail look.

All she wanted to do, was to fly a VF wth a bass guitar.

Black hole cannons?

I prefer the term "go the hell away guns" and "go the hell away weaponry", which also seems to be a popular term in the space battles forum.