Bandai 1/72 Scale Macross Frontier Plastic Models

[miriya]

Please learn from my mistake...

So I got impatient and decided to start panel lining this model today using the promodellers weathering wash directly to the unpainted plastic without using a clear coat first which probably accounts for some of the problem. One problem I had was that on some parts the wash would stain imperfections of the plastic that were otherwise unseen. Another problem is that this is quite gritty stuff and did not evenly fill the lines. Another thing was that some parts got really dark and some quite light. The biggest problem was that one of the pieces got fully stained, even after washing the whole thing off with warm soapy water and a scrub brush, still the piece is now permanently off white. I decided to just wash off all the weathering wash but some parts would just not come off. From here on out I am going to use my gundam panel line marker. I have used the gundam marker on one whole sprue and it works like a charm. Even, clear, easy to use, looks great.

I am not saying that the promedellers wash is not good stuff. It is. It is probably better suited to go over already painted models to give a natural (random) effect. I am probably going to use it on my already painted resin macross factory kit. But for the VF-25, which I am not going to paint, I am preffering the gundam marker.

Also I am not sure if I have the patience/time to panel line all the dark parts too. There are a lot of pieces in this kit. Thats it for now.

[wm cheng]

How about a group build everyone!!

Graham was able to find for me a VF-25 kit and as soon as that arrives (7-10days), I intend to do a full build-up thread and go step-by-step with this baby! How about everyone joining in and building it together with me? I'm going to give it the full treatment however, full paint, weathering and decalling (the works! it deserves nothing less) - but you guys can just take whatever steps you find useful and apply it.

Hope it will help!

Wm

[Evil Bones]

Mr. Cheng,

nice to hear that you are going to do a step by step build of VF-25.

wish i could do the group build idea, but with a broken elbow, i believe this will be near to impossible.

Good luck with the build & will be watching for updates.

Evil

[protostar8]

So, any fastpack/armor versions on the horizon?

[wolfx]

Question to pro-modellers: How do you paint the upper-intakes above the leg intakes in the torso area? I wanna paint it grey but the gap is small and i don't know how to mask the sides since the gap is so small. And if i made a mistake like mis-painting, looks like its hard to get in there to clean up.

[anime52k8]

Surprisingly, my first mix worked really well, will probably go with it. Pollyscale "roof brown" is close to the molded color---and adding Pollyscale stainless steel results in a DULL metallic sheen---about what I wanted, and still darn close to the original color.

hmm. do post pics of how it turns out. I was planing on painting the feet using Brass metalizer with just a hint of burnt steel to darken it up. frankly I think the feet are too brown on the kit, they should be more of a golden color.

[David Hingtgen]

I doubt the metallic would show up much in pics, the mix I tested. I do plan to make it slightly more metallic when I actually paint it though. Still, it'll be more like "flat brown with tiny metallic specks" than anything. Not truly "metallic brown".

I've never tried metalizer brass, is it grainy at all? If I could get a nice "smooth metallic brown", like a very dark old copper color I'd love that, but it just seems impossible from what paints exist--anything even close is way too orange/red. (also, I plan on not using the airbrush, but would drag it out if the color's worth it)

Annoyingly, the semi-hidden inner nozzles will look way better than the outer ones.

[anime52k8]

Question to pro-modellers: How do you paint the upper-intakes above the leg intakes in the torso area? I wanna paint it grey but the gap is small and i don't know how to mask the sides since the gap is so small. And if i made a mistake like mis-painting, looks like its hard to get in there to clean up.

if you actually want to paint it, you'll need thin strips of masking tape, tweezers, and a lot of time and patience. alternatively you can just do a wash on those parts.

[David Hingtgen]

Anyone tried tinted Future for the canopy yet? I forgot just how thick and goopy Tamiya clear colors were until I opened one up today. Possibilities for canopy:

Very thinned Tamiya clear blue(with a touch of red), brush-painted.

Future+Tamiya mix, brushed.

Future+Tamiya mix, dipped.

Future+food color, dipped.

Dipping will invariably cause problems with the frames though--even airbrushing should be limited to "from behind only". I'm not sure food color+future can be brush-painted nicely.

[David Hingtgen]

Upper intake? Looks black to me in the anime. (really, the onscreen model only uses 1 shade of grey for everything, which is much lighter than the very dark grey they use to represent black). Thus--Gundam marker it in. The upper intake perfectly matches the nose stripes, and we know those are black.

[Graham]

My issues with the model are:

Panel lining - when is best to do this: on the sprue, after cutting them off, or after assembly?

Gunpod not quite the "right" color (I want that lavender).

Painting the clear parts - canopy, visor, sensors. I've never painted clear plastic before.

For the visor, I just used a metallic green Gundam marker to paint on the inside of the visor. The marker's nib was actually too thick to go all the way down inside the visor, so I had to keep pushing down on the marker to get excess paint to come out and then let it rool down into the parts of the visor I couldn't reach. I think the result came out pretty well. I think any metallic green paint on the insiode of the visor should work fine.

For panel lining, I clipped the parts off the sprue first and then panel lined them before assembly.

I lined the unpainted bare white plastic and just used the thinnest Gundam marker I could find (0.1mm IIRC), which was still too thick. I then spent ages rubbing the excess ink off with my fingers, wich IMO actually worked pretty well.

That's what worked for me. milage may vary. I wasn't going for a professional build, just something that looked good with the minimal amount of paint possible.

Graham

[Hikuro]

Spent the last 4 and a half hours working on mine. I've got the entire front of the fighter mode painted, panel lined and built and decaled. I gotta say, I think this is the most attention I gave the pilot figure in detailing than I ever have before with a PG kit.

My only complaint are the stickers, while they are good for what they're worth, they tend to be VEEERRRRYYYYY sticky, so getting them aligned right is a pain in the butt.

I just finished the right wing a moment ago, that was hard, aligning the stickers just right so t hey don't look crooked, and I think I got away with it. But no kidding on those tail fins god that's super tight, almost scary to move it around a bit.

All in all, I do like the kit...can't wait to see it completed...I will buy an Ozma if this turns out well, but I don't think I'll assemble him for some time...I'm already getting tuckered out just on this kit.

[anime52k8]

My issues with the model are:

Panel lining - when is best to do this: on the sprue, after cutting them off, or after assembly?

depends really,

if you're planing on doing gundam marker+no clear coat, then do it absolutely last and don't handle it to much.

if you plan to clear coat to seal everything in I personaly like to cut the parts off assemble some of them but not all of them then paint.

Gunpod not quite the "right" color (I want that lavender).

painting it's really the only option.

Painting the clear parts - canopy, visor, sensors. I've never painted clear plastic before.

I like to do clear parts like this. mix tamiya clear colored paint with future in a little cup, and dip the part. then once it's dry, paint the back of the part with a silver/metalic paint.

My other problems are, I'm in rural Texas and pretty much just have Wal Mart or a local Hobby Lobby (craft store) to obtain supplies, so this will have to be a job done with probably the worst grade of supplies available. But I want this to be done right, because to do otherwise would be a disservice to Macross.

the internet is your friend, if you can't find something good locally, just by it online.

Oh, I'm also an engineer, so if you could tell me how to work this in numerical order (flowchart!) it would be stellar

now that would be too easy (for you) and to much work (for me)

[Evil Bones]

I'm honestly scared to start this one, and it's been sitting behind me now in the box for the last couple of days. Could you guys make me some recommendations as to how to get started, from sprue to finished model? I'm probably at about Graham's level of experience, but there are several things that I'd like to get right on this model since so much isn't done for us.

But I want this to be done right, because to do otherwise would be a disservice to Macross.

Oh, I'm also an engineer, so if you could tell me how to work this in numerical order (flowchart!) it would be stellar

Dio... just sit back and wait on Mr.Cheng. You will get your Flowchart & much more. look up some of his Step by Step builds.

Good Luck

Evil

[wm cheng]

wolfx - I don't have the kit yet, but when I do, I'll look at it to determine what's the best way to paint it.

dio & evil bones - flowchart... HAHA! I wish it were so linear, modelling is very "organic", each time its different depending on the situation, I would think it would be very therapeutic for an engineer!

I have an idea for the brown metallic feet and the purple gun - how about spraying them with a nice Aclad metallic like steel first which has a nice very fine sheen, then clear-coat them with a mix of Tamiya clear brown for the feet and Tamiya clear purple (probably a mix of the red & blue) for the gun pod. That way the metallic sheen should show through the colour clear-coat above. Feel free to try first, but that's my plan unless someone can show me a better way or that this won't work. The problem I find is that the Tamiya metallics have too large of flecks of metal (or large grain) in them and really throws off the scale.

As for the canopy, I'd try to dip them in food coloured future. I can't remember but was there a problem with mixing acrylics like Tamiya or Gunze paints into Future?

[David Hingtgen]

Tamiya colored clear paints are so glossy, I wonder how they'll look for an engine exhaust as a top coat. But flattening it could totally screw up the metallic sheen beneath. Or maybe a super-thin layer would come out more satin, yet still "tint" the appearance.

I also wonder about mixing clear brown into the metallic, then spraying---a lot of "colored" metallic paints are actually that anyways---some brass/steel/copper etc paints are actually pure silver paint, with clear yellow or orange added in--let it separate out and it's obvious.

Canopy dipping--I worry about it "pooling" or pulling away from the frames. Dipping's great for totally clear, but when it's colored, the different thicknesses will show: http://www.swannysmodels.com/Tinting.html

I plan to just paint the colored future on the back of the canopy. That side's smooth.

[PetarB]

Canopy dipping--I worry about it "pooling" or pulling away from the frames. Dipping's great for totally clear, but when it's colored, the different thicknesses will show: http://www.swannysmodels.com/Tinting.html

If you learn to wick the future correctly with tissues, this is not an issue. There's a bit of a knack to it, and you may also need a couple of immersions.

[Vince]

Tamiya colored clear paints are so glossy, I wonder how they'll look for an engine exhaust as a top coat. But flattening it could totally screw up the metallic sheen beneath. Or maybe a super-thin layer would come out more satin, yet still "tint" the appearance.

I also wonder about mixing clear brown into the metallic, then spraying---a lot of "colored" metallic paints are actually that anyways---some brass/steel/copper etc paints are actually pure silver paint, with clear yellow or orange added in--let it separate out and it's obvious.

Canopy dipping--I worry about it "pooling" or pulling away from the frames. Dipping's great for totally clear, but when it's colored, the different thicknesses will show: http://www.swannysmodels.com/Tinting.html

I plan to just paint the colored future on the back of the canopy. That side's smooth.

I like to leave a little piece of the tree as a handle, dip the clear parts (canopy) and let them sit up right on top for a piece or tissue paper to dry. if I mess it up, I just clean it with some windex and do it again. coating both sides make it a lot easier to paint.

[Jarrod]

FWIW, I just airbrushed directly on the outside of the canopy. I originally tried to mix some Tamiya clear blue into Future, but the Tamiya did not mix well at all, and looked a lot like oil in water.

[Hikuro]

Okay a bit miffed. Anyone else having trouble getting B14/15 to atleast sit somewhat flushed with the body in fighter mode?

I just don't get it, it took me 10 minutes to sit there and figure out how to properly place in H46 into B14 and then it finally clicked into place, so I placed B15 onto H42 which is ontop of the right leg and then push B14 into place on the body of the fighter and suddenly it just pops right out and you got this huge ass ugly gap!

[Graham]

I've yet to get the wing root guns (parts B14 & B15) to sit properly in fighter mode. The right side gap is much bigger than the left side on my kit.

In fact I can't even get the right side gun to sit at the correct angle and I'm not sure why.

Graham

[Major Focker]

i am so happy. i've spent 3 days rummaging singapore for this kit and at the 11th hour i found the very last one in the island. the shopowner was selling me a pre-order for the next batch in november, but when he found out i was flying out the next day, he very graciously let me have his own reserve. at SGD70 no less (very close to HLJ list price). now i have a back-up in case i screw up the one i got from HLJ. this will most likely be for pure fighter mode.

i love singapore! and i'm really looking forward to moving here by yearend.

edit: a bit OT, but does anyone know if stuff ordered from HLJ attract customs tax when it arrives in SG (say, via SAL)? does it also happen for EMS?

Edited October 11, 2008 by Major Focker

[azrael]

I've yet to get the wing root guns (parts B14 & B15) to sit properly in fighter mode. The right side gap is much bigger than the left side on my kit.

In fact I can't even get the right side gun to sit at the correct angle and I'm not sure why.

Is it not seating properly or is there something preventing you from making it flush? Is it too loose?

[anime52k8]

If you learn to wick the future correctly with tissues, this is not an issue. There's a bit of a knack to it, and you may also need a couple of immersions.

exactly, dipping clear parts is a little tricky but works fine.

another way to go (at least for lenses, might not work for the canopy) is to do VERY light coats of colored clear with an airbursh, slowly building it up. (I've done this before on model car tail lights, it takes maybe a dozen ultra thin coats, and will take forever. it does work, but I don't really recommend it.)

as painting the feet and gunpod: clear brown over an aclad paint probably would come out glossy, but you should be able to just do another layer of un-tinted satin clear over that.

now for the gunpod, I would think just painting it with a semi-gloss mix of the color you want would be fine (I don't think the gunpod is supposed to be metallic)

[Hikuro]

Is it not seating properly or is there something preventing you from making it flush? Is it too loose?

I can't see anything preventing it from sitting flush except for the ball joint that holds B14 and 15 in place. The only way they'll stay in a decent place is by having the wings folded down as far as they can, however because those parts are in the way, not even the main body of the wings as they fold down will go all the way and sit flush themselves.

But if you look at pictures of other's completed kit, it looks pretty damn similar.

Just finished building the body....transformation wasn't as difficult as I had thought, but MAN twist and angles that I didn't expect to see to where I wonder just how the hell something like that could actually transform in the show without falling apart.

Sort of funny, the transformations are so fast in the show you don't see how it happens but it looks so simple. Then you get the model/toy and you try it yourself, 10 minutes later you're like "THAT'S HOW IT WORKS?!"

Edited October 11, 2008 by Hikuro

[captain america]

I guess it would be unrealistic to expect Bandai to give the VF-25 the Perfect Grade treatment?

[miriya]

I guess it would be unrealistic to expect Bandai to give the VF-25 the Perfect Grade treatment?

Hopefully they will do a PG Macross Quarter kit! That would be cool.

[badboy00z]

As much as I would love a PG VF-25, I don't think it's going to happen seeing as how Bandai has never done a non Gundam PG kit.

[QuinJester]

As much as I would love a PG VF-25, I don't think it's going to happen seeing as how Bandai has never done a non Gundam PG kit.

Perfect Grade Eva-01. It was one of the very first PGs.

[captain america]

Perfect Grade Eva-01. It was one of the very first PGs.

Actually, I think it was literally THE first Perfect Grade. The very first run came with a gimmicky credit card type thing too.

[Hikuro]

I'm completely done with the VF-25 kit. I even grabbed my Bandai stand, tightened the screws and got it sitting there infront of me wobbling around as I type.

I think bandai, with it's great modeling genius, could of made securing fits on the legs to the body, and certaintly helped in closing the gaps on the hips and arms and shield...this is certaintly not the best model kit they've produced, but it is indeed a good one.

Well, I'm hoping they'll do a better job with the Ozma.

[David Hingtgen]

You have to admit EVA-01 is 100x more popular worldwide than the VF-25. If any mecha of the last 25 years was going to be a non-Gundam PG, it'd be that.

[Graham]

Seriously thinking of building a second Alto VF-25F and gluing it permanently in fighter mode.

Graham

[captain america]

You have to admit EVA-01 is 100x more popular worldwide than the VF-25. If any mecha of the last 25 years was going to be a non-Gundam PG, it'd be that.

I honestly wouldn't know, since I have no data or means of comparatively gauging each series' popularity.

That having been said, Evangelion was a non-Gundam series, it was different, risky, and yet Bandai promoted and supported the hell out of it, so it just goes to show that if Bandai sense the possibility of gain from pushing something, Gundam-related or not, they will do it. That having been said, in my 20+ years of buying Gundam product, or just about anything from Bandai, I've noticed that they like to test the waters with lower price-point skus, and if those are successful, they go up a notch with the skus. If anything, I would tend to think that the current crappy outlook on the global economy would be the greater reason for their not going PG... But that's just me.

[Fly4victory]

I would tend to think that the current crappy outlook on the global economy would be the greater reason for their not going PG... But that's just me.

Capt, has a point.

The economy is having a big effect on what and how much is purchased. Haven't drove my jeep in over a month and have had to really cut back on models, toys, movies, and eating out.

If the 25 had come out this time last year I would have bought two right off the bat. Sadly, have one Alto and canceled my Ozma pre-order.