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Bandai 1/72 Scale Macross Frontier Model Kit Thread Ver.3


azrael

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This guy is no less than amazing. All of his models are great. If you look on the bottom links on the page, you'll see some other works; including figures, Gundam and Yukikaze. Have to check it out...

I am wondering if all of his builds have full painting or just panel lines shadowing..?

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They all look painted to me. The super packs on Mikhail's custom aren't the out of the box colour so I always thought he painted at least those. The white on the fighter also looks a bit more off-white than how it comes moulded. My thoughts at least.

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They all look painted to me. The super packs on Mikhail's custom aren't the out of the box colour so I always thought he painted at least those. The white on the fighter also looks a bit more off-white than how it comes moulded. My thoughts at least.

Most definitely painted.

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hi dudes, js sharing some pics from an exhibition (in the biggest shooping mall on penang island, malaysia) i took part in last weekend. it was a transformers exhibition in conjunction with the screening of "revenge of the fallen", but the organizers were also keen on displaying some macross. hence i contirbuted my yamato 1/60 vf-1 and also my macross frontier model kits.

Here are the pics taken by a freelance photographer. and although my model kits aint that awesome, i hope at least i did them enough justice and gave them good exposure to the TF fans.

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BTW, no DX chogokin vf-25s were on display.

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Okay, so I'm about done with the test assembly of my Armored VF-25S. I don't know what the Super parts were like, but there's quite a bit of parts scrapage involved, which does not bode well for decals. The worst is sliding the armored plate onto the back. That part fits pretty tight and scrapes pretty hard; it'll probably take the skull emblem decal clean off, I'm afraid. :angry:

Deciding what colors to paint this baby now.

post-5703-1246377085_thumb.jpgpost-5703-1246377068_thumb.jpgpost-5703-1246377099_thumb.jpgpost-5703-1246377109_thumb.jpg

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Got my Armored VF-25S yesterday and i'm still in awe of the sheer size and amount of plastic in this bird. There's almos as much plastic in the armored parts as in the 25S itself. This will be one awesome piece of work.

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The armored is so heavy that the SMS stand can barely hold it up and feels like it could tip over at any time (in fighter mode). I think they're adding weights to the SMS base in those Hobby Japan scans! :unsure:

So it seems, little olive-shaped led balls superglued with blobs of modeling clay.

Man, it's hard to pass on this, and I missed a few chances to get it already. Anyway, don't have time to do them justice, so it's a matter of buying for the sake of feeling the heft of plastic or waiting for the right time to buy it and actually build it.

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Does anyone know what color the discs on the ankle section is supposed to be on Ozma's? I can't tell from any pics if it's supposed to be the same as the grey on the main fuselage, or the lighter grey (almost white) seen on other parts. I'm guessing it's the lighter grey, but wanted to be sure.

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Yeh those are hot. I want more info too.

Anyways I contacted R10 about the custom decals and here's the exchange:

Hello,

I'd like to ask how you will be distributing the special custom decals (Sheryl and Cathy) that were given to your shop with MACROSS F ARMORED VF-25S OZMA and MACROSS F ARMORED VF-25F ALTO. As I think you don't have enough for everyone I'd like to know how it will be distributed. Will it be at random on whoever preorders or will it be the people who preorders the earliest or will it be available to anyone who orders until you run out?

Thanks

Dear customer,

Thank you for your E-mail. Sorry at this moment we don't offer the decal because there is really slight supply of it, and it's quite unfair to give it only 2 or 3 people. So we just do not accept any decals from suppliers.

Rainbow Ten

I'm sure the situation is similar at all shops but how they handle it (random pre-orders, first ones to pre-order get them) is anyone's guess. But 2 or 3 people? REALLY? I'd think a shop as big as R10 would get a bit more respect.

That's disappointing.

You'd think that Bandai would figure out that selling the Deculture decals as after market products would not only sell more kits but also provide revenue as well. Giving them away is a nice promo, but Hasegawa and Model Graphix have been cashing in on custom decals for the VF-1 for years now! Not to mention the dozens of custom Gundam decals floating around the market...:rolleyes:

Edited by Zinjo
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Hmmmn. My experiments with flattened Future haven't gone well. It's either not very flat at all, or starts turning opaque. I've tried MANY different ratios, and as you add flat base it starts turning white long before it starts getting decently flat.

My newly-bought Tamiya spray flat clear---says not to use over decals!

So my VF-25's been stalled for a while---I can't go any further without attaching the wings, but I need them clearcoated first to protect the decals.

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something I've tried before that worked (on the one occasion I tried it) was to decal, then spray it with strait future. after about a week, I went over the glossy future coat with Testors dullcote.

tesr3160.jpg

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Why don't you use Mr Hobby topcoat? Comes in both flat and gloss and that's the only type of topcoat I ever use for my kits. It's rather cheap as well to boot and the stuff dries in like 10sec so it's superb to use.

Edited by onderon
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Hmmmn. My experiments with flattened Future haven't gone well. It's either not very flat at all, or starts turning opaque. I've tried MANY different ratios, and as you add flat base it starts turning white long before it starts getting decently flat.

My newly-bought Tamiya spray flat clear---says not to use over decals!

So my VF-25's been stalled for a while---I can't go any further without attaching the wings, but I need them clearcoated first to protect the decals.

I use Gunze Sangyo's Mr Super Clear. Comes in gloss, semi-gloss, and flat. Always gives a perfectly even finish when I use it.

This is what I use on my VF-25.

http://www.hlj.com/product/GNZB-516

And then I use this as the topcoat.

http://www.hlj.com/product/GNZB-502

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Have a question for those of you who've build this kit.

I'm starting on the RVF-25 and just snap it together without any paint, sticker or decal first. So far, after 4 hours, I only have the front, head, 2 arms and 1 leg. :wacko: .....Seems a little too much, the parts are so small. :ph34r: .... Looks like another couple of hrs just to finish the snap together, then way too much time to paint and decal this thing. :blink: Now, I'm not so sure I will actually have the will to get it all painted......

What's been your experience on this?

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Have a question for those of you who've build this kit.

I'm starting on the RVF-25 and just snap it together without any paint, sticker or decal first. So far, after 4 hours, I only have the front, head, 2 arms and 1 leg. :wacko: .....Seems a little too much, the parts are so small. :ph34r: .... Looks like another couple of hrs just to finish the snap together, then way too much time to paint and decal this thing. :blink: Now, I'm not so sure I will actually have the will to get it all painted......

What's been your experience on this?

Took me several months of working on it on and off to finish mine. The pilot figure along took like 9 hours to paint. (But that was because it's microscopic and has like 10 different colors; paint one color then wait 1-2 hours to dry, then paint the next color, and so on.) Anyway, if you're planning on painting it properly and decaling it and making it look good ie not snapping it together out of the box and slapping some stickers on, then it's going to take awhile. I mean, wm cheng's been working on is for awhile and he's still not done! B))

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Hmmmn. My experiments with flattened Future haven't gone well. It's either not very flat at all, or starts turning opaque. I've tried MANY different ratios, and as you add flat base it starts turning white long before it starts getting decently flat.

My newly-bought Tamiya spray flat clear---says not to use over decals!

So my VF-25's been stalled for a while---I can't go any further without attaching the wings, but I need them clearcoated first to protect the decals.

Did you mean Tamiya's acrylic clear X-22? That's what I'm about to use.. o_o".

Or maybe you mean top coat spray can applications.

Edited by Cent
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Hey David,

I don't know why you're fiddling with Future when there are "real" clear coats made for models. I've always found out the hard way when trying to scrimp and save for finishing materials that its just not worth it especially when it can damage your models or ruin your hard work sometimes even months down the line after your finish. Really, how much is your hard labour worth? Just use the real stuff, I've never had a problem with ModelMaster Acryl Clear-Coats and I'm sure a lot of these other ones suggested here like Mr.Color are just as good (which I want to try someday). Don't mess with making Future flat, you're fighting an uphill battle. Use future to clean up canopies or make a glass-like smooth surface to decal on - and that's about it!

Actually I've thought about using a rattle-can topcoat to protect the next VF-25 I make, they are usually "hotter" lacquers - lacquers have a tendency to "bite" into the plastic and are usually much more durable than acrylics (probably why it says not to use it over decals). Plus you don't have to constantly clean the airbrush and I believe rattle-cans provide a much heavier/thicker coat than airbrush (I just don't have the patience to layer 5 or 10 coats!).

Yes, if you want to paint it and do it properly, it WILL take forever, its just not a friendly kit for that, the assembly process requires you to paint the same colours in many different steps and have outrageous masking - argh! Not enjoyable, believe you me, but the end results are probably worth the effort though.

Edited by wm cheng
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One thing to keep in mind about clear coats. It seems that Japan has banned the export of spray cans so Mr Hobby and some of the other brands may be more difficult to get outside of Japan in the future. Keep this in mind, because it would suck to have to try to change clear coats mid-model.

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Sorry for insisting, but seems people like to use Mr. Hobby

1) How does this compare to Tamiya (Gundam) rattle can paints?

2) Can we use Mr. Hobby safely on those brittle decals, after they've been settled with sth like Mr. Mark Setter?

3) What's the effect of enamel based clear coats on Gundam pens (or should we chose to use enamel based diluted black/grey paint for panels?)?

I think many of us who ventured into model assembly with these Bandai kits are not expert "traditional" builders, at least I don't own an airbrush, putty, future, a large collection of paints. I plan to clear coat the model because fiddling (let alone transforming) will definitely destroy decals, otherwise I'd leave them bare.

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cent---spray can, don't remember the number. It's not X-22. (and X-22 isn't flat)

wm---I never skrimp on modeling materials--quite the opposite. It's just that Future self-levels better than anything on the planet, and people are always talking about using flattened Future as a final coat, so I figured I'd try it.

So---what's the best ready-made rattle-can flat coat money can buy? (that won't eat decals).

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http://www.jwetc.com/index.php?option=com_...5&Itemid=33

Get the matt version. Thin it with a bit of acrylic Tamiya thinner or isopropyl alcohol and you're good to go for airbrushing. It's the best matt finish I've ever used. And I've tried a lot...

And the best thing, apart from it's quick drying, hard wearing MATT finish, is that it's CHEAP!

Edited by PetarB
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