DX VF-25 Renewal Series (Part III)

[Loop]

My 2 other 25A copies arrived this morning. CDJ did a pretty poor job of packaging the unit, the corners of the left side of the box is dinged up pretty bad. As long as the contents are OK I am fine with it though as I planned on keeping all 3.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Loop

[VF5SS]

http://twitpic.com/di0acq

Hope Ozma doesn't mind.

[Benson13]

Well I doubt they let their varsity team test it first.

[Kyp Durron]

That 25A is looking better and better every time i see new pictures. Aaarggh. Must resist.

If it's something you want, get it. You'll most likely end up regretting it later on if you don't. Trust me on this.

-Kyp

[ErikElvis]

25A's color is much different in person than I imagined. I was expecting a DYRL CF color. But I do like it.

[zzgundam010]

Its good to start seeing the pics of the actual VF-25A and see people post up on it.

I was worried that VF-25A would turn out like the VF-171CF with all of the problems that occurring with it.

I hope not. vf171 cf is the only one with issues so far. I hope that's a one off.

[MacrossJunkie]

I finished with my 25A. Since pics of the Hasegawa 25's had surfaced, I used them as a guide for some extra sticker placement using leftover Yamato stickers.

As usual, full sized versions if you click a pic.

Fighter:

GERWALK:

Battroid:

Edited October 21, 2013 by MacrossJunkie

[xrentonx]

So far only inspected fighter mode on mine but these are the straightest wings yet from Bandai! It only took them like a billion releases to finally get it semi-correct

[Xigfrid]

Amazing shots MacrossJunkie... as usual. I have to admit your pictures are my favorite pc desktop background keep the good work done !

[94medition]

In case anyone is still interested in the RVF-25, it is available at amiami for 13,200 Yen.

[94medition]

Awesome job MacrossJunkie! Do you put a top coat after (and before?) you weather the valk? Do you do any masking beside the canopy? Do you start top coat with a particular mode then work the hidden surfaces afterward? I would really appreciate it if you can share about the entire process. Thanks!

[Falcon18]

Beautiful as always. That painted black stripe really makes a difference. Looks much better rather than a just plain normal valk.

[wm cheng]

Fantastic (as always!) MJ. What did you do to solve the paint scratching off the LERX during transformation?

[MacrossJunkie]

Awesome job MacrossJunkie! Do you put a top coat after (and before?) you weather the valk? Do you do any masking beside the canopy? Do you start top coat with a particular mode then work the hidden surfaces afterward? I would really appreciate it if you can share about the entire process. Thanks!

Thanks. After I painted the stripes, I did the panel lining with a light gray oil wash. Afterwards, I cut and placed the stickers and tried to level them a bit by spraying multiple clear coats in localized areas first. I airbrushed the weathering and then did a full gloss coat. Then I brushed on some highlights with the Tamiya weathering kit and also used it to blend and lighten portions of the panels. I sealed that in with another coat and then masked off all the clear and shiny areas like the canopy, sensors on the nose, the lenses on the head unit and the wing lights. I then sprayed with a semi-gloss coat using a mixture of Future and Vallejo matte varnish.

Beautiful as always. That painted black stripe really makes a difference. Looks much better rather than a just plain normal valk.

Actually, it's a dark olive drab-ish color, but thanks! I tried to make it close to how the CFs appeared in a bunch of scenes from the series. Although they sometimes appeared without the stripes also, I prefer it with.

Fantastic (as always!) MJ. What did you do to solve the paint scratching off the LERX during transformation?

I shaved off a little plastic from the inner sides of the LERX using a xacto knife to give it more clearance. There is still some scraping near the rotational point which I couldn't get to, but it's not visible in battroid, GERWALK, nor fighter mode. It would probably be easier to sand down the parts of the fuselage that the LERX comes in contact with, but I had already painted and didn't want to do the masking all over again.

Edited October 21, 2013 by MacrossJunkie

[EXO]

Beautiful images MJ!

[Valk-1S]

I just got my 3 of VF-25A from Amazon JP. I noticed that on all three of my boxes, it has been taped 2 or 3 times. Understand this can be a case for QC check or perhaps they forgot to put something in.

Those who have received theirs, were your boxes taped more than one time. Thanks.

[Major Focker]

my laptop almost fried because of drool. great work MJ!

noob question: when you say full gloss (or clear) coat, do you take apart the pieces and spray each? or do you spray the whole thing in one go? and if so, do you mask certain areas?

i'm wondering about whether the coat gets into the spaces between mating pieces that are supposed to move.

[xrentonx]

Yep. Mine was taped a couple times on one end.

[PsYcHoDyNaMiX]

Yea I posted a couple of pages back. Mine from HS was re-taped on one end. However, no issues with the VF-25A.

[MacrossJunkie]

my laptop almost fried because of drool. great work MJ!

noob question: when you say full gloss (or clear) coat, do you take apart the pieces and spray each? or do you spray the whole thing in one go? and if so, do you mask certain areas?

i'm wondering about whether the coat gets into the spaces between mating pieces that are supposed to move.

The only things I took off were the thruster rings on the feet and the hip guns which were sprayed individually. Everything else is easily reachable. I spray it in part GERWALK, part battroid mode. The head is popped out, wings fully extended, arms out, legs brought down (not using the GERWALK joint) straight with the crotch piece perpendicular to the rest of the plane. The only thing that has to be sprayed later is the center portion of the chest piece. I only masked the areas that should remain glossy/clear and I avoided spraying the feet entirely so they stayed glossy too. The little red dot on the center of the chest was masked using liquid masking tape, everything else was tamiya masking tape. After removing the tape from the canopy, I used a fine tipped brush to apply the semi-gloss finish to the canopy frame since that was covered by the masking as well.

I haven't had any issues with the clear coat getting between spaces and causing problems. Perhaps it might if it was brushed on, but with an airbrush, there hasn't ever been an issue.

[lancalot]

Thanks. After I painted the stripes, I did the panel lining with a light gray oil wash. Afterwards, I cut and placed the stickers and tried to level them a bit by spraying multiple clear coats in localized areas first. I airbrushed the weathering and then did a full gloss coat. Then I brushed on some highlights with the Tamiya weathering kit and also used it to blend and lighten portions of the panels. I sealed that in with another coat and then masked off all the clear and shiny areas like the canopy, sensors on the nose, the lenses on the head unit and the wing lights. I then sprayed with a semi-gloss coat using a mixture of Future and Vallejo matte varnish.

Actually, it's a dark olive drab-ish color, but thanks! I tried to make it close to how the CFs appeared in a bunch of scenes from the series. Although they sometimes appeared without the stripes also, I prefer it with.

I shaved off a little plastic from the inner sides of the LERX using a xacto knife to give it more clearance. There is still some scraping near the rotational point which I couldn't get to, but it's not visible in battroid, GERWALK, nor fighter mode. It would probably be easier to sand down the parts of the fuselage that the LERX comes in contact with, but I had already painted and didn't want to do the masking all over again.

that alot of work and you do it so fast as well.... It looks amazing man

[Major Focker]

thanks for the detailed info MJ.

i've hesitated about weathering my toys thinking that i'd have to disassemble first lest clear coats muck up the joints.

but your work is so inspiring it makes it hard not to give it a go.

[wm cheng]

I shaved off a little plastic from the inner sides of the LERX using a xacto knife to give it more clearance. There is still some scraping near the rotational point which I couldn't get to, but it's not visible in battroid, GERWALK, nor fighter mode. It would probably be easier to sand down the parts of the fuselage that the LERX comes in contact with, but I had already painted and didn't want to do the masking all over again.

Thanks for the info MJ, so how did you take apart the LERX from the forward fuselage to shave off the plastic from the inner sides? I'd have to do the same if I were to sand down the fuselage part as well.

[Scyla]

Thanks for the info MJ, so how did you take apart the LERX from the forward fuselage to shave off the plastic from the inner sides? I'd have to do the same if I were to sand down the fuselage part as well.

I think he didn't took apart the LERX. The way I understand it he rotated the forward fuselage perpendicular to the LERX. That way it is possible to get access to most of the LERX but not the area around the rotational joint. That's why he said he didn't shaved down the area near the joint.

Maybe I' getting all this wrong but that's how I understood it.

[wm cheng]

I think he didn't took apart the LERX. The way I understand it he rotated the forward fuselage perpendicular to the LERX. That way it is possible to get access to most of the LERX but not the area around the rotational joint. That's why he said he didn't shaved down the area near the joint.

Maybe I' getting all this wrong but that's how I understood it.

Oh, has anyone taken apart one of these renewals? or is there any info on how to take apart this forward fuselage section?

[MacrossJunkie]

I think he didn't took apart the LERX. The way I understand it he rotated the forward fuselage perpendicular to the LERX. That way it is possible to get access to most of the LERX but not the area around the rotational joint. That's why he said he didn't shaved down the area near the joint.

Maybe I' getting all this wrong but that's how I understood it.

Yup, that's exactly it.

Oh, has anyone taken apart one of these renewals? or is there any info on how to take apart this forward fuselage section?

I wish I knew exactly how to do that. From taking apart portions of my Alto to shave off some plastic around some joints sometime ago, I know you can separate the chest piece from the LERX by taking out the screws underneath the chest and keep going at it from there. However the other end is the tricky looking part. The LERX is inserted into and rotates within a metal tube. I'm not sure if you can just pull the LERX straight out, but it kinda looks like it is locked in with a pin or some other mechanism. I didn't examine it too closely as it just seemed like a lot of work. I would have tried to remove the piece that angles out and locks for the crotch portion, but there are screws that are hard to reach underneath the cockpit area when you pull that piece out. Seemed like you'd need a special screwdriver or try to unscrew from a very diagonal angle.

[wm cheng]

Thanks, good to know. On the Bandai 1/72 model, the LERX on both sides is held together with a steel pin that runs through the forward fuselage, the steel pin just friction fits onto the LERX. I wonder if its similar... my VF-25A is "preparation in progress" for the last week and a bit, so it will still be a while before I get my hands on it (its going registered SAL).

[Falcon18]

Actually, it's a dark olive drab-ish color, but thanks! I tried to make it close to how the CFs appeared in a bunch of scenes from the series. Although they sometimes appeared without the stripes also, I prefer it with.

Oops. Yes. Was using my phone on the first look. So it just kinda seemed black. Upon looking at bigger pics, it really isn't. My bad. Haha.

Eitherway it looks great. Brings out more details on an else plain looking valk.

Edited October 21, 2013 by Falcon18

[lancalot]

now when the super parts going to be released for them...

[jenius]

I'm late to the party but I finally got my RVF-25 review up (includes an HD video review). I'll probably do the 25A review next month as it's currently sitting in private warehouse.

Edited October 22, 2013 by jenius

[Benson13]

Sweet.

[Gakken85]

Nice. Beautiful piece.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

those photos look so clean they look like a computer drawn image

update: just finished review on youtube and left a comment

Edited October 22, 2013 by davidwhangchoi

[TCracker]

awesome jenius! going to anymoon right now!

[jenius]

The post has some new pics but most the content is getting buried now since there are several releases. I'd scan the post for pics and then check out the video (there's a shortcut to my channel in my sig and the video is embedded at anymoon).

Edited October 22, 2013 by jenius