Macross Models 3D colelction

[guyxxed]

Not a lot to show yet, but work has begun!  I'm trying to be lazy and see if I can convert one of the Macross 30 VF-25A's into a YF-24.  Tail fins and leg fins updated, basic wings blocked out, but still a lot to do.  Didn't realize until I started deleting things that the wing roots of the 25 aren't level, so need to move them around a bit, also need to cut the aeilerons into the wings and figure out what I did wrong to screw up the tail fin normals, but all just part of my usual kitbash work.  It's a bit difficult to tell from the line art, but the 24 and 25 appear to have the same elongated nose, though the 24 has a very different canopy:  flat across the bottom edge and doesn't have the front cowl that the 25 has.  I may take some artistic liberties there since I think it's a bit boring, but we'll see.  Anyway, posting the minor progress here to keep some pressure on myself to keep working on it.  😉  

Edited October 10 by guyxxed

[guyxxed]

Line art comparison for the nose.  Cockpit is bigger on the 24 as well, though how much of that was 'intended' vs just 'how they drew it for the 5 seconds it was on a monitor in the background', I'm not sure.

Edited October 10 by guyxxed

[PointBlankSniper]

Nice work with the wings.

I think the nose are supposed to be very different, considering some parts like the feet and intakes look identical between the two. If you think about how the 25, 27, 29, and even 30 are supposed to be direct descendants of the 24, but all of them look nothing alike beyond general mechanisms, I think it's safe to assume any differences noticed are intended.

So my read is that the cockpit is that little bit larger. Other things like the nose being that little bit stockier might be intentional as well. The line down the center of the nose might be a chine, or could be a two tone nose design along with micro fins at the front of the gear doors that survived into the 29's design. Maybe looking at the 29's line art might help you a little. The 27 might have little features in common with the 24 too. Admittedly, the 30 being related in any way, more than just vague wing profile, is kinda bs lol. Maybe the engine humps with the little slit sensor thing up front counts for lineage... Following that train of thought, those hexagons on top of the engine near the ankles might be missile hatches, something that evolved into the 30's missile container with topside hatches, and then the 31 reverting back to calf missiles but with a large door.

The real thing up for guessing to me is whether the intakes are actually that faint bit taller on the 25, since they do look identical by design, or maybe the scaling of the two images just wasn't perfect so there's nothing to that, idk lol

Edited October 11 by PointBlankSniper

[guyxxed]

I fully agree that the planes are intended to have key visual differences between them, but the items you point out along with the fact that the legs/engines are truly identical, are what make me think the line art was a purely cosmetic quick rinse on a 25 design that didn't get a lot of thought put into it.  

For instance, VertexNebula's model on Cults3D does a good job of making that canopy look decent in 3D, but also makes it clear that the flat lower edge really works against the flow of the fuselage and was only ever considered in 2D.  I have no doubt that if it were ever rendered on screen as an actual object, the differences would be revised to be much more distinct.

I can buy that the nose is intended to have a different shape and thickness to it, and may straighten it up to be a bit more 31-ish.  That bulb feature on the side of the nosecone is certainly meant to be something more than markings.  What I'm really wondering is what the head should look like.  The line art is basically a 25A, but there's no way that's what's intended to be under the hood.  Again, I don't think anyone has actually thought that deep into this design to have something in mind, but that would definitely be an area the two planes would be distinct from each other.

Oh well, plenty to do before I hit that point, but will have an eye out for suitable candidates in the meanwhile. 

[PointBlankSniper]

I was under the impression that it was kind of just a 25A or G head too, but upon closer inspection, it doesn't seem like it.

The A and G don't have those vulcan(?) humps flanking the laser's mount, and the helmet contours are totalle different, not to mention the laser is different shaped.

It's actually the 25F that looks closest to it. I think there's something wrong with the 25F line art you used for comparison. The red sensor box where the laser would normally be is totally missing. Inside those black stripes, similar to where the 24 has the vulcan humps, the 25F also has them. I can't tell if they are still there in the 25F's line art. The next closest thing is actually the 31A, having a single laser, and the vulcan humps, but the designs and proportions are off.

One thing that's for sure is that the 24 definitely stows its head facing backwards. I'd say hacking (or clipping?) together a laser from 25A or 31A and copying 31A's lack of ears to the 25F's helmet would probably be the simplest approximation for the visible parts of the head. For the hidden parts, I guess you could take inspiration even from the YF-25, since it's the closest link to the 24 that we have. But I think there might have been lore that the YF's head looks intentionally primitive with a giant camera for testing reasons, so it may not truly represent any sort of lineage to the 24's designs.

[guyxxed]

All of the line art was grabbed from Macross Mecha Manual, and definitely isn't perfect, but is good enough to draw distinctions from.  I did a quick comparison back to what's shown on screen and it's a good representation.  Good catch on the 25F missing the sensor pod, didn't even notice that.

I'm with you on the head and using the 31A as a guide, that seems like a good fit.  I don't think the YF-25 is too useful in this case, the shape doesn't lend itself to a top mount laser and the big dome on the front would be at least partially visible in that line art if that were the design.  I half remember the YF-25 being designed the way it is for ECM purposes as well, though whether that has anything to do with the head shape, I have no idea.  I've always had it in my head (based on nothing 'official', mind you) that the VF-24 was a seriously military, heavy combat oriented craft and so have always had a no nonsense design like the typical A shapes for its head turret.  I almost wonder if something like the helm of a suit of armor would work, with a ridge or brow to protect the cyclops eye and give it a 'I mean business' vibe in battroid?  I also think I have some lattitude to mess with the shoulders a bit to give it less of a 'football player' look like the 25s and maybe something a little more dangerous like the 27 (though obviously not that wide).  Don't know.  In the end, how much or little I do will mostly depend on how hard it turns out to be and how lazy I get.  😉 

[Seto Kaiba]

On 10/11/2025 at 9:23 AM, PointBlankSniper said:

I think the nose are supposed to be very different, considering some parts like the feet and intakes look identical between the two. If you think about how the 25, 27, 29, and even 30 are supposed to be direct descendants of the 24, but all of them look nothing alike beyond general mechanisms, I think it's safe to assume any differences noticed are intended.

It'd probably be more accurate to say that the 5th Generation VFs like the VF-25, VF-27, and VF-31 are derivatives of the YF-24 Evolution rather than direct descendants of it.

The VF-25 and VF-27 were developed using the YF-24 Evolution as a starting point.  However, the design was adjusted accordingly to suit the unique requirements of the emigrant government defense forces soliciting the new development and to either replace omitted Earth-proprietary technologies with locally-developed alternatives as well as the addition of locally-developed proprietary technology.  

The YF-29 and YF-30 are a bit more distant, since the YF-29 is a branch of VF-25 development that shares a lot of parts in common but also includes a lot of proprietary parts that were developed for its different operational profile, and the YF-30 is more a derivative of the YF-29.

 

12 hours ago, PointBlankSniper said:

I was under the impression that it was kind of just a 25A or G head too, but upon closer inspection, it doesn't seem like it.

The A and G don't have those vulcan(?) humps flanking the laser's mount, and the helmet contours are totalle different, not to mention the laser is different shaped.

Probably worth noting that the art being referenced here is from Master File, not the series proper.

The blisters on top of the head are present on the VF-25F type.

 

12 hours ago, PointBlankSniper said:

But I think there might have been lore that the YF's head looks intentionally primitive with a giant camera for testing reasons, so it may not truly represent any sort of lineage to the 24's designs.

I've seen nothing to that effect... aside from a brief note in Macross the Ride's Visual Book Vol.1 that the YF-25's composite sensor cluster is set up for data collection.

[PointBlankSniper]

The ECM or data collection thing for the YF-25's head is what I was thinking of. Guess that rules it out from looking too much like a 24.

 

8 hours ago, guyxxed said:

I've always had it in my head (based on nothing 'official', mind you) that the VF-24 was a seriously military, heavy combat oriented craft and so have always had a no nonsense design like the typical A shapes for its head turret.

In the same vein, I've been thinking the 24 was intended to be more of a direct drop in replacement to the VF-11 (and 171), more so than the way the 17 was shoehorned into the role through modding it into 171. So I was thinking maybe going a little backwards helps with head design ideas. Then thinking back to Isamu's valks for single laser designs, it suddenly dawned on me, his custom 29 might literally have the closest head possible to the 24...

If you want a more cyclops take to Isamu's jewel + visor design, I think the VF-0D is good place for inspiration. For a cyclops with brow look, I'm not sure how you are picturing it, but I think the 25A/G has a bit of that going on too. Maybe you can figure out how to roll all those ideas into one.

Don't have much thoughts on the shoulders atm, but I'm wondering if that shield is long enough to fit a knife lol.

[Seto Kaiba]

22 minutes ago, PointBlankSniper said:

In the same vein, I've been thinking the 24 was intended to be more of a direct drop in replacement to the VF-11 (and 171), more so than the way the 17 was shoehorned into the role through modding it into 171.

Well, yes.  The YF-24 program's stated objective was to develop a next (5th) generation main Variable Fighter for the (Earth/Central) New UN Forces.

Based on what Macross Chronicle, Master File, and the Macross Frontier novelizations have had to say on the matter it does appear that a VF-24 was produced and was in the process of being adopted by the New UN Forces at the time things went to hell at the end of the Vajra conflict in 2059.

 

22 minutes ago, PointBlankSniper said:

So I was thinking maybe going a little backwards helps with head design ideas. Then thinking back to Isamu's valks for single laser designs, it suddenly dawned on me, his custom 29 might literally have the closest head possible to the 24...

If you want a more cyclops take to Isamu's jewel + visor design, I think the VF-0D is good place for inspiration. For a cyclops with brow look, I'm not sure how you are picturing it, but I think the 25A/G has a bit of that going on too. Maybe you can figure out how to roll all those ideas into one.

Don't have much thoughts on the shoulders atm, but I'm wondering if that shield is long enough to fit a knife lol.

Given that the only variant we've heard mention of is the VF-24A and presentation-wise it's basically a delta-wing VF-25 my inclination would be to suspect that it has an A-type head similar to the VF-25A and VF-31A.  "Visor" type optics tend to be more of a "hero" option.

[guyxxed]

11 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

Based on what Macross Chronicle, Master File, and the Macross Frontier novelizations have had to say on the matter it does appear that a VF-24 was produced and was in the process of being adopted by the New UN Forces at the time things went to hell at the end of the Vajra conflict in 2059.

Given that the only variant we've heard mention of is the VF-24A and presentation-wise it's basically a delta-wing VF-25 my inclination would be to suspect that it has an A-type head similar to the VF-25A and VF-31A.  "Visor" type optics tend to be more of a "hero" option.

This is helpful, thank you.  I've not read the Chronicle or Master Files (though I've looked at untranslated scans from time to time) and wasn't sure if there was an official date for when the 24 entered service in the NUNS.  If it was contemporary to the 25, that helps give a window to the aesthetic of the head sculpt.  I was going to ask about variants, but you just answered that as well.  I can guess that it would be reasonable to expect similar load outs to the Frontier era 25s and 171s, with an RVF version and such.  I expect details are pretty sparse, but anything else the setting materials tell us about it?  I'm getting way ahead of myself here, but already thinking about super packs and such for it.

[PointBlankSniper]

I always had the impression that 24s were deployed from the convos around here, but its nice to know where it comes from is lol

 

Super packs at this point might indeed be getting way ahead of yourself, but I've been wondering what the hypothetical 26 that got canned could have come out like, eversince you started working on the 24 😁

[Seto Kaiba]

On 10/13/2025 at 8:40 AM, guyxxed said:

This is helpful, thank you.  I've not read the Chronicle or Master Files (though I've looked at untranslated scans from time to time) and wasn't sure if there was an official date for when the 24 entered service in the NUNS.

The Earth/Central New UN Forces approved the YF-24 Evolution No.3 prototype for mass production as the VF-24 in 2057.  The program's about 1 1/2 years ahead of the YF/VF-25 and YF/VF-27 programs by the Macross Frontier and Macross Galaxy emigrant fleets.

 

On 10/13/2025 at 8:40 AM, guyxxed said:

If it was contemporary to the 25, that helps give a window to the aesthetic of the head sculpt.  I was going to ask about variants, but you just answered that as well.  I can guess that it would be reasonable to expect similar load outs to the Frontier era 25s and 171s, with an RVF version and such.  I expect details are pretty sparse, but anything else the setting materials tell us about it?  I'm getting way ahead of myself here, but already thinking about super packs and such for it.

The only variant yet mentioned has been the VF-24A, yes, and the details are predictably pretty sparse.

Honestly though, don't let yourself feel "locked in" by what the official media says. 

The (partially redacted) YF-24 Evolution blueprints were shared to all New UN Government member governments galaxy-wide.  It's very likely (bordering on a certainty) that multiple emigrant governments working with less resources than the fantastically wealthy Frontier and Galaxy fleets either opted to purchase export variants of the VF-24 directly from Earth's government or just used their own locally produced technology to fill in the various gaps left by the omission of Earth's proprietary developments and produced their own version of the VF-24 via a build-under-license agreement.  There are likely a bunch of slightly different local variations of the VF-24A with slightly different capabilities depending on who built them, which could go anywhere from differences in equipment and armament to changes in appearance.

EDIT: I should add, this same logic applies to basically ANY VF produced from the 4th Generation onwards... with the VF-19, VF-22, and VF-171 all having local variations that've appeared prominently in Macross the Ride, Macross Frontier, and Macross Delta.  A beautiful official customization carte blanche for fanart and fanfics. 😉

Edited Thursday at 02:51 PM by Seto Kaiba

[TG Remix]

14 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

On 10/13/2025 at 8:40 AM, guyxxed said:

If it was contemporary to the 25, that helps give a window to the aesthetic of the head sculpt.  I was going to ask about variants, but you just answered that as well.  I can guess that it would be reasonable to expect similar load outs to the Frontier era 25s and 171s, with an RVF version and such.  I expect details are pretty sparse, but anything else the setting materials tell us about it?  I'm getting way ahead of myself here, but already thinking about super packs and such for it.

The only variant yet mentioned has been the VF-24A, yes, and the details are predictably pretty sparse.

Honestly though, don't let yourself feel "locked in" by what the official media says. 

The (partially redacted) YF-24 Evolution blueprints were shared to all New UN Government member governments galaxy-wide.  It's very likely (bordering on a certainty) that multiple emigrant governments working with less resources than the fantastically wealthy Frontier and Galaxy fleets either opted to purchase export variants of the VF-24 directly from Earth's government or just used their own locally produced technology to fill in the various gaps left by the omission of Earth's proprietary developments and produced their own version of the VF-24 via a build-under-license agreement.  There are likely a bunch of slightly different local variations of the VF-24A with slightly different capabilities depending on who built them, which could go anywhere from differences in equipment and armament to changes in appearance.

EDIT: I should add, this same logic applies to basically ANY VF produced from the 4th Generation onwards... with the VF-19, VF-22, and VF-171 all having local variations that've appeared prominently in Macross the Ride, Macross Frontier, and Macross Delta.  A beautiful official customization carte blanche for fanart and fanfics. 😉

Even before that generation we get some generous variations. The VF-14 has two official designs which design language (one's a lot more bulkier then the other, curtesy of Miyatake designing the Fz-109's Battroid mode,) and even armaments like the 7 Plus' lack of shoulder laser cannons and M3's lack of chest cannons, is noticeably different, but they're only considered variations of each other as opposed to the VF-171 being a different aircraft that's only based off the VF-17. The VF-19 is also a good example though, as the ones from 7 took noticeable differences from the A-type based off the YF-19; notably its shoulders and legs being structured a bit differently. 

 

(As a side note, always made me curious on how a more "bulkier" VF-24/VF-25 would look, as if he was designing it for a 90's series)

It's the beauty of Macross's potential, the vast universe is ripe for freedom of whatever setting and designs you want to work with. It's even better with the franchise's loose sense of continuity. 

[Seto Kaiba]

1 hour ago, TG Remix said:

Even before that generation we get some generous variations. The VF-14 has two official designs which design language (one's a lot more bulkier then the other, curtesy of Miyatake designing the Fz-109's Battroid mode,) and even armaments like the 7 Plus' lack of shoulder laser cannons and M3's lack of chest cannons, is noticeably different, but they're only considered variations of each other as opposed to the VF-171 being a different aircraft that's only based off the VF-17. The VF-19 is also a good example though, as the ones from 7 took noticeable differences from the A-type based off the YF-19; notably its shoulders and legs being structured a bit differently. 

Not quite what I was getting at there... that's something different.

The regular vs. special forces versions of the VF-14 and the 1st and 2nd production types of the VF-19 are variants with different appearances, sure, but they're still "universal" models available around the galaxy.

It wasn't until Macross Frontier and particularly Macross the Ride that they really properly introduced the idea of emigrant governments locally developing their own major and minor variations of existing Valkyrie models.  The first proper example being the VF-171EX and VF-171 Block IIIF in the TV series and movies respectively.  Both used the VF-171 Block II as a starting point but modified that design to incorporate improvements and new features and capabilities based specifically on the needs and wants of the Frontier fleet's local New UN Forces and initially existed there and nowhere else.  The VF-19EF Caliburn is another good example.  The Frontier New UN Forces wanted their special forces to adopt the VF-19E, but they weren't happy with the performance and capabilities of the export specification VF-19E in its stock state.  So they changed the design and made their own version.  They altered the aerodynamics, adopted a new wing design, reintroduced the canards, included some proprietary parts, calibrations, and software, etc. and when the dust settled they had a VF-19 that was uniquely the Frontier fleet's and it'd changed so much it got a new variant letter issued as VF-19EF (VF-19E Frontier fleet specification).  Macross Galaxy did something a bit less extreme with the VF-19C, tweaking the design in various minor ways leading it to be designated VF-19C/MG21 (VF-19C produced in Macross Galaxy specification).

Macross Delta lowkey ran with it and the VF-171s in that series are described as a "Rim world model" or "frontier/remote space model" implying they are different from the VF-171s used elsewhere in some way.

[guyxxed]

Given the resources and manufacturing capabilities available to humanity in the 2050's, I can see quite a lot of "because we can" monkeying around with variants, knock offs, and limited run prototypes.  Kind of like what I'm doing with these game models, once you have the base specs tweaking and messing around is as easy as printing out another panel from your Overtechnology makebot.  Makes me a bit less aprehensive about putting my own spin on some things.  😉 

Somewhat back to subject, I was looking back at the actual screenshots and turns out the line art isn't quite representative.  Canopy actually does conform a bit at the front and the nose in the screenshot looks like a direct copy of the 25 with just that bulb feature on the side.  I'm thinking to still change it a bit because otherwise the 24 is just the 25 with different wings, and that's a bit boring.  Might be close to the intent, though.

[Seto Kaiba]

26 minutes ago, guyxxed said:

Given the resources and manufacturing capabilities available to humanity in the 2050's, I can see quite a lot of "because we can" monkeying around with variants, knock offs, and limited run prototypes.  Kind of like what I'm doing with these game models, once you have the base specs tweaking and messing around is as easy as printing out another panel from your Overtechnology makebot.  Makes me a bit less aprehensive about putting my own spin on some things.  😉 

Well, if you take Master File's word for it they do a LOT of computer modeling and virtual testing before they ever move on to a physical test article.  Partly because of how hard it is to actually physically deconstruct and recycle the functionally graded composite materials used in VF and warship construction.  They do have enormous manufacturing muscle with dozens of factory satellites and factory ships though, so building everything is way way faster.  Mass production of the F-22 took about 15 years to get to 195 aircraft.  The Macross Frontier fleet ran out 156 VF-19EFs, with multiple variants including recon and command models, in about a year.

 

26 minutes ago, guyxxed said:

Somewhat back to subject, I was looking back at the actual screenshots and turns out the line art isn't quite representative.  Canopy actually does conform a bit at the front and the nose in the screenshot looks like a direct copy of the 25 with just that bulb feature on the side.  I'm thinking to still change it a bit because otherwise the 24 is just the 25 with different wings, and that's a bit boring.  Might be close to the intent, though.

Said "bulb feature" is probably the same kind of composite sensor found on the noses of other Shinsei Industry Valkyries like the VF-19.

The VF-25 and VF-27 have similar types of composite sensors, but they sit higher up on the nose. (The little blue panels seen here)

[guyxxed]

Makes sense since those are missing on the YF-24 image.  I'm sold!  😉 

Another minor update.  Wings and wing roots completed, with cuts in place for transformation.  Threw a temporary texture on based on one of the M30 25A skins to be able to see if anything is warped.  Nose and canopy will be the next areas of focus.

[Seto Kaiba]

On the subject of "the VF-24 as a VF-25 with different wings", it reminded me of this custom kit by VF-1Riders that they dubbed "VF-25 Messiah Legacy".

The resemblance really is uncanny.

[guyxxed]

Nice!  Yeah, pretty sure that's their take on the 24.  I also found this online, which is essentially identical (they did make the new shield) but was labeled as a 24.

Edited 10 hours ago by guyxxed