Macross Models 3D colelction

[PointBlankSniper]

Tthe two 171 schemes actually kinda seem to work lol

[guyxxed]

Yeah, I kind of feel the same.  The Al Shahal scheme looks pretty good, overall, was just hoping to find something more unique.  I tried a green scheme thinking it could look more "military", but it was pretty awful. 😆  Ain't broke, don't fix, guess.

[guyxxed]

Here we go.  Not exciting, but I think it's a decent CF version for the VF-24.  Color from the SMS 25A slapped over the pattern from the 171/NUNS scheme.  I might have one more thing to try here, but otherwise I think the 24 project has run its course with me.  At least, until inspiration (or boredom) strike again!  😉 

[PointBlankSniper]

What works works lol

[guyxxed]

Okay, I lied.  😉  I had some time at lunch and was motivated, so banged this out.  A VF-24F version based on one of the discarded Kawamori head designs that I liked.  This is a bit more Macross than the Zentradi Helmet head, so maybe more to folks' liking.  Enjoy!

[PointBlankSniper]

That's one of my favs from the 31 sketch sheet. Amazing lunch break job 😁

[guyxxed]

Thanks, that one jumped out at me as well.  I have half an idea for a B/D/G style head and/or a two seater trainer version, but those will have to wait until I get through a few other things.  In the meanwhile, updated the google link to add the 24F model for anyone who wants to play with it.  Enjoy!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MEqAULkJDzBoGyFBrgRHBX7C7_ZVdfcg?usp=sharing

[guyxxed]

Aaand, on to the next project!  😉  Still early but here's what I'm working on next.  In playing with the Al Shahal map, it was quickly becoming apparent that while I have a hard drive full of fighters now, there are pretty much no civilian craft available anywhere.  I had made a couple of commercial versions of Zentradi craft to use as background freight haulers but wanted to fill out the spaceport with something more human oriented and decided to start here.  I plan to make the Walkure shuttle as well (both are very simple shapes, which is nice), but may need to get inventive since I'm not aware of any other small to mid-size civilian ships in the "official" setting materials besides the container ships seen in Delta.  Anyway, hope to have some preliminary textured version of the starliner soon.

[guyxxed]

Largely done except for the cleanup.  I also need to figure out landing gear and the folding wings, but this gives me what I was after to help fill in the spaceport background.  Made a livery based on Juneyao Airlines as well because it's interesting and also why not?  😉  Happy holidays, everyone.  See you in the next year.

[PointBlankSniper]

That is indeed very airline lol.

Well done and happy holidays to you too. 🎅🎄

[Seto Kaiba]

On 12/23/2025 at 3:50 PM, guyxxed said:

Largely done except for the cleanup.  I also need to figure out landing gear and the folding wings, but this gives me what I was after to help fill in the spaceport background.  Made a livery based on Juneyao Airlines as well because it's interesting and also why not?  😉  Happy holidays, everyone.  See you in the next year.

Ooo, that came out really well.  

I'd say don't worry overmuch about the wings, since they kind of mysteriously retract seamlessly into the edge of the airframe in a manner that suggests the designer probably did not think too hard about it themselves.

[guyxxed]

Well, thank you! It helps that it's a pretty simple shape, overall, but I was happy with how it came out.  And, yeah, the wings were obviously thrown in after the fact as a cool gimmick for the landing sequence.  Even with the most amazing memory metals, what's shown in the screenshots is gigantic and probably as much mass as the whole passenger section.  The landing gear also has to be pretty weird, since the one shot we get of the plane on the ground shows the nacelles clearly off the surface, but not really folded up at all, so the gear must be like stilts.  😉  I have so far decided to do exactly what the animators did and ignore it and not put it anywhere that I need to figure that out.

[Seto Kaiba]

4 minutes ago, guyxxed said:

Well, thank you! It helps that it's a pretty simple shape, overall, but I was happy with how it came out.  And, yeah, the wings were obviously thrown in after the fact as a cool gimmick for the landing sequence.  Even with the most amazing memory metals, what's shown in the screenshots is gigantic and probably as much mass as the whole passenger section.  The landing gear also has to be pretty weird, since the one shot we get of the plane on the ground shows the nacelles clearly off the surface, but not really folded up at all, so the gear must be like stilts.  😉  I have so far decided to do exactly what the animators did and ignore it and not put it anywhere that I need to figure that out.

It's possible it doesn't have traditional landing gear. 

After all, it's a fold-capable aerospaceliner, so it's got gravity control capabilities.  It may just be landing on skids or potentially even just hovering there on gravity control levitation.

[pengbuzz]

8 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

It's possible it doesn't have traditional landing gear. 

After all, it's a fold-capable aerospaceliner, so it's got gravity control capabilities.  It may just be landing on skids or potentially even just hovering there on gravity control levitation.

If it's the latter, they must have a cradle of some kind to hold it during maintenance/ refurbishment downtimes.

 

[sketchley]

In those screenshots—are the wings on the starliner merely copied over from the VF-25?!?

Aside from being lengthened and the SMS logo removed, they look exactly the same.  Even the angled bits in the red stripes and the vernier thruster nozzles match up!

[guyxxed]

No idea  but given the number of shortcuts they took in other areas, it wouldn't surprise me.  The wings are on screen for all of about 30 seconds, and feel very much like a last minute add to create some interest during the atmosphere entry scene, so I can't see the animators spending any more time than they absolutely needed to on it.  (As a kit basher myself, it's an approach I can fully sympathize with! 😉)

[guyxxed]

Moving on to working on the Walkure shuttle now in order to further add to my stable of civilian craft.  For such a simple shape, that nose section is proving surprisingly difficult to get right, but I think I'm starting to get close.

[guyxxed]

Getting close to done now.  Still have the greebles and landing gear to make, but think it's coming along pretty well.  Debating whether to make the rear hatch functional or not.  Almost no references for the back of the thing, so I'd have to make it up for the most part, the one scene in the series that shows it doesn't actually match up to the model (Freyja leaps from a very bare bones interior set, her body blocks any view of the shuttle for several seconds, then an out of focus, far off version with no details drifts by in the distance).  Also noted that the upper and lower hatches both open out, oddly enough, instead of the more sensible lower becoming a ramp and upper folding inwards like a C-130 hatch.  Oh well, worrry about that when I get to it.  

[guyxxed]

And, done (at least for now).  Greebles and gear are added, made a few more tweaks to the nose to round it out a bit, and I think I'm good.  Didn't add the Walkure logos because I'm not planning to use it as their personal shuttle, just generic background, but easy enough to add if it ever comes to that.  I think I will circle back at some point to cut in the rear hatch and interior details, but it's not necessary for what I'm working on at the moment, and I this is pretty close for the moment.  I know, it's not an exciting model, but I'm happy with how it came out and how quickly I could get it put together.  I want to try it in a rendered environment hopefully this weekend, but we'll see how things go.  Upwards and onwards!

 

[guyxxed]

This is crappy and not rendered (just a screenshot from the model space), but a few views of the spaceport scene I've been messing around with.  It's a lot different to walk around in it in the actual game environment, but I couldn't get a shot there that didn't end up just a close up of a shipping container.  I'll keep woking at that, but figured I would share the concept at least.  The red Thuveral is meant to be a commercially owned freighter (that just happens to also be a terrifying warship).   FYI, the spaceport is an attempt to build the 'real' port that Mirage and Mikimo first appear in during the first episode of Delta.  And, yes, I'm putting way too much efffort into something that was seen on screen for all of ten seconds, but what can I say, it's the way I roll.  😉 

Edited Tuesday at 01:31 AM by guyxxed

[PointBlankSniper]

At this rate, you are going to have a playable open world with hijackable aircraft before gta6 drops lol

[guyxxed]

I've got a long way to go to get anywhere near there, but it's a goal!😉

[guyxxed]

And, because I can never stay on task, here is yet another head version for the 24.  Another lunchtime special based on the sketch in the background of one of the rejected heads for the 25.  Don't know that I've got my version where it needs to be yet, but I like that it's at least a design from the man himself.  I'm calling it the 24B for the moment, but if I can get it dialed in, this may displace my weird hybrid helmet thing from before.  Comments, suggestions, or requests to give it a rest and move on all welcome.  😉 

[PointBlankSniper]

It does need a bit of tweaking to the proportions before it looks like it will conform with fighter mode, but that is a pretty awsome design to use as a cyclops variant for the 24.

Do you have the full image of the sketch? That cancelled armor design seems interesting too.

[guyxxed]

I agree, it's way too skinny still, and I overemphasized the 'shovel' on the jaw (I liked the idea of a theme of sorts with the big underbite feature on both the A and F heads, but leaned into it a bit too much here).  Some updates will be coming.

And, yes, here is the full page, along with the fighter configuration.  Honestly, the armor is pretty ridiculous and I'm glad they moved away from this concept.  Seems the crazy Gundam-esque armor in the Delta movies actually had their origins here in Frontier.  Hope to see more restraint and practicality in future designs, but maybe that's just me.

[PointBlankSniper]

While I'm no fan of excessive bulk and odd dangling shapes, for an aircraft, and a potential toy, I think it's a pretty cool looking mech. If only it wasn't supposed to transform lol. I have a love-hate relationship with armor packs in general. I love the gimmicks, and the silhouette changes on existing parts, but I don't like the oversized brick nature and excessive additional overhanging components of them.

Most of those parts look like they bring reasonable specialized function to the base battroid. Even the absurdness of the pronged gun and big arm blade, could be excused if there was some plot relevant use. I just don't like the spatula fin funnel things and their bulky drum mounts, which IMO don't look good on gundam or any other mecha, and can't really be explained as an attachement over the aircraft's wings.

The fighter sketch looks close to the final armored design, with an extra giant gun. The gun itself is too alien for my tastes, but I'm sad that the idea of another gunpod for the armored pack was lost.

As for the head, it looks like you interpreted the lower jaw as a V. Will be interesting to see how it turns out because I see the sketch differently. My take is that it's either vertical cheeks only tapering on the x axis towards the front, or even ^ shaped where the lense parts just scallop out the peak. The lense would be smaller and temple/cheeks much wider, as well as the glass you have yet to or not planning to model bubble out and overhang the jaw. Not sure if that make's sense in text lol

[Seto Kaiba]

2 hours ago, PointBlankSniper said:

The fighter sketch looks close to the final armored design, with an extra giant gun. The gun itself is too alien for my tastes, but I'm sad that the idea of another gunpod for the armored pack was lost.

From the design, it looks like it became the BGP-02 beam gunpod used by the YF-27.

Kawamori almost never lets anything go to waste. 

[guyxxed]

 

I'm with you on excessive bulk.  I really like the super packs and how they enhance the shape of the plane and battroid while still working with the overall style of the designs.  I've never like the armor packs specifically because they tend to feel like they're trying to turn the plane into a different mech.  While that's a valid thing to do in setting (and, honestly, really IS what they are for), aesthetically it's never appealed to me, though I like the concept of modular add ons for capability enhancements.  It's why I both love the mission containers on the 31 and hate the wasted opportunity they represent.  😉 

4 hours ago, PointBlankSniper said:

As for the head, it looks like you interpreted the lower jaw as a V. Will be interesting to see how it turns out because I see the sketch differently. My take is that it's either vertical cheeks only tapering on the x axis towards the front, or even ^ shaped where the lense parts just scallop out the peak. The lense would be smaller and temple/cheeks much wider, as well as the glass you have yet to or not planning to model bubble out and overhang the jaw. Not sure if that make's sense in text lol

You're not wrong.  That head is really the prototype for the 25S and if you squint at it, that's the shape it was meant to be.  Like I said above, when I first saw it, it connected in my head to that 'underbite' feature on the F head and my brain spun off from there.  Having looked at what I came up with in 3D now, I think I'm backing off to more of a "Briareos from Appleseed" shape with mandibles than the V-shovel I came up with, though I think there are ways to make it work.  We'll see where it goes as i play with it.

 

2 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

Kawamori almost never lets anything go to waste. 

This is very true, and something I love about the man.  He never really gives up on an idea, just looks for a different place to use it.  Something to take inspriration from in my engineering life, I think.  😉