Arcadia YF-19 coming in 2014

[mechaninac]

All of HLJ's contact information can be found here.

Mommar, Kicker, I really hope you guys can get this whole mess sorted out.

[Graham]

Am looking into possibility to get replacement wings for the two of you with broken wings. Small chance, but stay tuned.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Forgive my cynical nature but I don't put much faith in "hope." I'd rather use this thing for batting practice if I'm stuck with it.

hope

Am looking into possibility to get replacement wings for the two of you with broken wings. Small chance, but stay tuned.

you're awesome

[Mommar]

Oh hell, I rattled the cage so loud it brought Graham out of hiding. lol Thank you.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Mommar

[VF-19]

Got mine today. Also got hit by Canada customs for $47cdn.

No time to play with it as I'm heading out but quick look through the window shows nothing broken. Go hlj!

Damnit, don't dash my hopes like that!!! Mine will be here sometime this afternoon.

[wm cheng]

Got mine today. Also got hit by Canada customs for $47cdn.

No time to play with it as I'm heading out but quick look through the window shows nothing broken. Go hlj!

Sorry about your customs charge... been there, done that! I really bothers me this extra levy we have to pay as Canadians. What did the government do to deserve this extra payment, if anything, they made it harder for us to obtain this toy - God forbid that there's no French on the Arcadia box?!

Damnit, don't dash my hopes like that!!! Mine will be here sometime this afternoon.

Yep, that's why I go with Nippon Yasan now, its a little more 1,500Y ($15cdn) for the YF-19, but you save on the customs/duties when it arrives - I'd rather pay the store helping me get the toy than the government making it harder to buy these things for me.

So sorry to hear about the problems Mommar & Kicker... its every collector's worst nightmare, I really hope you get it resolved.

[takatoys]

Am looking into possibility to get replacement wings for the two of you with broken wings. Small chance, but stay tuned.

Good luck Graham!

Sucks when you have a broken wing on a 300 dollar toy knowing there is a bunch of spares at the factory.

Mine is coming from Nippon Yassan, fingers crossed.

[Reïvaj]

Am looking into possibility to get replacement wings for the two of you with broken wings. Small chance, but stay tuned.

I knew Graham would return to save us! He did it once for me!

[Mommar]

So how many of us have had real problems with the toy so far? Kicker and I had the most spectacular issues with the broken Left wings. There were some shoulder issues as well?

[recon]

Sorry about your customs charge... been there, done that! I really bothers me this extra levy we have to pay as Canadians. What did the government do to deserve this extra payment, if anything, they made it harder for us to obtain this toy - God forbid that there's no French on the Arcadia box?!

Yep, that's why I go with Nippon Yasan now, its a little more 1,500Y ($15cdn) for the YF-19, but you save on the customs/duties when it arrives - I'd rather pay the store helping me get the toy than the government making it harder to buy these things for me.

So sorry to hear about the problems Mommar & Kicker... its every collector's worst nightmare, I really hope you get it resolved.

The same applies to me with having to go the NY route to avoid custom taxes since amiami and hlj declare the full value

Sorry to hear abt the issues mommar and kicker, as much as im looking forward to getting mine, i do at the same time feel abit queasy about the isolated issues and am praying and hoping that mine will be free from any issues

Edited April 3, 2014 by recon

[Mommar]

Ok, good news (yay!):

Non-closing chest flap is 98% fixed. It was mostly excess glue, at the front of the "well" where that flap lies. Very hard to sand down in there, but got it darn-near flush now. (I did sand a little around the hinges themselves--that improved both flaps a smidge)

So it was excess glue just like on mine. What did you use to remove it? There's glue all over the exposed part of the YF-19 in front of that "well" on mine.

[Mommar]

Take... these broken wings.... and learn to fly again... learn to live so free...

I'm perfectly fine with this joke... provided you finish that VF-1 you've been working on.

[VF-19]

Sorry about your customs charge... been there, done that! I really bothers me this extra levy we have to pay as Canadians. What did the government do to deserve this extra payment, if anything, they made it harder for us to obtain this toy - God forbid that there's no French on the Arcadia box?!

Yep, that's why I go with Nippon Yasan now, its a little more 1,500Y ($15cdn) for the YF-19, but you save on the customs/duties when it arrives - I'd rather pay the store helping me get the toy than the government making it harder to buy these things for me.

So sorry to hear about the problems Mommar & Kicker... its every collector's worst nightmare, I really hope you get it resolved.

Aside from the $10 handling fee, it's just the sales taxes you would have to pay if you bought it in a local store. At least we're not being charged duities on top of the taxes. Given how often they miss me, I don't mind paying every now and again.

Also, in going with HLJ, I know they're going to do me right should something be wrong with my YF-19.

[Dangard Ace]

Sorry about your customs charge... been there, done that! I really bothers me this extra levy we have to pay as Canadians. What did the government do to deserve this extra payment, if anything, they made it harder for us to obtain this toy - God forbid that there's no French on the Arcadia box?!

Yep, that's why I go with Nippon Yasan now, its a little more 1,500Y ($15cdn) for the YF-19, but you save on the customs/duties when it arrives - I'd rather pay the store helping me get the toy than the government making it harder to buy these things for me.

So sorry to hear about the problems Mommar & Kicker... its every collector's worst nightmare, I really hope you get it resolved.

Yeah, normally I buy at NY but HLJ had that Black Friday price that was too good to pass. Thankfully that BF savings more then covered the customs charge.

[eggy99]

Man all this bad news about the YF-19. I'm hoping you guys can sort it out.

I checked out 2nd one from HLJ and it was fine.

Okay there been no pics in a while. Time to lighten up the mood.

Here is my 2nd one compared to the VF-1A and VF-25A.

I was showing my wife how small the VF-1 is and she said, "isn't the small one better, because it's a smaller target?", which is true, but I told her the YF-19 is a much more powerful fighter.

I wonder what Isamu would be able to do in a VF-1A?

[anime52k8]

I just live in America and don't have to worry about such things.

BTW, be careful with the hinged panel that bridges between the stomach of the mech and the underside of the nose cone in battroid mode. The two thin folding panels on the sides are REALLY thin and snag easily. I already bent one of them out of shape and stress-marked the crap out of it. now it doesn't quite line up correctly in fighter mode but I don't want to try and bend it back to the correct shape just in case it ends up snapping off entirely.

[Mommar]

I just live in America and don't have to worry about such things.

BTW, be careful with the hinged panel that bridges between the stomach of the mech and the underside of the nose cone in battroid mode. The two thin folding panels on the sides are REALLY thin and snag easily. I already bent one of them out of shape and stress-marked the crap out of it. now it doesn't quite line up correctly in fighter mode but I don't want to try and bend it back to the correct shape just in case it ends up snapping off entirely.

Yeah, my review complained about those parts.

[wm cheng]

Aside from the $10 handling fee, it's just the sales taxes you would have to pay if you bought it in a local store. At least we're not being charged duities on top of the taxes. Given how often they miss me, I don't mind paying every now and again.

Also, in going with HLJ, I know they're going to do me right should something be wrong with my YF-19.

You lucky duck! They NEVER miss me...

Yeah, normally I buy at NY but HLJ had that Black Friday price that was too good to pass. Thankfully that BF savings more then covered the customs charge.

You EVEN LUCKIER DUCK!!! that you got in on that deal...

[VF-19]

Mine arrived, and it looks A-OK! Somebody was paying attention at Canada Customs, however...

EDIT:

I too got mine at the Black Friday Price. Last time Canada Customs missed me it was for the VF-4! I was a happy person, to say the least.

Edited April 3, 2014 by VF-19

[eriku]

I wonder what Isamu would be able to do in a VF-1A?

Push it far past its limits and completely destroy it.

[anime52k8]

Yeah, my review complained about those parts.

But on mine the parts lined up perfectly until one of them snagged on something during transformation and got bet horribly. the other one is still perfectly fine. Also all the landing gear doors line up fine, the toso locks together really securely, the little flaps on either side of the head lay flush, and one of the triangular screw covers on the arms lines up perfectly and fits into the arm almost seamlessly. (admittedly the other one wasn't glued on at all and fell off into my hand the first time I lifted the toy out of the tray, but that's an easy thing to fix).

BTW, has anyone complained yet about how the top half of the gunpod is missing the the 5 vent slits on either side, making it not-screen-acurate to the Macross plus version of the GU-15?

Edited April 3, 2014 by anime52k8

[Mommar]

But on mine the parts lined up perfectly until one of them snagged on something during transformation and got bet horribly. the other one is still perfectly fine. Also all the landing gear doors line up fine, the toso locks together really securely, the little flaps on either side of the head lay flush, and one of the triangular screw covers on the arms lines up perfectly and fits into the arm almost seamlessly. (admittedly the other one wasn't glued on at all and fell off into my hand the first time I lifted the toy out of the tray, but that's an easy thing to fix).

BTW, has anyone complained yet about how the top half of the gunpod is missing the the 5 vent slits on either side, making it not-screen-acurate to the Macross plus version of the GU-15?

Did they reuse the top half of the mold from the VF-19's? I hadn't even checked that stuff yet. I did complain that it isn't that color right up there.

[jvmacross]

Sorry about your customs charge... been there, done that! I really bothers me this extra levy we have to pay as Canadians. What did the government do to deserve this extra payment, if anything, they made it harder for us to obtain this toy - God forbid that there's no French on the Arcadia box?!

Yep, that's why I go with Nippon Yasan now, its a little more 1,500Y ($15cdn) for the YF-19, but you save on the customs/duties when it arrives - I'd rather pay the store helping me get the toy than the government making it harder to buy these things for me.

So sorry to hear about the problems Mommar & Kicker... its every collector's worst nightmare, I really hope you get it resolved.

Guess you Canadians have it really bad.....if you do full disclosure on package value...you get hit harder on the import tax.....if you under-disclose the value and the item is either lost, damaged or stolen.....you would be limited to the declared value in terms of compensation.....

First world problems....

[Reïvaj]

[...]

BTW, has anyone complained yet about how the top half of the gunpod is missing the the 5 vent slits on either side, making it not-screen-acurate to the Macross plus version of the GU-15?

I don't think anybody complained about that until you. I wonder what made Arcadia overlook that detail, it's so obvious and it would've been so easy to modify...

[Mommar]

You would think it was obvious but we all saw the gunpod in pre-production and none of us ever brought up that point.

[wm cheng]

Guess you Canadians have it really bad.....if you do full disclosure on package value...you get hit harder on the import tax.....if you under-disclose the value and the item is either lost, damaged or stolen.....you would be limited to the declared value in terms of compensation.....

First world problems....

What adds salt to the wound is that everything is so much more in Canada. The same item at Amazon.ca is often 100% to 200% more than the equivalent item at Amazon.com. The BMW M3 is $30K more in Canada than its US counterpart and that's before the taxes and fees. Even with the recent Canadian dollar at parity with the US for the last few years, we've still seen these horrible disparities, and as soon as our dollar loses 10 cents in the last year, the disparities get even bigger. I just feel like we're getting gouged every which way - and being Canadians, we're too polite to complain about it. We just got hit with a 40% hike in our gas heating bill (government approved) - I can't think of any other country around the world that would just sit idly by a 40% hike. ... argh, off my soapbox!

Back to topic... I can't believe that this gunpod detail was overlooked! Seems like a good candidate for a 3D print by someone here on these boards... just like waterslide decals anyone?

[Mommar]

What adds salt to the wound is that everything is so much more in Canada. The same item at Amazon.ca is often 100% to 200% more than the equivalent item at Amazon.com. The BMW M3 is $30K more in Canada than its US counterpart and that's before the taxes and fees. Even with the recent Canadian dollar at parity with the US for the last few years, we've still seen these horrible disparities, and as soon as our dollar loses 10 cents in the last year, the disparities get even bigger. I just feel like we're getting gouged every which way - and being Canadians, we're too polite to complain about it. We just got hit with a 40% hike in our gas heating bill (government approved) - I can't think of any other country around the world that would just sit idly by a 40% hike. ... argh, off my soapbox!

Back to topic... I can't believe that this gunpod detail was overlooked! Seems like a good candidate for a 3D print by someone here on these boards... just like waterslide decals anyone?

I am wondering if the silly transformation gimmick to get the gunpod to fit underneath in fighter would be adversely affected by those slits?

[Gakken85]

Blame canada! Blame canada!

[Reïvaj]

You would think it was obvious but we all saw the gunpod in pre-production and none of us ever brought up that point.

I meant to them.

I am wondering if the silly transformation gimmick to get the gunpod to fit underneath in fighter would be adversely affected by those slits?

And now you mention this, I remember someone suggesting that in a Japanese blog.

[Deadeye_281]

You lucky duck! They NEVER miss me...

You EVEN LUCKIER DUCK!!! that you got in on that deal...

Got mine today. Got ass f$&/ed by customs. $47 CDN extra in import fees. At least I got in on HLJs Black Friday sale and the Valk is pristine but man... I don't know how some of you guys can afford multiples of 1 Valk type. And I thought Harley parts were costly LoL!

[SuperSenpai]

What adds salt to the wound is that everything is so much more in Canada. The same item at Amazon.ca is often 100% to 200% more than the equivalent item at Amazon.com. The BMW M3 is $30K more in Canada than its US counterpart and that's before the taxes and fees. Even with the recent Canadian dollar at parity with the US for the last few years, we've still seen these horrible disparities, and as soon as our dollar loses 10 cents in the last year, the disparities get even bigger. I just feel like we're getting gouged every which way - and being Canadians, we're too polite to complain about it. We just got hit with a 40% hike in our gas heating bill (government approved) - I can't think of any other country around the world that would just sit idly by a 40% hike. ... argh, off my soapbox!

Back to topic... I can't believe that this gunpod detail was overlooked! Seems like a good candidate for a 3D print by someone here on these boards... just like waterslide decals anyone?

Well, at least you get government-funded health care right?

Edited April 3, 2014 by SuperSenpai

[bforbryan]

Exactly. Mine was delivered to my office and the postman was waiting for me with a Visa/Debit machine.. The smile remained though I can't wait to go home! Should I take a half day?

EDIT: No more Amiami.. HLJ or Nippon-yasan (even with higher shipping, I still save on taxes)

Edited April 3, 2014 by bforbryan

[VF-19]

Blame canada! Blame canada!

With all their hockey hullabaloo

And that $*%#* Anne Murray, too

[Dangard Ace]

With all their hockey hullabaloo

And that $*%#* Anne Murray, too

Hey they made the bet, they get to keep Beiber.

[VF-19]

Ok, after transforming it battroid and back, some impressions.

1) My copy is incredibly stiff, to the point where I want to put a tiny amount of lube in the die cast parts and loosen some screws

2) POINTY! While I haven't cut myself on it (VF-19S I'm looking at you), I did poke myself a little bit

3)The positioning of the arms in fighter mode is a bit finicky. If you don't have them in exactly the right spot, the YF-19 won't lock together.

4) Isamu's head does indeed rotate, but I would use a bit of caution when doing so. I wouldn't want the headless horseman flying my YF-19!

5) The button to swivel the legs is incredibly tiny and very difficult to push when transforming back into fighter.

Overall, it's clear they used the transformation of the VF-19 series of toys as a starting point, and there's tons of similarities in the transformation scheme. Do I like it? Yes, yes I do. Is it better than Yamato's YF-19? Yes! Is it better than the VF-19 series? I'd say they're equal, with a few exceptions.