The Bird-Man Cometh

Veiled reference for the Macross Zero fans. I've definitely enjoyed building my first Macross transformable model. It's no Gundam, that's for sure. I think I have an idea of what people have gone through building the transformable Victory Gundam after doing this. Lot's of small pieces to accommodate the transforming mechanisms.

Truly an engineering masterpiece. I have found new respect for Macross Frontier mecha design.

Not done yet obviously but just wanted to show you all what I've been doing with my time recently.

VF-27, SV-52, ADF-01 and fuschia is not a real mans colour

Sorry this is going to be pretty dense. Take your time with this one.

Couple of things to say about this as I don't post about non Gundam related stuff that often. First I am a huge Macross fan. Second, I did NOT like Macross Frontier outside of the mecha designs. Third, I very much like the VF-27. Ngee Khiong did a very nice write up about this unit and it's (seemingly) technological predecessor the SV-51, which I actually like a bit more because it avoids a lot of the issues that I have with the VF-27's Gerwalk and Battroid modes. The SV-51 has problems of it's own but I'll outline all of these points later.

VF-27 first. Check it out.

Let's start with what I do like. Fighter mode. Love it. Looks great. Awesome. I think the wings are excessively angular (I prefer simpler lines. I'd cut the number of angles down by at least half) but over all I like it, especially the cock pit. As you can see there isn't a proper 'canopy'. It's enclosed, similar to the ADF-01 Falken type fighter from Ace Combat 5 and Zero (both great games for the record. Big Ace Combat fan here.)

Oh yeah. Falken.

Actually a bit more on the Falken because there are probably some correlations between the technology used in both fighters.

From the Ace Combat Wikia page.

It's most prominent feature other than forward-swept wings is what seems to be an armoured, glassless cockpit. This is actually a 360° celestial-spherical screen cockpit layout, giving the pilot an immense advantage in combat. Instead of a traditional glass canopy, the plane utilizes a prototype of the revolutionary Connection for Flight Interface (COFFIN) system, which is similar in effect to a one-way mirror or an extremely tinted window. The pilot can still see out, but no one can see in. This is achieved via a series of real-time hexagonal monitors and external cameras that transmit the visual data to the pilot. This also allows for the HUD and targets to also be displayed at all angles, where as a normal aircraft can only show targets and data on it's front HUD display. If a target were to leave that HUD on a normal plane, the pilot would only be able to see it's green targeting square. On the Falken however, the monitors and a powerful computer eliminate that problem.

And people ask me why I love mecha. Am I the only one here that thinks that's frickin' cool?!

Now as much as I love the VF-27, I do have a fair number of problems with it. 1. The head. Not really feeling those horn things. 2. The torso/stomach. It doesn't look very stable or strong. It looks way too exposed. Like a well place shot there would destroy the whole machine. Finally, I have major problems with the Gerwalk mode. Namely the unsightly gaps and jagged tail left behind when the legs fold down. Also look at the wings. How can such large wings (with a thruster attached to each one no less) be held aloft by such a small and flimsy hinge? Did I mention that the jagged tail at the end of the body really bugs me? It does. A lot.

Finally the colour. What is that? Fuschia? I can't abide that. This is a military vehicle! Granted my favourite MS is pink/fushia but... I can let it go because it is the God of Melee Combat. Even though I have the MG version of that MS, I am definitely planning a recolour job for it and no it won't be black and gold! haha

Now, this new Grace O'Connor use VF-27 solves a lot of my problems. New head (thank goodness) and a more subdued colour (making it easier to repaint should I be inclined to do so. Plus I don't hate the tan. More ARMY like). It doesn't solve any of the other design issues I have but... I think I can work around it.

Nice

Finally... I hesistate to try a recolour on a transformable model kit. The amount of chipping and breakage problems I've had on my Sinanju has been enough to deter me from attempting a similar task on this kit, should I decide to purchase it. I have Macross TOYS but I don't have a model. I PLAY with Macross things. I don't really spend time making them look nice. So... I'm more inclined to buy one of the transformable toys should they ever come out. At best... I'll do a decent lining/decal/top coat job on it and leave it at that. I'm seriously considering buying this. I might even get Michel's blue VF-25 while I'm at it because I'm hardcore like that and it's the only VF-25 version that I really like. No super pack or anything. Just the stock fighter.

Concerning the Sv-51, I don't have any of the problems that I mentioned with the VF-27. No jagged wing lines, no sharp tail section, no horns on the head. It seems more like a bird in the Gerwalk mode, I believe it's wings actually flap on occasion. This machine is a first generation transformable fighter prototype but in my opinion it remains one of the best. I do think it's odd that the design was scrapped until the emergence of the VF-27, 50 years later. The only problem I have with it is that it looks very structurally unstable. Like it could break apart at any moment. That said... I think it looks quite frightening sometimes. Like a real monster.

Digging the feet too.

With all this talk you might be asking... what will make this guy happy? Well not much really. There's only one real veritech fighter that I truly love and have almost no problems with and it's the VF-2 SS, a design so great that this site was created in worship of it.

Not so modern, but not so common either. What can I say. Sometimes I'm just a practical traditionalist when it comes to my mecha designs. The VF-1 is one of the top mecha designs EVER in ANYTHING in my opinion. It's hard to beat. The VF-2 improves upon it just enough for me.

Alright this post is getting on in length and I realize now that I could talk about this ad nauseam so let me stop here before I get into the the merits and demerits of the VF-11, YF-19 and YF-21 and the VF-22

Actually **** it. The VF-22 gets love from me so I'm going to showcase it a bit.

Look at those lines. Dayum playa...

Finally, the Falken gets one more last salute from me because it's that damn good.



This was my wallpaper for some time.

Question to the Macross fans. Best transformable fighter and why?

VF-25 Messiah (Super and Armored)

Struggling to use the American spelling of 'armor' but I'm going to try for this post.

While I'm not the biggest fan of Macross Frontier I do love the mecha designs. I think the VF-25 is a great plane. I don't particularly like the battroid mode but I love the Gerwalk and Fighter modes.

I was looking at the box for the Armored Messiah the other day and I was quite surprised at how big it is. I think if I ever bought one of these kits I'd just keep it in fighter mode most of the time. I have a Yamato VF-1S and it's in fighter mode almost all the time. I doubt I'll even buy one of these but they certainly are nice to look at.

Here are some pics.












1/72 scale.

I know a lot of you are Gundam fans but do you like Macross as well? If so which series do you like?

Dengeki Hobby vs. Hobby Japan

I'm starting to get agitated by this. Why is Dengeki Hobby so much cooler than Hobby Japan? FA MG Unicorn vs. Armoured Messiah? I know which one I'd rather see. Seriously... that FA Unicorn has got to be one of the coolest models I've seen in a long time.

Don't get me wrong I love the Armoured Messiah as well but... I just feel that Dengeki Hobby is a better magazine. Higher caliber of models and execution, better photos...

Did I get a subscrition to the wrong magazine? It certainly is looking that way. I do like the Gunpura LOVE sections in Hobby Japan though. And the FIX lineart posters... Oh well. Maybe I should have just gotten a subscription to both of them!

Winner of the Pink Nakajima Megumi Custom Messiah trade Contest and Michael's VF-25G

I thought that I posted this but I guess I didn't.

You may remember a while ago I was talking about an all pink Messiah made for Nakajima Megumi and how it was going to be part of a 'trade' contest.

Well here is a pic of the winner. So Miss Nakajima gets this one and the modeller gets her one-of-a-kind pink one made by the Hobby Japan Pro-Shop.

Personally I like this one better and I can see why they chose it. It really is a great paint job!

On another note I'm starting to think that all this Macross Frontier stuff is starting to get a bit out of control. All the custom decals, the new kits (that are basically all the same), the upgrades, the custom stands... I mean... yeah the mecha design is great but that doesn't change the fact that the anime itself was... OK I'm not going to say it because I don't want to offend anyone but there were some parts where I thought, "...ugh... could I have that part of my life back? So I could waste it on something that wouldn't make me want to throw up?"

That said... there were some really cool mecha designs that did make those stomach churning parts bearable and to me the scenes featuring this blue Messiah were quite eye catching. Of all the VF-25's I like this one the best and I was seriously thinking about buying it but... yeah... I don't like it that much and these VF-25 kits are quite demanding to say the least. Still though... it sure is nice... and it would go well with the VF-1S that I have here already... and I've never made a Macross model before (not completed at least) ugh...

So much beautiful plamo but so little time. And space :(

VF-25 Messiah - Weathered with battle damage

001
Originally uploaded by Busterbeam

I don’t blog much about Macross. Hardly ever actually but I think this is one piece that is definitely worth sharing. The weathering job on this was just supremely done.

One thing I noticed is that he changed the colours of the head to match the plane’s body so it kind of blends in more. It looks more like a regular jet than a transforming machine. I’d go one step further and say unless you knew what Macross was about it’d be hard to tell that this plane even changes shape, outside of the wings folding back.

This is in effect, “controlled chaos”. Making it look like your machine has gone through hell actually takes an extremely deft hand.

This is my favourite VF-25 model that I’ve seen so far with the one below not far behind.


The mecha design in Macross F is amazing but the story… well you can decide for yourselves.

More of both at my Flickr.

And thank you for looking at my blog. Here is some candy.


Yes. This is a promo for an adult video.

VF-25 Messiah - Nakajima Megumi custom

Continuing with the theme of real life Japanese female entertainers and pink mechs...

Ranka Lee's voice actor, Megumi Nakajima recently had a contest sponsored by Hobby Japan. Apparently she designed a custom scheme for the VF-25 from Macross Frontier and the folks at Hobby Japan built it for her. The contest is a trade!

Scan courtesy of Tokyo Hunter. I read all of this a while ago in my own Hobby Japan but he's already gone through the trouble of scanning the image already, saving me the trouble. I find this way to be more efficient than scanning it myself. There's always someone on the internet that's beaten me to the punch. Most of the time at least.

Participants can win her custom designed VF-25 by sending in one of their own! Participants are to send pictures of their own VF-25's to Hobby Japan which will then be judged by Megumi and some of the Hobby Japan staff. The winner then gets to trade for this one.

What do you folks think? Does this sound like a fun contest to you? I'm not sure if I want a pink Messiah but maybe if I were a fan of Megumi's I would? And giving away a model that I spent so much time to build? Well trading... but even still... I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm not sure if I could do it. It would be a nice souvenir. Maybe if she made it herself...

And another thing... I know these women are very pretty and feminine and want to express that when asked about what they want their mechs to look like but... really... does it ALWAYS have to be ALL PINK?! Surely there are some other feminine colours.... Hell even a little bit of white tossed in there... Anyone remember Lacus Clyne's Zaku? Or even Strike Rouge for that matter.

Oh well. Here are some more pics of the young woman in question. And I do mean young. Only 19 years old!

*grumbles* I was young once! *shuffles away with cane and corn cob pipe* *sits in his rocking chair and carves a small Gundam statue out of wood*

She seems very... pleasant.