Well it only took 28 years but I finally got a BETA fighter to add to my Robotech collection and I am happy to report it is as awesome as you we have been led to believe.

Robotech was a multi-generational animated saga that documented the “Robotech Wars” and originally aired in 1985. Robotech used three different and un-related Japanese animated series re-edited and re-purposed for American audiences at the time. The Beta Fighter shown here is from the final arc, The New Generation, also known as Mospeada in Japan.

From Robotech.com:

“The Veritech Beta Fighter was developed as a heavily armed and armored booster system for the Alpha fighter to extend its range in space, as well providing the ability to reach orbit from the surface. The fighter can operate from the Horizon dropship when joined with an Alpha fighter. Besides operating as a large fuel tank for the space Alpha-Beta combination, it allows for high thrust capabilities for an Alpha Battloid for high maneuverability in close combat, in addition to augmenting the Alpha's missile load, and carrying a formidable weapons capability when operating independently.

Without the attached Alpha fighter, the Beta fighter relies on its excessive thrust to overcome its non-aerodynamic shape in an atmosphere. Its true power comes in Battloid mode, where an impressive amount of firepower is available for heavy assault.”

Robotech and Mospeada fans have been wanting a Beta fighter for a very, very long time. Matchbox imported many of the original Japanese toys from the various shows (as well as producing original pieces) under the Robotech banner and the Gakeen-made Alpha fighters where released stateside. Disappointingly no Beta ever showed up on shelves in 1985/1986. I found out years later as an Adult collector Gakeen designed a BETA fighter and even produced a handful of test pieces but they went belly-up before they could produce it.

Flash forward to now and Toynami has made our fan-boy dreams come true with a 1/55 scale Beta to attach their previously released 1/55 scale Alpha fighters. The Blue and Red have already been reviewed by Dan and Josh and now I finally get my hands on one.

The Beta fighter or the VFB-91 (in nerdspeak) is the third release in the Beta Masterpiece Collection. Which means it comes in Toynami's book-style packaging. This allows you to take the piece out and keep the Mint-In-Box look when you store it. Just like the toy the box is huge!

The first thing you notice when you get it out of the box is the sheer size and weight of the piece. It's enormous. In Battloid mode it stands over 12 inches tall and weighs over 2 pounds.

All the arm and leg joints are ratcheted and so "click" when moved. Us toy-nerds do love us some "clickity-click."

Since the red and green Beta fighters never transformed into Battloid mode in the show, Toynami had to design original heads for these releases and they opted to design them to match their Alpha counterpart. The shape of the Alpha's 'eye" is retained but there is no head fin.

Paint detail is fantastic with no under or over-spray anywhere and the chest compartments open to reveal banks of missiles. It doesn't do much else but with a piece like this, it's more about the sheer size and presence on the shelf than gimmicks.

Guardian Mode is probably my least favorite on the Beta fighter. See the Beta fighter was not part of the original design and was thought up as an afterthought and kind of mashed together late in the design stages. And so, while it looks good in Fighter and Battloid mode, Guardian just seems a bit of an afterthought.

But with that said it holds this form just fine on the shelf. However if you pick it up and try to fly it around the room (Don't roll your eyes- we know you do it...) the weight of the lower legs makes the legs droop down as these are die cast metal where the rest is plastic.

It is not a big deal as I really won't be displaying it in this mode. Plus it's more of a nitpick then a genuine complaint.

Fighter mode is where it looks best in my opinion. I don't know why but I really like the flying brick aesthetic of the fighter. Everything locks in and sits where it is supposed too. No loose, dangling or floppy parts here.

My one complaint about Toynami's release is the landing gear. Instead of the landing ear folding into the fighter when not used you have to remove them. Yep the landing gear just plugs into the fighter when you need it. It's not a big deal but I am finding that having to keep track of parts keeps me from wanting to pick it up and fiddle with it more.

It's not a huge deal but if Toynami where taking a pole I would have voted for gear that folds into the fighter instead of part swapping.

Toynami also includes a removable pilot figure but like many tiny pilot figures the paint and sculpt detail doesn't really hold up to close inspection. It's all a bit “soft' and sloppy. From a distance it's not a problem.

So as huge and impressive the stand alone Beta fighter is, we as fans of Robotech are more interested in how well it docks to the Alpha fighter. Well I'm happy to report, it's all good.

While again this involves part swapping, it doesn't bother me as much as swapping out the landing gear. There is a white arm that cups the fighter and then slides into the beta fighter. Once in you can attach the combined form to the provided stand.

It sound like it wouldn't work it does. The fighter sits nice and tight but I wouldn't recommend doing barrel rolls with it.

You can do the same with the Alpha fighter in Battloid mode. Toynami includes a second arm to attach it int his mode. The arm cups the bottom of the crotch and leaves a hole for the nosecone to fit in. Once again you can attach this combined form to the provided stand

Again, it hold the Alpha part in well but I wouldn't recommend doing a barrel role with it.

Despite a couple of nitpicks it is a really nice piece and a fan boy's dream made real. While many know the Alpha fighters where plagued with QC issues the Beta makes it all worth while. The fit and finish is fantastic and the materials all feel top notch. Toynami has done a real nice job delivering a solid, long-desired collectible.

Get one while you still can because when these are gone they are GONE. If you where ever a Robotech or Mospeada fan you will kick yourself for missing out.

Robotech to the rescue! in more ways than one. Like rescuing your wallet! We are going to have to name George Sohn the "Home Run Kid" if this keeps up.

I want to start this review by stating to you, the reader, that I don't want to be repetitive in my review of Toynami's Masterpiece Cyclone Volume 1. It is exactly like Beagle's Mospeada ride armor that was reviewed by fellow CollectionDX member, Atom a couple weeks ago. You can check out his brilliantly written full review with video HERE. Or you can scroll down the page to the attached video of the Beagle/Toynami ride armor.

In this review I am going to show mostly pictures as well as briefly discuss the differences between Toynami's and Beagle's versions. I hate to disappoint people but......the only difference is the packaging and the head sculpt. Yup, that's it folks.

Now, I know what your thinking, you may think that Toynami just took the Beagle ride armor and changed the head, repackaged it and called it a day. Well, you would be wrong! Let me explain. The toy is actually a joint venture between Beagle and Toynami. George Sohn, the president of Toynami actually helped with the design and production costs. So you see, this is an actual Toynami product as well as a Beagle product.

Starting off, we have Toynami's phenomenal packaging shown below. The really cool thing is that like the Masterpiece Beta, what is inside the package is actually worthy of the elaborate packaging! It's really hard not to appreciate Toynami's great packaging. Check out the artwork that's expertly done by Tommy Yune on the outside of the book style case. I also really love the certificate of authenticity, its a very nice touch. The certificate gives you a sense of pride knowing that you have a very limited edition toy, 1 of only 3,000 to be exact.

With the impending release of Waves new Destroid model kits I thought I would go back and revisit an old favorite and reevaluate the 1/100 Destroid Defender "Angel Face" kit and see if our little fork-toed friend still holds up to today’s modeling standards.

Destroid Defender "Angel Face" 1/100 Arii

The Destroid Defender was one of five different styles of non-variable battle robots that were used throughout the 1982 anime series Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. The Destroid Defender was very much a walking anti-aircraft gun platform, armed with four cannons and operated by a single driver. Although they heroically put up a good fight against the Zentradi, the slow moving and bulky Destroids usually became one of the series “cannon fodder” mechas. Regardless, they are affectionately remembered and have a cult following by Macross fans.

I have always concluded the Arii’s 1/100 Destroid model kits from Macross were much better tooled and sculpted than the Valkyrie kits from the same line. With the impending release of Waves new Destroid model kits I thought I would go back and revisit an old favorite and reevaluate the 1/100 Destroid Defender kit and see if it still holds up to today’s modeling standards.

I had only build Imai excellent 1/72 Destroid Defender model kit when I was younger, and missed out on building Arii’s 1/100 Defender kit. I picked up my Defender from a dealer at Macross Con ’08 for $5.00, but they have been reissued periodically since they were originally released back in 1982 and can still be found under $10.00. This kit is comes in a reissue box from the 1990’s and although box art looks decent, I definitely prefer the original oil painting style illustrated boxes from the first release.

The Arii 1/100 Destroid Defender kit includes: 2x Dark Tan sprue, 1x polycap, 1x full color instructions, 1x caution sheet. There are no options. This kit does not come with any clear parts.

I have taken for granted the statement “…the model kit has sharp details…” that I forgot what a model kit looks like with soft details. The details of this kit are very soft and rounded, and not sharp at all, unlike a current Fine-Molds or Tamiya kit. I have always likened the Destroids to tanks and accordingly I am used to those types of details for a tank type kit.

When these Arii kits first came out they broke the previous record of number of units sold, beating the previous record that had been held by Gundam kits when they first were released a few years earlier. Nearly 30 years later these Macross molds are still being used and the wear of the molds on these kits are starting to show. Make sure you have a lot of green putty because the fit is terrible, especially on the body, lower legs and where the gun barrels attach to the upper arms. Most of the time spent building this kit was filling up all the gaps with green putty and Mr. Surfacer 500. I also boxed in the arm pivot area with some thin sheet styrene to close up the gap and make it less toy looking.

The good feature about this kit is that you are not committed to putting all the main parts together until you are finished building the kit. This helps with the ease of painting, decaling and finishing. The separated parts include the arms, legs, waist, body and radar. They easily snap in and out of place due to the polycaps. I wish that Arii did this for the feet as well, but as is, it is fine with me.

By far the worst engineering in this kit is the bottom leg section. It is nearly impossible to fill and shape the gaps in the front and back of the lower leg. Also they expect the modeler to chisel out the middle section of the front of the leg leaving only the small corner “L” shaped edges on the leg. I knew something looked wrong and it was too late before I figured it out. Why Arii just did not make it smooth with eight small “L” shaped parts to glue to the leg is beyond me as it is considerably more dangerous to allow a kid to chisel out that part with and Xacto-Knife than to just have eight small parts. The rear ankle parts had open holes, which I boxed in to get a solid look.

Gluing the barrels to the upper arm did not go to well either and after applying layers of green putty and Mr. Surfacer I was able to get a good fit. The front sensor part also had some difficulty. Molded in two halves (Parts 18 & 19), when glued it presents itself with a seam that is impossible to fill without damaging the surrounding area. I decided to glue some thin sheet styrene over the gaps. The result is great but it took a considerable amount of time to accomplish that goal. I also suggest not gluing the completed sensor part until the last step after painting and applying the decals as it would be impossible to mask off the ammunition box parts as it is a small area to work with. You will be glad you did.

The real shame of this kit is not including any clear parts. These parts should include the clear sensor covering, the two headlights and the knee lights. A red clear senor gem should have also been included. The senor cover should cover the red and black part on the “nose”. The headlights should be painted white or silver and knee sensors are represented as decals. A red gem could be scratched build and would great improve the look of the kit.

I have made some effort this year to improve my weathering technique and though the Defender would be a good platform to experiment with. As an undercoat I painted Tamiya German Grey around the panels and raised areas and painted Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow as the overall base coat. Tamiya Green Khaki was used for the ammunition boxes and Testors dark Gull Grey was used in lower knee area then sprayed Testors gloss coat for decals.

When I first saw the decal sheet I though the decals were junk. They were very frosty looking, the details were not sharp and even the sheet was not cut correctly. Surprisingly they were some of the best decals I have ever worked with although one cannot read the words on the stencils. Unfortunately the decal placement was very vague in the instructions but luckily enough I was able to go back to my old Imai Defender kit and use the resources at Macrossworld.con to get the decals in the right places. One cool decal that the kit came with was some pin-up art for the Destroid named “Angel Face”. It is suppose to be placed on the left toe, but I moved it up to the lower leg for better display. Over all I love the WWII tank feel with the decals such as the pin-up art, geometric codes on the back, “V” ammunition box codes and stencil serial numbers.

One complaint I have read about the kit is the application of the while leg stencils. The upper leg stencils after being cut in half presents no problem when applying but the lower leg stencils have to set on a high contour raised area. Believe it or not I got it to set with Solve-set a high concentration decal setting solution I picked up at the local hobby shop. It took a while and I had to work with it but I got all four stencils around the contour with no major problems. The finished product looks great and I highly suggest picking up a bottle of Solve-set for your modeling supplies.

After spraying a coat of flat coat, I applied a wash of Winston oil paints of Lamp Black and Burnt Umber. I dry brushed a lighter tan for the raised areas. Most importantly this was the first time I used MIG weather products from Spain. I wanted to represent a Destroid Defender from after the Battle of Mars in episode 7: Bye-Bye Mars. MIG products is a weathering systems of paints and washes developed by a Spanish modeler named Mig Jimenez http://www.migproductions.com/index.htm that has very much taken the military modeling community by storm by introducing some unique products to modelers.

I bought Europe Dust P028 a powdery substance that is mixed together with MIG Thinner for washes. When the two products are mixed together it produces a thick muddy substance. The mud is then applied to the model with a brush, and when the thinner evaporates a very realistic mud coating is left on the kit. I only used it in the lower leg and feet area and other places where Martian mud would settle. It is going to take some mastering but I think these MIG products have a lot of potential for Sci-fi modelers. I finally airbrushed some black in the gun barrel tips and other assorted areas and sprayed another flat coat over the kit again seal it completely.

What do I think of this kit? At first I was quite disappointed with the kit with its soft details, lack of clear parts, ill fitting parts and the many problems with the lower leg area. But after I painted, decaled and weathered it, the Destroid kind of came into its own. The raised details weather quite well and the small details such as the pin-up art make this an interesting kit. The Arii Defender kit does stand a bit stocky for my taste but overall I am quite pleased with the kit.

The real question is how much time do you want top spent on fixing a $5-$10 model kit? I only did some minor improvements but a modeling expert could make this a stand out kit. And for $5.00 it is cheap enough for a beginner modeler to have some fun, and the overall one color is great for modeler who uses spray cans. Yes this is an old kit, but unlike the Arii’s Valkyrie kits, with some elbow grease this kit still has little life left in it for the Macross modeler.

© 2009 Article and pictures by Leonardo Flores and Collection DX.

Although not completely without fault, Matchbox’s Spartas / Veritech Hover Tank vehicle accessory for their Robotech 3 3/4 action figure line unintentionally created a classic toy that previously had not been made in Japan.

Spartas/ Veritech Hover Tank

Although not completely without fault, Matchbox’s Spartas / Veritech Hover Tank
vehicle accessory for their Robotech 3 3/4 action figure line unintentionally created a classic toy that previously had not been made in Japan.

I say “unintentionally” as didn’t anybody at Matchbox know that the Robotech Masters portion of Robotech is considered the most unpopular portion of the series? At the time if you were to ask the kids what vehicles from Robotech would they have liked to seen manufactured, I am sure the Spartas would not even make the top ten list, being in queue behind Valkyries, Alphas, Cyclones, Ajax’s, Betas, Monsters etc.

Don’t get me wrong, I will never forget the day when it switched over from Macross to Southern Cross and how upset I was about it. But as I watched it I learned to appreciate Robotech Masters for its colorful ensemble cast of characters, noble armor designs and unique vehicles that are quite unlike anything in any other anime.

I really do not have the “Hate Robotech” paranoia that most people have these days as Robotech was life shaping event for me in my youth that led me to appreciate foreign films and led to my own filmmaking goals. Although today I suggest people watch the originals versions first, I personally like both versions very much for their own reasons. But in 1985 there was nothing more exciting than running home from elementary school and barely catching the opening credits at 3:00pm on KCOP Channel 13.

What deeply fascinated me about Southern Cross was the lead vehicle known as the Veritech Hover Tank in Robotech Masters and The Spartas in the original anime Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross. For some reason I always felt at the time there was never a clear shot of the Spartas in the anime. The open cockpit hover tank reminded me of some fantasy Roman chariot, the siege gun Gerwalk mode seems to be one of the most practical Gerwalk modes ever and the cyclops eyed Battle Sniper robot mode always appeared to hold their own against the invading Zor army. The personal armor of the pilot also added an extra dimension to the Spartas system itself and some of the most moving images in Southern Cross is Jeanne / Dana driving her Spartas with her winged helmet on.

When Matchbox decided to release a scaled variable version of the Veritech Hover Tank for their 3 ¾ action figure line, I asked and received one for Christmas. I always thought that the transformation of the Sparta was mysterious and one of the main contributing factors for wanting this when I did was just so I can see how the Spartas transformed.

The Matchbox Veritech Hover Tank includes: 1x Tank, 1x sticker sheet, 1x cannon, 1x instructions, 1x fan club information. It is suggested to purchase the Dana Sterling figure, which was sold separately to complete the set.

The Spartas was the only Matchbox made 3 ¾ vehicles that actually transformed. Unfortunately it only transforms to two modes, the Battle Sniper robot mode to the Walking Cannon Gerwalk mode. What is so frustrating is that it is so close to turning into the Sniping Clapper Hover Tank mode. I am sure some customizer has already remanufactured a full transforming version as it would not be too difficult if one had the right skills: Redesign the waist to completely revolve the legs under the body, make the feet snap closed and cut off and scratch build the hover jets themselves. The seat would also need to rotate.

A new scratch built cannon would also need to be made, as the correct rifle is not included. Matchbox has one disconnecting the main cannon from the arm and inserting it with a flip out peg in the Spartas’ hand. I do like the three-barrel machine gun on the other arm fairing that comes out in the Gerwalk mode.

Transforming the tank is quite easy, flip out the arms and slide them into the grooves in the body, flip back the back half of the body and allow the head to move through the door. Straighten out the legs a flip out the hands. The main gun disconnects and with a flip out latch pegs into the hand, although that is the wrong type of gun and not anime correct.

The articulation has begun to show its age compared to what is being made today as it is very bulky and has very basic movements. The weakest point being the elbows that only pivot in, meaning if you would like to aim the gun forward, the entire arm needs to be raised. The head does not rotate.

The Jeanne / Dana figure is a must own accessory for the Sparta. The figure sits in the seat in Gerwalk mode and there is a flip up computer screen that is the figure's control panel although the more anime correct motorcycle style control handles would have been much better.

Not only is this the only toy likeness manufactured of the Spartas but it is also a huge sized vehicle that really stands out on the shelf, about 13 inches tall. Matchbox did design these toys for rough kid play and accordingly is a very solid made toy unlike many of the other poorly made Robotech toys that Matchbox manufactured.

Years later it is still one of Matchbox’s stand out pieces in the line that was filled with so many misfires and bad quality control. Unless somebody like Revoltech releases some items from Southern Cross this Spartas is the only item available of the main vehicle from the series and a must own if you are a fan of Southern Cross. This is one item I am glad that Matchbox accidentally got right.

©2009 article and photos by Leonardo Flores & CollectionDX.

I like this figure for one reason and one reason only: That it is an accessory to one of Matchbox's coolest toys that they accidentally got right in a way: The Spartas/ Veritech Hover Tank.

Dana Sterling

When Matchbox decided to produce their own figures and accessories for Harmony Gold’s Robotech series in 1986 little did they know that many of their releases would be ill conceived for hardcore Macross/Mospeada/Southern Cross collectors. Lack of proper knowledge and art design led to nearly an entire line of action figures and accessories that was misguided but at best accidently releasing items that filled a void that the original Japanese market never marketed.

Take for instance Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross an Anime that was originally canceled after only 23 episodes in 1984. If you are a Southern Cross/ Robotech Masters fan you are only too aware of the lack of items released in Japan, especially toys. I personally built nearly all the 1/12 kits of the various armor character kits of Southern Cross and besides a kit of the Hover Bike and Sol Bioroid no other items were manufactured. That includes the main vehicle of the Series: the Spartas/ Veritech Hover Tank and Auroran. But when it came to actual toys, no manufacturer picked up the mantle for any of the properties from Southern Cross in Japan.

A few years later when Matchbox decided to produce Robotech toys it was great to see some Southern Cross / Robotech Masters items being produced. Only four figures were produced from Southern Cross: Dana Sterling/Jeanne Francaix, Zor/Seifriet, Bioroid, and Robotech Master/The Zor. Although nearly all the cast was reproduced for Mospeada, Southern Cross only had one “good guy” produced, Dana Sterling and seemed to be top heavy with “bad guys,” including one of the worst designs for an action figure ever, the Robotech Master.

Dana Sterling comes Carded with: 1x Figure, 1x Rubber helmet, 1x Shield, 1x Laser rifle. There are no options.

Dana figure is an OK sculpt, the problems lay mostly in the body proportions. It seems that all the figures that were sculpted for Matchbox’s Robotech line were all sculpted with small waists and bodies, and most of the time the proportions were made up in the neck area of all places. Dana’s face sculpt is ok, but does not look anime enough for my tastes. It also looks like the eyes are on the side of the face like some sort of bird.

The quality control was not the best, with many Robotech toys falling apart at seams and paint masks not on register, with this figure being good example of the paint mask being off center. Also the shoulder movement is limited to side ways action because of the armor shoulder pads. Be wary of putting the rifle in the hand as the rifle handle is to large and thumbs are known to be broken off like my original figure I bought all those years ago.

The rubber helmet sculpt is off a bit as well but it is a cool little accessory that really fills out the figure especially with the shield that snaps onto the figure's arm.

But here is the real kicker, I like this figure for one reason and one reason only: That it is an accessory to one of Matchbox's coolest toys that they accidently got right in a way, The Spartas/ Veritech Hover Tank. If you own the Spartan Hover Tank this figure is a must have for your Southern Cross/ Robotech Masters collection.

As stated before with my Scott Bernard/ Stick Bernard review I would pass on the Robotech Matchbox figure series unless you are a hardcore completist of Macross/Mospeada/Southern Cross. It is a shame that Matchbox did not see the line through and release other figures of the 15th Squadron as it would have been great to see all the other great and colorful Southern Cross characters and armor in 1:18 scale.

The huge irony of all this is that the figures were manufactured in Japan for Matchbox although I do not see the workmanship that we expect of toys made in Japan. Many of these Robotech figures were later reissued under Harmony Gold’s own brand with even less quality than before. I bought this figure from a dealer at Frank & Sons for $10.00 but you can get still sealed figure for under $35.00, especially the Harmony Gold produced figures.

© 2008 pictures & article by Leonardo Flores and CollectionDX.

When I turned 15 years old all those years ago, some friends of the family had bought me for my birthday Revell’s Robotech model kit of Orbot, the USA re-boxed version Imai’s variable VF-1D Valkyrie. Due to many circumstances I was finally able to complete the model kit a week ago, which just happened to be my 34th birthday! This is the saga of one VF-1D, changing modeling skills and one of the greatest Macross model kits series ever.

1/72 Imai Macross VF-1D / Revell Robotech Changers Orbot

When I turned 15 years old all those years ago, some friends of the family had bought me for my birthday Revell’s Robotech model kit of Orbot, the USA re-boxed version Imai’s variable VF-1D Valkyrie. Due to many circumstances I was finally able to complete the model kit a week ago, which just happened to be my 34th birthday! This is the saga of one VF-1D, changing modeling skills and one of the greatest Macross model kits series ever.

What prompted me to finally complete my long unfinished VF-1D is when a few months ago I bought Hasagawa’s 1/72 VF-1A/S Strike/Super Valkyrie model kit. I have been anticipating the building of the new Hasagawa kits for years and it was great to finally build one. I bought the Hasagawa kit, the photoetched parts, the display stand set and optional weapon packs kits. Then I pulled out my trusty x-acto #11 blade. But something lingered in the back of my mind. “I know, I can’t start this kit until I finish the last Valkyrie I started all those years ago”.

Back in the 1980’s model kit manufacture Revell was keen on the growing US market of Japanese related robot model kits and picked up the license to re-package some of Imai’s model kits. The bulk of the line was Fang of Sun Dougram, but a few Macross and Orguss model kits were thrown in for good measures. The model kits were released under one banner, most likely coined by one of Revell’s still nameless marketing employee. The name of the model kit line was called Robotech, which actually predated the Robotech TV series by at least a year. How the Robotech model kit line became the name of a TV series produced by Harmony Gold is another story for another review.

Robotech model kits could be bought at many shopping mall outlets such as Kay-Bee Toy & Hobby and Playco Toys stores. When Revell repackaged the kits they did not keep to the original names, paint schemes and decal placement as Revell decided to publish new instructions in English and photographed new model kit box art. Thus the VF-1D became the Viet Nam era camouflaged Orbot, the VF-1J Millia became Axoid and the VF-1S became Vexar.

I was indebted to the friends of the family who gave me the kit but for some reason life has given me VF-1D model kits to build when I wanted to build a VF-1J, VF-1S or the even better VF-1A Hikaru from Do You Remember Love. As a kid I thought that the VF-1D was the silly trainer version that got all shot up in the first four episodes of Macross. I had built four VF-1D's and quite frankly I am tired of building them. Even the Hasagawa limited release of their 1/72 VF-1D blows me out just thinking about it.

First off, if you have not experienced more than a few model kits I would flatly suggest you pass up building this kit. Although the VF-1D is a well-produced kit this is a very difficult and trying model kit to build. There are many seams to fill, many parts to easily confuse and assemble backwards, and many complex and fragile parts to easily break or accidenly glue together.

Revell Robotech Orbot/ Imai Macross VF-1D come with the following: Set of sprues, 1x clear sprue, 3x rubber tires, 2x metal landing gear, 2x metal shoulder joints, 1x screw, 1x polycaps, 1x set of decals, 1x instructions, and 1x Robotech model one-sheet catalog. I do not know if the Imai VF-1D came with any other extra inserts such as an Imai catalog or stickers. The plastic parts are finely molded with recessed panel lines and the metal castings are solid with hard sturdy metal, not soft pewter type metal.

The designers at Imai had thought this kit through; two of the most fragile parts were cast in metal such as the landing gear and shoulder hinges. A screw is used to keep the many body parts together. For a nice added touch the wheels could be assembled with an optional choice of plastic injected molded tires or rubber tires.

The assembly of the kit can be broken down into three main components: 1) body assembly 2) leg and arm assembly 3) cockpit assembly. Although this is a variable model kit the cockpit needs to be pulled off and replaced with a shielded cockpit for the legs to attach to in Battloid mode.

The arm and leg assembly are the most difficult parts to assemble. Always remember to check and check again before you apply glue. I remember my friends and I building these kits when I was a kid. It happened more than once when we glued the wrong intake parts to the wrong leg parts. This was partly the fault of Revell as they attached the legs backwards on the box art.

One feature I did not like on the kit was the kneepad armor in Battloid. That is one feature I love about the Battloid armor and was, until recently, consistently being left off toys and models of the Valkyrie and this Imai kit was no different. I am sure it would not be too difficult to scratchbuild that mod.

Be careful with only using just enough glue to attach these parts together. If the glue overflows into a joint, just forget finishing the kit, as it will be dead in the water with an unmovable joint. This happened to one of my arm parts, I broke it apart and now the parts fall off if the arm joint is rotated. This also happened with the gun pod as I put too much glue and it spilled over into the sliding joint and now the gunpod is glued opened. Special care is also needed when gluing the sliding fist parts into the forearm area.

The only major modification I made to this kit was making the fist shields on the hands and the squared off fingers Do You Remember Love style. Sausage fingers on real robot era robots do nothing for me and it is a great and simple mod that improves the look of the kit. Unfortunately, the shields are two big to fit in the hole when they retract so I plan to steal some other fists from another Imai Valkyrie kit I plan to purchase soon.

As stated before the center cockpit capsule needs to be changed out when transforming from the Fighter/Gerwalk mode to the Battloid mode. The cockpit is finely detailed but the undercarriage wheel well is plain and is best to use some sheet styrene to spice up the look of the wheel well. The shape of the two cockpits is different to compensate for the minor scaling issues from the Fighter to Battloid mode.

I started building this kit when I graduated High School in the early 90’s when I felt that I could approach it with better skills. Another mod that I planned to do was convert it into Hikaru’s VF-1A DYRL style as the kit does come with extra parts such as the short nose glass and standard chest plate. So I thought I would be cute and cut the long glass shorter and use that part to fill up the second seat space and use the short window as the main window. Very much my chop job was a nightmare. Not only that the VF-1A head I was going to use from the Bandai 1/72 Valkyrie kit was too thin looking for the body.

I used a dark grey Testor’s “primer” that was too dark for the light colored paint scheme. It was not a proper primer; just a grey color that I thought would work for the kit. That alone was another nightmare as the paint never really grabbed onto the plastic and up until the last day, paint still flaked off when I pulled the tape off.

The body part is straightforward but take special notice of making sure you do not glue parts that should otherwise move freely. The wings are capable of holding the missiles on pylons using polycaps but keep in mind it is near impossible to paint polycap material and it is just best to keep them unpainted. The missiles do come off the wings.

One of the best details of the model kit is the head, it is well molded and the front sensor glass area looks great when painted in clear green and grey. The only regret is that it is not on a ball joint. Otherwise it looks accurate when use in both Fighter and Battloid modes.

For about 15 years I worked on and off again on my VF-1D. My skills improved over the years and I have not made those types of mistakes in many years, but at the time for every step forward I took on the kit it put me two steps backwards. You live and learn. When I bought the Hasagawa kit I still had the sense to finish one Macross Valkyrie project before I started another. So I pulled out the Imai kit for one last push to finish the model. It seems in 2008 I had new tools and friends to help out.

The first step I took was to convert it all back to what the kit was intended for, as a VF-1D. So I took all the irrelevant parts off and put on all the VF-1D parts again. Also these days I am a part of a local International Plastic Modelers Society (IPMS) model building group and a fellow member was kind enough to take some time out of his schedule and vacumform a new canopy for me.

I finished the kit with Testors Radome Tan and a custom flat orange I mixed up using Testors flat yellow and flat red. Having built a few VF-1D’s DO NOT under estimate the black stencils on the chest area and shielded Battloid cockpit area. Take out a day to paint the intricate black stencils, as they are very time consuming to paint and to line up properly when masking. And whatever you do not use Comico's Robotech: The Macross Saga comics as a paint guide!

Another nice tool that was not available in the 1990’s was the Internet. Macross World has a great gallery of classic Macross model kit box art and instructions. Revell left out all the decal and painting information in the Vexar instructions but I was able to use Macross World’s resources to complete the kit properly.

Once assembled the transformation of the kit is quite easy. The kit looks well balanced and appealing in all three modes. Considering this kit came out in 1983 it still holds up very well and is still the only 1/72 scale transforming model kit of a Valkyrie. Because of the thick paint application many of the parts do not close properly like the cockpit to the body section and the top seam of the chest plate and back plate when it is in fighter mode. The vertical stabilizer backpack section does not hold well on the back in Battloid mode. Any idea of making it hold better would be greatly appreciated.

I am content that I was finally able to finish the kit after all those years. It is one of my most commented models I have on my display shelf although these days I could definitely build and paint a better version. I must have done something right as I was able to finish up the model in time of our regional IPMS model kit contest in Ontario, CA last summer and I was quite surprised when I took home the second place trophy in Sci-Fi category ( I displayed the model in Battloid mode at the contest, I did not finish the cockpit until a couple weeks ago)!

The Imai variable Valkyrie kits are definitely worth picking up. In all reality the first Valkyrie we see in Macross in Battloid mode is this VF-1D and it is must to have a representation in any form in the collection. Hobby Link Japan right now has the current Bandai reissues of the Imai kits of VF-1A and VF-1D for about 1700 yen. The Robotech boxed kits are surprisingly hard to locate unbuild these days and most of the boxes are crushed due to the thin cardboard that Revell used for all their model kits in the 1980’s. My only suggestion is if you decide to build these kits is to double and triple check your parts before you glue them together and take your time when building and checking seams, although I do not think you will need to take 15 years time in doing so!

© Article and Photos Leonardo D Flores “modcineaste” and Collection DX

Many Macross, Mospeada, Southern Cross, and Robotech collectors have mixed feelings about the non Bandai and Takatoku Robotech toys produced by Matchbox, specifically its 3 3.4 scale figures and their accessories.

Many Macross, Mospeada, Southern Cross, and Robotech collectors have mixed feelings about the non Bandai and Takatoku Robotech toys produced by Matchbox, specifically its 3 3.4 scale figures and their accessories.

The more difficult figures to locate are Scott Bernard, Roy Fokker, Lunk, Rook Bartley, Mirya in black, large Miriya and Lynn Minmei. A special note must go out the Lynn Minmei figure as it is the Holy Grail of the line as only a handful were made and were extremely rare to locate even back in the 1980’s.

The Matchbox’s Scott Bernard figures is one of more difficult figures to locate and never seem to appear on pegs at the department stores. I managed to locate the figure through the Sears catalog around 1986. Sears known for having exclusive toys only available through their catalog must have got the only catch of the Scott Bernard figures. Scott was available through mail order in a set of three figures along with Rand and Corg for $15.00. Even though it was available in their catalog I was rightly concerned that the figure would be substituted for unavailability or the order cancelled all together as another company from New York The Robot Store had done to me around the same time with some of the other Robotech action figures. Two weeks later arriving at my door was a set of three Robotech figures and in that package was one Scott Bernard. There was no special packaging just an envelope in mail that had the three figures on their respected cards.

Being a huge GI Joe 3 3.4 scale figures fan, the Matchbox line had so much potential but delivered so poorly. For whatever reason a second series of figures were never produced which was unfortunate. With Scott, Lunk, Rook and Rand produced only two more figures, Lancer and Annie, needed to be produced to create the main cast of the series. And trust me at the time I dreamed about those figure releases often. It is a shame that Hasbro or Kenner did not produce this line, as I am sure they would have handled the line better.

Matchbox’s Scott Bernard represents the worst of their Robotech line with unavailbity and a lack of basic knowledge of the subject. Trying to locate all 22 of Matchbox’s Robotech 3 3.4 line of action figures is quite a daring feat due to the extreme rarity of a handful of figures not to mentioning trying to locate an original Matchbox Minmei as opposed to the recent Harmony Gold reissues from a few years back. Unless you are trying to make a run for the Matchbox Robotech series or you are a Mospeada completest, or you come across the figure for cheap at the marketplace I would pass on this one. And I am sure you already have.

Leonardo Flores “ModCineaste”

A very recent aquisition of mine... But being a massive Robotech nerd, you could easily ask, what took ya so long!?

First off, if you want to check out more super-dimensional action, be sure to check out Atom's great review of Wave's 1/5000 DYRL-version Macross! Afterall, we have him to thank--at least in part--for this review. The recent release of Wave's Macross and Atom's subsequent review actually inspired me to pick up this 1985 US release of Matchbox's "Robotech SDF-1 Battle Fortress", a repackaging of the 1984 Japanese release of Takatoku's 1/3000 "Storm Attacker Construction" Macross toy.

Funny how toy collecting works sometimes. Toys, even vintage ones, that are extremely ubiquitous tend to fly right under my radar, no matter how cool they really are. ...For instance, it took me forever to get a Zinclon Mekanda Robo, any one of the umpteen releases of the diecast Lion Voltron, and even a Matchbox Vehicle Voltron. For me, Matchbox's fully-transformable SDF-1 had been the same way.

...Until I read Atom's review and the desire kicked in! ;)

Okay, let me just start by saying that I'm not going to go into gory detail about how big a Robotech nerd I am because of how the early '90's Eternity Robotech comics got me into anime. I'm not going to go into "which one's better": Robotech or Macross (or even Macross TV versus DYRL). I'm not going to go into why Carl Macek should or shouldn't be lynched. We've all been there... And no one should care.

Let's stick to the toy, shall we?

First off, the outer packaging was clearly redesigned by Matchbox, who distributed the toy in the States under the "Robotech" monicker [and check out this cool robot-japan thread for pics of the Takatoku version, including its box]. It's neat to notice that Revell, Inc. is recognized as the "Robotech" trademark owner on the box, as well as Harmony Gold and Tatsunoko being mentioned as copyright holders. The box measures 17" x 9" x 4" and features a door/lid that opens to reveals the toy inside. Under the door, cellophane-covered holes show the toy in "Battle" mode.

Outer box lid. Note the heart-breaking Kay Bee clearance price tag!

Underneath the lid. "3 Exciting Versions"!? How can ya go wrong???

Though the outer cardboard box is obviously very different from the Takatoku release, the styrofoam tray within is identical.

Styro tray. Mmmm...

Once you break out the toy, it's all play from there! This toy is simple, rugged, and fun. It takes less than a minute to transform and you sure won't need to consult the "Operating Manual" (which consists of a lone double-sided sheet!), you won't need any tools, and you don't have to be ginger with it. This is a children's toy, folks.

First, let's take a look at "Cruiser" mode. The craft measures 15" long. It's gorgeous.

Now, one of the first things you may notice is that there seem to be two holes at the tips of the Main Gun. Unfortunately, I've never handled the original Takatoku version, but I assume that these are for firing missiles--though I can't seem to find where the buttons would be. In fact, there are no spring-loaded mechanisms found in the Matchbox release at all, and the toy doesn't come with any missiles. I assume these features were gutted to conform to US toy safety standards. Further, there seem to be flip-up launchers near the aft of the ship. Similarly, there are no actual firing mechanisms present in the Matchbox version--though they're cruelly mentioned on the back of the "Operating Manual".

Gutted launchers? Boo.

There seems to be some storage spaces in cruiser mode, as well. There is a very tiny one just aft of the bridge (though I forgot to photograph this!) and a larger one in front of the bridge. I just assume they're for storing extra missiles. Or drugs.

Ya put your wee--*ahem*...sorry. I just tell people that's where the city goes! ;)

Next is the landing gear. Wait...what??? "Landing gear"? Really? For a gigantic spaceship that holds a city in its belly? Well, this is just for convenience. Without the gear, you wouldn't really be able to put the thing down in Cruiser mode!

Landing gear detail.

Cruiser resting on its gear.

Other than that, there's not a whole lot else to Cruiser mode. It just looks great and is fun to fly around the room (hmmm...this is a recurring theme for me, isn't it? maybe we should add "fly-ability around the room" as a toy category...)

One thing to be aware of on these older toys is the elbow joints. They can tend to sag a bit. This is most apparent in Cruiser mode when looking from the side. The super carriers, Prometheus and Daedalus, tend to droop a tiny bit, as you can see here:

Droopy Prometheus.

Droopy Daedalus...but also note the "Bandai" stamping on the feet/thrusters...

...Honestly, I wish I could tell ya more about the history of this toy. I'm aware that Bandai bought the molds for the Matsushiro/Takatoku 1/55 Valk, but I wasn't aware they'd done so with this 1/3000 Macross toy until I just recently saw the stamp. So what's the deal? Did Bandai ever release their own transformable Macross? If anyone has any knowledge about this, please post a comment (Ginrai, I'm looking at you).

[*EDIT*: Ginrai did update us with a little history lesson! Check out the comments below. Also, while we're at it, for more history on the 1/55 Valkyrie, see Ginrai's Missing Link article reposted by yours truly on TBDX]

So, anyway, on to "Battle" mode. Again, very simple transformation. This is the classic SDF-1, with the impressive Main Gun elevated vertically and the inhabitants of Macross City safely tucked away inside.

Yep, not a whole lot going on here other than big, plasticy robot action. The figure is pretty great. It looks good, has nice surface detail (molded and from the numerous decals), and has good-nuff poseability.

One thing that's kinda neat is the ability to remove the super carriers. They simply pop on and off pegs at the elbows. This adds some neat play value and helps fire up the ol' imagination--giving you some sense of how truly enormous this thing's supposed to be.

Super carriers' attachment pegs.

They look pretty cool alongside Cruiser mode, too.

Lastly, we have "Attack" mode. All it really is is the Main Gun elevated onto the shoulders and pointed forward, and a curious step I never noticed in the cartoon when they fired the Main Gun: the thrusters on either side of the upper chest splay outward a tiny bit. This, in turn, makes the Main Gun's pylons appear angled outward. Who knows if it's "canon" or not...but it looks cool!

Take that, you pesky Zentraedi!

Again, that's pretty much all there is to it! Simple. Fun. Rugged. That equals a classic toy to me. I'm not going to debate which Macross toy is better: this or the Wave. Everybody collects for different reasons, and these two offerings appeal to very different collecting aethetics. Just be happy we have a choice!