"Real" and whiffy VF-1 Valkyries from Macross - a galery

[Dizzyfugu]

Some time ago, someone posted/linked one of my anime kits in the "found while googling" section, and I think it is worthwhile to introduce an exotic but rich field for whifery here: the 1st generation VF-1 "Valkyrie" transformable fighter from the Macross TV anime series from the early 80ies.

Forget Transformers, because the US comic industry stole the idea of morphing mega machines from Japan and turned it into a childish thing. They also did "Robotech" to it, a complete re-editing and milling of the original plot and idea (*shudder*), and finally FASA 'stole' them and they ended up as tabeltop robots for Battletech, since the property rights had not been covered in the USA. Tragic story.

Anyway: Rather appreciate the "Real Robot" anime genre, where the Valkyries from Shoji Kawamori (as well as the Gundam TV series, which is still around, or Dougram) come from, and where they belong.

Sure, the VF-1 was inspired by the F-14 or the F-111, the lineage is clear. But what is so remarkable about them is the fact, that they (and its many successors) were thoroughly thought through, and primarily jet fighters that could be transformed into a humanoid form, and not v. v. With that "serious" design came bold and flashy colors, but also... variants.

You find some Macross source books with profiles etc. just as if it were real aircraft. And some of these are flashy - many in US Navy style of the 70ies - or "copies" of real world paint schemes. This opens a WIDE range of opportunities, and here's a "review" of real and invented-in-the-spirit-of the-makers VF-1 versions and conversions which I have done in the past 20 years or so. All are 1:100 scale, basic ARII (formerly IMAI, now BANDAI) kits. I personally love them, because they are cheap and can be easily modified/pimped, and they are far less complicated than the bigger 1:72 scale VF-1s from Hasegawa.

These small ARII kits also see a revival every 5 years with a new Macross anniversary. This year they are due to come out again, so this might inspire you...

The original as a benchmark - main character's personal ride in authetic livery, pimped/detailed:

1:100 Macross VF-1J Valkyrie "Hikaru Ichijoe" by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:100 Macross VF-1J Valkyrie "Hikaru Ichijoe" by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:100 Macross VF-1J Valkyrie "Hikaru Ichijoe" by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


And this is what it looks like "unfolded" (different kit, there are also "robots" available):


1:100 Macross VF-1J Valkyrie - Battroid Mode by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


And now for some "variants" - authentic and invented:


1:100 Macross VF-1J "Valkyrie" - US Navy/VF-142 "Ghostriders" design by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Inspired by a profile in a book - many "authentic" VF-1 look this way, very pretty!



1:100 Macross VF-1A Valkyrie - South East Asia paint scheme by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Also based on a profile - the SEA scheme pops up several times, also on successor models of the VF-1



1:100 Macross VF-1S Strike Valkyrie (Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

We had the 70ies US Navy, but also the older, dark blue livery is used: this VF-1 with orbital boosters is also based on a book from a profile, very elegant.



1:100 Macross VF-1J "Valkyrie" - LowViz/Two Tone Grey scheme by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

There are also Low-Viz-Valkyries! The F-16 left its mark in the desiogners' heads, but it does not look bad, either?



1:100 Macross VF-1A "Valkyrie" - U.N.S. Marines use by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

A similar paint scheme, based on a recent book's profile - a UNS Marines Valkyrie.



1:100 Macross VFA-1J close air support "Valkyrie" (Kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

There are also Soviet-style paint schemes: this one comes from a VF-4 profile (Red Stars included...), transferred to a heavily modified (fantasy) VF-1



1:100 Macross VF-1J "Valkyrie" - "Blue 27"/Su-27 livery by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

More Russian looks - actually, I did this one on my own, and recently found a matching, Su-27-like profile in a source book!



1:100 Macross VF-1J "Valkyrie FRS.2" - Royal Navy paint scheme by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

One of my favorites: an FAA paint scheme, even with British flashes on the tail - again, based on a book profile.



1:100 Macross VF-1A "Valkyrie" - 'JAS1A' in Swedish 'Fields & Meadows'/'Viggen' livery by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The one you might probably know: the pseudo-Swedish VF-1 in "Fields & Meadows" camouflage.



1:100 Macross VF-1L KWS "Valkyrie" - German Luftwaffe Norm '72/"Zitronenfalter"/JG71 paint scheme by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

...and why not a German VF-1? A self-made version in Luftwaffe Norm '72/"Zitronenfalter" paint scheme with JG71 markings.



1:100 Macross VF-1SP "Big Wing Valkyrie" (kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Something Japanese: a personal variant in the beautiful JASDF livery of their F-2A fighters


There are also special purpose versions of teh Valkyrie:


1:100 Macross VF-1G "Valkyrie" Airborne Early Warning (AEW) variant (kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

This AEW variant actually exists in the Macross universe, even though the paint scheme is personal and based on all-grey USN aircraft in the 90ies. The "eyes" on the fins are Kuwait Air Force insignia...



1:100 Macross VF-1W "Valkyrie" - 'Wild Weasel'/SEAD version in 'Europe One'/'Lizard' livery (kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

And finally, an SEAD/Wild Weasel version in a low-viz livery, based on the Europe One/Lizard paint scheme but with less contrasting colors. A personal variant, but this livery also frequently pops up in source books.



So, I hope that this inspires you - the VF-1 is a very thankful object to work on/with, it is almost "anything goes"  

[pyro-manic]

I love Valkyries, so this thread makes for great viewing. I have a pile of Hasegawa VFs of various types to do, as well as a couple of resin kits (a VF-11 Thunderbolt, and a VF-4 Lightning). Lovely stuff - I particularly like the FAA, JASDF and the Wild Weasel above. I must confess I'm a big fan of the standard "grunt" scheme of light tan(?) over light grey/white. I may have to do one of my kits in an RAF "Concrete" scheme as a very subtle variant.

[Sticky Fingers]

  the Japanese camo looks sooo cool!

[Dizzyfugu]

This one, I suppose? It's a modified standard VF-1A paint scheme in sand and white:


1:100 Macross VF-1A Super Valkyrie - "203rd Hikotai" (Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

This is a major kit conversion, or better a kind of kitbashing with major scratch work. These "Super Valkyries" carry rocket boosters for non atmosperical use, so-called FAST packages ("Fuel And Sensor Trays"). Parts for these packages are included in some ARII Battroid kits, but AFAIK, kits for Super Valkyries in Fighter Mode did not exist, so I decided to build my own.

This is the second of two such conversions I did on the basis of a 1:100 Bandai (ex ARII) Gerwalk Valkyrie and leftover pieces from other Super Valkyries in Battroid mode and from transformable kits.

Legs in retracted position were completely built through kitbashing, since the FAST packages would hardly fit under the body. The folded arms between the legs were improvised, to fill the narrow space between the legs as good as possible. Real arm parts would not fit at all!

The "UUM-7" rocket launchers with 5 x 3 HMM-01missiles each were built from scratch. other added details include a pilot figure and better cockpit interior parts, plus some other details like antennae.

The color scheme is based on the standard VF-1A livery, even though I used a lighter tan (B.S. 4800/10B21, actually an original RAF tone called "Hemp", e .g. used on Nimrod sea patrol aircrafts or VC-10 tankers - Humbrol 168) instead of brown. The lighter contrasts were painted in ivory (Humbrol 41) instead of pure white, the FAST packs received a grey finish (FS 36081, Humbrol 32).

What's a bit special about the colored details of this semi-fictional Valkyrie is that the squadron insignia is original Japanese! The panda with the red lightning is the emblem of the 203rd hikotai, a fighter squadron that used to fly F-86 Sabre and F-104 Starfighters (with fantasy, you can read the "203" in the lightning's outline!). The kit's idea was to show what a machine from such a "real" squadron might look like if it was (still) existent in the Macross universe?

The sand tone is TBD, though. Depending on the pcituer you get from such machines, it ranges from a light, reyish sand to a light chocolate brown. I have also a VF-1A in robot mode, which was painted in Tamiya's "Buff" (XF-57, I guess), and it's also a nice color, with more contrast then Hemp. But a RAF-like livery with grey undersides and toned-down insignia should look cool - the Valkyries are VERY flexible concerning the outfit. I also thought about making one in wraparound Dark Sea/Slate GREY, RAF Buccaneer style - but the SEAD Valkyrie is very close, so this project has not seen hardware stage yet. I am considering one in razzle-dazzle cammo, though...