DONE @p.2 +++ 1:100 VF-X non-transformable VF-1 Valkyrie prototype (Macross)

Dizzyfugu · July 13, 2020, 01:11:29 AM

Finished the model yesterday evening, now for some test flight pics.

Dizzyfugu · July 14, 2020, 11:05:53 AM

Photo session finished, selecting and editing next.

Dizzyfugu · July 15, 2020, 01:45:30 AM

Early artistic teasers:

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03" - Cartoonized by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

zenrat · July 15, 2020, 04:07:47 AM

PR19_Kit · July 15, 2020, 05:20:16 AM

Clever stuff there Thomas, but how do you do it please?

Dizzyfugu · July 15, 2020, 05:48:34 AM

I just push my pics through this (free) online editor:

https://www.cartoonize.net/

PR19_Kit · July 15, 2020, 09:13:01 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on July 15, 2020, 05:48:34 AM

I just push my pics through this (free) online editor:

https://www.cartoonize.net/

I like it! Thanks Thomas.

Dizzyfugu · July 15, 2020, 11:08:05 AM

Trying different filters recommended - IMHO #1, #2 and #28 are worth a try, and sometimes the results are really good/interesting. There are even filters that allow the original picture to be changed into a kind of B/W pencil sketch - but you need a high contrast pic as basis. This here once was a full color portrait pic!

Oh, my goddess +++ 1:6 Belldandy with angel wings on crane top by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

BTW, pics and story for the VF-X will probably come tomorrow.

Dizzyfugu · July 16, 2020, 12:39:15 AM

Finally, it's finished - a rather exotic entry for this GB, but the model "does the job", and my VF-1 collection has now been expanded by Fighter model #28.

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
The VF-1 was developed by Stonewell/Bellcom/Shinnakasu for the U.N. Spacy by using alien Overtechnology obtained from the SDF-1 Macross alien spaceship. Its production was preceded by an aerodynamic proving version of its airframe, the VF-X. Unlike all later VF vehicles, the VF-X (sometimes referred to as VF-X1) was strictly a conventional/non-transformable jet aircraft, even though it incorporated many structural components and several key technologies that were vital for the transformable VF-1's successful development that ran in parallel. Therefore, the VF-X was never intended as an air superiority fighter, but rather a flight-capable analogue test bed and proof of concept for the VF-1's basic layout and major components. In this role, however, the VF-X made vital contributions to systems' development that were later incorporated into the VF-1's serial production and sped the program up considerably.

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

VF-X production started in early 2006, with four airframes built. The flight tests began in February 2007. The first prototype ("01") was piloted and evaluated by ace pilot Roy Fokker, in order to explore the aircraft's flight envelope, general handling and for external stores carriage tests. The three other VF-Xs successively joined the test program, each with a different focus. "02" was primarily tasked with the flight control and pilot interface program, "03" was allocated to the engine, vectoring thrust and steering systems development, and "04" was primarily involved in structural and fatigue tests.

In November 2007, the successful VF-X tests and the flights of the VF-X-1 (the first fully transformable VF-1 prototype, which had been under construction in parallel to the VF-X program) led to formal adoption of the "Valkyrie" variable fighter by the United Nations Government.
The space-capable VF-1's combat debut was on February 7, 2009, during the Battle of South Ataria Island - the first battle of Space War I - and remained the mainstay fighter of the U.N. Spacy for the entire conflict.

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Introduced in 2008, the VF-1 proved to be an extremely capable craft, successfully combating a variety of Zentraedi mecha, even in most sorties which saw UN Spacy forces significantly outnumbered. The versatility of the Valkyrie design enabled the variable fighter to act as both large-scale infantry and as air/space superiority fighter. The signature skills of U.N. Spacy ace pilot Maximilian Jenius exemplified the effectiveness of the variable systems as he near-constantly transformed the Valkyrie in battle to seize advantages of each mode as combat conditions changed from moment to moment.

The basic VF-1 was deployed in four sub-variants (designated A, D, J, and S) and its success was increased by continued development of various enhancements. These included the GBP-1S "Armored Valkyrie" external armor and infantry weapons pack, so-called FAST Packs for "Super Valkyries" for orbital use, and the additional RÖ-X2 heavy cannon pack weapon system for the VF-1S "Strike Valkyrie" with additional firepower.

After the end of Space War I, the VF-1 continued to be manufactured both in the Sol system and throughout the UNG space colonies. Although the VF-1 would eventually be replaced as the primary Variable Fighter of the U.N. Spacy by the more capable, but also much bigger, VF-4 Lightning III in 2020, a long service record and continued production after the war proved the lasting worth of the design.

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The VF-1 was without doubt the most recognizable variable fighter of Space War I and was seen as a vibrant symbol of the U.N. Spacy even into the first year of the New Era 0001 in 2013. At the end of 2015 the final rollout of the VF-1 was celebrated at a special ceremony, commemorating this most famous of variable fighters. The VF-1 Valkryie was built from 2006 to 2013 with a total production of 5,459 VF-1 variable fighters with several variants (VF-1A = 5,093, VF-1D = 85, VF-1J = 49, VF-1S = 30, VF-1G = 12, VE-1 = 122, VT-1 = 68), and several upgrade programs were introduced.
The fighter remained active in many second line units and continued to show its worthiness years later, e. g. through Milia Jenius who would use her old VF-1 fighter in defense of the colonization fleet - 35 years after the type's service introduction.

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

General characteristics:
Accommodation: One pilot in a Marty & Beck Mk-7 zero/zero ejection seat
Length 14.23 meters
Wingspan 14.78 meters (at 20° minimum sweep)
Height 3.84 meters
Empty weight: 13.25 metric tons
Standard T-O mass: 18.5 metric tons

Power Plant:
2x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2001 thermonuclear reaction turbine engines, output 650 MW each, rated at 11,500 kg in standard or in overboost (225.63 kN x 2)
4 x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry NBS-1 high-thrust vernier thrusters (1 x counter reverse vernier thruster nozzle mounted on the side of each leg nacelle/air intake, 1 x wing thruster roll control system on each wingtip);

Performance:
Top speed: Mach 2.71 at 10,000 m; Mach 3.87 at 30,000+ m
Thrust-to-weight ratio: empty 3.47; standard T-O 2.49; maximum T-O 1.24

Armament:
None installed, but the VF-X had 4x underwing hard points for a wide variety of ordnance, plus a ventral hardpoint for a Howard GU-11 55 mm three-barrel Gatling gun pod with 200 RPG, fired at 1,200 rds/min or other stores like test instruments

A rather different VF-1 project, with more changes to the basic model kit than one might expect at first sight. VF-X and VF-1 differ considerably from each other, despite identical outlines! However, I like the outcome, and I think that going a different route from the canonical grey/black livery paid out, the bright orange markings really make this VF-X stand out, and it looks IMHO more like a testbed than the "real" aircraft from the TV series.

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03"; during flight tests, South Ataria Island (南アタリア島, Minami Ataria Shima), summer 2007 (modified Arii kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

zenrat · July 16, 2020, 03:24:38 AM

Good job Dizz. Any chance of more cartoonised pics? They looked great.

Dizzyfugu · July 16, 2020, 03:40:56 AM

I normally only do one or two pictures in this style, and normally only for anime/mecha kits, since the cartoon look comes close to the "original".

But on popular demand...

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03" - Cartoonized by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-X "Valkyrie" prototype; aircraft "03" - Cartoonized by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Sad thing is, though, that the output from the editor has a relatively low resolution. But for WWW posting's it's fine.

zenrat · July 16, 2020, 04:13:39 AM

Excellent. Thanks Dizz.
I've got this installed on one of my macs and i've found its rather selective over the pics you use it on. Some work out great (like yours above) while others, which I think will also look great turn out to either looks not much different from the original or look a mess.
I need to play with it some more.

What I like about what you've done above is that they look like watercolours.

Dizzyfugu · July 16, 2020, 04:33:42 AM

It's filter #2, and it really takes some experiments to receive a good-looking solution. Sometimes the result is a mess, and good contrast normall helps, too, because otherwise the motif gets blurred.

These here turned out very well, for instance:

Bubblegum Crisis +++ 1:12 Priscilla "Priss" Asagiri in Hardsuit by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Oh, my goddess +++ 1:72 Kyushu J7W "Shinden", 2nd, resurrected prototype (Hasegawa/based on Aa megamisama "On a wing and a prayer" manga) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:160 Macross - Destroid "Monster" HWR-00-Mk. II by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

(Fang of the Sun) Dougram +++ 1:72 Eastland AHT-81 'Chelydra' Hovercraft Tank (Whif/Kitbashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

NARSES2 · July 16, 2020, 06:28:23 AM

I am totally impressed

whilst being completely bamboozled by the process - getting old

Old Wombat · July 16, 2020, 08:37:21 AM

That's excellent, Dizzy!

Especially amused by the shot with the Tomcat.