Macross models

The Japanese animation series Super Dimension Fortress Macross was popular in the early to mid 'eighties. Models from the series were produced by two companies, Arii and Imai. The quality of the two companies was noticeably different.

I bought a number of them (and assembled and to varying degrees painted) way back then. They have been sitting in their storage boxes for a large number of years (and the years have not been kind to them).

This is a Destroid Defender in 1/100 scale by Imai, armed with lots of weapons and is designed to be the main ground combatant.

 It is missing the six pack of direct fire missiles on one of the shoulders.

A PSC Panzer 38(t) for scale.

 There is not too much in the model that is scale specific, it could be used as a 28mm scale model, William Killian for comparison.

The Air Defence mechanism is the Destroid Defender with two twin 78mm auto cannons.

The quality of this Arii 1/100 scale mode is far less than the Tomahawk kit by Imai.

The main characters use Variable Fighters, capable of flight and ground combat.

Of course in space, you do not need to be streamlined so the fighters can have additional armour.

This is the standard fighter type (a VF-1A) with the additional armour and lots more missiles. The kit is by Arii.

The VF-1A's main armament is the Gau-11 Tri-barrel 55mm cannon. There is a single laser cannon mounted on the head. Additional missiles are mounted on the shoulders, on the forearms and on the legs.

The chest panel has separated from the body and the arm and leg joints are extremely loose.

The VF-1J is the officer fighter, identical to the VF-1A except it has two laser cannon mounted on the head (one of which has broken off the model).

This one also has very loose joints and the chest plate has separated. So much so that I had to lie them down.

They have been packed up again. One day I may finish them.

TLS guard an experimental aircraft

Time Lift Security secure an experimental variable fighter.

A Super Dimensional Fortress - Macross VF1-J Valkyrie (1/55 scale) model with two TLS Captains.

Battletech - Urbanmech Lance pack

 Many years ago I started buying plastic kits from the anime series Super Dimension Fortress Macross. That was the start of a fascination with Mecha (my fascination with anime started with Marine Boy).

There are some examples elsewhere on the blog.

When FASA released Battledroids in 1984, with the distinctive image of a Destroid Tomahawk, it was a must buy.

I kept an interest in the game (rebranded as Battletech in 1985), buying a number of expansions over the years.

In recent years, the mechs have been released as pre-assembled resin models.

At Warfare 2023, I bought the Battlesuit Alpha game from Wiley Games, but did not have any suitable models (over the years the previous models have disappeared under the lead mountain range).

While in Orc's Nest in London I noticed the Battletech Urbanmech Lance. Now when they were initially released, Urbanmechs were a bit of a joke.

The box contains four different varieties of Urbanmech, and I thought they would make a good set of mechs to try Battlesuit Alpha.

The four mechs.

Left to right - Big autocannon and laser, Multiple rocket launcher and laser, three missile pods, medium autocannon and laser.

The one with the multiple rocket launcher is kneeling down.