Thursday, September 26, 2013

Banpresto's Perfect Transformation Strike Valkyrie VF-1S Roy Focker's Unit Part 5

Double the awesomeness

A look at the FAST Pack included for Banpresto's Perfect Transformation Strike Valkyrie VF-1S Roy Focker's Unit, and the extra parts' configuration on the fighter mode from the previous posting.


The FAST Pack components that were previewed but not explained in Part 2.




The booster packs with double beam cannons and missile pod.




Details on the right booster pack.
There's no muzzle points on the beam cannons. ^^;


The 90-degree forward hinge is the only articulation capability of the cannons.


The right pack is 9cm in length.



Details on the left booster pack.



Leg propellant tanks.


The landing wheels beneath the parts are detachable. They need to be slid outward from the side instead of being pulled directed beneath the parts.




Like the booster parts, the details on the propellant tanks are very well done. ^^



Two simple one-piece parts that form the forearm missile launchers.


Much like the figure's own forearms, there's a pair of tab and square slots that can be used to snap the two parts together.


Including the two from the leg propellant tanks, three landing wheel parts are included for this figure, and they are meant exclusively for the fighter mode of Strike Valkyrie VF-1S.


While they are not painted, the parts are molded quite well so the wheels can be seen very clearly. ^^


Two racks for the backpack's and legs' extension. ^^




All the protruding tabs, peg slots, square hollow spots and elevated curves have specific purposes for the extra components' attachment and configuration on the figure. ^^


Valkyrie VF-1S with all the FAST Pack components.


The two boosters are connected to the tabs above the backpack rack.



The completed booster set.


The vertical stabilizer fins must be folded before the booster set can be attached to the top of the fighter.


The two clips on both sides of the backpack rack help to connect the booster set to the figure.


(Left) You can see that the narrow slit and square hollow spot on the rack match the protruding details on top of the figure accurately. ^^ Another pair of square slots beside them are meant to accommodate the vertical stabilizer fins' joints ...
(Right) ... when the backpack component is folded to the front.


(Left) To equip the leg propellant tanks to the back of the fighter, the legs need to be detached from the wings' base first, ...
(Right) ... as the mount rack depends on the figure's knee pegs to secure the connection.


(Left) A tab on top of each side of the mount rack corresponds to a square slot behind the propellant tank.
(Right) The "remaining bit" of the straight peg beneath the wing (after the mount rack is equipped to it) is used to connect the top portion of the fighter to the back of the knee, again.


The knee plates beneath the booster parts are painted white to match the legs' color I suppose, but it doesn't look consistent with the figure's light yellowish brown color scheme, unfortunately. ^^; As mentioned in Part 2, the figure's current color might be due to its age, so the colors are perceivably matching with one another when this item was still new, 11 years back. ^^;


To equip the forearm missile launchers, the gun pod must be removed first.


(Left) The two tiny slots behind the forearms (see right image above) are used to hold the missile launchers.
(Right) The gun pod's handle is pegged into a new slot on the missile launchers.



Configuration for Strike Valkyrie VF-1S is completed. ^^

More images of Strike Valkyrie VF-1S in fighter mode:


As with the "plain form" shown in the previous posting, Soul Stage Act 3 Action Support Clear Type with two display stands is used to show the figure in mid-air.


There's no firmness in the support actually, as the two clips of the stands are just there to "hold" the figure above them. ^^;









Closeups on the details:










The three landing gears shown earlier on can be used to display the fighter on a flat surface.


The ones for the knees are slid back in place.


(Left) A small peg hole in front of the head and screw socket beneath the nose cone are going to be used to mount the nose gear.
(Right) With the nose gear (loosely) tabbed in place. Due to the landing gear's part in front of it, the head becomes more protruded now. ^^;


As you can see, the gun pod sticks out too much beneath the main body, causing all the landing gears to become useless. ^^;
It needs to be removed for the fighter to sit properly on the surface.



All the wheels are touching the surface nicely. ^^



Bottom view of Strike Valkyrie VF-1S in fighter mode:








Mentioned in the previous posting that the fighter mode is my favorite form out of the three on this figure. With the FAST Pack equipped to it, the look has actually improved a great deal in my opinion. ^^ The details of the various components are just passable I think, but important markings like the Skull Squadron emblem on either side of the boosters, and "U.N. Spacy" labels on either side of the leg propellant tanks are included, plus all the thrusters are painted well to distinguish them from the armor components. So the add-ons are definitely more than just large blocks of plastic to beef up the original figure. ^^

On that note, I really like the large size of all the extra parts. ^^ They really give the fighter a powerful look, consistent with the nice proportion of the figure itself which I commended in the previous posting. ^^ The double beam cannons' size is even more impressive than the same component in the Strike Part Set for 1/72 scale model kit version of VF-1 released back in late June this year. So to me, this 11-year-old prize item has at least one design element that seems more appealing than the latest incarnation of the same mecha, and that's quite an amazing revelation. ^^

A look at Strike Valkyrie's configurations for its Gerwalk and Fighter modes in the next posting. ^^

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