The largest scale ever! PLAMAX MF-45 minimum factory VF-1 Fighter Valkyrie" fully painted and assembled! The weekend plastic model kit of voice actor Yasuyuki Tai!　Vol.16]

When you are a working adult, you tend to have a lot of plastic models piling up in your busy life. ...... In this series, Yasuyuki Tai, a voice actor who loves robots and plastic models, takes on the challenge of building plastic models on your behalf!

The concept is "even busy working people can make it this far on their weekends off. The only two rules are that the model must be assembled without any parts and the production period must be one or two days! This time, we introduce a kit that Taiyuki exhibited at the modeling exhibition "Akikou Matsuri" held on December 7-8, 2019 (Sat.-Sun.) at the 5th floor of SEGA Akihabara Building No. 5, Akihabara, Tokyo!

This is the first time for us to show a fully painted kit.

So, the 16th edition of the "Weekend Plastic Model Show by Yasuyuki Tai, Voice Actor" has begun! 16th issue has begun!

PLAMAX MF-45 minimum factory VF-1 Fighter Valkyrie

This time we will be introducing the " PLAMAX MF-45 minimum factory VF-1 Fighter Valkyrie," a figure that may have shocked many people with its size!

This figure is based on the "PLAMAX MF-37 minimum factory VF-1 Super/Strike Fighter Valkyrie", which was released in the past, but with some parts changed to be released as a normal fighter form Valkyrie. Each part is so large that you may even feel as if you were a small child again.

However, since there are only a few small parts, it will not take you much time to assemble it. The reason I say "I'm sure it will" is because this time, as a special edition, we will be presenting a test shot (prototype) that was entrusted to us by Max Factory, painted and finished!　The test shots are not the same as the production version in some areas, but rest assured that the differences are generally improvements made to the production version.

Please note that plastic model glue is required to assemble this kit.

Let's start with the runners.

Each part is large, so the runners are very thick!

The canopy parts alone are this large. And the surface is smooth.

There are no parting lines, and I appreciate the fact that it is in this shape.

Since this was a test shot, the stickers that come with the production version were not ready in time, so we received the separately sold water transfer decals instead.

The gates are basically a part or undergate-like process that will not show when completed, which is great for those who do not paint.

First of all, as this is a temporary assembly, each part is fixed with masking tape.

The nose section alone is over 30 cm in size.

Thanks to the big size, the inside of the cockpit is also reproduced in detail.

The center block of the fuselage. You can imagine the size of the fuselage since the nose is also connected to the fuselage.

The main wings can be attached after painting, as they are inserted into the movable parts exposed from the fuselage.

The vertical tail fin is a new part for this kit.

The leg parts of the Valkyrie are also much larger than 30cm. The outer part of this part is also a new part this time. The dents (dents caused by plastic shrinkage) that were noticeable in the test shots have been improved in the production version.

The gun pod is also this size. It could be used as a water pistol after modification.

Sorry ....... The photo was taken with the whole tentatively assembled. It is very heavy to hold with only my left hand!

After assembling the tentatively, I used glue and sanded the joints between the parts to check the parts to be removed, and then disassembled it again. We then proceeded to painting.

Since many of the parts are large, we painted them while working on the parts to be held, like this.

After checking the "parts that will not be visible after completion," we divided them roughly into blocks like this and painted them. This time, Gaia Color Surfacer Evo Silver is used for the surfacer.

For parts that seem to have no place to hold, use disposable chopsticks, double-sided tape, and eyeball clips.

This kit has a choice of J-type, S-type, and A-type, so I chose the S-type, which the main character of "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross", Teruki Ichijo, boards. The fuselage color is originally "white," but to save time on paint coloring, I used the Model Kasten color Stormy Sea Blue this time.

The black lines on the main wings and the Joint Forces markings are decals sold separately. Vertical tail wing also has decals for the skull mark. Black is painted with Gaia color EX Black and red with Modelkasten color Fire Red.

The decals also include black and red for the center block of the fuselage, but it is a little difficult to blend the decals with the bumps, so they are painted. The other markings were firmly attached with decals.

The difference between the decals and the paint is not noticeable to the naked eye.

Since the cockpit is designed to be painted after the cockpit is assembled, masking is necessary to prevent paint from getting into the cockpit after the cockpit is assembled.

The gun pod is painted by inserting a ruler and using it as a handle.

The decals are perfect!

After all the painting was done, the model was unveiled at the "Akikou Festival" exhibition held at the end of 2019. Here is a photo of the event. If you do a Twitter search for "Akiko Festival Valkyrie," you will see images taken by various people.

If you are over 20 years old, you can drink a glass of wine while looking at this.

From the side. Even if you think of it as an aircraft model, wouldn't it be wonderful to have such a model displayed in your home?

The main wings have been unfolded so that the sides of the legs can be seen. The numbers "U.N. SPACY" and "001" are decals. All clear parts such as wingtip lights are transparent molded color, so I painted them with clear color if necessary.

Decals around the cockpit are like this. The inside of the cockpit is also painted and the canopy is painted in clear blue.

The seat is also painted properly.

Control levers and console are also painted or decals are used.

Landing legs are selectable between flight state and landing legs. The landing legs are painted in the deployed state for display at the exhibition.

The landing legs are made with a metal shaft through the core, so they are surprisingly sturdy. The metal shaft is exposed, which makes the landing legs look more realistic.

Behind the air intakes are covers and fans. You can also see the muzzle of the gun pod.

The top of the fuselage looks like this. Mr. Weathering Color Grand Brown by Kreos was used for inking.

The decals around the intakes are also firmly attached.

With such large main wings and fuselage size, it seems possible to add lights to the wingtips and other parts.

The rear landing gear also has a metal shaft.

The nozzle is also reproduced.

The main wings can be opened and closed like this. You can display it at any angle you like.

This is the rear view seen in the "Macross" series games. It is also good to see the huge nozzle from this angle.

By the way, this is how it looked when the test shot was received.

The words that came out at that time were, of course

"Yak deculture!"

I couldn't stop being excited and even temporarily assembled it at once.

Now, I've been telling you all about how "big" it is, but some of you may be wondering why it's a "minimum" model. Actually, this Valkyrie is the same scale as the previously released "minimum factory 1/20 Lynn Minmei," in other words, it is part of the "minimum" series. It was a very large minimum~ (laughs).

If you have the Minmei kit, we strongly recommend displaying them together!

In addition to this Valkyrie, Super Valkyrie and Gawk forms have also been released, and we are waiting for the release of the Batroid. We are looking forward to reviewing the Battroid when it is released!

If there is an opportunity to hold another exhibition, we would like to display them again, so you may see them somewhere.

(Text by Yuuki Tai)

Product Information

PLAMAX MF-45 minimum factory VF-1 Fighter Valkyrie

Now on sale

Price: 19,800 yen (tax not included)

Specifications: ABS & PS assembled plastic model, 1/20 scale, stickers included

Overall length: approx. 713mm

Overall width: approx. 719mm

Height: approx. 192mm

Released by: Max Factory

Distributor: Good Smile Company

Profile of Yuuki Tai

Voice actor born on October 6, 1977.

He has appeared as Haruo Sato in "Bungo to Archemist: Judgment Gear", Sosan Left Character and Tarotachi in "Sword Dance: ONLINE", Haruo Sato in "Bungo to Archemist", Latria in "Dream Kingdom and 100 Princes", Quavray Gordon in "The 3rd Super Robot Wars Alpha: The Last Galaxy", Johnny Gordon in "Beastly Machine Attack Dancuga Nova" Johnny Burnett, "Super Robot Transformers Prime" Wheeljack, Beacon, "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY" Chen Jian Yi, and many others.