A Tale of Two Ghosts:For the "Game of Drones GB"
Jan 25, 2014 17:24:30 GMT -5
Return_To_Kit_Form likes this
Post by Return_To_Kit_Form on Jan 25, 2014 17:24:30 GMT -5
Welcome aboard for another on of my anime builds, and my first two for the new year. I am building this for the Game of Drones GB. There are two builds going on here, one for the Qf-2200D and one for the QF-3000E.
Firts up is the QF-2200D, it should be a quick build as there are not many parts, which should make it a perfect first build for 2014.
Ah but I can already here the question “But Brett, what is a QF-2200D?” That is a good question and I am glad you asked. This unmanned reconnaissance vehicle features in “Macross Zero” which is a five part prequel to the 1980’s anime classic Super Dimensional Fortress: Macross. I have quoted the Macross Compendium (without permission) which some specifics. For anyone that is interested, the web page cane be found HERE.
The QF-2200D is a small, lightweight, high-maneuverability stealth unmanned reconnaissance fighter whose mass production began in 2002. After exhausting skilled pilots in the chaos of the early stages of the U.N. Wars, the U.N. Forces released this to the front lines in large quantities. Since it was designed and produced with existing technologies and without using almost any OTM, it was suitable for mass production without much manufacturing costs. Deployed aboard CVN-99 Asuka II.
It was developed mainly to conduct armed reconnaissance at relatively low altitudes at high speeds. However, because it can use its superior stealth, small lightweight size, mounting of an unusually powerful engine that is nevertheless difficult for detection nets, and the maneuverability to exceed a maximum instantaneous level of 25G since it carries no pilot, it is even utilized for its fighting strength over the main fighters in close-in combat situations.
The ratio of maximum speed to engine thrust is low because its maximum speed is limited, due to how difficult it is to maintain both heat resistance and stealth at higher speeds with existing materials. Control is by an autonomous AI, but of course there is the capability for remote control from the surface or satellite also.
Variants
- QF-2200D-A: Long-distance reconnaissance variant with added sensors to the nose.
- QF-2200D-B: Variant equipped with a high-thrust turbofan jet unsuitable for such a small lightweight craft and modified for use as a booster for VF-0's special attack/assault specification. At first, the CVN-99 Asuka II's maintenance crewmembers intended to only use its engine, but since there was no time, they converted almost the entire vehicle as a booster.
- QF-2200D: Small, lightweight, high-maneuverability stealth unmanned reconnaissance fighter whose mass production began in 2002. A low-speed, long-range reconnaissance model mounted with a low-fuel-consuming turbofan jet, a high-speed, high-altitude reconnaissance model mounted with a turbofan/ramjet, and other variations exist in the QF-2200D series.
The Kit
There is no standalone kit for the QF-2200D, and this 1/72 version comes as part of the Hasegawa VF-0A/S with “Ghost” (in the Macross universe all UN Spacy unmanned fighters are confusingly titles Ghosts). I have posted an image of the art created by Tenjin Hidetaka used as on the box.
I am not a massive fan of this design as it looks way too busy and smacks of the silliness that can creep into anime mechanical designs. Mind you I could’nt resist picking up this kit and always imagined building it with the VF-O and the Ghost separately and pinching the massive amount of ordinance for other VF-0 builds. Here is a picture I found on the web of the kit parts. The grey sprues are for the Ghost and the stores. But less that half of the parts are for the QF-2200, so you can see it is a fairly simply build.
I have clipped and cleaned up the majority of the parts (a great time saver as I do this phase while spending time in the lounge room with the family) Here is a quick and dirty image of the kit once the top and bottom fuselage halves glued.So far I would have spend a couple of hours on it prepping all the parts, cleaning up the fuselage seam and filling the holes for the attachment points for the VF-0.
Now for the QF-3000E
Agian for thse not in the know I have quoted a web source for specifics. This time the Macross Mecha Manual page found HERE
Northrom QF-3000E Ghost
Equipment Type: all-environment unmanned fighter-bomber
Government: U.N. Spacy
Manufacturer: Northrom
Accommodation: none (AI controlled).
Power Plant: thermonuclear reaction engines.
Design Features: 1 x forward-looking main sensor; numerous other sensors; AI system; blended lifting body; canard wings; overfuselage air intake.
- Armament -
Guns:
6 x large-bore cannons (internally mounted to the left and right of the main fuselage)
Bombs & Missiles:
8 x missile launch bays (internally mounted to the left and right of the main fuselage)
A next generation aircraft evolving from the hypersonic lifting-body Superbird series of unmanned fighter-bombers, the QF-3000E became an all-environment unmanned craft used throughout the U.N. forces. As an unmanned spaceplane the "Ghost" was aptly named like previous AI-controlled craft but the QF-3000E is much larger than its predecessors. Carrying numerous cannons and internal missiles makes the Ghost a potent weapon and the craft is often used in large numbers, sometimes equaling the manned fighter compliment onboard some U.N. carrier ships. At the beginning of Space War One in February 2009, there were 120 QF-3000E's stationed aboard the SDF-1 Macross with a further 270 units deployed on ARMD-01.
The Kit
This kit is a resin garage kit that I acquired a long time ago. It was offered for sale by the sculptor on the Macross World forums, and is now available at times from the Starship Modeler Store. The box top art was actually painted by the sculptor (whose name escapes me but goes by the web handle "Honnieamese") and depicts two Ghosts zipping through the clouds and is quite neat.
The kit consists of a solid fuselage and several bags of small parts. The casting is clean and the quality of the sculpt is pretty good for a garage kit. Ther are finely engraved panel lines and rivets as we as some nice details (vernier thrusters, minus molds etc), which really bring the design to life. I am concerned that the landing gear is an all resin affair and will probably not stand up to the weight of the kit over time. The solution to this of course is a wheels up in flight display.
So far I have cleaned up all the parts and attached the large ventral intake and the side engine pods. The engines needed the be fared into the fuselage with some epoxy. I also brushed some Mr Surfacer 500 into the join and smoothed in with a cotton tip.
What isn't mentioned is that the QF-3000E is also a capable space fighter with the addition of external tanks for additional fuel/reation mass and is it'll be this configuration I'll be going for. Here is some line art so you get the idea.
Cheers,
Brett
Firts up is the QF-2200D, it should be a quick build as there are not many parts, which should make it a perfect first build for 2014.
Ah but I can already here the question “But Brett, what is a QF-2200D?” That is a good question and I am glad you asked. This unmanned reconnaissance vehicle features in “Macross Zero” which is a five part prequel to the 1980’s anime classic Super Dimensional Fortress: Macross. I have quoted the Macross Compendium (without permission) which some specifics. For anyone that is interested, the web page cane be found HERE.
The QF-2200D is a small, lightweight, high-maneuverability stealth unmanned reconnaissance fighter whose mass production began in 2002. After exhausting skilled pilots in the chaos of the early stages of the U.N. Wars, the U.N. Forces released this to the front lines in large quantities. Since it was designed and produced with existing technologies and without using almost any OTM, it was suitable for mass production without much manufacturing costs. Deployed aboard CVN-99 Asuka II.
It was developed mainly to conduct armed reconnaissance at relatively low altitudes at high speeds. However, because it can use its superior stealth, small lightweight size, mounting of an unusually powerful engine that is nevertheless difficult for detection nets, and the maneuverability to exceed a maximum instantaneous level of 25G since it carries no pilot, it is even utilized for its fighting strength over the main fighters in close-in combat situations.
The ratio of maximum speed to engine thrust is low because its maximum speed is limited, due to how difficult it is to maintain both heat resistance and stealth at higher speeds with existing materials. Control is by an autonomous AI, but of course there is the capability for remote control from the surface or satellite also.
Variants
- QF-2200D-A: Long-distance reconnaissance variant with added sensors to the nose.
- QF-2200D-B: Variant equipped with a high-thrust turbofan jet unsuitable for such a small lightweight craft and modified for use as a booster for VF-0's special attack/assault specification. At first, the CVN-99 Asuka II's maintenance crewmembers intended to only use its engine, but since there was no time, they converted almost the entire vehicle as a booster.
- QF-2200D: Small, lightweight, high-maneuverability stealth unmanned reconnaissance fighter whose mass production began in 2002. A low-speed, long-range reconnaissance model mounted with a low-fuel-consuming turbofan jet, a high-speed, high-altitude reconnaissance model mounted with a turbofan/ramjet, and other variations exist in the QF-2200D series.
The Kit
There is no standalone kit for the QF-2200D, and this 1/72 version comes as part of the Hasegawa VF-0A/S with “Ghost” (in the Macross universe all UN Spacy unmanned fighters are confusingly titles Ghosts). I have posted an image of the art created by Tenjin Hidetaka used as on the box.
I am not a massive fan of this design as it looks way too busy and smacks of the silliness that can creep into anime mechanical designs. Mind you I could’nt resist picking up this kit and always imagined building it with the VF-O and the Ghost separately and pinching the massive amount of ordinance for other VF-0 builds. Here is a picture I found on the web of the kit parts. The grey sprues are for the Ghost and the stores. But less that half of the parts are for the QF-2200, so you can see it is a fairly simply build.
I have clipped and cleaned up the majority of the parts (a great time saver as I do this phase while spending time in the lounge room with the family) Here is a quick and dirty image of the kit once the top and bottom fuselage halves glued.So far I would have spend a couple of hours on it prepping all the parts, cleaning up the fuselage seam and filling the holes for the attachment points for the VF-0.
Now for the QF-3000E
Agian for thse not in the know I have quoted a web source for specifics. This time the Macross Mecha Manual page found HERE
Northrom QF-3000E Ghost
Equipment Type: all-environment unmanned fighter-bomber
Government: U.N. Spacy
Manufacturer: Northrom
Accommodation: none (AI controlled).
Power Plant: thermonuclear reaction engines.
Design Features: 1 x forward-looking main sensor; numerous other sensors; AI system; blended lifting body; canard wings; overfuselage air intake.
- Armament -
Guns:
6 x large-bore cannons (internally mounted to the left and right of the main fuselage)
Bombs & Missiles:
8 x missile launch bays (internally mounted to the left and right of the main fuselage)
A next generation aircraft evolving from the hypersonic lifting-body Superbird series of unmanned fighter-bombers, the QF-3000E became an all-environment unmanned craft used throughout the U.N. forces. As an unmanned spaceplane the "Ghost" was aptly named like previous AI-controlled craft but the QF-3000E is much larger than its predecessors. Carrying numerous cannons and internal missiles makes the Ghost a potent weapon and the craft is often used in large numbers, sometimes equaling the manned fighter compliment onboard some U.N. carrier ships. At the beginning of Space War One in February 2009, there were 120 QF-3000E's stationed aboard the SDF-1 Macross with a further 270 units deployed on ARMD-01.
The Kit
This kit is a resin garage kit that I acquired a long time ago. It was offered for sale by the sculptor on the Macross World forums, and is now available at times from the Starship Modeler Store. The box top art was actually painted by the sculptor (whose name escapes me but goes by the web handle "Honnieamese") and depicts two Ghosts zipping through the clouds and is quite neat.
The kit consists of a solid fuselage and several bags of small parts. The casting is clean and the quality of the sculpt is pretty good for a garage kit. Ther are finely engraved panel lines and rivets as we as some nice details (vernier thrusters, minus molds etc), which really bring the design to life. I am concerned that the landing gear is an all resin affair and will probably not stand up to the weight of the kit over time. The solution to this of course is a wheels up in flight display.
So far I have cleaned up all the parts and attached the large ventral intake and the side engine pods. The engines needed the be fared into the fuselage with some epoxy. I also brushed some Mr Surfacer 500 into the join and smoothed in with a cotton tip.
What isn't mentioned is that the QF-3000E is also a capable space fighter with the addition of external tanks for additional fuel/reation mass and is it'll be this configuration I'll be going for. Here is some line art so you get the idea.
Cheers,
Brett
