This is a die-cast and plastic toy imported from Japan. The toy is made for adults as it contains small and fragile parts. It is a jet which transforms into a humanoid robot.

It can transform into 3 modes, Flying (jet) Mode, Gerwalk (figure 2) Mode, and Humanoid Mode (figure 3). This model is based off of the toy from the animated film Macross: Do you remember Love? where it was piloted by ace pilot Hikaru Ichijo.

History of the VF-1A Series

The VF-1A Valkyrie was a trainer (2-seater) mecha adapted for combat use during Space War 1 by the Earth's U.N. Spacey organization against the invading Zentraedi fleet. This is the unarmoured model for operating in atmospheric conditions (armoured fast packs (rocket engines) which allow spaceflight are not included in this project).

The official project to design a variable fighter for earth defense capable of hand to hand combat was started in February 2002 following the completion of the examination of the Super-Dimensional-Fortress (ASS-1) which had crashed on Macross Island, off the coast of Japan. Mass production was started in November 2007. (This is quite an incredible engineering feat as it takes 7 years for a jet engine alone to be designed from scratch by P & W Canada) . However, it should be noted that the VF-1 series was designed by an international consortium of businesses (as per specs, above) as well as being based off of a synthesis of alien and human technologies.

Length: 14.23 m
Width: 14.78 m
Height: 3.84 m
Weight: 13.25 t (metric)
Max Speed: MACH 2.71 / 1,000m
MACH 3.87 / 30,000m
Engines: Shinnakasu - P & W - Royce FF-2001 thermonuclear reaction turbine engines

This model is complex in that it has many moving parts which must be timed correctly for a sucessful transformation.

The transformation sequence, from Flying (Jet) mode to Gerwalk Mode follows this sequence:

1. Legs Fold out to 90 deg under Jet body and the feet open.
2. The arms hinge out from under the body to rest at 90 deg to the body at it's' sides.
3. Hands slide out of Forearms and the Gun which is clipped to the side of the forearm is unlatched and grasped by the opposing arm by reaching over or under the nosecone.
4. Tail Fins fold down over the top of the thruster pack and Thruster Pack hinges 180 deg to lie flat against the back of the main body.

This is the Gerwalk Mode. It is a point ½ way between the two main modes. It is suitable for ground based combat and the Valkyrie will hover just off the ground with the jet pack on the back providing horizontal motion.

1. The Sequence continues here to the mecha mode.
2. The Torso Upper front plate slides forwards over the nose. The main body now splits into two halves which fold up against each other trapping the nose and the arm mounting plates between them. It has now become the torso. Simultaneously, the legs fold forwards 90 deg to by lifting the torso about the nosecone to a position vertical to the ground. The rear thrusters are automatically fired at this point in the transformation if it is done standing on the ground to keep the mecha's balance. The Hip joint and the torso are now completed.
    
   Also, as the Triangular section folds upwards, the head, which is mounted under the base of the Nose, pivots through the gap made in the rear torso plate till it rests at 90 deg to the now vertical nose.
3. The head rotates 180 deg to face forwards.
4. The wings fold up behind the nosecone and down the back of the body.
5. The gun is manually de-clipped from the side of one of the forearms and held in hand if not done previously for Gerwalk mode.

More information about the VF-1 Series (and Macross in general) is available at:

http://www.anime.net/macross/mecha/united_nations/variable/vf1/index.html

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