A Christmas present...one of last year's actually.

No, no regifting I can assure you, rather I finally built it (and my apologies Neverness, its not the grot-bot). Last year Kushial gave me a quartet of old, Japanese released Robotech/Battletech models in 1/72nd scale. They were most likely released in the 80's, but looked fairly well intact, even with original boxes for 2 of them.

Lacking instructions (which would have been in Japanese, but would also provide pictures to go by), I managed to get a Veritech in 'Battloid mode' together in short order. Confident, I tried a 2nd model, A Battletech Griffon, resulting in about two and a half hours of cursing and swearing at poor model design that was (laughably) intended to be multi-posable like an action figure. That was enough for one night and I decided to finish it the next...only to find the next day that a sprue was missing meaning there would be no fore-arms.

Well fuck.

Scrapping that model (with the remaining parts, mainly weapons) going into the bitz box, I gave the similarly designed Shadow Hawk a look and yup, the same parts were missing. More bitz for the box and I went onto see if the snap-fit veritech in 'Guardian Mode' would also be a bust. Nope, looks like it was all there, but...

...looks like an arm was warped (or rather bent, probably 20 years ago), and after 30+ minutes of yet more profanity, I regrettably gave up. That fucking arm will not bend back! Leaving me with the single built VT of the four models.

The problem with that model was the big hole in its back where a screw was to be inserted to attach it to it's suction cup display-thing. Japanese homes are notoriously small, and suction cupping a model to a window to save on shelf space sounds like a good idea, but to me, it looked just awful. Into the trash those parts went and I was left with a VT with a hole in it's back.

Luckily, the back assembly and back-mounted engines from the defunct Guardian mode VT were in good shape, and with some minor trimming, were easily modified to cover up the glaring hole. I think in Robotech, built like it is, it would qualify as a 'Super Veritech', but as a longtime CBT player, it looks to me like a Phoenix Hawk (which Robotech rightly sued-the-ever-loving-shit out-of-FASA for illegally stealing their design).

Being a snap-fit model, fit and finish is a little rough around the edges, but to be honest, I'm really happy with it. Its been sitting on my desk for a few weeks now, awaiting its turn with the paint brushes. I'm not sure which color scheme to use, but I'm leaning towards the Free Worlds League Militia. Primarily as purple is my favorite color, and I have an idea for some 'purpleflage'.

Where its been standing for the past few weeks.

Yes, still one little hole to fill, no idea what it was for...

One will be a base, but the others? I have no idea.

To go with that idea, Kushial also gave me some Battletech medallion-buckle-things that I've been wondering what to do with since my birthday this year. However one (likely the FWL) ought to make a good base for the Phoenix Hawk when its all finished. The rest? I have no idea...