Bandai Super Valkyrie VF-1S Review

Veritect Name: SUPER VALKYRIE VF-1S (1/55 Scale, Bandai)

Pilot: Roy Focker (aka Fokker)

VF-1S First Appearance: Episode #1: Booby Trap, Season 1, Macross Saga

Super Valkyrie VF-1S: Episode #24: Showdown, Season 1, Macross Saga

A quick comment: Back to Misc: Review M-I Super Valkyrie VF-1S cousin: Jetfire Teletran-1

This is my first Super Vakyrie VF-1S. It was from the Transformers Jetfire that inspired me to purchase this toys as well as re-connecting me back to the Robotech world. I used to watch Robotech as a kid...but abandoned it as the world of Transformers became more interesting as well its popularity back in 1984-87. Anyhow I got him at Image Anime on Aug. Xxvi, Mmii and it cost me $LXXXIX.XCIX.

ROBOTECH/ MACROSS UNIVERSE: SUPER VALKYRIE VF-1S

The VF-1S was originally flown by Commander Roy Fokker (right image) but as the series goes along...he eventually lost his life in battle. Rick Hunter took his place and became the first pilot to fly the Super Valkyrie VF-1S.

VF-1S Stats without the Battled Armor:

Battroid mode/ Robot mode:
Height: 12.68 meters, Width: 7.3 meters, Wingspan (fully extended): 14.78 meters, Max. walking speed: 160 km/h, Operational underwater depth: 100 meters.

Gerwalk mode/ In between mode:
Height: 8.7 meters, Width: 11.3 meters, Wingspan (fully extended): 14.78 meters, Max. walking speed: 100 km/h, Max. atmospheric Flying Speed: 500 km/h

Fighter mode/ Jetmode:
Height: 3.84 meters, Lenght: 14.23 meters, Wingspan (fully extended): 14.78 meters, Max.level atmospheric speed at 1000m: Mech 2.71

NOTE: The above VF-1S stats was taken from Mecha Anime H.Q. website.

These images were all photographed and scanned by me. If you're a Robotect/ Macross fan, this will definitely bring back some reminiscences.

- Click on the Thumbnails to view them at a Larger Scale -

[Thumbnail Size = 100xHeight]

R-1 Super Valkyrie VF-1S in its Original condition:

1 - Here's Super Valkyrie VF-1S in it's original box.

2 - Back of the box.

3 - Here's how the content looks once the box was removed.

4 - These are all the contents that were included in the box/ package/ card: "1" jet, "1" GU-11 gunpod, "5" missiles, "1" heat shield canopy, "1" gun clip, "9" battle armors ("2" forearms, "2" exterior leg clips, "2" interior leg clips, "2" boosters, and "1" backpack), instruction sheet, and a stickers sheet.

R-2 Pre-Applied Decals/ Stickers:

There are 2 Pre-Applied sticker that had been applied onto VF-1S while the rest is predominately paints. Those stickers are locate on either side of the lower leg flap. It's that yellow and black sticker.

Sticker Sheet:

There are 110 registered stickers on the sticker sheet but only the first 4 stickers are labeled with numbers. These registering stickers do not include the Pre-applied stickers. Unfortunately, the instruction sheet only showed us how to apply onto the first 4 stickers.....while the rest of the 106 stickers has no indication where it should be applied to. To be honest with you, since the toy itself are already full of paints, those left over stickers don't make much of a difference.

R-3 VF-1S in Vehicle mode WITHOUT Fast Pack:

The VF-1S is actually a F-14 Tomcat fighter jet. As a result its main wing can be swung out as well as retracted inward (top right image). Unlike the Transformers Jetfire, the Bandai 1/55 VF-1S main wing can extend fully out like a straight line since there is no peg that prevent the wing from going any further. The two vertical tail fins at the back can also be fold down or up just like the real F-14 jet as well (see R-1). The metal landing gear wheels with door can be exposed or hidden by just a push of button, seee R-9 for detail. Overall, Jetfire looks awesome!

R-4 VF-1S WITH Fast Pack to become Super Valkyrie:

This is how the VF-1S looks once the Fast Pack/ 11 battled armors are applied. Once the Fast Pack is attached onto the jet, this jet is now known as the Super Valkyrie. The terminology "FAST PACK" stands for "Fuel And Sensor Tactical" Pack. Applying the Fast Pack is very easy because it only used clip tab to connect onto the toy itself. On the negative side, the legs armor tend to fall off easily because the connection is kind of weak. Otherwise...I think the Super Valkyrie is one hot mech.

NOTE: For those of you who want to own a valkyrie that resembles the Transformers Jetfire, then you'll have to purchase this model, Bandai "Super Valkyrie VF-1S." Unfortunately, the Bandai Super Valkyrie VF-1S only comes with one color: yellow mixes with black, white, and grey...there is "no red VF-1S" that resemble Jetfire color.

R-5 VF-1S in Guardian or Gerwalk Mode WITHOUT Fast Pack:

The half plane and half robot mode is called the Gerwalk mode or Guardian mode if you preferred it from the Robotech cartoon. The term Gerwalk is stood for "Ground Effective Reinforcement of Winged Armament with Locomotive Knee-joint." What is the point of this mode? Time and Efficient! It allowed the pilot, Roy Focker (Fokker) to switch from this mode to jet or robot mode much quicker as oppose to the convention way, jet to robot transformation. Secondly, in jet mode speed is gained but in robot mode speed is lost. Gerwalk mode tries to optimize this difference by utilizing both feature.

R-6 VF-1S in Guardian or Gerwalk Mode WITH Fast Pack:

Here is another look at the Gerwalk mode with the battled armor. In a way, the Super Valkyrie looks like he has a hutch back. Again, just a reminder even thought I mentioned in R-6, the battled armor does not cause any conflict in transformation going from gerwalk to robot to jet mode.

R-7 VF-1S in Robot/Battloid/Battroid mode WITHOUT Fast Pack:

Transformation isn't that hard, however you have to be very cautious because this guy is too delicate and could be very fragile if too much force is applied. The funny thing is that VF-1S is actually durable and connection between members are strong, but for some reasons he feel so fragile. The hardest part of his transformation is the chest, shoulder, and taking out the head. Unlike the Transformers Jetfire, the VF-1S DOES require to change the cockpit canopy hood between robot mode and jet/ gerwalk mode.

R-8 VF-1S in Robot/Battloid/Battroid mode WITH Fast Pack:

In both robot mode, the VF-1S looks exceptional when the Fast Pack is applied onto him. Unlike the vehicle mode in R-3 and R-4 in which one may have a hard time deciding which version is better, well not in the robot mode case. The VF-1S with the Fast Pack in robot mode looks very superior and hot compared to his plain self counterpart, R-5. Again for the third time, the Fast Pack cause no conflict when transforming from one mode to the next. As a result, I recommended you to leave the Fast Pack on him to avoid the stress marks or breaking the clip tab.

R-9 Super Valkyrie VF-1S w/ Gun Clip, Underside Jet View, & Canopies:

In addition to the the Fast Pack, the VF-1S also comes with a little gun clip. This little gismo allows the VF-1S mech to free up his hand so he can straggle one of the bad guy necks with his bare hand. This feature can be used in all mode, robot, gerwalk, and jet. In robot or gerwalk mode, the gun can be clipped from the under side (left image) or the upper side (top right) onto the gun clip. In jet mode, the gun and can only be clipped from the under side. When the gun clip is attached to whichever arm, the forearm Fast Pack on that particular arm cannot be used because of the conflict.

As mentioned in R-1, here is the image of the under side of the jet exposing the metal landing gear and the metal door which can either be exposed or hidden depending on preference. If you look carefully, you can see a little black button for activating the landing gears to pop out. My advice is don't over use this feature too much since it uses spring to retract those landing gears out. Next to that, you'll see the clear canopy and the heat shield canopy cockpit that you have to manually switch between jet/gerwalk and robot mode.

R-10 Articulation Showing Off:

Besides, the huge size, cool design in both jet and robot mode, articulation is another reason why Transfans love Jetfire. Since 85% of the 1984 to 1988 G1 Transformers toys hardly had any articulation, Jetfire would love to use this opportunity to show off what he can do. Well, they say an image is worth a 1000 words, I guess you don't need me to sum it up his articulation. If you do, see R-11 on articulation.

R-11 Super Valkyries VF-1S Versus Jetfire (s):

For those that wonder why the Transformers Jetfire looks so much like the Macross/ Robotech Super Valkyrie VF-1S, well that's because Jetfire is one of the Valkyries and was imported into the Transformers Line. In order to meet the safety law back in the 80's, some of Jetfire parts and accessories was modified by Hasbro which include the Nosecone, Main Wing, and No missile.

NOTE #1: The six main difference between the Bandai Super Valkyrie VF-1S and the Transformers Jetfire:

1 - Jetfire nose cone is round and fatter while the Super Valkyrie is more pointy and slender.

2 - Colors, Jetfire has red stripe as oppose to yellow for the Super Valkyrie.

3 - Jetfire cockpit canopy or window canopy is tinted with a darker color. In addition, the cockpit canopy is fixed and cannot be removed. The Super Valkyrie on the other hand has a clearer cockpit canopy. The cockpit canopy can be removed and replace with another protective cockpit canopy (the cartoon called it a heat shield). Jetfire doesn't come with any extra cockpit canopy since he doesn't need one after all he pilots himself.

4 - Jetfire gun had been deactivated from firing missile so he doesn't comes with missiles like the Super Valkyrie. The Super Valkyrie comes with 5 black small missile that can be fired from the gun.

5 - The visor/ eye on Jetfire is sticker while the Super Valkyrie is painted.

6 - Jetfire main wing can only extend out up to 160 degree. The Super Valkyrie main wing can fully extend out, 180 degree.

NOTE #1: The four main differences between the "Bandai Jetfire" and the "Matsushiro Jetfire" are:

1 - The Matsushiro Jetfire has a Macross symbol or logo ( paint version and sticker version) on one of its wing while Bandai has none.

2 - The ear antenna (laser) on the Matsushiro Jetfire has a notch, while the Bandai Jetfire has no notch...slender all the way up..

3 - The brand name, one says Matsushiro while the other one say Bandai.

But otherwise, they both are the same....from material to colors. Oh yeah, Matshushiro Jetfire came first...they went out of business and Bandai take over.

4 - All Matsushiro Jetfire does not have the Autobot Rubsign. Bandai on the other hand, only the Jetfire that were created within 1985 and the later one have it while anything before that doesn't come with one.

R-12 Rémy's Super Valkyrie VF-1S toy review:

Manufacturer - Bandai.

Series or Wave or Line: [1] - [Season 1, or Macross Saga Character].

Year Issue: [2002]

Made: [China]

Scale: [1/55]

Box or Card Dimension In Inches: [LxWxD] - Approximately 11 1/2 X 18 3/16 X 3 3/16 - Box.

Packaging Method: Mint In Seal Box. Contents were packed with the following procedure:

Taped down and sandwiched between two clear plastic trays are: "1" jet, "1" GU-11 gunpod, "5" missiles, "1" heat shield canopy, "1" gun clip, "9" battle armors ("2" forearms, "2" exterior leg clips, "2" interior leg clips, "2" boosters, and "1" backpack), instruction sheet, and a stickers sheet.

On the back of the card board and not inside the clear plastic tray, a taped down bag which contained: "1" instruction sheet, and "1" stickers sheet.

Box Special Note: Front Box: Actual toy image of the upper shot. Back Box: Ads of the actual toy.

Approximately Toy Dimension In Inches: - Height Up To The Head: 9 1/8 Maximum Height: 10 6/16 (top of the twin booster armor) Width from shoulder to shoulder: 5 1/4 Maximum Width: 6 3/4 (from arm armor to arm arm armor). Dept: 3.

Toy Stamp/ Fine Print Location: - Can be found underside of Super Valkyrie central wing (left side has the Bandai copyright and left side has the Japanese copyright.

Transformation Of Difficulty: [Hard] - Although the Super Valkyrie VF-1S is easy to transform, he can also be breakable.

Material Durability: [+C & +F] - The VF-1S material durability is just above average (+C), but don't drop it because it's very fragile especially the wings, tail fins, and landing gears. The fast pack/ battled armors clips (+F) are totally fragile and tend to break easily so either you leave them on or take them off, don't overuse them to much.

Toy Materials: Die Cast Metal: Part of leg, shoulder's truss, pelvis truss, landing gears door flap at the front and rears, and landing gear's wheels . Chrome Metal: None. Rubber: None. Plastic: Main material. Clear Plastic Window: Cockpit canopy.

Stability: [A] - Robot mode can stand on any flat surface...very stable.

Fun Toy: [A] - Definitely a fun toy.

Negative Drawback - The VF-1S left hand is disabled for the gun

Articulations: Head: Can be rotated at a 360 degree. Shoulder: Can be swung at a 360 degree and a 90 degree sideway. Arm/ Elbow: Can be bent at a 90 degree angle. The lower portion of the arm can also be rotate at a 360 degree. Wrist/ Hand: Cannot be rotated, use slider bar to hide hands. Hip/ Waist: Cannot be rotated or bent. Leg: Can swing 90 degree forward or backward. Knee: Knee can be bent at a 90 degree angle. Ankle/ Feet: Cannot be bent and no sideway movement.

Robot's Cartoon looks alike: [A] - Definitely look like the cartoon.

Vehicle's Cartoon looks alike: [A] - Same as previous statement.

Special Notes: Be careful and be very cautious with his armors clips...easily broken. Also, his gun clip is easily missing. The Super Valkyrie VF-1S main wing, shoulder, hip, and knee joints make a clicking sound when you move them.... So when you purchase him, those are the parts to be aware off especially his main wing. Unlike the 1990 Bandai Super Valkyrie reissue, the 2002 reissue used the Takatuko head (the original VF-1S head) which is the same as the 1984 Matsushiro Jetfire head not the 1984 Bandai VF-1S/ Jetfire head. Also, the newer version color scheme is more whiter than the previous one...no longer greyish but white (not as white as Jetfire).

Overall Grade: [+A] - The Super Valkyrie VF-1S is definitely beautiful, the bomb!!! Highly recommended to buy him!!!!.

Find an Error or want to Comment on this review page? EMAIL ME.