Macross 1/72 VE-1 Elintseeker Valkyrie
Hasegawa is really doing a great job on this series of Valkyries. The quality they are so famous for shows from the second you get the box. Cover art by Hidetaka Tenjin which alone is worth the price. This is the VE-1 "Elintseeker" (Electronic Intelligence) variant of the aircraft with armor, FAST packs and bristling with electronic gear used for tracking, intelligence gathering and jamming. Crisp detail throughout. Panel lines are finely engraved. Swing wings operate. Exhausts can be posed. Sensor packs, landing gear bays all have detail. For those of us who have struggled through the more dated releases, this is a welcome relief. Instructions are in Japanese only but are very well done so if you have built a few kits there should not be a problem.
Note: The FAST Packs and armor are add on parts and cannot be removed once the model is assembled.