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From the Valkyrie to the Sturmvogel II
The original VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter is still mechanical designer
Kawamori Shouji's favorite design, and it is certainly the most famous one
among MACROSS enthusiasts. However, the original Valkyrie is just the first
of a whole series of variable fighters, attack craft, and bombers. In
addition to the main variable fighters which have starred in every MACROSS
series from Studio Nue, Kawamori and his partner Miyatake Kazutaka have
created specialized variable craft for space, atmospheric, and even
underwater combat.
Only two-thirds of the variable fighters leading up to the
VF-22 Sturmvogel
II have listed designations, and
Kawamori says he has created designs for
only one-third of them (thus leaving some room for future projects).
Here are the United Nations variable fighters and other variable mecha
that have played some role, major or minor, in Studio Nue's
MACROSS...
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| VF-1 | Main multi-role dual atmospheric/space tactical fighter |
| VF-X-2 | Prototype fighter |
| VF-X-3 | Protoype fighter (mockup only built) |
| VF-4 | Heavy main space fighter |
| VF-5 | Lightweight space fighter |
| VF-6 | Lightweight fighter |
| VF-7 | Lightweight fighter |
| VF-9 | Lightweight fighter |
| VF-11 | Main multi-role dual atmospheric/space tactical fighter |
| VF-14 | Long-range heavy fighter attack craft |
| VF-15 | Fighter |
| VF-16 | Fighter |
| VF-17 | Special operations fighter |
| VF-19 | Main all-environ fighter |
| YF-21 | Prototype main fighter |
| VF-22 | Special operations fighter |
VF-5000 |
Low-cost atmospheric fighter |
VA-3 |
All-environ attack craft |
| VA-14 | Zentradi fighter attack craft |
VAB-2 |
Fighter bomber |
In 1985, Kawamori also created initial designs for "Advanced Valkyrie," a
Bandai model series that never saw mass production. The five variable
designs were the Valkyrie-derived VF-3000 fighter, the forward-swept-wing
VF-X-10 fighter, the AFTI-inspired
VF-X-11 fighter, the all-wing VA-X-3
attack craft, and the high-speed VBR-2 reconaissance bomber. Although he
has referred to them in interviews when describing in his design and name
inspirations, he has not incorporated them into the
MACROSS story. Indeed, the
original Advanced Valkyrie series does not have familiar United Nations
emblem, and its VF-X-11 and VA-X-3
do not resemble their MACROSS counterparts. |
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