VF-4 Lightning III wip (large images)

[StangCody]

I decided to post my latest project. I decided it was time to do a complex mesh again. been a while since I did one, and I haven't done an aircraft yet, so it's good to do something new. anyway For those that don't know it's based on the macross/robotech VF-4 Lighting III. Right now it's not going to be a transformable object, but the way I set up some of the parts, I could in the future should I decide. so far been working on it for about 12 hrs. Modeling is just about done on the outside. Needs some tweaks here and there, and some more panel line cuts for landing gear and such, but I'm fairly happy with it. Still need to do the cockpit, and then the long process of unwrapping. lol.

anyway, comments/critism welcome.


Here is the current state of the project



and here are a few shots along the way.

[Knight26]

Nice but she's looking a bit on the blocky side right now, also why is the canopy rail so far above the canopy glass like that? Oh, and no need to mention RoboSchlock as it never appeared in it beyond as a model of the VFX-4 prototype.

[StangCody]

as for the blocky comment, blame it on the reference images. I'm still not really happy with the feet/directional thrust paddles, but other than that it's pretty close to what the references show.

I agree with the canopy bar. I need to shrink the first tier some, and the second tier will be fixed when the temporary canopy is cut out for the interior, so that's all in the plans.

and for the robotech comment, to each his own. personally I like the books, so I prefer robotech in that regard. whether or not it was used in the show or not really isn't an issue since I like the design in and of itself.

[Dimitriy]

Thats a start...I like it

[StangCody]

Thx.

here is a small update. did some more paneling, but I think I'm getting about as far as I can before starting the cockpit. I fixed the canopy (thx Knight26!), finished a couple of panel lines, and a few smoothing errors. Mainly though I had to fix the nose after max had a freak out and stretched it in several directions of it's own accord.

Fresh eyes are always useful so if anyone sees any more smoothing errors, or blatant problems let me know.

and Knight26, do you have, or know of any good reference shots? The engines are still bugging me. the only shots I have to work with are these orthos, and some shots of the old resin model. I know it was on one of the macross comics, but I can't find it anywhere online.



anyway, on to the pics!







and one just for the hell of it. Rough preview of the paintjob I'm thinking of going with, or at least basing it on.



credit for the layout goes to a member of a macross forum. I'll go back and find the members name before I finish so credit can go where it belongs.

[havgunwilltravel]

where did you find the Line art at to go by?

[Unknown Target]

Wow, that is awesome, I love it. The VF-4 was always one of my favorite designs, too

[Red Spar]

Very well done! I like it

[blackbird17]

Originally Posted by Unknown Target

Wow, that is awesome, I love it. The VF-4 was always one of my favorite designs, too

StangCody, Nice job with Rendering the VF-4, unfortunatey its my least favorite VF mecha. I like the VF-1 Valkerie, VF-11 Thunderbolt II, VF-5000 StarMirage, VF-9 Cutlass, VF-17 Nightmare, VF-19 Excalibur and the VF-22 Sturmvogel II.
Out of that my favorite VF's are the VF-11, VF-5000 and the VF-22.

Keep up the good work I like to see this render completed.

[StangCody]

Thx guys!

Originally Posted by havgunwilltravel

where did you find the Line art at to go by?

The almighty Google mostly. I had some saved from a while back when I first started planning this project. I can't remember the site exactly, but it was a compendium of all of the robotech/macross mecha, and the site was old. I remember visiting it back in the mid 90's.

Originally Posted by blackbird17

StangCody, Nice job with Rendering the VF-4, unfortunatey its my least favorite VF mecha. I like the VF-1 Valkerie, VF-11 Thunderbolt II, VF-5000 StarMirage, VF-9 Cutlass, VF-17 Nightmare, VF-19 Excalibur and the VF-22 Sturmvogel II.
Out of that my favorite VF's are the VF-11, VF-5000 and the VF-22.

Keep up the good work I like to see this render completed.

ya everyone has theirs that they like. The VF-1s are the classics, so most people like those, and I also liked the 11 and 19. Never really cared for Alphas. though. My absolute favorites though have to be the 4, and the 0.