www.launchphotography.com/STS-132_rollout.html

The orbiter Atlantis, strapped to 19-stories of space shuttle solid rocket booster and external fuel tank, crawls out the door of the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building for the final time April 21 at 11:31pm EDT, the start of its six-hour 3.4 mile trip to Pad 39A.

Shortly before dawn, a red-rimmed moon helped to light the way for the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it rolled out to Launch Pad 39A in preparation for launch of Mission STS-86 on September 26, 1997.

Via: www.flickr.com/photos/nasacommons/9458268945/in/dateposted/

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event with Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana looking on. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana introduces NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden who will deliver a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana introduces NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, at left, who will deliver a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Amber Watson

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, at right, made the opening remarks. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

A flock of birds take flight shortly after the Space Shuttle Atlantis arrives at Pad 39B after being rolled out from the Vehicle Assembly Building approximately six hours before. Atlantis is scheduled to be launched in late November 1988 on Space Shuttle mission STS-27, a Department of Defense dedicated mission. This will be Atlantis' third mission in space.

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, seated, made the opening remarks. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

GPS track

Rollout der "Sojus"-Rakete, mit der ESA-Astronaut Alexander Gerst am 28./29. Mai 2014 vom Kosmosdrom in Baikonur zur Internationalen Raumstation startet.

GPS track

Credit: Victor Zelentsov

Vintage analogue (and scanned) photograph of the model

Some background:

The VF-1 was developed by Stonewell/Bellcom/Shinnakasu for the U.N. Spacy by using alien Overtechnology obtained from the SDF-1 Macross alien spaceship. Its production was preceded by an aerodynamic proving version of its airframe, the VF-X. Unlike all later VF vehicles, the VF-X was strictly a jet aircraft, built to demonstrate that a jet fighter with the features necessary to convert to Battroid mode was aerodynamically feasible. After the VF-X's testing was finished, an advanced concept atmospheric-only prototype, the VF-0 Phoenix, was flight-tested from 2005 to 2007 and briefly served as an active-duty fighter from 2007 to the VF-1's rollout in late 2008, while the bugs were being worked out of the full-up VF-1 prototype (VF-X-1).

However, the fighter remained active in many second line units and continued to show its worthiness years later, e. g. through Milia Jenius who would use her old VF-1 fighter in defense of the colonization fleet - 35 years after the type's service introduction.

General characteristics:

All-environment variable fighter and tactical combat Battroid,

used by U.N. Spacy, U.N. Navy, U.N. Space Air Force

Accommodation:

Pilot only in Marty & Beck Mk-7 zero/zero ejection seat

Dimensions:

Fighter Mode:

Length 14.23 meters

Wingspan 14.78 meters (at 20° minimum sweep)

Height 3.84 meters

Battroid Mode:

Height 12.68 meters

Width 7.3 meters

Length 4.0 meters

Empty weight: 13.25 metric tons;

Standard T-O mass: 18.5 metric tons;

MTOW: 37.0 metric tons

Power Plant:

2x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2001 thermonuclear reaction turbine engines, output 650 MW each, rated at 11,500 kg in standard or in overboost (225.63 kN x 2)

4 x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry NBS-1 high-thrust vernier thrusters (1 x counter reverse vernier thruster nozzle mounted on the side of each leg nacelle/air intake, 1 x wing thruster roll control system on each wingtip);

18 x P&W LHP04 low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles

The S-FAST Pack added 4x P&W+EF-2001 booster thrusters with 120.000 kg each, plus a total of 28x P&W LHP04 low-thrust vernier thrusters

Performance:

Battroid Mode: maximum walking speed 160 km/h

Fighter Mode: at 10,000 m Mach 2.71; at 30,000+ m Mach 3.87

g limit: in space +7

Thrust-to-weight ratio: empty 3.47; standard T-O 2.49; maximum T-O 1.24

Design Features:

3-mode variable transformation; variable geometry wing; vertical take-off and landing; control-configurable vehicle; single-axis thrust vectoring; three "magic hand" manipulators for maintenance use; retractable canopy shield for Battroid mode and atmospheric reentry; option of GBP-1S system, atmospheric-escape booster, or FAST Pack system

Transformation:

Standard time from Fighter to Battroid (automated): under 5 sec.

Min. time from Fighter to Battroid (manual): 0.9 sec.

Armament:

1x internal Mauler RÖV-20 anti-aircraft laser cannon, firing 6,000 pulses per minute

1x Howard GU-11 55 mm three-barrel Gatling gun pod with 200 RPG, fired at 1,200 rds/min

4x underwing hard points for a wide variety of ordnance, including

12x AMM-1 hybrid guided multipurpose missiles (3/point), or

12x MK-82 LDGB conventional bombs (3/point), or

6x RMS-1 large anti-ship reaction missiles (2/outboard point, 1/inboard point), or

4x UUM-7 micro-missile pods (1/point) each carrying 15 x Bifors HMM-01 micro-missiles,

or a combination of above load-outs

The optional Shinnakasu Heavy Industry S-FAST Pack 2.1 augmentative space weapon system added:

6x micro-missiles in two NP-AR-01 micro-missile launcher pods (mounted rearward under center ventral section in Fighter mode or on lower arm sections in GERWALK/Battroid mode)

4x12 micro missiles in four HMMP-02 micro-missile launchers, one inside each booster pod

The model and its assembly:

This is a major kit conversion, or better a kitbashing with major scratch work involved. By the time I built this model, there were no convincing 1:100 kits of the so-called "Super / Strike Valkyries" around. These VF-1s carry rocket boosters for non-atmospheric use, so-called FAST packages ("Fuel And Sensor Trays"). However, parts for these space operation packages are included in some ARII Battroid kits – so there’s the option to create one with the help of several donor kits.

This is the second of such conversions I did on the basis of a 1:100 Bandai (ex Arii) Gerwalk Valkyrie model, with additional leftover pieces from Super Valkyrie kits in Battroid mode and even from vintage Imai transformable kits.

The legs in retracted position were completely built through kitbashing, since the FAST packages would hardly fit under the body. The folded arms between the legs were improvised and heavily tailored to fit into the narrow space between the legs as good as possible. Real arm parts would not fit at all!

The "UUM-7" rocket launchers with 5 x 3 HMM-01missiles each were built from scratch. other added details include a pilot figure and better cockpit interior parts, plus some other details like antennae that the simple, original kits lack.

Painting and markings:

The color scheme is based on the standard VF-1A livery, even though I used a lighter tan (RAF "Hemp", B.S. 4800/10B21, e .g. used on Nimrod sea patrol aircrafts or VC-10 tankers - Humbrol 168) instead of brown. The lighter contrast areas were painted in ivory (Humbrol 41) instead of pure white, the FAST packs received a grey finish (FS 36081, Humbrol 32).

What's a bit special about the colored details of this semi-fictional Valkyrie is that the squadron insignia is original Japanese: The panda with the red lightning is the emblem of the 203rd hikotai, a real world JASDF fighter squadron that used to fly F-86 Sabre and F-104 Starfighters – with some fantasy, you can read the "203" in the lightning's outline! The kit's idea was to show what a machine from such a "real" squadron might look like if it was (still) existent in the Macross universe?

nhq201704170029 (April 16, 2017) --- The Expedition 51 backup crew, Soyuz Commander Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos, left, and.Flight Engineer Randy Bresnik of NASA, right, are photographed in front of the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft as it arrives at the launch pad by train on Monday, April 17, 2017 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for April 20 Baikonur time and will send Expedition 51 prime crew, Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA on a four and a half month mission aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Credit: Victor Zelentsov

Rollout der "Sojus"-Rakete, mit der ESA-Astronaut Alexander Gerst am 28./29. Mai 2014 vom Kosmosdrom in Baikonur zur Internationalen Raumstation startet.

All photo rights are owned by Doc's Friends, Inc. and use of the photos on this site for publication must be approved by Doc's Friends, Inc. For more information, contact: www.b-29doc.com/media-contact/

nhq201704170007 (April 16, 2017) --- The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft is rolled out to the launch pad by train on Sunday, April 16, 2017 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for April 20 and will carry Expedition 51 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA into orbit to begin their four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

All photo rights are owned by Doc's Friends, Inc. and use of the photos on this site for publication must be approved by Doc's Friends, Inc. For more information, contact: www.b-29doc.com/media-contact/

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, spacecraft towers above the transporter moving it from the Vertical Integration Facility to the pad at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Rollout began on schedule with first motion at 9:57 a.m. Launch is scheduled for Nov. 18 during a window that extends from 1:28 to 3:28 p.m. Once positioned in orbit above the Red Planet, MAVEN will study its upper atmosphere in unprecedented detail. For more information, visit: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/main/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

nhq201704170031 (April 16, 2017) --- Workers prepare to raise the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft into the vertical position on Monday, April 17, 2017 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for April 20 Baikonur time and will carry Expedition 51 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA into orbit to begin their four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

nhq201704170039 (April 17, 2017) --- The arm that raised the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft into position on the launch pad is lowered, Monday, April 17, 2017 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for April 20 Baikonur time and will carry Expedition 51 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA into orbit to begin their four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Rollout der "Sojus"-Rakete, mit der ESA-Astronaut Alexander Gerst am 28./29. Mai 2014 vom Kosmosdrom in Baikonur zur Internationalen Raumstation startet.

nhq201704170042 (April 17, 2017) --- One of the gantry arms is seen before being closed around the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft to secure the rocket, Monday, April 17, 2017 at launch pad 1 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for April 20 Baikonur time and will carry Expedition 51 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA into orbit to begin their four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Texas Raiders rolls out on the main runway at northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. (XNA)

This beautifully restored B-17G Flying Fortress is owned by the Commemorative Air Force and visits airports and airshows around the country. This shots are from its visit to Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport last September.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, left, and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana answer questions from the news media during NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Amber Watson

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, seated, made the opening remarks. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Amber Watson

Credit: GCTC

Credit: GCTC

Credit: Victor Zelentsov

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, seated, made the opening remarks. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Amber Watson

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, seated, made the opening remarks. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. For information on NASA's budget, visit www.nasa.gov/budget. Photo credit: NASA/Amber Watson

Shortly before dawn, a red-rimmed moon helped to light the way for the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it rolled out to Launch Pad 39A in preparation for launch of Mission STS-86 on September 26, 1997.

Via: www.flickr.com/photos/nasacommons/9458268945/in/dateposted/

Rollout der "Sojus"-Rakete, mit der ESA-Astronaut Alexander Gerst am 28./29. Mai 2014 vom Kosmosdrom in Baikonur zur Internationalen Raumstation startet.

nhq201704170016 (April 16, 2017) --- The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft is rolled out to the launch pad by train on Sunday, April 16, 2017 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for April 20 and will carry Expedition 51 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA into orbit to begin their four and a half month mission on the International Space Station.Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with the Psyche spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled to the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Psyche mission, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft will travel to a metal-rich asteroid by the same name orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter to study it’s composition. The spacecraft also carries the agency's Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration, which will test laser communications beyond the Moon. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Presentation from "flüela". An amazing project!

Rollout der "Sojus"-Rakete, mit der ESA-Astronaut Alexander Gerst am 28./29. Mai 2014 vom Kosmosdrom in Baikonur zur Internationalen Raumstation startet.