by Robert Stimpson

In light of the recent attacks on the Macross 14 Colony Fleet by Anti-Unity government conspiracy forces (the "Black Rose" conspiracy), the aging VF-17 Nightmare was no longer adequate to the task of serving as frontline stealth fighter. And as the VF-171 series was built as more of a mainline fighter than a stealth fighter, it was decided byt the commander of the 14 fleet to commission Three Star Heavy industries to design a new stealth fighter from the "ground up"

The Wraithverge combines stealth materials incorporated directly into the armor, active stealth ("the "Wraith" system), high-precision maneuverability and massive firepower into one package. Vernier thrusters are situated all over the hull of the craft in all modes. The fighter's 3 modes are: fighter, gerwalk and soldier mode (battroid mode on the original VF-1 series). The fighter is powered by a pair of General Electric FF-2313SFE dual-mode kinetic-drive engines; the engines have a "normal" mode for maximum thrust and speed as well as a 'kinetic" mode that uses pure kinetic energy to propel the craft, with absolutely no heat output. In gerwalk and soldier modes, teh craft utilizes Neomyofiber bundles (NMFB), that act more like musculature than servomechanisms, increasing agility and reaction time

Armament includes: 4 shoulder missile launchers (2 per shoulder), each carrying 8 new-generation micro missiles; two leg missile launchers (1 per leg) carrying 4h=short range missile with armor-piercing warheads; 2 head-mounted Colt 437-A anti-aircraft lasers; two dual barreled (fore and aft) arm-mounted Phoenix model 74 small-bore laser cannons; 2 chest-mounted Three-Star Heavy Industry medium-bore laser cannons and a 55mm gunpod (GU-113) that stores in the leg, with mountable have laser module option. For melee combat, the Wraithverge mounts 4 (2 per arm, mounted at the "wrist" and "elbow") "gaulntlet bayonets" manufactured from plasma-processed/ drop forged Rotucromol alloy, and includes an integral reinforced combat shield mounted on the left arm in gerwalk and in soldier mode.

The Wraithverge began life as a Gundam Zeta Plus model with a few components from an RX-38 Gundam. As I deveolped the model, more and more of it needed to be kitbashed, to the point where most of the original components are long gone, replaced with custom-made parts. The original transform from the Zeta Plus had to be replaced, as it did not fit with the transform I had in mid for the model.I had to be able to transform it in 3 modes, and I didn't want it to look like a Gundam. Most of the pieces are made from styrene and Devcon plastic welder that was cured in "blocks", then carved to shape with a dremel tool. The canopy was a piece of clear styrene that was heated and then 'smashed' over a wood form to mold it. The model is painted in acrylics and sealed with Krylon satin finish.

Image: Top, fighter mode

Image: Bottom

Image: Cockpit

Image: Rear, battroid mode

Image: Head