I built many of the Revell Robotech and Monogram Gobot kits, as well as the MPC Laser Warriors in the 1980s. The two big Monogram Gobot kits were reboxed models from other Japanese mecha lines like you suspect. I don't recall which was what, but neither Leader-1 nor Cykill looked even remotely like their TV cartoon counterpart other than being a transforming jet and motorcycle.

Did that color insert come with your Monogram kit? I don't recall it in my kit, but it's been over 30 years.

I know nothing about the subject but I love the worn battered look you've got going there. 

Thanks for the kind words! No, the insert was a piece I found for reference off the internet. I did scan in the decals last night (I try to remember to scan in old decal sheets as a backup. I had a few old sets crack and fall apart as soon as they hit water) and i saw the IMAI logo. I can't believe this was past by IMAI. The few other kits I've built from them, while complex, did not seem to have such delicate plastic. I did have the Cy-Kill kit as a kid. I would love to find another one. The armored Cyclone and rider are one of my favorite mecha/character designs.

Both Leader-1 and Cy-Kill are indeed from Genesis Climber Mospeada.  Cy-Kill is actually a Ride Armor (Yellow Belmont was the fellow inside the suit?).  When Imai originally issued the kits in the 1980s they were cutting edge, not cutting cheese!

But time goes on and we have come to expect better engineering and proportions in newer kits.  But honestly, Bandai’s latest transforming kits still have problems with loose or ineffective locking mechanisms, fragile hinges and such.  The proprtions are a lot better though.

Back in the day, Imai had planned a transforming Trad, aka Beta Fighter, but it never materialized.  I would love to have a modern kit of that and the Legioss, aka Alpha Fighter.

I do recall being impressed with the Revell Robotech hits, most of them I mean.

I do not recall thinking poorly about Leader-1, just that it did not remotely resemble the cartoon character.

I still have a number of unbuilt Robotech kits.

For posting pictures, there is an icon in the bottom row of toolbar icons for posting pictures.  It is rectangular and looks like picture of mountains and a sun or moon.  When you click this icon, you will open a window that will ask for the link to the photo.

 

 

Let me give that a try Don. I'm linking to my HDD... so not sure if it can pull from that, or if I need a web-based source.

 

Don Stauffer

For posting pictures, there is an icon in the bottom row of toolbar icons for posting pictures.  It is rectangular and looks like picture of mountains and a sun or moon.  When you click this icon, you will open a window that will ask for the link to the photo.

 

 

I remember recognizing that Leader-1 did not look like the Go-Bot toy. I was very impressed that the kits could transform, but not being a Go-Bot fan (Transformers all the way), I was happy that the high-end kits did not look like the toys. That's why I picked up the Cy-Kill. Transforming model kits, that wasn't something I ever saw before, at the time (I think I was 11).

I do see some of the lower-tier Go-Bot kits at the flea market, but the price point was never anything that made me want to buy them.

I did love the Robotech kits. Those were really neat. I had a couple as kid. Most Robotech kits didn't transform, and as a kid, I was in love with the transformable aspect of the Monogram models. Revell did have the Macross Valkaries, but I never saw those in stores, only the catalog. I wanted one of those. It would be neat to see a re-issue of those Robotech kits.

Of course  the Robotech name was one jumbled mess in the early 80's. From the Macross Valkaryie being issued as a transformer, to Robotech being attached to the Revell model and toys line (which spawned a 2 issue comic series) and then finally being attached to the Harmony Gold series. There were so many weird variants of toys and models listed as Robotech. Then there were the rare (for US retailer) Japanese models and toys that made their way to US shores. But I can't think of anything that was labeled Robotech I didn't want.

I'm not sure if the kit is just complicated and I just had trouble with that. But, I compare it to the IMAI transformable Macross Valkarie I built a few years ago. Coplicated, but great fit and I was satisfied with it all the way from the packaging, the building process and the final model.

Overall, I'm satisfid with it, but I would appraoch the build much differently if i did another. But, that's hindsite from experience.

I guess that didn't work! lol

 

aaronr121

 

Let me give that a try Don. I'm linking to my HDD... so not sure if it can pull from that, or if I need a web-based source.

 

 

Don Stauffer

For posting pictures, there is an icon in the bottom row of toolbar icons for posting pictures.  It is rectangular and looks like picture of mountains and a sun or moon.  When you click this icon, you will open a window that will ask for the link to the photo.

 

 

 

 

 

aaronr121

I do see some of the lower-tier Go-Bot kits at the flea market, but the price point was never anything that made me want to buy them.

I did love the Robotech kits. Those were really neat. I had a couple as kid. Most Robotech kits didn't transform, and as a kid, I was in love with the transformable aspect of the Monogram models. Revell did have the Macross Valkaries, but I never saw those in stores, only the catalog. I wanted one of those. It would be neat to see a re-issue of those Robotech kits.

Of course  the Robotech name was one jumbled mess in the early 80's. From the Macross Valkaryie being issued as a transformer, to Robotech being attached to the Revell model and toys line (which spawned a 2 issue comic series) and then finally being attached to the Harmony Gold series. There were so many weird variants of toys and models listed as Robotech. Then there were the rare (for US retailer) Japanese models and toys that made their way to US shores. But I can't think of anything that was labeled Robotech I didn't want.

I once read that Revell's Robotech line described like this: It would be if a Japanese model company licensed Star Trek, Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica model kits and released them under one line called Galactic Star Wartech and showed them all together in one interconnected TV show.

I was a kid in college when I first saw the Revell Robotech kits probably around my sophomore and junior year (83-84) at a local mall on Long Island. I bought just about every one that Woolworth carried. The three Valkerie transformed as did two others marketed as Nebo (Orguss) and Trigon (Drifand Dal). They were marketed as Robotech Changers.

Of the Changers, I built one of the Valkerie, the camoflage painted one marketed as Orbot, Nebo and Trigon. I've repurchased both Nebo and Trigon and found the red Valkerie called Axoid in a second hand shop for $5, a steal. I bought these for nostaliga purposes.

Here is a list of the changers: https://www.scalemates.com/topics/topic.php?id=23901. I've only owned five of them, Nebo #1400, Orbot #1401, Axoid #1403, and Trigon #1405.

Of the Gobot toys, the only one I had was a tank destroyer, and I still have it although the rubber tacks have fallen apart. I bought it because I was an Army tanker and it is a transforming tank.

The worn and battered finish you did transforms (see what I just did?) the clunky kit into something more visually appealing.  It actually looks really good now!

Huh, I noticed on the box art sheet, they spell Trad "Tread".  In Japanese, it is spelled "Toraddu".

https://photos.app.goo.gl/b5abCZFR3SnRp6pA8

I am going to call this one finished. The decals are on and he is in one of my model cabinets. Also, he will never transform again! Lol. The jet version is definitely a bit shabby. Pretty sure he was destined to be in robot mode from the engineering table. One happy accident. Since the decals were a bit fragile, a few did tear. But, they go along with the theme. If you can’t build it pretty and shiny, weather the heck out of it!