This is a question mulled over in my mind for a while now. The image of the SDF-3 in the Sentinels literature (and short VHS videotape) as well as the audio dialogue states that the Expeditionary force intended on trying to fool the Robotech Master by “wrapping the whole thing in the hull of a Zentraedi battlecruiser” (not sure if those are Max’s exact words or not). I always took this to mean that they took a mostly intact Zentraedi ship and gutted it of all of the giant-sized equipment, replacing all of it with human designed (and sized) technology. But when we see the SDF-3 in the Shadow Chronicles, it has a very different look about it. It is very rectangular and squared-off - kind of like a big box in space. Could Max’s line about wrapping the SDF-3 in a Zentraedi hull be interpreted differently? Maybe they “bolted on” pieces of the curved Zentraedi hull with explosive bolts so that it could be jettisoned once the “ruse was up”. I don’t know if this hull shape issue has ever been reconciled by the fan community or not.  free netflix tech news

You had to have read the Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles comics. In it the SDF-3, in its original form, is severely damaged, and has to be rebuilt. Since the ‘Trojan Horse’ aspect was no longer required, it is upgraded to a more ‘Mospeda-ish’ configuration. Mainly to incorporate Syncro Cannons as opposed to the original Reflex Cannons.

If they had shown us what the SDF-3 looked like under its disguise prior to the refit, I’d imagine that the reflex cannon booms were comparatively slimmer (like the SDF-1’s) while the rest of the ship sported a more Southern Cross aesthetic (like the Tokugawa).

The SENTINELS-era SDF-3 and the SHADOW CHRONICLES-era SDF-3 looked so completely different that it’s difficult to believe they’re the same spacecraft, phony shell or no phony shell.

I agree, but that’s basically the same issue that Trekkies have with the original Enterprise versus the Motion Picture refit.

http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/constitution-refit.htm

Buried Alien - 12 February 2019 11:19 PM

The SENTINELS-era SDF-3 and the SHADOW CHRONICLES-era SDF-3 looked so completely different that it’s difficult to believe they’re the same spacecraft, phony shell or no phony shell.

Except the Sentinels SDF-3 we are being shown is with the shell and TSC SDF-3 is without it.  We don’t know how functional the shell was made either (it’s probably have to have some functionality or else it would block weapons and hangar bays).

ShadowLogan - 13 February 2019 07:42 AM

Buried Alien - 12 February 2019 11:19 PM

The SENTINELS-era SDF-3 and the SHADOW CHRONICLES-era SDF-3 looked so completely different that it’s difficult to believe they’re the same spacecraft, phony shell or no phony shell.

Except the Sentinels SDF-3 we are being shown is with the shell and TSC SDF-3 is without it.  We don’t know how functional the shell was made either (it’s probably have to have some functionality or else it would block weapons and hangar bays).

For the TSC SDF-3 to fit comfortably inside the SENTINELS-era shell, stripping out that shell would seem to mean stripping the SDF-3 of considerable length and mass, resulting in a much smaller SDF-3 than we’d previously imagined.

You also have to remember that the SDF-3 was some 10 to 20 years old (depending on when in the timeline that the Prelude comics take place). The opportunity was taken to incorporate the more advanced Shadow Technology.

Syncro Cannons were a lot shorter then Reflex Cannons, and thus could mounted on much smaller platforms.

Examples:
Garfish class cruisers
Shadow fighters with the Beta
Mobile Artillery Platforms

Buried Alien - 13 February 2019 09:20 AM

ShadowLogan - 13 February 2019 07:42 AM

Buried Alien - 12 February 2019 11:19 PM

The SENTINELS-era SDF-3 and the SHADOW CHRONICLES-era SDF-3 looked so completely different that it’s difficult to believe they’re the same spacecraft, phony shell or no phony shell.

Except the Sentinels SDF-3 we are being shown is with the shell and TSC SDF-3 is without it.  We don’t know how functional the shell was made either (it’s probably have to have some functionality or else it would block weapons and hangar bays).

For the TSC SDF-3 to fit comfortably inside the SENTINELS-era shell, stripping out that shell would seem to mean stripping the SDF-3 of considerable length and mass, resulting in a much smaller SDF-3 than we’d previously imagined.

Except that the TSC SDF-3 is known to be a REBUILT ship, the main differences are in the twin bow cannon length (~500m).  We know those twin bow cannons are totally destroyed in Prelude leading to the Reflex Cannons being replaced by more compact syncro cannons.  The rest of the ship seems to be about right in terms of scale.

ShadowLogan - 14 February 2019 06:28 AM

Buried Alien - 13 February 2019 09:20 AM

ShadowLogan - 13 February 2019 07:42 AM

Buried Alien - 12 February 2019 11:19 PM

The SENTINELS-era SDF-3 and the SHADOW CHRONICLES-era SDF-3 looked so completely different that it’s difficult to believe they’re the same spacecraft, phony shell or no phony shell.

Except the Sentinels SDF-3 we are being shown is with the shell and TSC SDF-3 is without it.  We don’t know how functional the shell was made either (it’s probably have to have some functionality or else it would block weapons and hangar bays).

For the TSC SDF-3 to fit comfortably inside the SENTINELS-era shell, stripping out that shell would seem to mean stripping the SDF-3 of considerable length and mass, resulting in a much smaller SDF-3 than we’d previously imagined.

Except that the TSC SDF-3 is known to be a REBUILT ship, the main differences are in the twin bow cannon length (~500m).  We know those twin bow cannons are totally destroyed in Prelude leading to the Reflex Cannons being replaced by more compact syncro cannons.  The rest of the ship seems to be about right in terms of scale.

 

I guess this gets into the territory of that old philosophical saw about the house that got rebuilt plank-by-plank gradually over a period of years.  In the end, was the house still the same house when all the original planks have been replaced? 

The same question could be asked of SDF-3.  By the time it was ready to return to Earth to join the attack on Reflex Point, was any part of the original ship that left Earth between the First and Second Robotech Wars still there?

You’re referring to the ship of Theseus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus

Yes, that’s apt.  Frankly, I wish the SDF-3 had retained a more retro look in contrast to the boxier, Mospeada-style SDF-4.  Even the refit Tokugawa still looked more or less like a Southern Cross design.