But there are also completely new models I've never seen before. Like this alternate cockpit! It has 2 joysticks and a large back plate. The Air Biker texture on the right seems out of place, perhaps the referenced material was different when the model was initially made?
Looking at unused #StarFox models in the source code. Instead of comments, IF statements are used to make the compiler skip sections entirely when building the ROM. Spent some time pulling these models out and converting them by hand. I recognize several from the early prototype.
When dumping #StarFox2 1994-08-31 assets, I assumed those odd elongated red/orange textures were just unused. But now I realize they're the map screen planets! Unable to locate the palettes in the rom hex, so here's a recreation with colors pulled from bsnes's palette viewer.
Setting face colors manually really makes a difference, especially for the aft thruster. Not 100% happy with every face, but it'll do for now. Some minor sorting issues are still visible at some angles and I need to fix the last cutscene to work with the single central hangar.
More unused gigaleak models, this time from the FUNDOSHI\FLIGHT directory. Has some StuntRaceFX cars but also WW2 fighter planes: an F6F Hellcat, BF-109, and Spitfire (note the wireframe cannons). Models had color data, but the material list I tried clearly isn't the intended one
Another unused high poly Arwing from the AAfundoshi sub directories, dated 7/27/1994. I think this looks a bit closer to the physical model used for Starfox1 promotional material. Sadly, this one didn't have much color data defined. Most faces were the same shade of grey.
Unused high poly Arwing model from the AAfundoshi sub directories. I've linked the color data from the SF2 8/31/1994 build and it lines up well. This model is much later, being dated at 10/14/1994. The fuselage is quite different. You can also just make out yellow wing tips.
Found this unused model in the Starfox AAfundoshi sub directories. Named "yuurei" which translates to "ghost", a literal ghost ship! The colors shown here are from me manually applying the material index data from the SF2 8/31/1994 build. (model was dated from 7/27/1994)
Several early StarFox2 builds have this large multi-part ship. I'm not sure if I'm showing it upside down or not, but the hatch on the top(?) is animated to open. It even has interior walls behind the opening.
Made another attempt at dumping models from the StarFox prototype (SG.ROM) and got results this time! The internal data structures are very similar to SF1, but with a few differences...