Gundam

[digger303]

Ok I'm in, but this might cause some blood boiling amongst any die hards......

I'm not really up on this stuff , but I had this kit over from a time when I was trying to get my son interested.So I bought 2 kits one each to do together and that wasn't happening so here we are.....fortuitous maybe
This is a ZAKU 2....MS-06S mobile suit in 1/144 REAL GRADE



This is FREAKING amazing. 3 different colored plastics and a the clear all on one sprue


I started immediately and after 3 hrs I completed this

One leg. No cement was used at all and almost all the sprue attachment points are hidden by the next part that attaches. Only a little finial trimming is needed to flush it off.....no sanding or filla required. What a revelation.
After doing that one I started the second leg and had it done in under a hr. Most of the lost time when I started was making sense of the instructions which are all in Japanese and the fact that they are fairly small and seeing where they go wasn't always easy.....instructions in no matter what genre tend to get a mention...
It took another half hr to attach the waist.

That was my Saturday afternoon.
cheers

[Twokidsnosleep]

You are 100% cool with this kit
Summer SciFi / fantasy/ figure

So you cover all three bases really
Have an awesome build, really pleased to see you jumping in

I have really liked the Bandai kits have made too…they are incredibly well engineered

[digger303]

You are 100% cool with this kit
Summer SciFi / fantasy/ figure

So you cover all three bases really
Have an awesome build, really pleased to see you jumping in

I have really liked the Bandai kits have made too…they are incredibly well engineered

In terms of engineering they are better than Tamiya ( I can feel a cold wind on my neck already ). The fit is better than Tamiya and that's saying a lot, the way it goes together has been thought out so well that the instructions must be followed to the letter and parts will only fit in one orientation although that can be tricky to work out. The molding technology they use is cutting edge not only do they mold parts in different colours on the same sprue but they can mold parts together in a socket and ball type joint that actually moves. Often they will do that and you have to pull apart the joint in order to use part of it elsewhere.......freaking amazing stuff unheard of in the armour world. Everything so far is a tight push fit.....freaking amazing the degree of tolerance employed. Hell this is where our genres will be heading ....how can it not in this world of competition.


Ps....I find it hard to imagine how 3d printing can replace anything with these kits at this scale no wonder Bandai are the worlds biggest toy/model company.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Yes I agree
3D is good to print out something weird, but these kits are on an entirely different level from that and even from Tamiya
And you have to pay the price for it

[digger303]

This is what I mean this part is actually 3 separate parts molded in one piece that actually are movable.



After a morning session and a hour this afternoon It is complete. I did end up needing a touch of glue in 3 spots. One was loose and the arm cuffs didn't fit which I found surprising after the way the rest of it went together. Still no filla required .

Decals next.....might take me a while though they are small and delicate.

[RangerNeil]

Now thats a neat - and extremely cool - subject kit!! Going to look good when you finish with the decals...


You may well be right and the moulding techniques will be seen more and more in the future and that will open new worlds of possibilities for all genres. Imagine a turret with opening hatches and movable mantlet straight from the sprue!!

[digger303]

I've added the decals...actually stickers, but a crap load of them and I've pin washed he panels using citadel Nuln oil.


Declaring this finished

[aur0ra145]

Wow, that does look like a lot of decals. Isn't Nuln oil amazing, albeit, expensive. Nice finish for sure!

[BigWall]

Very nice build Digger!