First Build of 2009,1/72 Robotech Aqualo

Very nicely done!

I'm only familiar with the Macross era concerning Robtech. Which part of the story is this subject from? (If you don't mind my ignorance)

DesertRat wrote:

Very nicely done!   I'm only familiar with the Macross era concerning Robtech. Which part of the story is this subject from? (If you don't mind my ignorance)

Cosmic J wrote:

Very interesting. The white bits are a bit bland, but the brass(?) part really jumps out. Nice color and texture. How did you paint it?

I would have liked to put a little more shading into the white,but I loath working with white paint.Easy to screw up and difficult to correct.

For the helmet I used Citadel Colour/GamesWorkshop metallics.

I sprayed the helmet flat black,then drybrushed it with Brazen Brass.A solid overall drybrushing,not just the edges.I then drybrushed on a little Shining Gold.Last came a light drybrushing of Burnished Gold.

These are older paints.Close to ten years.The old Citadel Colour paints really last.The newer stuff starts to dry out as soon as you open the bottle.

I'm not sure about now,but once upon a time,GW had the best metallics in the business by far.

Aqualo wasn't in the Robotech TV series.  The Robotech name was licensed to Revell for their reboxed release of kits based on shows from Tatsunoko Productions including Macross, Orguss, and Dougram.  Revell's Robotech Changers series of kits covered the VF-1J, -1S, and VT-1D with altered paint schemes in the American instructions ( though the VF-1S, renamed "Vexar" was close to Skull-1's appearance in Macross ) and the Orguss kit was left pretty much with the original scheme since the series wasn't scheduled for release here.

The Defenders line was all from Dougram.  Although the show wasn't released here, I guess the use of the Robotech name combined with the fact the original paint schemes didn't look very practical for ground mecha ( mostly intense colors for outer areas with light gray or white for lower areas like thighs and upper arms ) likely caused Revell to come up with the camo patterns for most of these kits.  Revell didn't take the time to come up with new decals, though, so the kits themselves were kept in the original bags and put in new boxes with American instructions.

smeagol the vile wrote:

I hope thats not a finished work... you seem to have ignored all of the seams on the legs.

Nice work trooper!

funny, you use the same GW paints I use! I love the way it looks when its done.

I always have to add a drop of water and every now ad then a drop of drying retarder to my paint pots when i open them. Hate that dried paint ring......

TD4438 wrote:

smeagol the vile wrote: I hope thats not a finished work... you seem to have ignored all of the seams on the legs. It is and I sure did.Unfortunately there are seems aplenty on this kit.I just didn't want to mess with it any more.

I know what you mean on the seams issue.  I have 2 of the Defenders series started and put on hold until I'm ready to deal with the seams again.  I don't know about anyone else, but for me fixing seams is the most tedious and annoying part of any model project, so there tends to be a direct link between how bad a kit's fit is and how often I shelve it "for later" in the sub-assembly stage.