GaoGaiGar in Progress,

QUOTE: Originally posted by reggiethedorf i would like to build some battletech for more than a few friends. where can i get kits?

Your best bet I think would be E-Bay and look for the Takara Kits shown in the link I provided, there are more in 1/48 scale as well as different Support Vehicles. Very basic Kits, easy to assemble.

Apart from that look for the following Kits:
Bandai Macross (Valkyries transformable)
Hasegawa Macross (non-transformable BUT highly detailed)
Mospeada Kits (part of the overseas Robotech Anime series)
Southern Cross (part of the overseas Robotech Anime series)
Macross Kits (part of the overseas Robotech Anime series)
Revell Robotech Kits
Horizon 1/35 MadCat(rare, got one)
Crusher Joe
Some of the older IMAI Kits, the company is gone now but their kits at time do show up.
Some of the old Doyusha Kits might also fit the Bill.
The above are for plastic Models.

For Resin or Vinyl Kits there are more makers like:
Wave, Kaiyodo, Armorcast(US),Studio Halfeye(pricey), Horizon, Yellow Submarine, etc
Usually released in limited numbers availability now questionable.

Most of those Kits are now very old now and hard to get hold off, some are re-issued at times, others .....
Dougram ran in 1981.

FASA started the original Battletech game with ONLY japanese mecha designs
(Dougram, Macross, Crusher Joe, etc) but soon got into serious problems because they had NO permission to use the designs and had to drop them in subsequent releases.

Armorcast is one of the few companies that released Clan mechs (MadCat & Vulture as well as the Atlas/last time I checked).
http://www.armorcast.com/

Most of the Battletech mecha & designs were released by Ral Partha as lead miniatures for the board games.

HTH.

i would like to build some battletech for more than a few friends. where can i get kits?

QUOTE: Originally posted by reggiethedorf tequila gunner ? *hic* interesting name. my sci-fi interests are presently limited to just startrek, starwars and gundams. any links to more info on them gunners?

Easy check here:
http://dougram.battletechnology.org/Dougram/CombatArmors.htm

Most of the designs are known from Robotech and FASA's early Battletech.

tequila gunner ? *hic* interesting name. my sci-fi interests are presently limited to just startrek, starwars and gundams. any links to more info on them gunners?

QUOTE: Originally posted by reggiethedorf wheres the fun in putting them on the shelf ? strip em ! paint em! then call 'em your own

My sentiments EXACTLY, he has still got a few Mospeada IRON, GaoGaigar and Orguss Kits on the shelf too.

Never mind that another shop just got in a shipment of 1/72 Takara Dougram Kits, guess where I am going tomorrow to pickup:
Dougram
Soltic H8(aka Roundfacer)
Soltic H404S (aka Mackerel)
Dessert Gunner
Grab Gunner
Tequila Gunner

I feel the need for a Diorama coming on.

wheres the fun in putting them on the shelf ? strip em ! paint em! then call 'em your own

QUOTE: Originally posted by reggiethedorf i see, i actually didnt realise that it wasnt molded in the right colors wasnt reading very throughly.

No problem took me by surprise as well. Too used to the Bandai Kits.

QUOTE: i sometimes build gundams for the fun of it, but i dont paint them, but rather just glue and do some seam cleanup, thats all. to me my gundams are toys

Same here, I use those to try new techniques and such out on.

QUOTE: but i reckon your gaogaigar will be much more impressive. how do the aoshima mecha compare to the bandai gundams ?

So far the fit is 100% with VERY little cleanup needed.

Aoshima is another toy-maker in Japan so their quality is fairly decent but not superb. Argonauts is their Company for high-grade/garage kits, they took over most of the licences after IMAI went under BUT are not releasing the old Kits rather doing them as die-cast or pre-assembled Models.

Got a few of the old IMAI Kits on the Bench too:
1/48 Mospeada Legioss variable fighter(IRON TYPE)
1/12 Mospeada Bike carry Armor(IRON TYPE)
1/40 ORGUSS II Standard Variable Type
1/12 Harley Davidson Electra Glide

The IRON TYPES are currently being stripped of their plating so that I can build them as the standard Models.

Guy in the shop nearly had a fit when I told him what the plans for all those models were, he reckoned I should put them on the shelf till they are worth more.

i see, i actually didnt realise that it wasnt molded in the right colors wasnt reading very throughly. i sometimes build gundams for the fun of it, but i dont paint them, but rather just glue and do some seam cleanup, thats all. to me my gundams are toys but i reckon your gaogaigar will be much more impressive. how do the aoshima mecha compare to the bandai gundams ?

QUOTE: Originally posted by reggiethedorf without painting its a snap

No snap-together for me it gets all glued, finished model won't have ANY moveable parts.

QUOTE: Originally posted by maxx1969 Cool subject. It should look great when you have it done. How long does it take to build a kit like that? Matt

This Kit will take quiet a bit of time as I will have to do quiet a bit of masking & gluing, but should be done in 4~6 weeks providing the weather plays along and I got enough free-time. So far it took me about 5hrs.

Still undecided how I will do the gold areas(Lion face, etc), paint them gold or chrome silver and than cover with yellow(better result).
Also thinking of redoing another area and using clear parts.

Aside that If I really push I reckon I could finish the Kit in 2~3 weeks if not shorter.

The Kit is the first version of the Robot, later versions got way more elaborate.

without painting its a snap

Cool subject. It should look great when you have it done. How long does it take to build a kit like that?

Matt