Gundam RX-78-2 Close Combat Mobile Suit 1/100

smeagol the vile

Welcome my friend, you need not give us a background on gundam, though it is welcome, you will find a few, including me, that know more then enough about the series, it's mechs, and its backstory.

and since you said it.  Gunpla short hand for Gundam Plastic Model Kit.

 

your RX is going to have some competition in a little bit, just got my Zaku II 2.0 in the mail today, just waiting on some supplies before I start her, and yes, I am a Zeon supporter. 

SEIG ZEON!

 

also, welcome, good to have other gundam fans here.

Here is something I am playing with.  I purchased these from Hobbyworld.com, they are turned Vulcan Cannons.  They are made up of two parts, the outer shroud and the inner barrel.  Pretty cool beans, but tiny, Oh did I say tiny and easy to send flying across the room to be forever lost in the carpet jungle!  The are made by Gunpla Temple.  You can see what they offer @ G-Temple.com and be prepared to be wowed by all the bling bling.  I am a bit afraid to try this mod because the molded Vulcan's are in line w/the mounting pins f/the head and you want to be very, vary careful you stay inside the tunnel for the cannon as molded in the helmet.  It will be really easy to mess this up if you do not take your time. You need to remove the pins from inside the helmet, then use progressive drill bits, drilling straight thru until the main Vulcan shroud will slide into place.  Be afraid, be very afraid!!!!!!!!!   I also included photos of these little puppies and another photo of the painted frame so you can see the color it is painted in, which I[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0] believe is as close as you are going to get to the color as molded.[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]  PS:  It is hard to see, but the inner part that makes up the barrel, has a small indent to replicate the opening of the barrel.  Wow is all I can say about these little jewels.

Where are you located?  I know alot of online stores that arent in china that has those same things for good prices

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0] See the grin on my happy face, that's just how I look right now!  Went ahead and took the plunge and drilled out the Vulcan locations on the RX-78 helmet.  I drilled with 2 different size bits, from the front w/the smaller and from the behind w/the larger.  Have to admit my pucker factor was high until this operation was over with!  But once done, boy what a difference a small modification can make.  I did not try to remove the molded Vulcan, but instead drilled thru to keep the molded part in tack.  This kept the side location where the Vulcan is @ from ripping as the larger drill went completely thru.  Besides, I think it looks better this way.  What do you fellas think so far.  Not too much feed back? [View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]

Herr smeagol, I am located in North Carolina, the parts I ordered was from eBay, paid w/Pay Pal.  I have ordered some metal parts from here in the States, but most of what I got today, I have not seen anyone here have.  For example: resin 1/100th Gatling gun w/metal barrels f/MG Unicorn.  A complete set with all needed thrusters, screw holes, your fav, those pipes, eye and spikes for the Zaku II 2.0, etc.  So far I have ordered from about everywhere but the UK.  The site would not allow Pay-Pal when I tried to pay.  I will admit, I purchase most stuff from Hobbyworld.com! I have ordered from Japan with wonderful results, but this my 1st time ordering from China.  So we will see and I really am looking forward to some of the items I ordered.  When I receive, I will post a photo of them.

for paint

scalehobbyist.com

for parts

http://www.mechaskunk.com/

Gunpla Master

[:550:0]

WOW, that is nice!!! Love the build so far. Keep up the great work!

Thanks for the info smeagol, I wished I had of ordered from mechaskunk and kept the money in the US!  Hey Klik, thanks for the kind words.  I will work some more on the head tonight re-scribing the panel lines, some are just barely visible, will need to be cut a little deeper.

Nice Work there GM

Been watching this from the start really like what you have done so far

Just getting into modeling for the first time since I was a kid  Wish I knew how you guys do it

Will be starting my build in a few days  Hope it turns out half as sweet as this one is looking

Welcome SLW 45, and thanks for the kind words.  However I believe all of them turn out sweet just as yours  will.  I just returned to building in plastic and modelbuilder was the culprit that got this affliction started up again.  And this is my 1st 100th Gundam as well.  Just take your time, study the instructions and have fun.  Look forward to your posting a thread, and if it makes you feel more comfortable, you are welcome to post here if you like as you build.  But the fun part of this Forum is posting yourself so everyone gets to see your work.  The guys here will help in anyway they can.  Again, welcome to the Skunk Works!

PS: SLW 45, I am a gun nut too and agree, the ole .45 slug is fat and slow, but boy does it pack a punch!!!!!!!!!!!! I bet you Gundam build will too.

Well i am hoping sense i can build custom 1911 and such working in plastic wont be to hard to get the hang of

Its the painting I see as my biggest hurdel

Now I'm intimidated.  Custom 1911's is a far cry from plastic models!

Dont be 

Models take alot of creative thinking the 1911 are what they are

by the way started work on mine tonight do you paint as you go or just break it down when finished then paint

SLW45 I have found it best to assemble and get a good idea of how the Gundam goes together.  You also see the key areas of the frame that are exposed after covered in the armor.  So I pretty much assemble, then reverse engineer the MFS, starting w/the frame and working from head down, painting and or adding details.  The as you start to layer the armor and other details, you will notice the Gunpla coming to life.  Look forward to you posting some .  I received a large order today from Hobbywave and much of the items I needed to continue are now here.  I also received the PG RX-178 Gundam MK-II.  This is really a nice kit and I was pleased with the price I paid f/it.  Will post some photos later this evening of this outstanding kit.

As promised here are a few pic's [View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]

He is gorgeous, are you doing it in the Titans Scheme or the AEUG Scheme?

If you want to know about that one ill tell you.

After incidents in 0083 the federation formed the titans, a unit that was meant to hunt down the remnants of Zeon.  They got power and turned bad basically.  The Mk2 Gundam is the Second Generation of the original Gundam. three of them were made, one was stolen by the AEUG , The Anti earth union group.  It is the central unit in the Arghma, an AEUG flagship captained by Bright Noah, the captain of the original White Base from Gundam, until the Zeta gundam is aquired and the Mk 2 becomes a secondary and support unit more because it's tech is quickly made obsolete by the titans designers and Axis Zeon's transformable mobile suits

Hello smeagol, thanks for history.  I always look forward to your information when I post a new Gundam.  To be honest, I have learned a great deal from you since posting this thread.  In answer to your question, I believe I will build as it comes in the box, in the Titan scheme.  I have amassed so many of the RX-78 series, I feel this would be best built as provided, and hey I like the bad guys suits too!  I am still waiting for an update on your build.  Anymore info about this MFS.  The booklet that comes w/the kit does a comparison to the RX-78 and this bad boy is way beyond the capabilities of the 78!    Here[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0] is another kit and some of the goodies I also got today.[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]  The items in the stacked plastic container is the turned alum parts, have a order coming from mechaskunk, the decal set/softener & Gundam color f/a RX-78 from Gundam paints.  Look close and you will also see a Gundam 0.3 lead liner.  I have used pencil as a way to line aircraft before and think it looks better than stark black for panel detailing.  This is also a Gundam product.

The guy at Mechaskunk is great and very friendly, I used to know him on another forum.

I dunno anything about the 00 series so theres no info on that for you.

the Mk2 is the same unit for good and bad factions, one just had a different paint job then the other.  If you want to have some fun with it, get some figures about 1/60th scale and make a little dio of the AUEG repainting the gundam from the titans scheme, so have it half and half, would be cool

That Mk II in the prototype scheme doesn't look too bad. Looking forward to where this is going.

Going to try and get some pics up soon

My daughter is going to try and show me how i am not the most computer savy guy on planet

Have learned one thing going to try and get most of my kits in the 100th scale the one i got in 144th its nice but i think the bigger kits will be alot better for detail 

Really like the work you habe been doing one day hope to reach that level

Actually the 1/144th scale kits are just as detailed as the 1/100 scale kits, some of the newer 1/144 have the same detailing as their counterparts.  There gona release a new line soon of 1/144 that have the frames that the 1/100 have

Thanks to all for your interest.  As always smeagol the vile is a walking information file and always willing to educate on the particular figure you may be working on.  Cosmic J, I am still looking f/a Gundam from ya, but hey another Ma.K. will work too.  Would love to see you do a blow by blow build of any of the AFS, especially the new Snowman.  Share your talents so we can learn to produce on a scale of work as you do.  Oh yea, got the S.A.F.S. from Starship Models, this guy is a class act and I will order from again.   SLW45 144th can be as detailed as 100th, but I will say I prefer the larger size for easier work than trying to build in a small scale.  40 yrs of modeling,  I now wear glasses and have also purchased a mag head set to help see what I am doing.  Also spend the money to get you a OTT-Lite, you will not be sorry you did.  Heck I am even a bigger fan of the 60th scale stuff, but they cost a small wad of change f/the kits and I guess I have pretty much settled f/100th as the preferred scale.  Also display area has alot to do with what scale one builds in too.  Cosmic J this is for you buddy: [View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]

here is how i mask my stuff. I put it all back on the skelelal frame after painting the frame. Each lug that will hold a part on gets shaved back some to a 45* angle.

pipe tape is like 99 cents and you can just pull one end free and it will come out as long as you didnt wrap it super tight.

works great on motorcyle exhausts, too....

Ti4019, that is just a  wonderful tip.  I work w/this stuff all the time and never thought of it as a mask before.  This little trick I will give a try.  And yes the cutting of the mounting lug @a 45 degree angle is great, just do the very end, cut too much and the part will now need glue!  This is the stuff that keeps me posting here SWL45, the help all are willing to give to help you achieve a great build/finish to your models.  Received my order today from mechskunk.com.  Nice, every piece will be used, a class guy to do business with, have already made another order for material to build Ma.K kits. If you build Gundam and Ma.K. and want that special little item to dress and or detail up, then this fella is the one to go to.  Keep your money in the US and not going to China!

smeagol the vile

I dunno anything about the 00 series so theres no info on that for you.

 

I DO!

I have seen the entire series (on Syfy at 10-11 pm on Monday nites) from the beginning. 00 takes place in the years 2307-23129(ish). It takes place in a future where there are three factions: the AEU (Europe and Africa), the Union (Western Hemisphere and Japan), and the Human Reform League (Russia, China, and India), and each faction controls a pivitol solar energy collecting Space Elevator. Into the constant chaos of one-upmanship between the powers (think the US-Russian tensions during the Cold War) comes a group of Gundam Miesters (pilots) who belong to a group known as "Celestial Being" (who claim that thier only goal is the elimination of war--ironic, since they use Gundams to destroy the factions). The suit you purchased, G.M, is the first (or rather the second) Gundam you see in the first episode. This one is known as EXIA, the Seven Swords, and is piloted by an ex-child soldier named Setsuna F. Seyye (pronounced say-a). That's all I will reveal for you--No Spoilers!

My brother bought the 1/144th scale version of this suit, before the airing of 00 in the US. We were mystified until watching Ani-Mondays on Syfy. Its a good kit, and fun to build.

Have fun with it-if you post pics, I will eagerly follow.

1st thanks fr the info on Gundam EXIA.  It is @ the moment one of the top selling kits available from Bandai. The box illustration on the front does say Celestial Being.  This come comes in the ignition mode, of which I believe that is referring to the battery op'd power pod in the chest like the Riser Gundam.  The eyes also lite up as well.  Another feature of the kit is called  Repair with a black shroud you hang from a shoulder.  What really attracted me to the kit was the use of edged weapons, seems there is four of them w/the kit and the main one also doubles as a neat little compact beam cannon.  The figure also has some additional features in the make up of the body ie: flat clear power ribbons.  Have read several build threads and appears the figure also has the ability for many positions of posing the Gunpla.  I have to admit, I like the idea of the Gundam getting close and doing his fighting from arms length.  From the builds I have seen, the MFS is just mean looking.  I will watch for this coming Monday on Syfi.  Thanks for the info Klik.   Of course I will attach photos 4U Klik.

Went to local HS and purchased the rest of the paint to finish this puppy with .  Hope to post some progress photos soon!

Weathering done to frame w/Tamiya Titanium.  Hands were painted w/Vallejo Dark Gray.  Preping to paint the red, blue and yellow parts. [View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]