Will Vale Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Hi folks, I finished a proper (not a 28mm figure) model - I think the first since we moved! It's a Bandai Gundam kit from the low-end HG (High Grade) line - cheap and cheerful compared to newer models or Master Grade kits, but with good fit and very crisp mouldings. The only real complains about construction were that the feet and body were both split in two by vertical seams. The feet were OK to clean up, but the body was a pain as the seam went through the fins on the top surface - they would have been better as add-on parts I think. I filled and cleaned it all up, but it's a bit rounded-off from what it was originally. The tricky thing which is peculiar to Gundams is the need to paint the interior joint parts and then build and paint the armour around them - at least if you want contrasting colours (and I did.) Masking off the round bosses on the feet was fiddly too! The joints allow a bit of poseability although not as much as the modern kit my daughter put together. Mine can still manage a bit of sassy hip tilt: He's weathered with the usual AK enamels, and the decals are stolen off unrelated Gundam sheets - mostly from a 1/100 Guntank and a set of Wave caution decals - the kit didn't come with any to speak of. I tried to keep the weathering and decals on the subtle/small side to give a sense of scale, and restrict the dust mainly to the feet. I'm not 100% sure how well this worked - some of the chipping might be a bit on the big side, but he looks cool from ground level: He's not actually all that big though! Thanks to everyone who chipped in on the build thread, it was a really fun little project and I have asked for more Bandai things for Christmas Cheers, Will 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcode Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 very nice work looks great..... I aim to get my teeth into my gundams and macros kits next year....and get on and build them lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Very nice Will, love the weathering on it, one thing I will have to try some time. One thing tho, I wouldn't say that the HG lines are the low end, sure they do not have the skeletons of the MG's (some MG's don't have that sometimes). The HG just refers to the scale : 1/144, not the fact they are bottom of the range. Some of the HG kits are insane GP-03b, Deep Striker, Full Armour Unicorn and Thunderbolt Gundam come to mind. But I digress... A very well done kit, I could learn a lot from this one... if I pay attention Oh I fully imagine that HLJ will have a Black Friday sale tomorrow, that's where you wanna get your Gundams/Macross stuff from, I will Kind Regards, Dazz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestar12chris Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Nicely done Will, looks good to me. All the best Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastvader Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 As I'm down in the Midlands today I shall use their parlance and say that that Guncannon is proper bostin! Good job Will and excellent photography as usual. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Moore Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Love it Will, fantastic build Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Whatever you touch it always comes out like magic. Lovely result, this is very much like how I have always thought this kind of model should be finished. Perfect guard of the paint jars too... "Don't go near my master's Tamiya paints, stop right there, sir..." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted November 26, 2015 Author Share Posted November 26, 2015 The HG just refers to the scale : 1/144, not the fact they are bottom of the range. My take is that the so-called "no grade" kits are at the bottom, but HG is one up from that. They're excellent kits but they are made to a lower price point/complexity level than MGs or RGs (also 1/144 but more like an MG). I think HG really also covers things like LM-HG (earlier Evangelion kits) and HG Mechanics (1/550 scale kits of really big mobile armour like Dendrobium, Neue Ziel etc.) These have different scales but similar complexity level, parts breakdown and box size to the basic 1000-1500 yen HG Gundams. That said the HG kits have definitely been getting more sophisticated. The separate armour is still kept for RG and MG, but the 1999 Guncannon was a lot simpler than the 2014 Amazing Red Warrior. The latter has great articulation, a lot more detail, and more toys in the box at a similar price - quite impressive. Perfect guard of the paint jars too... "Don't go near my master's Tamiya paints, stop right there, sir..." Heheh, I was trying to get a relaxed "yo, check out my colours" kind of thing but that left arm wouldn't co-operate Thanks for the kind comments all! I am finally going to watch some Gundam now, having ordered the 08th MS Team box, and I think I will try and do a Gundam Ez-8 with its parachute deployed Cheers, Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Rose Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Nice one Will! It looks really great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 (edited) My take is that the so-called "no grade" kits are at the bottom, but HG is one up from that. They're excellent kits but they are made to a lower price point/complexity level than MGs or RGs (also 1/144 but more like an MG). I think HG really also covers things like LM-HG (earlier Evangelion kits) and HG Mechanics (1/550 scale kits of really big mobile armour like Dendrobium, Neue Ziel etc.) These have different scales but similar complexity level, parts breakdown and box size to the basic 1000-1500 yen HG Gundams. That said the HG kits have definitely been getting more sophisticated. The separate armour is still kept for RG and MG, but the 1999 Guncannon was a lot simpler than the 2014 Amazing Red Warrior. The latter has great articulation, a lot more detail, and more toys in the box at a similar price - quite impressive. Oh aye, when you put it that way I can see your point. There are other kinds of "grades" below the HG, the SD Gundams, the toy ones, Converge and so forth. But I see where you are coming from, I didn't mean any offence, sorry if I caused any. I've never seen an Evangelion HG kit, the PGs I have tho, I got an Aestvalis from Nadesico that's HG tho. Like others I love the paint leaning photo too. Also tells us what paints you used Excellent choice on the 08th MS Team, one of my favourites and where some of the best Gundam scenes come from. You gonna go with the RX-79 [G] or the Ez-8? Kind Regards, Dazz Edited November 27, 2015 by Dazzio 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted November 28, 2015 Author Share Posted November 28, 2015 But I see where you are coming from, I didn't mean any offence, sorry if I caused any. Heavens no, no offence caused. I think two people can have mildly different opinions without upsetting each other! Good point about SD(BB?) Gundam, I tend to put those in a different category mentally so I guess I didn't consider them even having a place on the quality scale You gonna go with the RX-79 [G] or the Ez-8? I have the HG Ez-8 which has all the cool backpack stuff, and I guess somewhere I have an MG RX-79 GM which I picked up cheap in Singapore - but looking at pictures that's something very different? I want to do the Ez-8 most, as I like the idea of the parachutes! I should probably put some effort in on my Vietnam GB entry first though. Cheers, Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I have the HG Ez-8 which has all the cool backpack stuff, and I guess somewhere I have an MG RX-79 GM which I picked up cheap in Singapore - but looking at pictures that's something very different? I want to do the Ez-8 most, as I like the idea of the parachutes! I should probably put some effort in on my Vietnam GB entry first though. Cheers, Will The RX-79 GM (actually designated RGM-79 GM) is in the 08th series, however it is not the one they use in the show, sorta background character kinda thing. The Ez-8 and RX-79 [G] are the same model, just different heads. I won't say more, it'll ruin the show. However I'm having a hard time remembering if the Ez-8 ever parachuted... It could, but I don't recall seeing it in the show. Would be a cool model tho I got two of the SD (BB) Gundams, the Nu Gundam and Hi-Nu Gundam. Really tiny little things, but cute and cool. The quality with them is really surprising too. Kind Regards, Dazz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastvader Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 The RX-79 GM (actually designated RGM-79 GM) is in the 08th series, however it is not the one they use in the show, sorta background character kinda thing. The Ez-8 and RX-79 [G] are the same model, just different heads. I won't say more, it'll ruin the show. However I'm having a hard time remembering if the Ez-8 ever parachuted... It could, but I don't recall seeing it in the show. Would be a cool model tho Can't remember if it ever parachuted either (that's when Karen gets...nevermind, you'll find out Will. But the EZ-8 isn't a straight RX-79[G] as it's missing the fixed chest weapons (replaced by an extra reactor I think). I got two of the SD (BB) Gundams, the Nu Gundam and Hi-Nu Gundam. Really tiny little things, but cute and cool. The quality with them is really surprising too. I picked up the new BB Zaku II and I must say, apart from one really awkward seam line it's really nice. I also picked up a Zaku III...it's not, and after a bit of fiddling has gone off to the shelf of doom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 I found some video of the parachute bit! It's pretty cool actually, the soft landing is very like the system NASA used for the last Mars probe Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Can't remember if it ever parachuted either (that's when Karen gets...nevermind, you'll find out Will. But the EZ-8 isn't a straight RX-79[G] as it's missing the fixed chest weapons (replaced by an extra reactor I think). I'm fairly certain it doesn't, we'll in the TV show it doesn't... Possibly in the novels?? I had forgotten about the chest plate, not sure on the reactor tho. I got the technical manual at home. I'll check that. I was also trying not to give too much away I found some video of the parachute bit! It's pretty cool actually, the soft landing is very like the system NASA used for the last Mars probe Aye Will, that's Karens RX-79 [G], after this fight her suit gets "customised" too. I think Sanders one is the only one not modified at the end. Got to love the little Acguy... It's so cute I did think NASA had stolen the rocket sledge from Bandai/Sunrise with their Curiosity landing. Don't the Russians have a way to drop supplies like that?? Still hella cool. Kind Regards Dazz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 Oh right, so I got the wrong end of the stick? You guys knew about the RX-79[G] parachuting, but the similar-looking Ez-8 might not? All these designations are so confusing! I think I'll go ahead and do this with the Ez-8 since it has the 'chute pack (apparently unlike the RX-79 [G] looking at HLJ...) and I have the kit W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzio Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 (edited) Oh right, so I got the wrong end of the stick? You guys knew about the RX-79[G] parachuting, but the similar-looking Ez-8 might not? All these designations are so confusing! I think I'll go ahead and do this with the Ez-8 since it has the 'chute pack (apparently unlike the RX-79 [G] looking at HLJ...) and I have the kit Aye Will, without destroying the story line, the RX-79[G] and the Ez-8 are the same. The while head/chest is the Ez-8 while the Blue body is the RX-79[G]. The only difference is the head and chest armor. I checked the specs and the generator outputs are exactly the same. Oh the left side weapons are gone too on the Ez-8. I have line drawings of the Ez-8 carrying the parachute pack. I'll gladly scan them for you, Will. It might do a parachute jump in The Lost War Chronicles, but in the 08th Shrio does not do a jump in the Ez-8, but in the RX-79[G] he does. Any questions, I'll gladly help. Kind Regards, Dazz Edit : Scrap that... The RX-79[G] is rated at 1350kw and the Ez-8 at 1380kw... Not a big difference for a generator. However the Ez-8 is almost two tonnes lighter. Edited November 29, 2015 by Dazzio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimme Shelter Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 how superb - I love the picture up against the Tamiya pots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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