Gundam 00 1/144 GN-X

New Gunpla to add to my growing collection, the GN-X from the end of season 1 of Mobile Suit Gundam 00. Currently watching the second season and wanting to build ever other mobile suit that appears on screen.

Thought the GN-X was an awesome design when it first appeared, someone like me who lack Gundam knowledge can't see many traits from other series except maybe the single eye like the Zeon mecha.



This kit comes with clear pink/purple plastic for the laser swords which the Exia i got lacked, cool addition, superior to the painted look.



Ian

Dragon Ball Z : Goku and Piccolo Driving Lessons

Out and about at the weekend gone and something that i never see here in a UK was one of those machine were after putting £1 you turn the handle and get a little toy, not sure what there called? The ones which they had where Dragon Ball Z which immediately got my attention as its something you don't see much of here.

Got my money out and got a real result as i got the one i wanted, which is Son Goku and Piccolo-San in a car from a filler episode i remember really enjoying. Rest of the bunch, think i got one of the best.



Got the one i wanted straight off so walked away happily, great little toy and really good quality for how much it cost. Taking it to work to put on the desk. Great expression and sweat/worried drops.

Best 2 minutes from the entire episode.....



Ian

Vader Invasion: F-toys 1/144 Darths Vader with Advanced Tie Fighter X-1

Second vader to add to the Vader Invasion is a 1/144 scale Darth which came with the F-toys 1/144 Star Wars Collection 2 Advanced Tie Fighter X-1. This guy is small but quite detailed for the scale.





Only 2 Darth Vader's, thought i had a Hasbro 3 3/4 inch figure but have a vague idea that i might have broken him.

Vader Invasion: 1/6 ESB Darth Vader custom

Most most prized piece in my collection a 1/6 scale 14 inch tall The Empire Strikes Back Darth Vader with light-up chest and belt and the best part light-up cathode light saber.

Part of the Vader Invasion being hosted by Leon at Open The Toy. Cool event which i though would be great to join more into the blogging community.

Built my an amazing 1/6 scale artist who go's by the name Hurricane who i have not seen around much these day and can no longer find his website, did read that once 1/6 Vaders are available through a company he would stop building them.

Took about 2 years for this to be built which i received about a year ago i reckon, it cost me 3 Hot Toys Aliens Colonial Marines from what i remember.

When asked what i wanted it was easily the ESB version which is always the best as Vader was super bad in that film with something different a evil Sebastian Shaw head without eyebrow, what i got was amazing. Imagine that evil face under the mask when Vader choking anyone that annoys him. Check out all the metal part which must have taken ages to make and assemble.



Super accurate helmet, i myself don't know any difference between the various versions, all i wanted it to be was shiny and to come apart ala Return of the Jedi when Luke removes it.



Light-up chest plate with Aerubesh Star Wars letters, can be translated but have not done so for some reason, cool lights on the belt as well.



The lightsaber is made from a Cathode that can go into a computer to pimp it up.



All the clothing has been had sewn,the cape is a real work of art.



Boots are real leather and i think all the armor is made resin.



Thats 1 of the 2 Vader i own.
Ian

Macross 1/144 Valkyrie VF-1J Hikaru Ichijyo

Another Valkyrie completed, VF-1J for Hikaru from the Tv series which is one of the simplist but coolest design i think.

J in the VF-1J stand for Japan which is why the fighter is red and white like the Japanese flag.






With Skull Leader ready to defend the SDF-1.

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - Tornado F.3 ADV -

A new buy and from the looks of the kit quite a good one. Not sure what the ADV stands for yet, will have to research that.

Wanted to build a Tornado from the start but took some time trying to find one and yet again i find the Revell have produced a good looking kit. Building quite a stash of Revell kits but cannot find my favorite BAE Lightning at all.

Use to go to the beach as a kid and watch the Tornado go over our heads and fire there weapons at targets in the water, loudest noise ive ever heard!



Fantastic detail! Going to look really good when the wash goes into all those rivets and panel line.



Ian

Bandai 1/144 Tieren Ground Type straignt out of the box build

Built up the Bandai 1/144 Gundam 00 Tieren Ground Type tonight which took me about a hour.

One very cool model, really amazing piece of engineering with this. Decided that im going to build it like a would any of the normal aircraft kits ive made. After i took the photos i completely took it apart and glued all the green part together. Next will be to fill in the seam ands then the task i dislike the most, sanding.



Next to the F-toys 1/144 AT-AT, in real life the Tieren would be HUGE!

Macross Skull Squadron 1/144 Super Parts

What i spent modelling on mostly today, the photo doesn't really show what all the work did which is a shame.

Painting all the thruster took me quite some time and made my eyes ache a little but the results are quit cool. All that's need is the decals and each pilots custom skull squadron insignia.

Ian

Eureka seveN: Pocket Full of Rainbows

Watched this last night and though it was really enjoyed it. Would say that if you had not seen E7 before then it would be somewhat confusing.

Instead of being a direct sequel to the original series it more of a parallel universe sort of story where the lots of things are the same like characters, mecha, the way the world looks but the story is quite different.

Has quite alot of scenes from the anime but there played out differently. The change in the chracter Hap surprised me the most and how Nirvash is a baby fairy before becoming the uber-cool mech.

Would really like to build the military KLF from this, one of the vehicles that has not been released which i think a shame.

Had some cool Macross references like the dog fight near the end which looked like it came from macross plus and the massive spaceship that will transport humans away from earth is called the Megaroad!

Ian

Wednesday 9th July 2009 WIP

Got in a few hours of modelling tonight. The Sweet 1/144 Pioneer Mustangs are all painted, had a clear coat and wash and are ready to be decaled. Wildcat IV just needs the landing gear to be attached and im going to try using some string to make a aerial between the antenna and tail wing.

Mostly work on the F-14A Tomcat, nearly everything is painted and had a black wash which really brought it to life with all the panel lines defined.







Going to start work on the Gunpla Tieren Ground Type the next day i do some modelling, itching to start that one.

Ian

Bandai 1/144 Gundam 00 Tieren Ground Type

Received this today, looks like a all right kit. Most parts seem to molded in the colour for the mecha but i think i might paint it instead and have ago at detailing it up a bit more to resemble the 1/100 version.

Guess i should assemble it first, then take it apart and figure out whats need to be glued and looks like all the parts that stick together are panel line which measn that i might have very little puttying to do.

Intructions are good and easy to follow, made so a kid can assemble the kit without reading a word.



Will have this put together in no time, looking forward to it.
Ian

Sweet 1/144 Wildcat IV decaled.

Took me over an hour to decal this up used the micro sol on every single decal and the stuff is great,makes the decal look like it painted on.



Give a few clear coats and then assemble the landing gear then a dull coat to reduce the shine.



Last thing to do will be to paint the canopy, always nerve racking hoping i won't touch the clear.

Ian

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 season 1

Just finished the first season of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 and i thought it was quite awesome. Really easy to get into for the gundam newbie. Great introduction episode which got me wanting more and a seriously epic finally.

Lots of the usual anime trapping, little masmot which i Haro a robot, lots of angst and sweet mecha action but what was quite surprising was the relationships between the character, kinda how the new Battlestar Galactica was great but BSG was better.

Even though i already own the Exia, im not the biggest fan of that Gundam but what i really dig is the Gundam Virtue, the beast with the massive weapons.



Already got a HRL Tieren Ground Type on the way to me, a really rugid looking mecha which looks like it could exist in the future.

Itching to watch season 2 and read that it there going to be a movie next year which is always a great way to end an anime with lots of money spent on awesome animation.

Looks to be one of the first anime where computers have been used to animate the mecha but looks hand drawn, not sure about it but it looked really good/

Ian

Sunday 5th July 2009 WIP

A cooler day today than its been for quite a long time which means i don't have to worry about the paint drying before i applied it. Just had a heat-wave which was nice but not what im used to.

The Revell F-14A is all sanded and primed and ready to be painted.

Macross Phalanx i think ive got the colour right, been dry-brushing ti with a light yellow than the yellow/brown i used which i hope will make it looked liked it gone through a few battle.

The cockpits for Skill Squadron are all primed and ready to be detailed.

The blue Sweet Wildcat IV as all ready to be decaled, given it a black wash to fill in all the panel lines and clear coated. Leave the clear coat to dry for a couple of days before applying decals.

The Trumpeter F-86 Sabre on the left is one of the first kits i assemble and painted about 4 months ago as a practice which i discovered yesterday at the back of my model stash. Was really badly painted and i used this terrible glue which made it not bad. Ive tried to salvage it with a new coat of paint and luckily i never applied the decals so it might be all right. Lot some of the bits from the undercarriage but i can make new ones of whats missing with plasticard luckily the wheels are still there.

Going to buy another F-86 Sabre from Trumpeter as it was one of the best kits ive built but did not know it at the time, bought it because it was cheap but seem to be quite hard to find.

Ian

Macross DYRL Skull Sqaudron without Kakizaki

Heres the 3 Vf-1 Valkyries ive completed so far together as an almost skull squadron as they never appeared in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?

Almost skull squadron because there no Kakizaki VF-1A (which is almost finished) and because Max's Valkyrie is a VF-1S which would mean he's skull leader but i'll keep Roy as skull leader for now. Will make a Max VF-1A to have an accurate skull squadron.

Got lots of photos, really enjoyed taking pics of these.















Always notice little bits that need to be fixed whenever i seen the Valkyrie zoomed in.
Ian