Real Grade - MS-05L Zaku I - Sniper Type - WiP 10 - Painted and Decaled

Had this Christmas week off and so plenty of time to do some modelling and so far what a result!

Really can't believe how good this is looking so far, really happy all the modelling work i put in has paid off.
Ian

Real Grade - MS-05L Zaku I - Sniper Type - WiP 8 -

This is everything modelled and ready to be primed, mods from the top:

Head - Streamlined the nose, cut out the section of the head for the sight, added vulcans, added antenna and crest at the rear.
Torso - Fitted chest from HGUC kit (which is sitting a little too high in photo), added detail in plasticard.
Waist - Buckle added where Zaku II cable would have attached and part of the skirt extended.
Arms - Both shoulder modified, shoulder guard had spikes removed from and other side fitted shoulder from HGUC kit, wrists size increased.
Legs - All holes for Zaku II cables covered and verniers on the front and back of below knees covered, knee stand added from the HGUC kit.



From the back:
Backpack - Various little details added to the HGUC kit to bring it more inline with the RG, booster rockets added from the RG kit (thought the HGUC boosters where too big, plus when all zakus lined up all booster look the same)
Legs - Al sockets for cables covered and verniers covered.

Ian

Real Grade - MS-05L Zaku I - Sniper Type - WiP 7 -

Must have been about 3 months since i worked on my RG Zaku Sniper, recently completed the head. Quite a bit of work for such a small piece.

Bottom of the antenna from the HGUC sniper kit and custom fin added to the rear.




Few little bits to fiinish and this should be ready to paint in winter.
Ian

Real Grade - MS-05L Zaku I - Sniper Type - WiP 4 -

Not a massive amount of work done on this lately but have got the shoulder guard finished, cut off the spikes, filled with epoxy and then lots of sanding and adding putty and sanding again.

Started the backpack first filling any seam lines, only going to need to add a little detail to this, for a HGUC item it really got alot going on already. Also going to replace the booster with the smaller RG ones, think the originals are too darn big and having the RG booster will add a sense of conformity to all the RG Zakus if look at from behind.



Ian

Real Grade - MS-06FS Zaku II "Garma Zabi Custom" - Completed -

The completed MS-06FS Zaku II custom for Garma Zabi, the FS type might have been the commander Zaku before the S type. Every things the same as the F type except for the more powerful backpack which eventually was used on the S type and 4 kickass Vulcans cannons on the head for close combat. All painted in Garma Zabi personal colours just like his Dopp.

Got myself a 1/144 scale Garma Zabi in his flight suit, Heat-Hawk came from the HGUC kit along which the holster, spike on the shoulder guards extended and sharpened.

Really like the orange paint i used, was worried it would look too bright but the Vallejo Air Orange straight from the bottle was perfect, used the same dark green as i would on the F Zaku body so when displayed together the look like companions in arms.



Love a Zaku II shield, all my RG Zaku shield will follow the same pattern:
Zeon symbol at the top this one is actually the Earth Ocupatiuon Force Zeon logo, then a personal logo or nose art below this one being the Zabi Seal (from the MSV Zaku II  Minelayer, to be modelled soon), then the personal number, 401 same as Garma's Dopp, followed below by the rank insignia (both Char and Garma are lieutenants but Garma being also a commander i added the 2 dashes pointing upwards to add superior rank to Aznable. Always have the warning markings at the top and bottom to "frame" the shield.

Green added to the centre of the shield even thought it not on the original MSV art so that the red on the Zabi Seal would be visible and not washed out, was not sure when i originally painted it but now quite like it.



From behind you can see easily see what the FS is, an ungraded F type but not quite a S type. Has the more powerful backpack from the S type but still the vernier on the legs from the F type.

Kickass custom Heat-Hawk, like all dictators and their family member, got to have some weaponry cast in Gold or chrome. Egomaniacs.



Added very little weathering, thinking that in the TV series Garma never used a Mobile Suit and preferred his Dopp and being the Earth Occupation Forces commanders personal Zaku would be kept clean and ready for what i reckon would be formal occasion's, also get the felling that Garma was never really a good MS pilot.



My first MSV, and first Zaku outside of the original series but not the last.
Ian

Real Grade - MS-05L Zaku I - Sniper Type - WiP 3 - Progress

All going quite smoothly so far with the Sniper. From the top:

Head - Filled in the gap where the cables go in the mouth pieces and started to cut out the top for the enhanced mono-eye.

Chest - Filled the small panels on either side of the chest, got the HGUC chest pieces fitted and removed the "nipples" to make my own. Buckle added but not sure if i'll use that yet.

Arms - Thought the left shoulder from the HGUC set look better than scratch building a new onto the existing set and increased the size of the wrist. Reckon the bulkier wrists means a steadier hand when sniping?

Legs - Was the first parts i started on but since then have bought proper Tamiya yellow epoxy which is superior to the grey-stuf i used and manged to save the parts i originally ruined.

Started but waiting to be worked on are the backpack, shoulder guard, collaps ible strut for the knee which im having a little trouble with and the sniper rifle.

Ian

Next Real Grade - MS-06FS Zaku II "Garma Zabi Custom" -

Bought this HGUC kit purely for the custom giant heat hawk to model my next RG, Garma Zabi's personal MS-06FS Zaku II. A cross between the MS-06F + MS-06S for commanders.

Plan to model this using the green RG MS-06F as the main body with the backpack from Chars MS-06S. The head needs to have 4 vulcan cannons added which i know will be the trickiest part to achieve and i need to acquire a decal of the Zabi family emblem to display on the shield which i think ive tracked down on a old 1/144 Zaku Minelayer. (which i will then also model as a RG)

This what i hope to be the first of many MSV zakus to be modelled, looking forward to the new HGUC MS-06R High Maneuver Zaku II coming out soon which should be alot easier to adapt to the RG than the old versions from the 80's

Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - MS-05 Zaku I - WiP 5 - Backpack + Weapons

This is the last WiP for my MS-05 Zaku I and soon will be ready to paint, still got to receive some parts for to use the shield but basically the mecha is done.

What needed to be done on the backpack is close up some of the panel on the side where the Zaku II cables enter and to the top where the Zaku II has a pair of maneuverings verniers thrusters, felt like the easiest job on the entire Zaku.



Modelling the weapons was a piece of cake, all parts are from the HGUC MS-05 Zaku I.

Rocket launcher ive paint and used before but without hiding the seams, this time i putty the seam and removed a little of the detail which where these small cables which i really didn't like. The rifle has had it ammo cartridge replaced with the RG one, which suddenly makes it look a whole lot more detail and realistic very quickly.

I think the bottom weapons is a Panzerfaust Grenade Launchers from the U.C. Hardgraph Zaku II Ground War set.
Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - MS-05 Zaku I - WiP 4 - Head / Monitor

The head or monitor would be the correct mobile suit term of my Real Grade MS-05 Zaku I conversion. Modelled both the normal head and one with the commander antenna which i can swap any time which is a nice feature in the RG Zaku, giving 2 top parts of the head with the MS-06F kit.

Made by filling the connections where the cables are on the MS-06, added the central mono-eye guard taken off the HGUC head (talk about a blind spot) and added the fin at the back with plasticard, also sharpened the edges of the commander antenna which i will be doing on all my future zaku builds. Sounds kinda easy but getting the central column eye guard in the correct place and sanding it flush with the existing model took quite some time and much repeating with putty, especially both ends sitting on top of the nose.

Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - MS-05 Zaku I - WiP 1 - Torso + shoulder guard

The torso i reckoned is the easiest part of the custom, for the chest i had to sand the sides of the blue part from the HGUC MS-05 to fit in the cockpit space. Luckily the most detailed part of the HGUC kit was this chest piece so its already got some nice detail which fits in really well with the rest of the RG kit.

On the skirt i added those bits of plasticard to hide the space left from removing the piping on the MS-06, also makes the entire skirt now all in line with itself and more like the line-art of the MS-05 Zaku I.

Think the RG shoulder guard is now done, will wait and see if there any discrepancies once primed. Also decided to use the HGUC shoulder guard at the same time, might turn out that i like the more older design more but looking at it now it does look bigger.



Still got lots of work on the legs, head, backpack and weapons to start.
Ian

Next Real Grade - MS-05 Zaku I -

After seeing this postcard inside the box of the RG Zaku II decided "i'm going to build that".  Especially since i have a HGUC MS-05 Zaku I assembled but not having any use for now since ive become somewhat addicted to UC Real Grade kits. Bought this Zaku II in Yodabashi camera just like the Gundam i recently completed and yet again my suitcase must have been treaty like a rugby ball to come back to me in the condition i was.

One of the parts im going to change to the Zaku I on the postcard is the shoulder guard, instead of using the one from the HGUC kit, i think it would look better if i removed the spikes of the RG Zaku II shoulder. Then i hope it will fit in more with is younger sibling the Zaku II. So the first thing i started last night was to hack of the spikes bases and plaster the gap with putty. In the photo it the second lot of putty just added after the first sanding attempt, reckon it will take a few tries to get the uniform ball without it being visible that there where once holes there.



Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RX-78-2 GUNDAM - Completed

Five months after buying this in Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara, ive completed this little beauty of a kit which im really very happy with, one of the most satisfying builds ive ever made and think because of how perfect the kit is caused me no hassle.

Took me quite a alot of searching through lots of photos on flickr to get all the detail and decals correct, what few decals i did leave off was because of my fear of over busying up the Gundam, but to decal took me almost 2 sheets of Bandai RG Gundam decals.

At the moment ive only posed it just like the 1/1 Real-G is but will do some action shots with it fully armed up in the future, need to take time easing the joints so that i don't ruin the paint work before i go and take any photos.











After building this my third Real Grade ive now decided to model every RG kit from the Universal Century that's released, especially One Year War gunpla but would really look forward to a RG Turn-A.
Ian

U.C Hardgraph 1/144 - Type 74 Hover Truck "The 08th MS Team" - WiP

Working the Hover Truck a little bit here and there lately, the 08th MS Team modelled first of course.

Great little model, with some fantastic decals from Bandai. Really tried to weather up the truck using a black and dirt wash and adding alot of rust, especially rain effect rust, photos might be too bright to see the effect but im really happy with the way its looking.

Might adjust a view things, maybe open up the open a hatch or 2 and put the sonic sensor drill thing is active position.




Plan on making a little diorama with this, once i find a decent wooden diorama base at a good price.
Ian

Bandai Ex Model 1/44 - DFA-03 Dopp - WiP

Dopp is massive up against the RG Core Fighter!

Very easy to assemble kit, its all snap-fit. Since this photo was taken ive added a little bit more detail, mostly to the rear engine parts which was very sparse and tried to add some more panel lines which im really bad at.

Was meant to buy a BMC chisel in Japan but forgot to buy one for the panel line and outside Japan there rare and twice the price and they were expensive in Japan.

Started updating the cockpit which i think could still do with some more work, it turns out this is the most exposed cockpit ive built, the Dopp canopy is large and give a great look inside.



Ian

U.C Hardgraph 1/144 - PVN.4/3 Wappa + Zeon Pilots - WiP Painted.

 The Wappa's all painted, decaled and waiting for a little weathering and adding the number plate on the front bubbles.


Made 5 Zeon Pilots from some Preiser 1/144 figures, might be a bit hard to see but the leader of the Wappa group is Sgt Sol whos meant to be looking at his watch checking the time till the bombs go off attached to the Gundam. Also a fellow leaning against on of the Wappas.


Have the intention of making a little diorama with these, once a find a suitable base.

Ian

Mobile Suit Gundam 1/144 - Wappa - WIP

This is my second updated Wappa but this time remodelling it as it appeared in the TV series episode 14, Time, be Still instead of the U.C. Hardgraph / M.S. Igloo redesign.

Much more simple but really like the way the frame over the seat is curved backwards and then joins where the gun is mounted. The gun in the series is a bit different, instead of 2 smaller ammo cartridges on either side the TV version has one big clip underneath and no metal rings around the the fans domes.

Since these are so small, they can be brush painted in no time.
Ian

U.C Hardgraph 1/144 - PVN.4/3 Wappa - WiP

Upgrading the M.S. IGLOO 2 redesign of the Wappa.

Since i bought the U.C. Hardgraph "Ground War Set" (which is where the Zaku comes from in my dull header)  ive thought about adding more detail to the vehicles that are supplied. All are great little model but can do with alot of detail added.

Out of the blue today i decided i was going to attempt making this 1/144 Wappa look more like the 1/35 one, surprised how it turned out. Most of the time spent was bending up the wire, bit frustrating at times.

Got the M.S. Igloo Wappa done and since its so small will take no time to paint, the other Wappa will be remodeled to look like the TV series line art, which is much simpler.

Ian

Gundam 0083- HGUC 1/144 - RGM-79C GM Type C - Completed

Completed this very nice HGUC kit last week and im very happy with it. Wil probable be a long time before a build a MS from Gundam outside of the One Year War, unless i get tempted by the Jesta.

What i went for with this is a Type C at the end of 0079, remember reading about the Type C being fielded right at the end of the OYW and that it lacked the antenna (Sentinel 0079?) which i really didn't like anyway and why i added a shield with the Earth Federation star. Not really a fan of antenna's on amazing pieces of future technology, you can make a giant mobile suit that moves faster than a human yet go can't make a decent radio?

Livery is meant to be some sort of real type low-viz scheme, did try out all grey at first but did not look right, in Gundam a coloured chest seams to be a visual rule.



Found a nice decal for the right shoulder, seams to be a swan in front of a planet as some sort of nose art.
And check out the fisted manipulators, a new standard from Bandai, nice one!



Beam saber came from the 30th anniversary HG Gundam, which of course when i completed this i found the lost one, think this one look better myself though.



Always like this parade ground / airshow type display, even added the little pilot i recently made.



This was about the most action pose i went with, kinda worried about ruining the paint at the joints.



Was mean to enter this into the Europe Gunpla Cup over at MAC forum but just couldn't figure out how to add the label which had to be added without a photo shop, next time, really enjoyed this build anyhow.

Ian

HGUC - Mobile Suit Gundam - RB-79 BALL - WiP 2 Painted -

Airbrushed up last night, detailed this morning and now just gloss coated for the decal tomorrow which i think will be minimal.

Ian

HGUC - Mobile Suit Gundam - RB-79 BALL - WiP 1 -

Started one of the Balls up during the weekend with the hope of adding to the European Gunpla Cup over at MAC forum.

This one im planing om completed by the weekend if the decals ive ordered from Samuel Decal arrive by then. Going to paint this in pure anime colours in that light blue grey with only a little improvement detail wise with decals and the verniers and engines painted metal instead of the red.

Really simple kit to glue and putty, only major seam line are on the weapon, going to give them a wash now and prime later on this evening.

Ian