Real Grade - RGM-79 GM conversion - Head / Monitor WIP - 3

Except for a little tidying up of scratches and then adding panel line i think this GM head is complete.

Cut off the mohawk of the RX-78 and has taken quite some time to get it fitted correctly, not glued yet, think it will be easier to add that at the last moment when im completely satisfied with what ive got.

The vulcan cannon also which was super delicate, those little blighter are small and of course i dropped them a few times, the horror trying to find those again.

Took me quite some time trying to get the holes aligned correctly, also drilled out the barrel, which suddenly made them look better.



Except for the shin guards, i think that's nearly all the conversion is complete.
Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - WIP Legs / Kneeguards -

Real Grade 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - WIP Legs / Kneeguards - 1, a photo by AntSizedMan on Flickr.

This is my rough idea of what i want the knee guards to look like. I cut up the existing guards from the RX-78-2 reducing the height above the knee and flattening it down to look like the more simeple GM design.
Still very rough and got to piut in some time making sure the the join between the shin guard and knee will be flush when stand upright.

It is starting to look like what i had in mind, so all is good at the moment.
Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - WIP - Progress so far...

This is where im up to right now, really happy with the progress. Was going to enter into the Europe Gunpla Cup, but really now doubt i will make the deadline, not going to rush this one.

From the top.
Monitor/Head, Still adjusting the ridge to fit as i want it, with a MS Pilot
Cockpit - Complete, first thing done.
Waist - Is basically complete, changed a few bit, have cut up the center groin part to fit under the guards, have no idea how i should panel line up the guards?
Legs/Shins-  Lower part of the shins i have added plasticard to fill in the gaps where the gundam has some vents and have yet to start what i think it the most difficult part, the knees.
Backpack -  All done, liking the single beamsaber there.

Also on the feet, i fill in the front panel line running straight through the center of each, not a fan of that, looks to me to be too much of a bad seam as most gunpla don't have that.

Ian

Gundam RG 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - EFSF - M.S. Pilot and Officer -Gundam RG 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - EFSF - M.S. Pilot and Officer -

The Real Grade kit has to have a pilot and the RX-78-2 Gundam comes with a tiny figure of Amuro Ray. So i made my own Mobile Suit Pilot and Federation Officer from some Preiser 1/144 figure ive collected. Think the pilot is from the NATO crew set and the officer from the airliner set.

Really enjoyed painting these up, look really good when there next to the GM WiP, in the photo there about 5 times larger than what they actually are and i can see what could be improved but just too damn difficult to do at this scale for me.


Got to get me some Zeon figures now and Preiser really need to release some more 1/144 figures, there the best that available in the scale but really there is a really lack of choice, some WW2 Luftwaffe and RAF crew and pilots would be superb.

Ian

Gundam RG 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - Head / Monitor WIP - 2

Suddenly decided that i no longer liked what i'd already done to the top of the GM head from the last WIP, reckon it would have looked fine but wanted to to match up with the Gundam when posed next to each other .

What im hoping to do now is use the parts from the real grade Gundam head, the ridge and the vulcans.Got to take the hack up the gundam head now and try and fit it to the GM exactly like the RX. Shame about the vulcans i already completed but hopefully this will look much more real.

GM looking like Krillin at the mo.
Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - WIP - Backpack / Ransel

Got the Ransel (no idea what that was but apparently that's what you call the backpack on a gundam, some sort of military Backpack) completed today.

Had to remove the one the double holsters for the GMs only one beam saber. Wanted to do something simple before i tackle the shin guards, still not sure how i want them to look.

Cockpit and Backpack complete, still to be done: Head, Waist, Shin Guards and Weapons.

Ian

HGUC - Gundam 0083 - RGM-79C GM Type C

As i realised that the Real Grade GM conversion is going to take some time, thought i have ago at modelling at the same time the Hajime Katoki redesign for Sentinel 0079 and MSG 0083. Going to enter it in the MAC forums European Gunpla Cup.

Going to remove the antenna on the head and the handle on the shoulder pads, not a fan of those.Not decided what colours im going to paint is as but really like the blue, might go a low-viz livery.

Bazooka from Gundam Mk.2?, really like the shield without the Federation star might do that on the RG GM.

Comes with fists manipulators, win in my book.



Hajime Katoki design looks almost identical to Gundam except for the head and knew guards.

Off to Glasto music festival, no model or anime for a week, might have withdrawal symptoms.
Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - Waist WIP 2 -

Starting on the two piece waist this weekend, added a piece of plasticard to each section to cover the groin and have been sanding the joining edge hoping to get a perfect seam right down the centre.

What i did not realise is the both these guards over the hips are not actually flat against the legs but slight angled towards the groin which means the part below the guards now protrudes, will have to make something new for that.

Got what i think the rear waist guard done, i think. Will add a piece of plasticard joining the two hip guards together. Trouble with adding a piece now joining both means that once glued the entire parts has to stay connected to the model because of the ball joint connecting each part to the inner frame face each other.
Will do that right at the end of the build so i can work and paint everything off the inner frame. No doubt without the inevitable being the first part completed on the model it will be the first part to break.


Still very rough, might just start over again.
Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - WIP - Waist

Starting the waist by removing the gundam detail to make the more simplified GM.  Got to turn this from a 3 piece with a crouch guard into a simple 2 piece armor that looks good, reckon this is going to take some .

Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - WIP - Chest / Cockpit

Started yesterday on what i thought would be the easiest part of the build, the cockpit. Sanded down the piece of plastic inside the cockpit, added the plasticard and a bit of detail and got myself the first part of the conversion completed.

Also primed all the inner frame which already makes a big difference to the appearance, no longer shiny. Was going to start painting detail but after a little work noticed how much dust there is i will leave until i paint the entire kit, might have to cut some of the frame anyway.

Going to start the waist next, thats going to take some time.
Ian

Gundam RG 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion - Head / Monitor WIP

Already was working on this from the G.30th  HG conversion. Got what i think is the basic idea i had in my head modeled so far from converting the RGM-79[G] Gm Ground Type head or monitor into what i hope will be a better looking head than the somewhat none descript head that come with the HG GM gunpla.

Lots of the protrusions have been removed, the air intakes on the cheek, the small goatee on the chin and the guard that come out over the screen. Lots of putty and sanding.

Added a new month guard which i think needs to be more defined, looks like ive sanded off the sharp edges and left them looking to soft.

Vulcan in the forehead ive started, did 2 until i realised that one side was higher than the other so at the moment im waiting to putty and sand then start again hoping to be symmetrical.

Neck is too long, think i will adjust the inside on the head rather than cut up the inner frame.



I have spent quite some time on this and think there is till quite alot to do, fear the panel lining on this.

Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RGM-79 GM conversion

Ditched converting the HG 30th Gundam and switched to the Real Grade RX-78-2 Gundam kit instead.

RG Gundam - Will need to change the shin guards, waist, cockpit, backpack and head.
HG RGM-79 GM - Beam spray gun.
HG Ground War Set - Converting the RGM-79[G] head, already started with the 30th Gundam
Master archive for reference.

Inner frame is pretty damn amazing, arm and legs joint move like muscles, even the finger move.

Great thing is that i can convert all the parts separately, paint and detail easier i hope.

1/144 HG - Gundam Ver.G30th to RGM-79 - GM conversion. - WIP 2

Getting more done on the GM, doing all the easy parts right now.

Cockpit - Cut out what was meant to be the core booster and added the simple GM cockpit, added a little detail which is shown in the GM Archive mook.

Head - Is from the Hardgraph Gundam Ground War Set and is going to be the modified ground GM head, think it is the best looking GM head available. Started removing some of the intakes and forehead protrusion, hoping it will look like a normal GM head but a little more real. Like how the 1/1 gundam looks more real than what appears in the anime.

Legs and Arms - Marked off what will need to be removed and changed into the more streamlined guards, thats going to take alot of putty and sanding.

Still alot to do, got really changed the waist, GM is really different to Gundam there and still so much work on the head and legs.

A long term project which i hope i don't get to distracted by Zeon suits.

1/144 HG - Gundam Ver.G30th to RGM -79 - GM conversion. - WIP -1

Learn from the other 2 Gunpla ive modeled and get the joints painted first. Hope this mean the the rest of the GM will be easier to paint now that these are done.

Sprayed grey from a rattle can then detail added copying the full size Gundam, nice and easy.

Ian

1/144 HG - RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.G30th - GM conversion.

Got the RG Gundam on the way to me but have had this unbuilt since i bought it last year maybe?

So going to convert this into a GM, aftter getting the Master Archive book im now really wanting to model one. Think as the RG is very detailed but very similar to this, converting would work quite well as it has less detail just like the GM to Gundam.

Figured out what needs to changed expected for the front skirt / waist guard. Gundam has a 3 piece while GM has a simple 2 or 1 piece, can't quite figure out how to do that.

Ian

Master Archive Mobilesuit - Earth Ferderation Force RGM-79 GM

Another new mook in the Master collection from GA Graphic but this time from Gundam and what a great one to start with the GM. While all the Macross mooks are Master File, looks like Gundam gets Master Archive and it certainly is. A section on all the GM's in the Universal Century from the original Gundam up to Double Zeta with the GM III. 130 pages of mecha goodness.

First page has the contents and cool image of GM , like how the shields floating next to him while being refueled above Earth.



Not so many photos as the Macross Master File has but still has lots.



Decided im going to model a GM just like this, seems like most parts are similar to 1/1 Gundam.



Every GM has it own section starting like this, the original GM has about 20 pages with each dedicated to each part of it body.



All about the Type C.



Nice one sheet of the Type C, as a cold weather type?



Ah, the GM Ground Type which makes the awesome sniper, will eventually model that too.



Cool photo page, one of the best MSV at the bottom, the GM Cannon and a Type C duel wielding bazookas!



Small but still interesting section on the GM Cannon, would be great to get a HG kit of this or a conversion kit.



As with the Macross Master File, the last 8 -10 pages are color or colour variations.




None of the scheme ive seen before, think the original red, torso with either the grey, blue and white body is best.



Very cool mook, one the front cover has Volume One so i reckon a Zaku version has got to be next, notice there the VF-25 coming soon too!

Ian