Bandai 1/100 FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam

[deafpanzer]

AHHHH! It is not practicing the trigger discipline. Kidding! Looking real good buddy!

[mz3]

So, while I'm waiting on the decal rivets to set up on my zero, I figured I'd get some work do on the FA.






The boozuka has been painted for a couple days now. I put a gloss coat on it and started with the oils. This is from the original 2.0 RX-78-2 master grade kit. I built it in like 08 or when ever that kit first came out. Then never used it with RX. It's just been sitting on my various desks over the years collecting dust. The construction is a little rough, oil paint will hide some of that. The last step I did was to bounce tweezers off the white parts, scratching and chipping down to the black underneath. I'll add a little more dust and what not before I call that done. Shotgun is painted, just trying to decide how much I want to do to it. Shield is kicking my ass. It's the first time I've attempted scribing panel lines in from scratch. So it's a learning experience😠

[deafpanzer]

Looking real good! This will allow you to keep building better results with more experience and I think it came out great!

[mz3]

After all the work, I may not use the shield. The part I was scribing... got smashed. And stabbed with the scriber. The other one I finished but hated the way it looked. I sprayed an orange digital camo on it and hated the way it looked. I stripped the paint and I'll try again. But I'm not sure I want it on now. The kit looks good now the way it is.





It's about 99% done. I feel like it needs a little bit more of something. I've been staring at it for a week. Maybe it's just done. I don't know.

[406 Silverado]

Sounds like you had quite the experience with shield #1 bud!! I’ve been to that point before alright. I had a Corsair that would up in the trash can 3 different times. What you’ve done here is just magnificent! You can tell that LOTS of work went into this.

Beautiful….

[deafpanzer]

I am starting to loose count how many weapons it is carrying... it would have made Rambo a very happy man!

[mz3]

Jul 9, 2023 14:49:21 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

I am starting to loose count how many weapons it is carrying... it would have made Rambo a very happy man!

Twin beam on the right hand
Shotgun in left
Cannon on shoulder
Boozuka
2 beam sabers on butt
Vulcans in the head
Rockets in knees and on chest

Might be a little overkill.

[stikpusher]

Jul 9, 2023 14:49:21 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

I am starting to loose count how many weapons it is carrying... it would have made Rambo a very happy man!

Rambo kept it simple… M60 machine gun and a survival knife. Theoretically with a machine gun he should also have carried a pistol. 😏

[Real G]

There was an anime called Dragonar, where the ace baddies actually slung belt ammunition around their mechs.  But none of them did the Rambo M60 thing and went "AUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHH!" while firing their gun with one hand and guiding the ammo belt with the other.  I mock that scene a lot, but it's also my favorite scene for its ridiculousness.

I agree that the big shield is not necessary.  There is the small shield on the left arm already.  I thought the Gundam Thunderbolt version with the double shield was a little over the top.

[mz3]

Alright, here's the shield...





I'm not really happy with it. I finished it only because I started it. The damage covers up some of the bad scribing. This was the first attempt. After I moved to the second shield I used this for some screwing around. I heated up a metal rod and made some damage. I wasn't planning on ever using it. The second shield was... "damaged", so I just slapped this one together. I sanded down the heat damage, added some "shotgun" damage with a soldering iron, cracked a few spots here and there, then painted and weathered it the same as the kit except a few more chips and scratches. I figured these shields don't seem to last long in the animes, so there would be more damage.

If I ever put this in a competition or contest, the shield would be left behind.

I'm painting the pilot figure, which I have never done before on these. They are so small and I never have the cockpits open. But what the hell, I'll try it on this one. I'll try to do some final pics later this week. I have no set up for real camera pics right now.

[406 Silverado]

I can understand the way you feel and I've had that same feeling lots of times with my builds only to find out that I'm pretty much the only one who can see the flaws in them. You've certainly got no kick coming with this completion and following the building process was definitely entertaining and fun. Great outcome MZ.

[chromdome35]

I think this looks great, shield and all!

Watching you build this has made me want to build one of these.

Excellent job!

[Real G]

You know, I think the orange shield worked out!  The color balance on the finished kit looks perfect.

[deafpanzer]

Great work on the shield especially the battle damages on it!

[stikpusher]

Yup! What they all said up there, before me!

[mz3]

Here's why I have never painted or even used the "figures" for these...














They're so damn small, by the time you get everything done, you can't see them. Some kits they can be seen. But here, don't even bother with them.

[deafpanzer]

No worries because we KNOW it's in there now! Keep up with the great work man!