I've ordered the P-Bandai Sword and Launcher Striker packs expansion set from Taobao: I'm still wasn't a big fan of how Bandai seemingly just reused the Sword and Launcher parts from the old MG Sword/Launcher Strike from 2007 for this expansion set, but ordering it from Taobao for a lower price (with shipping included) does sound like a better idea than paying the inflated price from local hobby sellers. Since I've already built the MG Aile Strike Ver. RM, might as well go all out and get the parts required for assembling the Perfect Strike (Plus, the old MG Sword/Launcher Strike from 2007 hasn't been reprinted for years)
The System Base is done. I rigged it in the semi-permanent mode of the larger 1:144 configuration. I could collapse it depending on the kit size, but I don't want to ruin the paint and the two *one too thick* layers of clear coat. I don't count this, or any base plates as 'Gunpla' in my build records, so it's just an extra bit of work that goes along with everything I build from here on. The product description for it suggests it's for 1:144 scale kits, but like this it does fit well enough for 1:100 scale too. ... although it might not be so cozy for anything circa UC0088 to UC0105. Meanwhile back in 1:144 scale, it's like I said before about being configured for larger kits. My RG GP01 feels... diminished by the size of it. The base will be just fine for the Nu Gundam(s). Back to work on that tonight, I was mostly painting over the parts I had prepped earlier. Loosely trimmed and paired the knees so I could paint cables on the back, and I had an idea. The cables are painted in my Gunmetal/Gunship Gray mixed with my "Trans-Am" metallic gray. I lightly coated the links in silver because I wanted to get the idea for how they will look on the normal color version of this kit. For the Clear kit, I will stick with gold. Then it was back to work on the feet pads. I primed these parts last night and set about filling in the colors. I'm painting some of the prominent details on the inner frame that will shine through the clear parts, especially through the crystal clear blue parts. One thought I originally had about the feet pads was to paint those two toe tips in gold, but I opted for silver because there is the gold toe claw to install in the center.
Seeing your photos of the base, I decided to order one for myself. Might paint it up all fancy for funsies, but it's probably gonna serve as a like, bottle holder probably a lot of the time lmao.
Yup, it has happened to 1-2 of my MG Zaku IIs...I noticed that the joints were becoming floppy...arghhh. Since then I decided to paint (just add a dab of gray paint) the joints of the inner frame to tighten the joints...I haven't fully painted any of my kits in years thoough.
Repeat after me: "This is what clear kits are made for." I'm setting up to assemble but there's a lot of details getting painted in the in-between areas. There's more I want to do but for now just starting the silver layers.
Ambroid O-Scale Payroll Car Part 21 - Deco And now, to see a dream realized. With everything glued down, the time had come to fully prepare the still unpainted parts with primer. For the most part, it went without a hitch. Well, almost. Removing the masking tape did considerable damage as it had been sitting on the body for a long time. This is just one fourth of the car but it looked like this on all sides, more the long sides than the end pieces. Some creative light sanding and repainting did make all the damage vanish. It was almost a shame since I don't want this car to look weathered and this looked like a GREAT way to model old painted wood. Might try this on another project in the future. I also painted the underside and the steps black while I was repairing the damaged sides. Moving on, I discovered to my horror that I'd miscalculated how many "O" letters I would need. The set only had four...and I needed six. Of course, a zero in certain fonts awfully could pass for an O...and that's exactly what I did. I think the end result turned out well. All that was left was a final coat of Dullcote to kill the shine on the decals and seal it all up.
Barbatos is done! Great kit. Bandai needs to make more MG IBO kits. I just opened up Wing Zero Ver Kai and feel super intimidated just looking at all the runners. I may have to hold back on it and do a few HG kits first.
The work so far tonight, most of the silver is on and I began mapping out more of the gold. I have some minor corrections to make because some dust bits got into the paint in the pan dried and flaked onto the brush. Typical. Aside from that, I painted over areas I didn't prime that I will have to give another coat over. This applies to both legs, which I just loosely snapped components together to fit on my parts holders.
Wow... That is going to be a LOT of work, especially if I want to retrace everything on styrene sheet.... but.... The end result should be something I can display an Ingram on....
While I wait for my replacement compressor, I got around to cleaning more empty paint bottles for mixing. Im up to around 30 empty clean bottles and have another 15 to clean up. Its too many so I can probably give some away if you guys need any. I use about 5-8 per build and when I’m done I clean them out unless its a big batch of paint. I don't usually keep any of the custom mixes.
“And the pants were dead.” Not sure how well this photo shows it, but the white plastics on the RG Wing are exceptionally crisp and sharp. No softness or transparency whatsoever, I honestly thought it was prepainted at first.
Not much to show tonight, just more primer and starting to fill in the gold details for the legs. I should clip some of the armor parts from the runners to see how much of this gets seen. I guarantee I will not be painting to this extreme with the normal version of the Nu. And since it was gnawing at me, I finished painting the rails on the Fin Funnels. I thought I would put them off for now but I had to get them done. Sloppy edges to clean up and do some minor detailing.
Yeah, I end up with quite a bit of ~10ml MrColor or Tamiya bottles after each project. When I mix custom colors, I try to mix exactly what I need so that there's no waste, because it's relatively rare that I end up reusing a custom color on a subsequent kit. I've mainly offered some empty bottles to local friends of mine, mainly because it's not really worthwhile to ship.
Finished the RG Wing, really incredible kit. So crisp and clean, and the little brow/nose guard thing that was missing? It’s actually sculpted onto the eye pice, it’s just not colour separated and is covered by a sticker, but if you paint it you could see it easily. Honestly these compact RGs really impress me, they’re just so solid and detailed.
Hell yes, Taobao shipped out my P-Bandai Sword and Launcher Striker packs yesterday, and if everything goes as expected I would receive mine within a week (And I could finally assemble the Perfect Strike) While waiting for that, I still have the extended battery packs (meant for the Perfect Strike form) left unbuilt in the MG Aile Strike Ver. RM's box; So I might need to get back to it first.
ZZ Ver Ka start! This kit has a ton of frame pieces that I couldn't fit them all in my drying bin. Still it already seems like an easier build than the Providence because I dont have to mask anything on the frame. Today I will lay down the base color and hopefully have them done by tomorrow.
I finished the Fin Funnels tonight. I cleaned up the sloppy brushwork on the panel rails but my green accent wash disappears against the dark clear plastic and my paint. So I will just let it slide since the back sides of the Fins won't be seen so much as their front. In hindsight, I see how I missed a chance to do some painting on the parts underneath the clear (white) panels but there isn't much for show on the inside. All of the details are only surface level for the front sides and the back. I appreciate the uniformity, and rigid plate clasps for holding them in the "Amuro A" windsail arrangement. They hardly sag or roll over on themselves, unlike a certain Version Ka model, which is good for my eventual Double Fin Funnel HWS Nu.
The P-Bandai MG Sword/Launcher Striker packs which I've ordered from Taobao have finally left China, and are in transit to my address; I figure while waiting for it to arrive, might as well fully assemble the "Extended Battery Packs". For these individual Battery packs, I did some panel-lining, added some splash of paint, and applied the red "warning stripes" dry decals on each of them. All of these Battery Packs can be slotted into the "Battery Rack" and in fiction, these Battery Packs are supposed to make up for the enormous energy usage that the Perfect Strike uses. I like how unlike both the HG and RG rendition of the Perfect Strike, the Battery Packs on the MG Ver. RM can be individually detached from the rack (Just like that brief shot where the Perfect Strike ejects an emptied Battery Pack to remove dead weight in the anime; Nice touch right there.
