Manga: Red Astray Powered Option Set

As always, the Astray mini-franchise from the Gundam 'verse has some outrageous designs that translate well to toys. The Powered Option Set for the Red Astray is one such design, and here's the manga:

Taghobby Link: http://www.taghobby.com/?p=153098

Bandai Armor Girls Project: Saber/Variable Excalibur

I've taken note of this armor girl before, but with these new reference photos, it really does look like a Fate/Saber version of the Astray Blue with its Back Weapon System.

I'll let the photos do most of the talking. I like how it has two sword versions, and that the sword variants are because of how it integrates additional armor into the figure.

http://www.taghobby.com/?p=145973

For the Astray reference:

Daily Mecha: Add-on Kit for the Astaroth

Add-on Kit: Anti-Materiel Rifle + Pile Bunker for Gundam Astaroth 
Source: Hobby no Toriko

 

Bandai: HGUC 1/144 Zeta Honoo GBF Variant (Completed)

I finally got my hands on the Battle Arms parts that were needed for the Honoo. Here are two of the photos. Unfortunately, the last thing needed to complete it is the Akatsuki's bits. While I do have those, I would rather not use them with this kit.

Here we go, then! And, the "incomplete version" is here; clickie!

Bandai HGUC Nu Gundam: Modified - Mobile Armor Mode

This is another one of my older modification or kitbash projects. One of the big weaknesses I already saw in the original design was that there was no way for it to arm itself except for the fin fannels, since both arms were essentially just support systems for the larger shields.

Bandai HGUC Unicorn Gundam Banshee, Modified: Chimera Loadout

Finally.

This is - hopefully - the last version of this Banshee kit. I'm tempted to buy yet another Unicorn Banshee Norn in Destroy mode just to get a third DE shield, but I think this looks good for now.

For an older article on this kit, click here.

Another article is located here.

For the inspiration to go double-shield, it's the Phenex. Click here.

Modified: HGGS 1/144 Astray Gold

One nice thing about the Astray is that its idea of partial armor plates seems to make it such a favorite when it comes to modifications. This is probably due to the fact that it looks like it's modified anyway. In my case, I simply armed it with the Red Astray's flight unit, with three added Caletvwlch sword/weapon systems. After that, I took the Blitz arms from the old HGGS kit, and did some polycap switching to get the right shoulder-to-chest armor separation.

I'm still a bit on the fence about keeping the katana with it, but so far it looks good with it.

Bandai: HGUC 1/144 Zeta Honoo GBF Variant (incomplete)

With the coming of Gundam Build Fighters, these seems to be a movement to retrofitting, so to speak, older HGUC kits, with new weapons and option parts. In this case, it's the HGUC Zeta, with the Honoo parts and the Gun/Blade variant of the Astray Caletvwlch sword.

I still have to get my hands on a Battle Arms set, so I can complete the other parts of the Honoo Zeta, aside from seeing if the incoming RG weapons set that includes the Zeta's large cannon will be compatible (it may be for the RG only...). I won't bother trying to get the Akatsuki's space backpack... for now.

As it is, here are some photos of the incomplete Zeta Honoo GBF Variant.

Frame Arms: Baselard and Zelfikar

And we're back! Apologies for the long rest, but had to take care of some stuff in real life. Anyway, here are more photos of the two Frame Arms Baselard kits that I swapped parts on. I'm tempted to call them Fingal and Dougal, but I'll probably have to get proper weapons, if that's the case.

This is actually the Zelfikar in full armor, with the original Baselard's gun and shield at the back (not seen very well in both photos). 

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: Modifications

So I decided to park most of the new weapons on one of my Zenrai Knight Units. I think I'll be needing more mecha.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms Modeling Support Goods - Gatling Gun, Ammo Drum, Sword Sets

This is the rest of the MSG sets I bought: two gatling guns that can be put together, the requisite ammunition drum, and the paired katana and wakizashi set.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms MSG Weapons Set 31 - Assault rifles

I recently bought some Kotobukiya Frame Arms Modeling Support Goods (MSG) Weapons Sets (phew!), specifically the Assualt Rifle  set (WS 31). Here they are, in use by HGUC Mecha that have the new standardized Zeonic and Federation hands that come with the RG weapon kits.

My quick review of them is this: They actually fit the hands, but they're still a bit bulky - the fists just barely make it to being fully closed. They work well for the mid- to large-sized mecha, but I don't think this will look good or work well with the smaller ones, like the Gundam X.

Both weapons look much better in Zeonic/Germanic hands. Here, the first photo is for how they are supposed to look with the actual Frame Arms units. Following photos will be on Gundam Kits.

Review and Modification: Kotobukiya Frame Arms Wilber Nine

When I received the Wilber Nine from my friend Winn, I realized that I was less than thrilled with the endoskeleton's color.

Photo taken from main Kotobukiya Frame Arms site: http://main.kotobukiya.co.jp/fa/rf12wilbernine.html

I decided to replace the skeleton with a Frame Architect 001 - For Modeler's Edition endoskeleton, so it would be in metallic grey. I was pleased with the results.

Yes, I removed the waist plates. More on that later.

I figured, since I'd done this already, that I should go forward and do even more, given all the spare parts I had.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: Modified Architect Frame

What I really like about the Frame Arms series is how you can literally just make your own mecha, no questions asked. Here's one that I made out of scratch parts and the new Grave Arms Heavy Weapons Add-on:

Architect Frame + Grave Arms + Zen Knight Bazooka Cross + assorted extra armor and weapons

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: Scratch Builds and Mods

This is an "improvement" over another design I've been showing around. Of note are the new shoulders (from the Griffen Extend Arms set),