Kit: No. 0148085
Scale: 1/35
Manufacturer: Bandai, from HobbyWave Models, 888-486-3267,
www.hobbywave.comPrice: $61.95
Comments: Injection-molded, 302 parts (20 vinyl, 3 plastic sheet), decals
Pros: Interesting subject; ease of construction; convincing scale
Cons: Japanese-only instructions
Issue Published: March 2008
"Gundam" is a series of animated Japanese television shows featuring mammoth robot fighting suits. Bandai, which has released several such models, now launches a new series of 1/35 scale models.
The kit supplies five figures, furniture, and other accessories to go with the M353A4, a large, armored vehicle with some kind of hover/propulsion system.
Most of the kit's 300-plus parts go into the vehicle. Plastic parts are molded in colors corresponding to the completed model. Medium-gray body components are complemented by parts molded in black and dark gray.
Like the Bandai fighting suits, the figures are molded in multiple colors on the same sprue. Decals are for two versions of the M353A4: one from Earth Federation Ground Force, the other from Earth Federation Space Force. The sheet includes rank insignia for the figures. There's lots of information on the instructions - all Japanese.
Most major pieces can be press-fitted, reinforcing the no-paint concept. Fit is good, but I chose to fill small gaps with glue. Solid arrows indicate parts that need glue; dashed arrows, push-fit connections.
Certain areas will be hard to paint after assembly. I deviated from the instructions to pre-paint most parts.
To start, I glued small components to the hull parts. The soft plastic responded well to Tamiya liquid cement. Hatches and doors lacked interior detail, so I glued them shut. The grab handles are scale thin, but a couple of stowage baskets have heavy molding.
I sprayed medium-gray parts Model Master Acryl olive drab, gluing and filling after everything dried, then touching up.
Working details, such as a front plow and a ramp at the rear, are fastened with poly caps, making most of them removable and thus easier to paint.
Attachment points on the feet were smaller; glue strengthened the joints. I sprayed the fans steel, dry-brushing each with silver to highlight the blades. The inner body of the feet, as well as the vents' backs and fronts, are gunship gray, while the outer skin and dome tops are olive drab. The hydraulic actuators have Tamiya NATO black bodies and Model Master chrome-silver arms. A molded, cloth-textured bed tarp was painted olive drab mixed with a few drops of dunkelgelb.
There are two operating items on the rear of the vehicle: a cone-tipped thingy to port, and some drill-like object starboard. I have no idea what they are (an English translation would really help), but you must decide whether to leave them operable; their clamps need to be glued.
The M353A4's small, open-topped turret, resembling an M113 ACAV, contains radios, ammo boxes, and a massive Gatling-style gun fed by three ammo belts. Smoke-grenade launchers also are included, but they are visibly hollow.
The decals are thin but they silvered a little, even over gloss clear. Poking holes in them with a knife tip and applying Solvaset helped. The light-gray lettering lends a slightly worn appearance.
I had a lot of fun weathering, using a fine brush to apply gunship-gray chips to edges. I sprayed a very thin, light gray around the underside and hover engines, then finished with flat clear.
The figures must be glued together. All feature good detail and realistic poses. A table, chairs, water cooler, etc. make nice diorama items.
I had a blast building this, and it attracts attention. Easy construction left more time for painting and weathering. I foresee myriad conversions and kitbashes drawing on a wealth of 1/35 scale armor. (I've already seen one with an MLRS pod in the bed.) I recommend this kit to any modeler looking for something different.