Gundam "Ver.Ka" Mobile Suit RX-93

[Greg Kimsey]

I think this is the right category for this. I have never built a Gundam model, and actually saw my first built model yesterday when a young man brought it into the store to show me. It looked cool, so I thought I'd give it a go. Having never built one I have littke idea of workflow. Do I paint (because that is what I most excited to do) as I go like a normal model? I want to make this look like an apocalyptic battle robot that has been in a few scraps and survived. Thanks in advance for any tips! I will wait to see them before starting...
Now for the photo dump:

 

[moon puppy]

Oh My! Man that's a lot of parts.

 

[Sharkmouth]

I made the mistake of typing Gundam (looking for specific tools) into AliExpress and was amazed at the breadth, scope, and depth of aftermarket for these kits. Not my thing so I can't help you but I can mention they have replacement lenses, barrels, specialized tools for created grooves (panels) and recessed circles to take lenses and such. Simply Wow and I will be following.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Oh My! Man that's a lot of parts.

Indeed!

 

[Greg Kimsey]

I made the mistake of typing Gundam (looking for specific tools) into AliExpress and was amazed at the breadth, scope, and depth of aftermarket for these kits. Not my thing so I can't help you but I can mention they have replacement lenses, barrels, specialized tools for created grooves (panels) and recessed circles to take lenses and such. Simply Wow and I will be following.

Thank you Saul. I started my plan of attack by sort of looking through the parts,(not really expecting anyone to be able to offer workflow advice LOL) which are all cast in color so they don’t need painting. However, the ones I saw yesterday were not painted and looked very plastic. It may not be kosher to true Gundam afficionados but I am going to metallize all of my parts (although still not sure what I want to do with the white parts). They don’t need glue and snap together, so I think I want to paint on sprue since I don’t have to worry about glue joints. My concern is keeping up with which sprue gets which color. My plan is to do each color start to finish, prime, wait, paint, then do the next set. Hopefully I will avoid confusion!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Have a friend here that likes to build these. I don't think he paints them or if he does it isn't much. With them being complex and snap together you might want to be careful with the paint thickness and where it goes. Seems to me that these have some fairly tight tolerances and paint thickness could give you problems. Might try and paint some parts in a single or couple of assemblies first and then see how the parts fit together.

Enjoy the build!

In Tulsa the last time I was back there for a few days I went by this one Hobby Town and they and a whole corner of the store with 2 isles dedicated and decorated up for these. It was kind of fascinating. I think the draw for these kits is first the anime and then you can fairly quickly build one and then have fun with it. If it works to bring in new modelers that is a win win.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Have a friend here that likes to build these. I don't think he paints them or if he does it isn't much. With them being complex and snap together you might want to be careful with the paint thickness and where it goes. Seems to me that these have some fairly tight tolerances and paint thickness could give you problems. Might try and paint some parts in a single or couple of assemblies first and then see how the parts fit together.

Enjoy the build!

In Tulsa the last time I was back there for a few days I went by this one Hobby Town and they and a whole corner of the store with 2 isles dedicated and decorated up for these. It was kind of fascinating. I think the draw for these kits is first the anime and then you can fairly quickly build one and then have fun with it. If it works to bring in new modelers that is a win win.

Yeah, the kid who brought one to show me said the little ones take about an hour to build. He built a similar kit to this one in 4 hours. It's crazy.
That's a good point on the tolerance. These things do have a tight fit so that they can be played with like a toy and posed in many different ways

 

[Greg Kimsey]

You ain't kiddin' about the tolerance. There is none! Parts fit extremely tight; like, I am afraid I am going to break them I have to push so hard. I had to ease the tolerance on one with my flexifile just to get it in. No way pai ted surface will go.
New Plan: Assemble, then mask and paint. I won't be able to stand the plastic look. I am wanting to do so e chipping. I have only done it once, on a tank. Do I put a metallic (ie: stainless steel) finish on, then chipping medium, then surface color?

 

[Greg Kimsey]

There is a teeeeeeny driver inside the mech. He is painted but will probably never be seen again. I know he is painted though.

 

[moon puppy]

No canopy for him, he's only got digital cockpit? I think a real pilot would protest much.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

He sits inside this little green globe. I have no idea how he is supposed to see out of it!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

The paint on that little guy is really nice Greg. There are 2 ways to do chipping, do an undercoat then chip it or do the color then use some other colors to do the chips and scrapes. You need to use a thin paint to do the latter as if the chip color is too thick it shows.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Maybe you can see the difference. The grea part is dry brushed overall with Vallejo silver 77724, then edge highlight with Val white 70951, then pin wash with thinned Humbrol #21 gloss black. The white area is Humbrol gloss white #22. I am not really happy with the white as I painted it with a brush and it shows. I may remove it,mask and spray

 

[Greg Kimsey]

My solution for the white is to paint on the sprue, avoiding obvious tabs. First I sprayed random pattern Vallejo chrome and burnt metal. I painted the yellow with a black base to prepare for the gold

Next, not pictured because you can’t see it, I randomly applied Vallejo chipping medium with a rough brush.
Then I sprayed white Tamiya X2 until I ran out.

The yellow got a spritz of Vallejo chrome

Then the yellow got a coat of Alclad II Pale Gold, trying to leave some of the silver in places

For the white I used Humbrol gloss white thinned 50/50 with AK odorless enamel thinner. I love spraying with enamel. It is so smooth and easy! I tried to hit the centers as much as possible.

Finally for the yellow I sprayed a coat of Tamiya X24 Clear Yellow over all of the pieces. It is all drying until tomorrow. I will wait to chip until final assembly.

 

[moon puppy]

 

[Heavens Eagle]

 

[Greg Kimsey]

It is basically a little puzzle that has moving parts. I think I have the pieces painted in a way that they will go together nicely. I know my grandson is going to play with this so I have been supergluing pins that are not moving but holding. Moving parts get pushed in only.

The blue parts I did a 3 part paint scheme. First I used Testors Pearl Blue. It was still good after 10 years in storage. I added Testors silver Chrome to the pearl to lighten it and hit the panel centers. Then I used a thinned Humbrol Baltic Blue metallic as basically an airbrush wash.

The dark gray sprues were drybrushed wirh Vallejo Metal Color Steel 77712. I then hightlighted the centers with Val Metal Color Chrome 77707 then drybrushed the edges sparingly with Val Model Color White 70951.

The light gray sprues got a drybrush of Val Chrome, then edged in white.

I haven't done anything to the clear parts. I may dip them in AK Gauzy.
Here is where I am so far in the puzzle:

For those yellow "lights" I brushed Val Chrome, then 2 layers of Tamiya Clear Yellow X24. I think I am going to fill them with resin.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

I did fill with UV Resin and it looks good.

The front opens so you CAN see the little driver somewhat:

I decided to "candy" the red sprue. First I coated with Alclad II Bright Silver Candy Base.

I waited a while then sprayed with Al II Candy Red enamel. It looks a little fuchsia color. I will antique it a little to make it less so:

 

[iambrb]

So Kewl!!!

I am watching this cuz I think a battle- damaged Gundam would be neat

 

[Greg Kimsey]

The head is assembled. Hard to believe there are 17 parts in that littke thing!