Gunpla Worklog: 1/100 Gundam Astraea FA Kai - Update 5

Here is another update of my work-in-progress 1/100 Gundam Astraea FA Kai. Last update I had pretty much finished with modding the main body of the Astraea. This update, I will focus more on the details & accessories for this kit, and I will describe what I had been doing in bits & pieces...


Filling Empty Area With Putty

Unlike MG kits, non-grade 1/100 usually lack the intricate details for some parts. For example, the back of the waist skirt is usually inert & empty (this is the case for this kit as well). So here is what I did add a bit more detail to them.

Used putty to fill the entire empty inert area

Added pla-plates to the piece to create what later would be metal beam support

Attached the skirts to the waist to see how it looks.... I will paint this area later with silver for the metal beam support and dark grey for other area.

I also puttied the inner empty space for the back of the arm parts.

Adding Pla-Plate For Further Detail (Currently 60 % Completed)

Since the theme of the mod is Full Armoured, I thought it will look better if certain parts were to look bulkier. So I added pla-plate to some pieces.

Scribing Panel Lines (Currently 30% Completed)

A very tedious tasks and dangerous too if I am not careful. With the newly modded pieces, most of them lacks any details to them. So here I opt to create some new panel lines.

My hands usually aren't very steady, so I always use a scribe ruler & a scriber to add in panel lines. The scriber is the best tool to do this. When creating panel lines, use very light pressure on the scriber, and just run over the piece back & forth until a noticeable panel line is visible.

Part on the left is marked with pencil the shape I want to panel line. Part on the right is panel lined using the scriber.

Weapons & Accessories (Currently 60% Completed)

GN Booster - The back of the Astraea is modded to fit the new GN Booster. The booster itself still require much modding with pla-plates adding more details & some wings.

GN Blades - When I saw the 00 Gundam Seven Sword....I fell in love with it right the way (similiar to how Mr. Bushiso fell in love with battling Setsuna...) I especially like the blades that were attached to the knees. So with my FA mod, I will be making my own and adding them to the kit. (For a pic of the 00 Gundam Seven Sword, here is a link to the image at mahq.net: http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/00v/gn-00007s.jpg)

Here is a simple conceptual layout of what the GN Blades will look like... of course later it would be a bit more detail and bulkier than what is seen here.

Beam Rifle - I haven't touch them yet, other than cutting them out of the spruces.

Here is a few images of my kit still with much to be worked on.... Update again soon!

PS3 - Mobile Suit Gundam Senki U.C. 0081 (Update 5)

This update will be just be a minor update providing a bit more info to what we already know about this fabulous upcoming PS3 title, 'Mobile Suit Gundam Battlefield Records U.C. 0081 (Gundam Senki)', which is coming out Sept. 3rd, 2009.

The official Mobile Suit Gundam Battlefield Records U.C. 0081 website has been updated. Check here to check it out: http://ps3-gundam.net/

Update Mission Info

Update MS List

Dengeki Online Article:

The following is a loose translation of the latest article from Dengeki Online for this game. (I apologize for some repeated images from my last post)

The New RX-81

Previously, there were not much details given about the mobile suits from the Mobile Suit Variation (MSV) series, but finally in the game's story mode, we will get some explanation in the production of the RX-81 mobile suits. In the game, mobile suits' design is mostly based & refined upon Katoki Hajime's designs, and mobile suits that would make appeareance are limited to the ones available during that era (and that's not a small amount..)

The RX-81 was developed by incorporating the full potential from the previous seven versions of the RX-78 mobile suits, to increase the unit’s performance. The RX-81 mobile suit has a basic design to the frame and body, so that additional equipments can be added on depending on the requirement of the operation.

The images below displays various RX-81 variants, from the standard version to high mobility and high versatility.

The Underwater Battlefield (Federal Forces Scenario)

This is an introduction for a Feddie’s mission to defend the industrial area located near the Belfast base in the United Kingdom. This operation is divided into two phases and fierce battle is imminient.

(First Phase) Belfast Harbor

The remnants of the Zeon forces had gathered at the industrial area near the Feddie’s Belfast base. This industrial area is known to develop military weapons for the Feddies, and the Zeons aims to steal their supplies & ammunition. Amphibious mobile suits will dispatch to repel the landing of the Zeon forces.

(Second Phase) Belfast Harbor

The Phantom Sweep unit is dispatch to pursue the Zeon unit that had stolen some supplies. The chase led them into an underwater battle, where a single fearsome foe awaits.

Customization is the key to winning battles, since the performance of mobile suit configured for land operation and sea operation are dramatically different. In the underwater scenario, player will need to make sure to customize their MS with equipment that would increase mobility in water, and also to equip with effective weaponry

Due to the various nature of each mission, player most likely cannot stick with using their favorite suit for every mission. Player will need to make sure that they understand the potential of each mobile suit, customize them accordingly, and increase performance to utilize them in their full potential.

Award Video

A product code will be soon be available for viewing a fully HD animated sequence of the Gundam Senki title. The product code will only be able to view the first few minutes of the first production. The Gundam Senki series will be animated by the same staffs that brought us the Mobile Suit Z Gundam movie trilogy. The first production will be set during the battle of A Bao A Qu, in a heated battle between Hughes Curro and Erik Blanque (Similar to Amuro & Char).

The full video will be available thru the Japan’s Playstation Store to be released as rental starting Oct. 31 ’09..

Images from Dengeki Online & Gundam Genki Website

Gundam/Gunpla Expo(s) 2009 - Image Gallery

Images from various Gundam/Gunpla Expo in 2009:

1/100 Gale Strike Gundam & Hai Buster Gundam

MG Exia

Limited Edition Merchandises

I wish I can be one of these shoppers...

Other images from other expo found on the web which I thought would be cool to include...

Images from various japanese blogs

Gunpla Worklog: 1/100 Gundam Astraea FA Kai - Update 4

Another minor update for my customized Astraea.... and i had finally came up with a new name, it will just be called "Gundam Astraea FA Kai (Full Armored)".

So with the new name, it means that I will need to continue modifying the kit to fit theme of FA (Full Armored). Gundams from the 00 series are usually very slim (except for Seravee / Virtue), so I thought adding bulk would really add a nice contrast to the overall design.

I had been working on the upper body for so long, I thought I would take a break by working on the legs for awhile. So after I've extended the legs (Update 1), I am now going to add a full armored knee section. To do this, I will be using pla-plates....

After some cutting & sanding... here is the side view of the knee part.

Comparing the new design to see if it fits the overall build.

After the knee section is completed, I test fitted it. Looks alrite. And now I need a break...so I went back to working on the upper body.

As you can see I've worked on the upper body more since my last update, as I am now making modifications to the chest area. The chest area will be similiar to the bulky knee section, again to match the FA theme.

After some modding...here is what the chest will look like. Of course more sanding & detail will be added later, but for now I just want to finish all the big parts first.

Here is a conceptual shot of what my current design looks like...

(I accidently shot this one in black&white, and too lazy to retake)

More updates later. This kit is taking longer than I had previously planned. =(