Roadkill2525 Posted January 5, 2012 Posted January 5, 2012 Bandai's Master Grade RB-79 Ball. The original design by Kunio Okawara was partially inspired by the EVA pods from 2001: A Space Odyssey, this kit is of the Hajime Katoki redesign which he wanted to look like a one-man space pod that NASA would build. The Ball was originally a SP-W03 mobile pod used in the construction of the space colonies, after the Zeon's Zaku I and Zaku II mobile suits laid waste to much of the Earth Federations fleet a stop-gap measure was needed to counter the Zeon attacks. While the RX-78 Gundam was expensive to build and the mass production RGM-79 GM (Jim) wasn't be fielded fast enough, about 1,200 SP-W03 mobile pods soon found themselves installed with heavy armor plate and a 180mm recoilless cannon. Origianlly seen as ill-suited for combat and earned the nickname "mobile coffin" among the EFSF pilots, it was however smaller, more maneuverable and stealthy than a standard mobile suit and its real advantage came from is low cost and large numbers. Used like destroyers and subs of WWII, the hit and run tactics imployed by the Ball and GM on the Zeon supply lines proved to be a constant headache and required front line troops to be used as security. The one I'll be building will carry a paint scheme similar to the late war F6F-5 Hellcats of VF-27 from the USS Princeton, main color will Model Master Blue Angel Blue enamel with dark gray manipulators. Lightly press fitted at this time so I can disassemble for painting, manipulators still mainly in pieces.
Roadkill2525 Posted January 5, 2012 Author Posted January 5, 2012 (edited) Cockpit painted with Mr Color Interior Green, had enough to spray the rest of the body. Rest of the body parts ready for some paint. Edited January 5, 2012 by Roadkill2525
Roadkill2525 Posted January 6, 2012 Author Posted January 6, 2012 The cockpit was masked off, the body and other parts were shot with a 50/50 mix of burnt metal and titanium metalizers, the main thruster ring with sprayed with Alclad Jet Exhaust. The bracing was done in Tamiya black from a can.
Roadkill2525 Posted January 6, 2012 Author Posted January 6, 2012 Thruster bells and verniers painted Alclad Jet Exhuast. Main thruster and secodary thruster housing painted with Alclad Pale gold and thruster sprayed in Alcald Pale Burnt Metal Vernier housings done in a mix of jet exhuast and pale burnt metal.
Roadkill2525 Posted January 6, 2012 Author Posted January 6, 2012 Seat frame done in steel metalizer and the seat padding in Polly Scale NATO tri-brown. Started to added the vernier assemblies.
Roadkill2525 Posted January 7, 2012 Author Posted January 7, 2012 Rear thrusters added along with the bracing, main thruster housing and side cameras.
Roadkill2525 Posted January 11, 2012 Author Posted January 11, 2012 Inside of the armor plating painted with Mr Color interior green.
mannyclub Posted January 11, 2012 Posted January 11, 2012 very cool so far, looks like a fun model to build! Manny
Roadkill2525 Posted January 16, 2012 Author Posted January 16, 2012 (edited) Recoilless cannon painted with Alclad gunmetal, the other pieces done with a mix of gunmetal and aluminium. The cradle will be painted black. Edited January 16, 2012 by Roadkill2525
Roadkill2525 Posted February 24, 2012 Author Posted February 24, 2012 Exterior of the armor painted with Mr Color Navy Blue. Recoilless cannon cradle done in Mr Color Gray FS36081
Roadkill2525 Posted February 24, 2012 Author Posted February 24, 2012 Harry, we were given the option to lock our own threads so Im doing just that.
Harry P. Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Yeah, you can do that. I was just wondering why. I thought maybe a mod did it, and I couldn't see any reason why.
Roadkill2525 Posted February 28, 2012 Author Posted February 28, 2012 Not much of an update but Im getting the manipulators ready for paint, used Model Master fabric gray for a textured area.
Roadkill2525 Posted March 3, 2012 Author Posted March 3, 2012 Got most of the manipulators built, used Mr Color Gray FS36081.
Roadkill2525 Posted March 16, 2012 Author Posted March 16, 2012 Arms with manipulators finally installed. Wanted the look of the ends pulled from another Ball so they're weathered and somewhat mismatched color.
Roadkill2525 Posted March 16, 2012 Author Posted March 16, 2012 Just about finished, need to do the panel lines and paint the pilot.
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