This has been by far my most involved, longest, funnest build I have done.

Since I started this thing lots of things have happened in the world. But, the important ones are that I got a new and permanent (as much as anything in life can be) work space to do Gunpla.

The second most important thing is that I noticed how much money all the spray cans were costing after my 4th can of Tamiya Gold for the frame on this bad boy. So I made the plunge and bought a airbrush pistol, compressor, and spray booth. As of right now I have not done any test painting with the airbrush.

I’ll write more about on the subject of my work area in another post, this one is just about enjoying the Sword Impulse.

As I was saying. I had a blast building this thing. Seriously some cool stuff. I really, really like the look of it. I was surprised with the knee cap gimmick, the top part of the knee cap on both knees cracked. If you click and look at the full size of the above image, you’ll be able to see a vertical crack along the left knee cap, across the yellow armor insert. I don’t understand why, or how it happened. I really was not hard on the kit at all. I think it may have been the Mr Hobby gloss top coat, but that is total speculation with no proof to back it up.

I really like how sharp some of the features in the head are, I especially like the crown-antenna thingies. I don’t really like how the look on the RX-78-2, and this was a welcome change to the typical one. I really like the front intakes on the torso. I had a fun time masking them to paint the outside gold, and the inside silver.

I loved doing the frame in gold. Although it took a lot of work, I really like how it turned out. I am not so happy with the panel lining. I am still having a hard time with the panel wash. I’ve been using lighter fluid thinned Revell enamels, over a gloss top coat. The enamel is really hard to thin, and it does not clean up easy, it usually takes away everything I’ve done one I do the clean up right after a line is filled. Maybe it is the enamel, or maybe it is the lighter fluid, or maybe it is my skill. I really don’t know. I decided to do something a little different this time and let the enamels dry overnight, then use lighter fluid to remove the excess. I DO NOT recommend this, I had terrible results and just did the best I could to fix most of it. It is not noticeable from like a foot away, but anyone with an experienced eye and especially me, will notice. Well, lesson learned.

I thought the skirt was really nice, nothing really far different. I did have a much easier time posing his legs, then with other models and I am attributing this mostly to the skirt. I like how the cockpit (I think) turned out. The gimmick is pretty cool with the top part sliding up. I have not gotten the slightest want to paint the pilots that come with these guys. 1/100 humans are for now well past my modeling painting level. Some day, I promise, I will learn and paint one of those little dudes.

Some of the details in the legs are so much fun. The gold showing through, and the calf thrusters. Honestly, I am really looking forward to some of the more popular MG kits I have in the backlog. If this guy is any indication those should be so much fun.

But, I am working my way to them. Getting my skill up, leveling up to airbrushing. I got a lot of HG kits that will get the full brunt of my poor skills. But, hey! That is the whole point, I’ll never get better if I don’t practice, and if I really love a kit that I end up messing up, I can always buy it again. Then I will have a before and after shot =)

Lets look to the future with my friend here. To what awaits us after the next kit and beyond!

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Okay, that’s enough of that, here, enjoy some more pics of the MG Sword Impulse on Flickr.