I went back and built the head. The kit comes with three decals for the mono eye, so if the first one gets mucked up during painting, I have some backups.
The assembly is similar to the Zaku, which makes perfect sense. There’s a bowl-shaped bottom, a piece that goes inside for the eye, and finally the dome shaped top. The head also has three decals, which is more than I expected for such a small surface area.
What I love about the Kämpfer’s head is that it’s basically a leaner, meaner version of the Zaku’s. The head itself is slightly tapered, and the area where the monoeye sits is much more narrow. This gives it the appearance that it is looking down (or up) at you with a menacing glare.
As usual, the legs are the biggest section of the kit, both in terms of build time and sheer size. The process was once again very similar to that of the RG Zaku, minus the inner frame of course. I shouldn’t be shocked at just how many thrusters this kit has - the Kämpfer is intended to be used as a fast assault unit - but it still amazes me.
Once I finished the legs, I tried coloring in the sides with an orange Sharpie. It actually worked better than I anticipated, though the color is darker than it is supposed to be. If I apply the same marker to the orange plastic, however, I can get a completely consistent coloring, which would be fine with me.
I have little say about the lower torso. It has a small piece that covers up the space where the Action Base 2 plugs in, which is unnecessary but nice enough.
At this point everything is complete, but I’m not quite close enough to call it done. I have to paint the body parts, and I think that’s going to take me some time.
Other Thoughts
- Yes, the painting will take some time. I already sprayed down most of the accessories. The result is a nice, glossy shine, and none of the panel lining bled over. I guess the new paint was a success. The only problem with it is that it doesn’t come out of the can with quite the same pressure as the Testor’s clear coat. I had to make multiple passes across all the pieces to get a nice even look, which worked out fine for the weapons. But when I tried to paint the feet, it was still spotty after multiple coats. I might have to go back to spraying down each piece individually, in order to make sure I get every nook and cranny. Thankfully, I have a bigger can of paint this time.
- This paint also takes a lot longer to dry. I wouldn’t be surprised if it took a full week to get every last piece finished.
- I rewatched all of Gundam 0080 while building this kit, and I learned that my theory on the origin of the chain mine is correct. The Zeon team placed three trucks around the colony with weapons and supplies. After the Kämpfer’s fateful battle, there were two left. The chain mine must have been planted for it to use during battle. I panel lined the chain mine. It was a pain, but it is done.
- Due to regular panel lining and coloring, the Kämpfer has led to more busy work than any other kit I’ve built. This is one of the reasons it is taking longer to build.
Here’s a gallery of all the stuff from this part of the build. Next post should wrap this model up. I’m quite sad to have to say that, as I’ve been having a lot of fun with these two kits, and I wish it didn’t have to end. I’ve enjoyed building these kits for years now, but I think I finally might be starting to get hooked.