Here’s an oldie from the backlog, the High Grade Hazel Custom. In fact, it is was one of the oldest things on the backlog by far. I got intimidated by all the work it would entail, and as usual it ended up not being nearly as bad as I anticipated.
About the Mobile Suit
The Hazel Custom comes from the Advance of Zeta project, which I briefly talked about when I built the Woundwort Psychoblade Custom. I didn’t go into much detail about AOZ then, and I’m not going to go into it much here either. The project gave birth to a staggeringly large list of prototype mobile suits, and trying to make sense of them all is an exercise in unnecessary frustration, so we’re going to just stick with what’s in this kit’s instruction manual.
Some Translations
Here is some translated lore about the Hazel:
The "Gundam TR-1" is a mobile suit based on the RGM-79Q GM Quel, created to test the psychological impact that a "Gundam-type head" has on friendly forces. It boasts high performance thanks to various enhancement parts and supports a wide range of options, resulting in multiple configurations such as "Full Armor" and "High Mobility" types. Several prototypes rolled out from the Confeito (Solomon) arsenal in late U.C. 0084 and were assigned to the Titans Test Team (T3).At the time, the unit was conducting evaluation trials for the RGM-79R GM II, which was then being deployed to regular Federation forces, and the TR-1 was deployed for missions such as suppressing remnants of the Principality of Zeon forces, serving to gather combat data in the process. The "Gundam TR-1 [Kai]" (AKA the Hazel Custom) is a mobile suit created by repairing Captain Murphy's unit, which had sustained heavy damage in combat against remnants of the Principality forces, using parts from RGM-79Q GM Quels stationed at Confeito, and spare components stocked aboard the T3 Unit's transport ship, the Aswan.
This unit incorporates combat data and development know-how accumulated up to that point; the reinforcement parts for various sections were carefully balanced against the internal structure and other components, thereby enhancing the machine's overall level of perfection as a mobile suit.
As a result, the exterior features a more unified form, and propulsion has increased by approximately 10% due to weight reduction and enhanced thruster output. Furthermore, the cockpit experimentally incorporated the 360-degree panoramic monitor and linear seat system (technologies that were then under development) along with an updated OS, resulting in a significant improvement in handling compared to the original TR-1.
Components such as the Shield Booster, developed during this period, evolved into the technologies used for later TMA (Transformable Mobile Armor) and TMS (Transformable Mobile Suit) units; the strategies for enhancing the machine's capabilities were also adopted in subsequent modifications for mass-produced models. In short, it is no exaggeration to say that the "Gundam TR-1" served as a proving ground for the many mobile weapon concepts explored by the Titans during that era.
As well as this additional bit of flavor from elsewhere in the manual:
RX-121-1 Gundam TR-1 [Hazel Custom]
The "Gundam TR-1 [Hazel Custom]" is a prototype mobile suit featured in Advance of Z: The Flag of Titans, a series serialized in Monthly Hobby Magazine and Monthly Dengeki Daioh (published by MediaWorks). In December U.C. 0083, the Earth Federation Forces established the "Titans," a special unit tasked with suppressing remnants of the Principality of Zeon.
Within this organization existed a mobile suit experimental unit, the "Titans Test Team" (commonly known as the "T3 Unit"), which was responsible for the combat evaluation of new and existing mobile suit models. In October U.C. 0085, days after the conflict with the Principality remnants, members of the T3 Unit, including Eliard Hunter, were summoned to a hangar at Confeito.
"Repairs on the Hazel are complete. Squad Leader Murphy will be piloting it," stated Colonel Otto Pedersen. Ariel, the pilot of the second Hazel unit, felt that the machine somehow gave a different impression than before. Lieutenant Wes Murphy listened intently to the Colonel’s explanation, which was tinged with sarcasm. "This is the pinnacle of current technology... Yes, this is a new Gundam." After the mechanic, Hendrick, finished explaining the machine, the Colonel continued: "Its model number is RX-121-1. Its official name is the Gundam Hazel Custom."
The unit is a lot like the Gundam Ground Type, where it’s technically got a Gundam head, but fans will argue themselves into a twist about whether or not it’s actually a Gundam. To me, the interesting thing about it is all its experimental gear. Aside from the fact that it gives it a bit of its own unique visual flair, I just like the idea of prototype/test units that actually look like test units, with all sorts of weird and ugly stuff on them that suggests they aren’t in any way shape or form ready for the field.
Here’s a bit more flavor about some of its gear. It was there in the manual for the translating, so why not?
Leg Reinforcement Parts
High-output thermonuclear rocket engines are built in as thruster units, with exhaust ports positioned at the front and rear of the legs. The left and right calves house propellant tanks.
Auxiliary Actuator Unit
This part is mounted in the location where the intake was originally situated on the GM Quel. Although exhaust efficiency is reduced, the unit houses an auxiliary actuator for the shoulder joint, resulting in a significant increase in joint strength. It also contains the holding grip used in the "High-Mobility Type" configuration.
Beam Rifle
A next-generation beam rifle utilizing an E-pack system, currently undergoing trial deployment with T3 units. It features a short-barrel design optimized for maneuverability during close-quarters combat.
Shield Booster
This system complements the enhanced backpack and houses built-in thrusters and propellant. It serves as an auxiliary booster—useful during high-intensity operations—and up to three units can be equipped simultaneously. Each unit generates 22,000 kg of thrust. The propellant used has low flammability, posing virtually no risk of secondary detonation upon impact.
About the Model Kit
This is a curious one. It’s from 2005, meaning its articulation is kinda crap, and it’s out of the box color separation is pretty bad. It also wasn’t designed for use with an Action Base (though as usual you can solve this by using one of the included adapters)
However, despite showing its age in all these ways, the actual surface detailing on this thing is on point. Throw enough love and care at it, and you can make it look pretty amazing.
It also comes with a ton of really large stickers for all the Titans Test Team logos, and while I replaced them all with G Rework waterslides, I still like that they included them all. They give the unit some much needed extra character.
Build (and Out of the Box Appearance)
Just for the sake of comparison, here is what it looks like out of the box:
It’s looking kinda dire here, but to repeat, the detail is there. You just have to bring it out.
A few other color notes:
- The undersides of both its shields are full on white, but they’re supposed to be grey with some yellow-orange bits here and there.
- The rifle is in blue plastic but is supposed to be grey.
- It has these little orange cannon thingies mounted by its “collarbone” area. There’s a version that’s “at rest” that is color accurate, and a “deployed” version that is not, so those have to be painted yellow-orange too if you want them to look right.
Other than that, it’s a pretty standard, old-style High Grade build. Lots of polycaps and seamlines, vents and thrusters to paint, etc.
Weird Orange Shading
The instruction manual photos for this model have this weird thing going on where the panel lines look grey but also have a touch of orange in them, seemingly to match the color of all the vents and thrusters.
I have no idea how they did it, but I tried to replicate it by doing grey panel lines, and then applying the tiniest, faintest bit of orange rust weathering compound all around them. Hopefully you'll notice it in the finished photos; I think it looks quite nice and helps reinforce the overall vibe of the color palette
Painting Luck
Somehow I mixed the perfect orange-yellow paint on the first try. It was the right color, the right consistency, and it dried perfectly everywhere. Was it skill? Was it luck? Who knows, but I’m not going to question it.
Forgot to Paint its Nails
The fingers on this thing are supposed to be red. I forgot. I’ll go back and add it, if for no other reason than to enhance its shelf presence, but I’m not going to go back and photograph it like that.
Finished
I don’t like tooting my own horn, but I’m gonna say this: I posted this photo on a Discord and had at least one person tell me they thought it was a Master Grade:
Whether or not you think it looks that good is up to you, but I do think it looks pretty spiffy here. And here (even if the photo is a bit blurry):”
There is definitely a lot going on, what with the colors, the marking logos, and all the surface detail. There’s quite a lot going on.
Except, then you catch it without all of its gear, or from a bad angle, and it doesn’t seem quite so impressive:
In the above shots, it looks like not much more than a slightly gussied-up Mk II.
These ones look pretty good though:
I guess it’s the Booster Shield that ties it all together. That, and you want to get shots that show off the sides of the legs, since that’s where so much of the detail lies.
In the end, I decided that this wasn’t really going to be a great model for photographing, but rather one of those that’s best to just toss up on the shelf, where it can be something of a statement piece. Considering how many builds I’ve done this year in which I felt compelled to do big elaborate shoots for, I’m more than fine with that.