Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; fake Imai box art (Whif/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Some background:
The MBR-07 Spartan was born as a humanoid-type weapon from the United Nations Military ambulatory weapons program. The MBR-07 Spartan was the second-place participant, the winning design became the Main Battle Robot-Series 04 family of Destroids that included the Tomahawk and specialized variants like the Defender and the Phalanx. However, soon after the 04 family's introduction field experience suggested that a higher hand-to-hand combat capability was required to protect the MBRs which rather carried medium- and long-range weapons. This tactical gap led to the MBR-07 Spartan and its unique chassis, which had been specifically designed for unarmed close combat, but its development encompassed a series of prototypes that honed the technical aspects of this task.


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Joint development of the MBR-07 by Centinental and the Kransmann followed one year and two months after the first MBR-04 series Destroids began design in 2003 at Viggers Chrauler. One of the experimental designs that supported its optimization as a close combat Battle Robot was the XMBR-04-Mk. VII, unofficially nicknamed "Pollux" (after the mythical Greek siblings (Castor being Pollux' brother); during the expedition of the Argonauts, Pollux took part in a boxing contest and defeated King Amycus of the Bebryces, a savage mythical people in Bithynia).
As straightforward proof-of-concept vehicles for the required powerful and highly articulated arms as well as the corresponding reinforced internal structures that would support them when deployed as contact weapons, two MBR-04-Mk. VI "Tomahawk" Destroid chassis' were set aside by Viggers Chrauler as testbeds.
One of them ("Pollux I") was used to develop and test new rigid arms and their mounts, provided by Centinental, plus highly articulated claw hands made by Norman Banks with 5-finger manipulators, while the second one ("Pollux II") received a new upper body to improve the swivel capability of the waist and test a new balancing system designed by Kransmann. This system would allow much more dynamic movements of the massive Destroid, including kicks, punches, and even complex martial arts stunts. Both elements would later be combined into the new MBR-07 chassis and the Spartan family of Destroids based on it.


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The two Pollux prototypes went through quick but thorough testing in late 2003 and in early 2004 the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces ordered a small pre-production series of the experimental type to test the systems under field conditions. Outwardly the serial MBR-04-Mk. VII looked like the 1st prototype, but it already used the new balance system for the MBR-07 as well as improved servos to deliver much more effective close combat attacks than any other humanoid weapon in the U.N. Spacy's inventory, coming close to the VF-1's agility but adding considerably more force to the punch. These tests lasted until early 2005 and a total of twenty MBR-04-Mk. VIIs, which retained the unofficial "Pollux" moniker in service, were built.

By the same time the Spartan Mk. I entered trial production in February 2005, too, and by January 2008 Mk I units were beginning first rollout but were quickly superseded by the redesigned Mk. II variant after it had become clear that a pure close-combat robot was too vulnerable, esp. against air attacks. All Mk I units were later upgraded into Mk II units, and the small Pollux force retired from frontline service and rather relegated to pioneer/marines units where its power and manual agility became welcome asset.

Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


General characteristics:
    Equipment Type: main battle robot, Series 04, optimized for close/hand-to-hand combat
    Government: U.N. Spacy
    Manufacturer: Viggers Chrauler (chassis)
                              Centinental/Kransmann (arms and corresponding ambulatrory system)
    Introduction: Prototypes 01 & 02 in September 2003
                            Pre-production models in March 2004
    Accommodation: 1 pilot only

Dimensions:
    Height: 11.27 meters (to shoulder), 12.7 meters (overall)
    Length: 5.1 meters
    Width: 7.9 meters
    Mass: 27.8 metric tons

Powerplant:
    Kranss-Maffai MT808 thermonuclear reactor developing 2800 bhp;
    auxiliary generator GE EM9G fuel generator rated at 450 kW

Propulsion:
     Multiple low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles

Armament:
    2x Norman Banks CH2-TYPED claw hand with 5-finger manipulators
    Provisions for 2x Bifors close-in self-guided rocket launchers, 12 rockets each (not mounted)
    1x optional metallic club (for hand-to-hand combat)


The kit and its assembly:
This kitbashing project was inspired by a sketch I recently came across while doing internet research. I assume that it is not an official Macross design, rather a fan-art/dojinshi design, because I could not find reference to it in official sources, any other media with or, or even come up with a name. However, what triggered me was the fact that it looks like a prototype/test rig for the close-combat Spartan, just based on a Tomahawk chassis? Overall, this made it a plausible missing link, and since I have already built/scratched/converted a Spartan Mk. II into its earlier Mk. I variant, adding another (probably fictional, bu6t who knows?" ancestor to the collection of 1:100 Destroid models was a logical step.


1:100 Macross Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII +++ Inspiring sketch by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Another selling point was that I had an Imai Tomahawk kit stashed away with no concrete plan yet, and at first glance only a Spartan's arms would be necessary as donorparts to bring the illustration into hardware form. Finding a suitable donor kit turned out to be almost impossible: Arii Spartan kits in 1:100 have become rare and mind-boggingly expensive, and things became so desperate that I eventually procured one of those ugly chrome-plated "Metal" kits as donor source. This had two drawbacks: despite being quite cheap the kit's postage from the USA more than doubled its price, and the plating had to go before could use the parts for my plans.

Stripping the sprues' plating off took several weeks and the help of sodium hydroxide, foamed oven cleaner, and patience. This procedure revealed, to my surprise, that the "Metal Spartan"'s polystyrene color of the individual sprues was different, ranging from mint green to a greenish ochre!


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; U.N. Spacy Ground Forces, during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; U.N. Spacy Ground Forces, during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Technically the model is a kitbashing, but in order to improve the kit(s) and/or make life a little easier I made some visible and invisible mods. Most obvious difference are the shoulder mounts that attach the Spartan arms to the Tomahawk torso.  Taken OOB they are mechanically not compatible, and to make life easier I decided to transplant the Spartan's complete arms, including the upper arms/shoulder sections, what was easier than trying to adapt the Tomahawk shoulders to the Spartan's lower arms AND to improve the shoulder joints so far that they would be movable at all when the body would be completed. This is just one of the Tomahawk kit's many issues, in this case because the Tomahawk kit is a very early mecha model, a very simple construction and without any vinyl caps for the joints (which the 1:100 Spartan kit already has!). Another selling point of the Spartan's shoulders is that their diameter is slightly bigger than the openings in the Tomahawk's torso flanks, so that they would cover them well.


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; U.N. Spacy Ground Forces, during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; U.N. Spacy Ground Forces, during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; U.N. Spacy Ground Forces, during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

To center and align the "foreign objects" properly I had to build an internal carrier structure with the Spartan's vinyl-cap-bearing sockets for the arms, scratched from styrene profiles, and mounted into the right position. Similar material was used to create a new vertical pelvic joint that would allow to keep upper and lower body separate for painting, and I scratched a two-dimensional hip joint from steel wire and styrene tubes that would allow a much more dynamic, "open" leg position (and even slight movement). Another small measure that improves the model's looks is to fill the hollow heels of the legs. All hardly visible efforts which are nevertheless IMHO worthwhile to make this old 1:100 Destroid model look much more convincing.

Other small mods are additional surface details created with styrene bits, and I added shoulder hardpoints that carry a searchlight (left over from a 1:72 ESCI M48 tank) and something that I'd interpret as a camera, inspired by the mecha's drawing. The Tomahawk's prominent gun clusters on the lower torso as well as the machine guns at the cockpit flanks were deleted and faired over. On the torso they were replaced with 3D shapes made from 2C putty, which extend the shoulder missile launchers' covers downwards.


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; U.N. Spacy Ground Forces, during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Painting and markings:
While I am not a fan of pop colors like violet (esp. on "real robots"!) I decided to stay true to the mecha drawing and adopt the shown purple/white paint scheme. I (still) had a tin of ancient Humbrol Authentic "IJN Purple" (then called HJ04 "Mauve") at hand which turned out to be an almost perfect match as basic overall color, with the benefit that it IS a purplish tone, but very dull and with lots of grey. The light contrast areas were painted with RAL 9002 (Grauweiß). Once thoroughly dry the parts received a black ink washing and some post-shading as well as dry-brushing with ModelMaster's "Napoleonic Violet" and medium grey (Revell 47) around the edges to emphasize details and add a worn look.


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; U.N. Spacy Ground Forces, during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The black-and-yellow warning stripes on arms and feet are generic decals from TL-Modellbau, and I decided to add some tactical markings and stencils from the Tomahawk's OOB sheet and the scrap box, to give the model a more realistic look. A final coat with matt acrylic varnish finished the job, due to the small scale and the mecha's prototype status I did not add dust and mud stains around the feet.


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Macross +++ 1:100 Destroid "Pollux" XMBR-04-Mk. VII; Prototype "01 (s/n D-184 210)" of the U.N. Spacy Ground Forces; during field trials, 2003 (What-if/Kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Colorful, but plausible and it looks more purposeful than expected. And if anyone knows anything about the sketch/drawing I found - esp. if it depicts "something real" - I'd gladly like to learn about the mecha I built! 

Nice, I like the M60 spotlight on the shoulder. 

Gondor

It's from an M48!    Keen eye! 

nice build, but i admit seeing it without the launcher on the shoulder mount is a bit baffling, as i see it as more a Battletech  Battlemaster, than the original Anime/ manga derived destroid.

 

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on October 05, 2024, 02:43:16 AMIt's from an M48!    Keen eye! 

Distinctive shape