Xiphos Gundam

[pyro-manic]

OK, a break from all things realistic for the moment - here's a giant robot from Japan.

This is the 1/100 scale Saviour Gundam, from the anime series "Gundam Seed Destiny". It's one of the "hero" machines, and is one of my favourite designs:



However, I don't like the unicorn-like sensor spike on top of the head (a common feature among all the machines used by the character concerned), so I decided to take the tools to my kit, and come up with a new, custom mobile suit. I want to do some fairly serious modifications, including rebuilding the lower legs, custom-building a new backpack/propulsion unit, and heavily modifying the rifle. I'll also be making a big sword and a new shield. I've decided to name it "Xiphos", after the Greek weapon.

So far, I've taken off the original V-fin and sensor "horn", and I'm replacing it with the V-fin from another Gundam model. Seam lines are also being filled on the head at the moment, and I'm building up the "mohawk"-shaped bit on top of the head. I've also cut down the shoulder armour, and will be re-shaping and adding thruster gubbins to them.



So there it is so far, a bit of sci-fi whiffing. Comments, critiques, questions are all welcomed.

[sotoolslinger]

Cool mods Much better than the original. All mobile armored suits look much cooler bird walking Not a suggestion as such just a comment

[cthulhu77]

Neat !  I really wish one of the companies would start pumping out battlemechs too...

[jcf]

Cool mods Much better than the original. All mobile armored suits look much cooler bird walking Not a suggestion as such just a comment

A GERWALK Gundam would be amusing as Gundam fighting suits are not, generally speaking, 'transformers' of the Macross Valkyrie type.
Kitbashing a Gundam figure with a fighter plane of your choice could be interesting... maybe a Zaku + EE Lightning?

Jon

[pyro-manic]

Heh, Saviour actually transforms.

[jcf]

Heh, Saviour actually transforms.

Note the statement "generally speaking" in my post, in other words... most do not.

[pyro-manic]

Indeed, the majority don't (though it depends on the universe and even the time setting). There are still a large number of designs that do, though (particularly in certain series), though many don't transform into anything like an aeroplane. You could concievably do a "gerwalk" version of Saviour, due to the way it transforms. Might be an interesting project...

A variable Lightning would be cool, though it'd be very spindly and skinny...

[pyro-manic]

Small update time.

Done a bit of work on the rifle: chopped off the muzzle and foldy handguard bit, added a stock/rear receiver, and glued the main parts together. Still have to detail the stock, and I'm not sure whether to keep the current "shotgun" look, or add a magazine to make it a heavy carbine. Thoughts?

Also thinking about the shield, and I'm liking this shape so far. reminds me of the Zeta's shield. Just tacked together for now, obviously.





What do we think?

[BlackOps]

We think he needs Ferrari decals!     

Seriously he looks pretty cool. I keep wanting to buy one of the larger Gundams to play around with.

[pyro-manic]

Ok, I've been fiddling with bits of paper trying to decide on a shape for the shield to be. I've come up with these ideas:



Which is best? Bear in mind that it may be rotatable (ie the guns - on the red bit - could be at the top or the bottom when the shield is being used as such, and be rotated 180* on the arm to fire them if needed).

These are just basic shapes, and will be fleshed out as needed when I build the actual thing.

Tell me what you think!

Blackops: Give it a try - the newer kits are pretty good, and the standard ones (ie not the "Master Grade" kits) are quit cheap.

There's no way this is getting Ferrari decals - I hate 'em! Colour scheme will likely be fairly "showy" though - this is an up-close-and-personal machine - no skulking around in cover.

[pyro-manic]

A bit of an update on this. I've come up with another shield design, which mixes 4 and 6 above:



Also done some work extending the neck piece, and bulking up the torso. Pretty rough so far, but it's getting there:

[BlackOps]

I like the new shield design. The chest work definately beefs him up a bit