MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.3.0 [WIP: Shield]

A shield is perhaps a fitting subject for my first blog post of the year seeing that I plan to safeguard the exhaustive effort put into this hobby, preventing time wastage. In the spirit of the KISS principle, what all this entails is that I stop working on too many projects concurrently, lest I end up finishing none. It also requires me to stop buying too many new scale model kits before I even complete the ones I have. That, I guess, is my 2020 hobby resolution. But I digress. Below then is the last sub-assembly post for the Bandai Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0 plastic model kit.

Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0 Work-in-Progress: Shield

Parts count for the shield was relatively low with good separation, at least that how I see it for modelers who want to paint each and every part. Color scheme comprised white, red, yellow and silver. The metallic parts were intended to be dark grey but I sprayed on a metallic color instead.

Fully painted parts of the Shield: before assembly and before decal application

Putting it all together was as easy a task as it was to paint the separate parts. Everything fit extremely well and the actual task of assembly was an effortless one. No glue was needed. That's how good the fit was. Most importantly, it all looked good to me once it was fully assembled.

Only the red colored section of the Shield required the application of sticker decals

Good parts separation meant the yellow cross and metal sections could be painted first before assembly

At this point all parts of the Shield had been assembled sans the metal sections ...

... which were to be attached to the white colored, back of the Shield

RX-78-2 Gundam Shield, fully painted [back view]

RX-78-2 Gundam Shield, fully painted [front view]

In comparison to the other weapon accessories of the RX-78-2 Gundam, the shield lies in between the Hyper Bazooka and Beam Rifle in terms of size (see below).

Clockwise from the top: the RX-78-2 Gundam Hyper Bazooka, Shield and Beam Rifle

With the shield completed the RX-78-2 Gundam is ready for its final photo shoot. Well, there is a special stand-alone base to be clear coated and used to help in posing the mecha. But I will be posting a full set of photos with just the RX-78-2 Gundam with minimal posing and sans weapons so there will be no more delays to the mecha's final reveal. That being said, I plan to split the final reveal into two parts ... the first as mentioned, and the second of the mecha with weapons and more complicated poses courtesy of the said stand-alone base. So I leave you, my dear readers, with a quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg ... "So often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune." And with that I wish you a belated Happy New Year!