Space Battleship Yamato 2199; Cosmo Reverse Version - Bandai 1/1000 Scale Model Kit [Unboxing and Review]

It has been a long time coming, this project on anime's most iconic space-faring vehicle - the Space Battleship Yamato. Specifically, the version that I plan to assemble and paint as my first attempt at modelling the United Nations Cosmo Navy's most formidable warship in the year 2199 is the one on its way back to Earth from planet Iscandar, which is the destination of its maiden voyage. At this stage of its journey, the Yamato's most potent weapon - the wave motion gun - has been sealed up. As to why the Yamato would take the perilous trip back home with her hands tied behind her back, you will have to watch the first season of the science fiction anime series to find out.  

Bandai 1/1000 scale Space Battleship Yamato 2199, Cosmo Reverse Version

Side box art showing detailed closeups of a completed model of the Yamato, Cosmo Reverse version

More side box art but this time showcasing the miniature fighters that accompany the Yamato

Due to the combination of a reasonably high sprue count for a ship of this scale and a fairly small box packaging, the sprues are packed very tightly together. This is evident from the get-go as you first unbox the 1/1000 scale model kit of the Yamato. You instantly feel you're getting your money's worth with a box chock-full of sprues almost spilling out of it. It makes perfect sense that Bandai would do justice to the Yamato. After all, this famous ship was evidently the scale model kit that launched Bandai into the big time in the scale model kit hobby industry way back in the 1970s.  

Narrower side of box displays the Yamato with its wave motion gun sealed up

Moderately sized scale model kit box for the Yamato (Cosmo Reverse) is chock-full of sprues

Equally impressive, the slightly bigger than B5-sized instructions was a landscape-orientated booklet with four full-colored spreads - on the front and back covers as well as the centerfold. Other than providing useful image references of a completed model and screenshots from the anime, the color pages also included a complete color scheme for the Yamato and its various fighters based on Mr.Hobby paints. While the paints being references are from its acrylic line, in most cases it's still possible to find their lacquer-based equivalents in the company's Mr.Color product line.

Front cover of instruction booklet showcases a completed model kit superimposed over scenery from the anime

Instructions are mainly diagrammatic with Japanese language directions where required

First half of the all color centerfold within the instruction booklet

Second half of the all color centerfold within the instruction booklet

Back cover of the instruction booklet recommends color schemes based on Mr.Hobby paints

Sprue-wise the parts come mostly molded in the necessary colors except perhaps for the ship deck. Most importantly, the two main colors of the Yamato namely the blue grey upper hull and bright red lower hull is accounted for. This will be helpful to modelers who intend to just assemble the scale model kit without painting it. And even though I will paint and weather the kit, the molded hues are still useful as a visual reference for comparison with future paint mixtures I attempt. Priming and painting the Yamato is an important prerequisite to the extensive weathering I've planned for the kit.   

Sprue A1: Upper hull pieces, rear main nozzle, rear deck, etc. 

Sprue A2: Main deck of the upper hull

Sprue B: Lower hull pieces, etc.

Sprue C: Display stands and base, internal flight hanger pieces, rear engine, etc.

Sprue D: Main bridge pieces, etc.

At 1/1000 scale, the Yamato isn't really that big. And this makes the fighter ships accompanying the warship that much smaller. Too small, in fact, for my taste. But the fighters do provide a sense of scale to the piece and in doing so actually make the Yamato look bigger. So it's all good I guess.

Sprue E: Forward and rear gun batteries, etc.

2X Sprue F: Fighters, main bridge components, etc.

2X Sprue G: Anti-aircraft guns, etc.

Sprue H: Clear parts for the wave motion gun, main bridge and rear engine nozzle

Sprue I1: Upper hull parts, etc. and Sprue I2: Seal for wave motion gun

Also included in the kit are two sticker options for the base display and water slide decals for the ship itself. The metallic sheen on the stickers is a nice touch and it gives the base display a classy look. Meanwhile, the decals aren't much to shout about but enough is provided to add noteworthy details

Metallic stickers for the display base; two different color options provided

Water slide decals for the Space Battleship Yamato

This is my first Space Battleship Yamato project but as I've alluded to earlier, it definitely won't be my last. Of all the scale model kits I own, I believe the Yamato is the one which I've the most variants of. To date, I've two additional 1/1000 scale variants and an impressive 1/500 scale version of this warship. And I wouldn't put it pass myself to purchase even more variants and yet another 1/500 scale kit if they are ever reissued. With quite a few ways to paint the Yamato, the existing variety of kits present enormous potential for a skilled modeler to work with. For now, I'll start with the Cosmo Reverse version and work my way to more complicated ones in the future. 

MENG Model Sd.Kfz.182 King Tiger [WIP - Spare tracks for placement on the tank turret]

My research on how to accurately portray the spare tank tracks on a King Tiger turret led me to two main color schemes. Most modelers tend to paint the spare tracks as heavily rusted pieces. But I've noticed schemes in which the spare tracks had camouflage pattern painted over them. An excerpt of color images available online from an excellent book titled SuperKing, Building Trumpeter's 1:16th Scale King Tiger as well as a few black and white historical images of Tank No.124 of the Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 505 showed its spare tracks to be somewhere in between.

Meng Model King Tiger (Henschel Turret) work-in-progress: Spare tank tracks for placement on the turret

Note the spare tank tracks on the turret of Tank No.124 of the Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 505

Superking, Building Trumpeter's 1:16th Scale King Tiger by David Parker

 
To obtain the specific look as achieved by expert modeler David Parker on the King Tiger No.124 (see above) I decided to weather the tracks using the chipping fluid method. For this purpose, I used the AK Interactive Worn Effects acrylic chipping fluid. Prior to paint-chipping via this method, the tracks had to be prepped first (Steps 01 to 04). After the prerequisite primer coat, a basecoat mixture comprising Mr.Color Mahogany and Mr.Finishing Surfacer 1500 Black at a ratio of roughly 19:1 was applied to the tracks. This was followed by an uneven layer of AK Interactive Track Primer in order to lighten the colors. Lastly a clear matte coat was applied to form a protective layer.      

Step 01: Prepare the spare tank tracks for painting by spraying them with the Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (Light Gray)

Step 02: Basecoat the tracks with a paint mixture comprising Mr.Color Mahogany and Mr.Finishing Surfacer 1500 Black 

Step 03: Airbrush an uneven layer of AK interactive Track Primer to lighten the basecoat hue

Step 04: Spray a protective matte clear coat, in this case the water-based Mr.Hobby Top Coat

Once the protective clear coat had dried overnight, I proceeded to airbrush a few layers of the AK Interactive Worn Effects fluid onto the tracks - allowing each layer to dry before starting on the next. It is said the more layers of Worn Effects you pile on, the larger the resulting paint chips. While I can't attest to how accurate this is without first doing control tests, I decided to take it at face value and sprayed on a few layers in the hope of getting reasonably sized paint chips. And when the chipping fluid was dry to the touch, it was time for the main camouflage hue i.e. German WW2 dunkelgelb. 

Step 05: Airbrush AK Interactive Worn Effects acrylic chipping fluid on the tracks - more layers equal larger chips

Step 06: When the chipping medium is dry to the touch, airbrush the tracks with Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow

Step 07: Once the dark yellow acrylic coat is dry, moisten areas you wish to chip and use a brush to remove the paint

Having access to an airbrush system is critical to the chipping fluid method. Previously I had tried using a hand brush to apply the paint color that follows after the chipping fluid layer to mixed results. Personally, I feel the method works best with an airbrush. Once the Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow was dry to the touch, I moistened areas that I wish to have paint chip from the tracks and started rubbing at it with an old paint brush. During this step, I was careful to not rub too vigorously so as to be in better control of how much paint I was actually chipping from the tracks.

Results: Paint chipping effects using the AK Interactive Worn Effects acrylic fluid

Despite decent paint-chipping results, more weathering awaits the spare tank tracks when they are eventually placed on the King Tiger turret. For one, the tracks will likely receive dust hues. In addition, they may also get dirt or rust streaks depending on how I want the final look to be. Meanwhile, I will be attempting even more paint-chipping but of a different kind on a different area. So next up is micro paint-chipping on non-zimmerit, exposed surfaces of the King Tiger. This technique entails adding chipping effects with a fine brush. That's the next step. For now it's goodbye.

Star Wars Scout Trooper & Speeder Bike - Bandai 1/12 Scale Model Kit [Unboxing and Pre-Assembly Review]

Each Star Wars movie in the original trilogy had its own wow moments, especially to first my highly impressionable five, next eight and then 11-year-old eyes. In 1983 Return of the Jedi (RotJ) actually had two of such moments. And no, the Ewoks wasn't one of them. First impressive bit from RotJ was the Imperial AT-ST (All Terrain Scout Transport) Walker which I completed last year. Another is the awesome speeder bike chase scene involving Luke, Leia and a pair of scout troopers. With this scene as inspiration, my latest Star Wars project will revolve around the Scout Trooper and Speeder Bike.

Bandai Star Wars 1/12 scale Scout Trooper & Speeder Bike unboxing and pre-assembly review

Side boxart showing close-ups of the incredible detail that closely mimics what was in RotJ

Yet more possible poses for the Scout Trooper and Speeder Bike as shown by the other side of the boxart

Mr. Scout Trooper is a specialized stormtrooper while the Speeder Bike is an Aratech 74-Z military vehicle

With a two-in-one kind of deal for this scale model kit, the box contains eight sprues

Due to it being a combination of a figurine and a vehicle, this model kit is generous in part count and as such fits into a larger than normal box to fit this two-in-one deal. In short, the Bandai 1/12 scale Star Wars Scout Trooper and Speeder Bike makes for an impressive out-of-the-box offering. And because there is so much to do in this kit, the instructions come in the form of a booklet instead of its usual fold-out design. Pictures on the booklet's back cover show the tremendous potential that this scale model kit has, especially if one takes the time to paint and weather the Speeder Bike, the Endor moon vignette display base as well as parts of the Scout Trooper.    

Front and back cover of the instruction booklet offers a fair amount of high quality reference pictures

Guide is diagrammatic with minimal Japanese instructions that are easily translated using online apps

Having worked on a fair number of Bandai Star Wars scale model kits, I wasn't the least surprised to find the near ubiquitous Sprue PCF-6AC. Included in almost all kits with a figurine, this sprue has polycaps and various connector parts for articulation of the joints. Apart from this, the rest of the kit has new molded parts I haven't seen before. Sprues A, B1 and B2 consists of the majority of parts required to build the Scout Trooper while Sprues C, D and E are for the Speeder Bike. The kit also contains two bases - one solely for the Scout Trooper and the other a vignette of the Forest Moon of Endor. Last but not least are the water decals and stickers for use if painting isn't your thing.

Sprue PCF-6AC: Polycaps and joint parts for articulation

Sprue A: Scout Trooper body and leg armor pieces, google lens, boot, etc

Sprue B1: Scout Trooper leather clothing, elbow, knee, groin, weapon parts, etc.

Sprue B2: Scout Trooper neck, hands and display connector parts

If there was only one word I could used to describe this kit, then its details, details, details! A close inspection of the molded parts on the sprues reveals a host of movie-accurate sculpted details. And judging from the completed pictures on the boxart and instruction booklet, these inherent details provide a strong platform from which an experienced modeler can build a realistic recreation of the Scout Trooper and Speeder Bike as they were seen in RotJ. Bandai has yet again knocked one out of the park with this excellent 1/12 scale kit of an iconic pairing from the original Star Wars trilogy. 

Sprue C: Speeder Bike thrust flap options, seat, stowage and miscellaneous parts

Sprue D: Speeder Bike directional steering vanes, bodywork, etc.

Sprue E: Speeder Bike altitude controls, cargo compartment, repulsor engine, etc.

An unexpected bonus of sorts was the inclusion of two different display bases on this kit. One is a black glossy square base for the Scout Trooper while the other is a more elaborately sculpted vignette functioning to contain the Scout Trooper seated on a Speeder Bike. Although I see better use of the latter, the former does provide the option of placing an additional Scout Trooper to the vignette.

Sprue SWB5: Display bases for Scout Trooper alone or in a vignette with the Speeder Bike

Water decals (blue sheet, left) and stickers (green sheet, right) for the Scout Trooper and Speeder Bike

As I've alluded to earlier, this kit offers much potential for the average modeler to work with. It'll still look good if a novice modeler decides to just assembly then display it. Therein lies the beauty of most Bandai's Star Wars plastic model kits. Baseline aesthetics are already good sans any painting and weathering. But putting in an effort to do both opens up the path to realistic, movie-accurate works of scale model art. And that's the holy grail for most if not all miniature hobbyist. On that note, I hope this week brings you closer to your hobby perfection. Until next week, it's goodbye from me.