discussion Macross - Destroid Defender 1/72

[Snowman]

Hi there all,

I've parked my automobile builds for now and have closed the garage. I've decided to dust off my Macross mecha that I have been collecting and to start building them.

First off is the Destroid Defender, this and a number of similar designs used under licence in the "Mechwarrior" universe.




Unlike its Hasegawa counterparts, this is a fairly easy build, not that I am complaining. Very much like the Regult battle pod I did a number of years ago in a build I titled "Going Downtown" if I recall correctly.
Here are some images of the box contents.





Thanks for looking, till later.

 

[yak face]

Nice one gavin , from what ive seen these Bandai kits are superbly detailed but not overly complicated , should look really nice , cheers tony

 

[Guest]

Cool, an RFL-3N Rifleman :tongue-out: I have nothing with Macross, but as a BattleTech player from before these designs were removed from that game, it’s cool to see this. I may have to get me that kit someday too …

 

[Snowman]

Cool, an RFL-3N Rifleman :tongue-out: I have nothing with Macross, but as a BattleTech player from before these designs were removed from that game, it’s cool to see this. I may have to get me that kit someday too …

Hi Jakko,

Funnily enough, I was under the impression that BattleTech / Mechwarrior used the "Robotech"/Macross designs under licence. None the less, they are dead cool and I'm a huge fan boys of the genre.

Welcome and I hope you'll enjoy the trip.

 

[Guest]

The story of those designs in BattleTech is convoluted. I don’t recall the details, but IIRC it boils down to there having been a lawsuit over FASA’s use of them in BT, which FASA won. But for some reason, they themselves then started a second lawsuit which they lost, and thereby also the rights to having these in the game. They removed them entirely as a result, and only a decade or so later somebody had a brainwave to make original designs for the old game statistics and names — which to me seems like the course of action they could have taken straight away. Among BT fans (but not me), the Robotech/Macross designs are known as “unseen” and the replacement designs as “reseen”.

 

[Snowman]

The story of those designs in BattleTech is convoluted. I don’t recall the details, but IIRC it boils down to there having been a lawsuit over FASA’s use of them in BT, which FASA won. But for some reason, they themselves then started a second lawsuit which they lost, and thereby also the rights to having these in the game. They removed them entirely as a result, and only a decade or so later somebody had a brainwave to make original designs for the old game statistics and names — which to me seems like the course of action they could have taken straight away. Among BT fans (but not me), the Robotech/Macross designs are known as “unseen” and the replacement designs as “reseen”.

Now that is convoluted!!:rolling:
I remember watching the series in my mid teens and the playing the table top board game in my late teens, early twenties and then later on the PC version followed by Mechwarrior Online.
I'm just nuts about the genre!:thumb2:

 

[Snowman]

Well, this moving along nicely. I have a couple of modules glued together.


This is all OK, but still need to figure out the painting process. Alternatively I'll keep it simple and just build, then paint and weather. To assist me on the weathering I have ordered myself a copy if the AMMO Combat painting mechas.


Following that I will need to think about a suitable base or construct one.

That is all for now, till next time.

Thanks for watching.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Not my genre really, but those parts look really crisp. Nice start there Gavin :thumb2:

 

[Steve Jones]

Just gotten into the world of Sci Fi so looking on with great anticipation. Looks a neat kit. Keep it comin my friend

 

[Snowman]

I am guilty of procrastinating as I am not happy with the fit of the Bandai kit! :angry:
Here of some images of of the hip body and lower leg. Not very impressed!



Any how, I decided the best thing was to build it sort out the issues as I go along.
Here are images of the hip in construction an assembled with the upper portion of the legs.


I continued to partly assemble the mech, still with its full legs missing.


That isn't a gun, THIS is a GUN!!



Even with only one arm fitted and no legs, the mech looking impressive!

Thanks for watching.

 

[boatman]

I am guilty of procrastinating as I am not happy with the fit of the Bandai kit! :angry:
Here of some images of of the hip body and lower leg. Not very impressed!



Any how, I decided the best thing was to build it sort out the issues as I go along.
Here are images of the hip in construction an assembled with the upper portion of the legs.


I continued to partly assemble the mech, still with its full legs missing.


That isn't a gun, THIS is a GUN!!



Even with only one arm fitted and no legs, the mech looking impressive!

Thanks for watching.

HI Gavin this is not really my thing but im tryin to understand whats what on this robot an yes i can see thats a gun but just behind it is that a radar scanner ?
chris

 

[Snowman]

HI Gavin this is not really my thing but im tryin to understand whats what on this robot an yes i can see thats a gun but just behind it is that a radar scanner ?
chris

Hi ya Chris,

It's a bit outrageous in terms of layout, but if I'm not mistaken, imagine this as a mobile AAA battery on legs.

Pretty cool, eh?

Gavin

 

[Snowman]

In the famous words of Elton John, "I'm still standing"!

The defender now has legs and is standing proud and menacing. Still some work to do prior to paint and weathering. I put in an order for an armoured car, just to give it scale.



Did some further research into the Destroids and discover that both Bandai and Wave did some others about 10 - 11 yrs ago. So I'll be looking out for a Spartan, Tomahawk & Phalanx in 1/72.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Snowman]

I had a couple of bits arrive for the base display, namely the little Fujimi armoured car I wanted to offset against the Destroid to give the viewer a sense of size of the mecha and just how big it is!

At first I thought the kit was a bit dear, but on opening the box I was pleasantly surprised to find that the kit comprised of two highly detailed vehicles.


These 1/72 kits are impressively detailed.
The tyres are already flattened to mimic tyre deformation under the weight of the armoured cars!! Little details like that set the kit apart from the rest.


Slowly but surely all the bits and pieces are coming together.

Till next time and thanks for watching.

 

[Snowman]

Started to put the LAV together. With regards to the tinting of the the armoured glass, should I apply the smoke/green clear on the inside or outside of the glass?
Any thoughts?




Thanks for looking.

 

[Guest]

I’d put it on the inside, I think. That will give more of a feeling of thickness, I’m guessing

 

[Snowman]

I’d put it on the inside, I think. That will give more of a feeling of thickness, I’m guessing

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Guest]

I don’t suppose you can glue in the windows either way round? If so, you could experiment with one to see which looks better.

 

[Snowman]

I dragged myself out to the garage (a mild 6 deg C) and threw down an undercoat on the kits. As such not looking too bad, other than a couple of joint lines that will require some attention, as was expected.

Thanks for watching.

 

[Snowman]

I don’t suppose you can glue in the windows either way round? If so, you could experiment with one to see which looks better.

Hi ya, that would have been a nice idea, but unfortunately not possible as the they have the armoured banding moulded into the glass part. See below.