|
Bandai's
LARGEST MODEL YET:
The
(HUGE) 1:144 Scale HG
RX-78GP03
GUNDAMGP03 DENDROBIUM
(E.F.S.F.
Prototype Foothold Defensive Mobile Armor)
Monday,
April 22, 2002
Specifications:
Model
Number: RX-78GP03
Total
Length: 140.0 meters
Length:
73.0 meters
Total
Height: 38.5 meters
Total
Width: 62.0 meters
Total
Weight: 453.1 tons
Generator
Output: 38,900 kW
Thruster
General Output: 377,500 kg (x 6)
Material:
Luna-Titanium Alloy
Armaments:
Mega Beam Cannon, Large Beam Saber,
I-Field
Generator, Micro Missile, Demolition Chain,
Large
bundled missile.
Designed
and Built: by Anaheim Electronics
Total
number of parts: 595: 461 plastic parts, 44 flexible capstan parts, 89 screws, 8
springs, 3 large thin, rigid metal parts and a small metallic finished decal
sheet (with peal-off decals) for the Gundam.
OK, FOLKS! THIS IS IT! THIS IS THE MOTHERLOAD OF GUNDAM STYRENE KITS!
IF
YOU ARE INTO LARGE MODELS - (AND I TRULY MEAN HUMUNGOUSLY LARGE HERE), THEN THIS ONE IS
FOR YOU!
This is
the largest model kit (size wise) that Bandai has EVER produced! Once assembled,
it comes in at a WHOPPING 40 inches in length!
|
|
During
the winter of 2001, Hobby Link Japan announced the upcoming release of this
MASSIVE, PLASTIC MONSTER!! The timing of it was impeccable, with the Mobile Suit
Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory series scheduled to start appearing on the Cartoon
Network. (This Mechanized Monstrosity is featured in the final three
episodes).
When
HLJ announced a 10% discount on all pre-orders for the kit, I was hooked! This
was enough to pull me in (and push me right over the edge!) The leftover OT
money that I recent made had just been itching to be spent anyway.J
.
I
promptly placed an order and (patiently?) waited for the kit to be released,
followed by waiting a bit longer for my kit to be shipped out to me. Just a
couple of weeks ago the Dendrobium finally arrived!
I was
BLOWN AWAY when I saw the size of the box it arrived in. As large as those
Perfect Grade Gundam boxes are, they all dwarf in comparison to the HUGE box
the Dendrobium comes in!
|
|
(This
box reminded me more of a suitcase than anything else. It even has a plastic
handle built into its top).
|
The
box's dimensions are 27 & 1/2 inches wide, 15 & 3/4 inches high, and a
foot deep.
|
|
Inside
the box are found two smaller boxes, labeled Container A and Container B. Each
is 15 & 1/2 inches wide, 13 inches high, and 11 & 1/2 inches
deep.
|
|
|
When
placed side-by-side, they form different pictures that are continued from one to
the other.
|
|
In
addition to all of the parts that composed these two kits - (the Dendrobium
flying vehicle "Orchis" and the smaller RX-78GP03 "Stamen" Gundam) - a DVD is
also included.
|
With
the download and installation of a DVD utility that allows different regions to
be selected for the DVD Player on my Computer, I was in
business.
I
viewed the 10-minute animation segment showing this BIG, Futuristic Weapon of
Mass Destruction wrecking havoc of all those poor, pitiful mobile suits that the
Zeon had fielded.
The
miniature - (relatively speaking) 1:144 scale Stamen Gundam is probably around 5
or 6 inches in height when complete. (This GP03 nestles snugly in the center of
the Orchis).
|
Ok,
onto the parts. As I mentioned, there are just under 600 parts that make up the
Dendrobium and the GP03. Actually, surprisingly here, these are fewer parts than
make up a number of the Perfect Grade Gundams. However, these parts are much,
MUCH LARGER!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Orchis has parts molded in the colors Dark Gray, Off White and Clear Pink. The
RX-78GP03 Stamen Gundam has parts composed of the colors White, Red, Yellow, and
Blue. In addition, there is a small, metallic peel-off and stick-on decal sheet
for this Gundam.
|
|
Surprisingly,
there are no decals for Dendrobium Vehicle.
Despite
the large size of some of the parts, they all are molded in very fine, crisp
detail. They have no flash, no sink marks, and no detectable pin ejection marks
on them.
This
kit includes features like a weapon container located at the top of the
Dendrobium with hatches that open. There are removable weapons of all sorts,
including a Micro Missile, a Large Bundled Missile, a folding Bazooka, two large
Claw arms, and an I-Field generator. There are many other parts that move and
pivot and open and close.
|
|
Differing
from the Perfect Grade Gundams is the fact that this "High Grade" kit comes only
with a Construction Manual. At the beginning is a listing of the parts, followed
by the directions for assembling the Dendrobium and the GP03. Numerous colorful
pictures of the built up model are interspersed throughout the
booklet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
easy-to-follow steps make building this vehicle and associated robot pilot a
breeze -(just make sure you take your time!)
This
kit is listed as requiring no glue for assembly. All those small screws and the
snap-tite characteristics of the parts are designed to hold everything in place,
(I, personally would probably use some liquid cement to help secure everything a
bit better).
The
only potential problem I see with this very large kit is where I'll be able to
display this 40-inch long kit once it is built?
Bandai
really done-good with this one!
You can
order your RX-78GP03 GundamGP03 Dendrobium kit through the Hobby Link Japan
Site, at: http://www.hlj.com/cgi-local/hljpage.cgi?ban907985.
visitors.
Copyright © 2010 by Anthony I. Wootson. No material may be reproduced without permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.