Yatta!

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I've been able to acquire my pre-orders, much thanks to Greattoysonline.com. I now have figma's RoboCop ("My friends call me Murphy. You call me... RoboCop.") and the action figure is a joy. It's expected that I couldn't pose him like Kathryn (my Kanu Uncho figma) since RoboCop's movements are limited. Won't and can't expect him to perform the "ama kakeru ryu no hirameki" but having his forearm weapon system would have been good. Him getting the back-pack from RoboCop 3 would have been great [smiles].

 The 1/144 RG Freedom looked promising. The joints looked good but the construction will prevent repairs. Have to look into getting that particular runner [scribbles into notes "Runner of RG Freedom's endoskeleton"]. The decals... The decals are worth mentioning because for a 1/144 kit, there are TWO sheets of them. The diagrams are specific enough, though we're still talking about two sheets of decals. 

 With the cost of the RG Freedom, I could buy another one and customize it. I'd have to look for 1/144-scaled straight solid swords to complete the gig. 

 Yes, it'll be a low weapon-count version of MAGENTA. If I can get specific runners, I'd be able to construct my preferred MAGENTA on the cheap. Have to be patient for it, though. I'd have to cripple a 1/100 MG 00 Raiser with the removal of the GN Sword III but that's fine. I'd be putting Drizzt Do'Urden in it anyhow.

Painting skill: UP!

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I spent yesterday reorganizing my model kits and Transformers. Reorganizing my model kits required that I had to designate those painted pieces as failures (explanation below). It was annoying because of wasted resources but I did learn valuable stuff about spray-painting my kits.

 1. Spray painting requires patience.
 2. Proper spray painting requires 2 THIN layers of dried paint.
 3. Spray painting the parts is best done after said parts are partially constructed.
 4. Spray painting requires space, illumination and ventilation.

 The painted pieces came from the 1/144 HGUC kits of Blue Destiny 2 and RGM-79N. I wanted pink mobile suits [shrugs] and the Blue Destiny units were pretty and symmetrical. Yes, the RGM-79N is not symmetrical but as grunt units go, it's one of the best. So, I painted or tried to paint those units. Went a bit overboard on the primer, which made the parts thicker. Then I repeated the mistake on the paint itself. [shakes head] What a loss. I was able to salvage poly-caps and the hands [shakes head], but a loss is still a loss.

 Anyhow, I've been told that acrylic can be stripped w/ 90% isopropyl alcohol [rubs hands]. There's a way to salvage to those kits, yeesss. Research has indicated that 90% isopropyl alcohol would be the easiest to acquire and use. I'd have to acquire containers to soak those goodies. And yes, I'd have to acquire the solvent itself.

 On a related note, I've tried to install the HG 1/144 Strike Freedom's DRAGOON system on the HG 1/144 Forever Gundam's back-hub. [smirks in annoyance] The result was an ill-constructed kludge. The wings couldn't be joined directly to the hub which would have been fine IF the hub were connected closer to the centerline. The placement of the hub made the kit too back-heavy. Add the fact that the Forever Gundam's neck doesn't accept other kit's heads made the kit ugly. [tilts head to the right] And the question is: Do I proceed with the kitbash (that would require the purchase of three expensive 1/100 Master Grade kits for optimum results, unless I can get the runners that contain the GN Sword III's without buying the entire kit) or do I move MAGENTA onto the 1/144 Kshatriya (since the Kshatriya has four beam cannons right in its chest, 24 funnels, 2 cannons and a manipulator in each of the four binders)? If it's a question of cost, the Kshatriya option wins. If it's a question of aesthetics, the kitbash wins.

 Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Model kit thoughts

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I sold the customized 1/100 MG kit of Wing Zero Custom, which means there's one less memory about Irene.

 The model kit acquisition is going slow. I've made down-payments for the 1/144 RG Freedom since I think it'll be better than the 1/100 MG Freedom. I'll probably get a 1/144 RG Strike Rouge, too. No, I've no plans on buying the 1/100 MG Freedom unless they create a version 2. I've done the same for a figma Robocop. [rubs hands in anticipation] And then, Bandai has unveiled the 1/144 HGUC Banshee Gundam. [smiles] Guess how long it'll take before they release its MG version. That's when I'll snap it up. Black and orange? Yeah, baby!

 Yes, I'm uninterested with the projected release of the 1/100 MG SEED units. Unless their joints are at par with the current MG units, I'll stay uninterested. The 1/100 MG Strike Rouge and Freedom looked good but their joints weren't so good.

 I'm keeping the 1/100 MG Impulse Gundam 'cause it fits the requirements. It has the core splender/fighter. The chest and leg flyers make repairs a breeze (have to think of a retrieval system for the discarded damaged parts; waste not, want not) while the Silhoutte packs make the suits adaptable.

 I've just remembered something about the Forever Gundam's back and I think I can modify it to fit the Strike Freedom's wings. I'll have to look into some other joints but I think I'll be able to install the Infinite Justice's legs and the Freedom's railguns into MAGENTA. The result would be a mobile suit that:

 1. Can deploy 10 remote ranged weapons
 2. Has 4 torso-integrated ranged weapons
 3. Have a pair of swords that can transform into rifles
 4. Has beam generators at the lower extremities for close-quarters combat.
 5. Has a pair of beam sabers.

 The ranged weapon load out is exceeded only by Nix Providence, Kshatriya, Nightingale, and Qubeley. MAGENTA's advantage over them would be its mobility and the fact that it retains 6 of those ranged weapons while the other 10 are deployed. A standard tactic would be deployment of the DRAGOONS for suppression with the VBRS as overwatch. The wings would allow MAGENTA to quickly close in, wherein it can create havoc with the paired GN III swords and knee-to-foot beam swords. The torso-integrated ranged weapons can take out those who get too close (chest to chest) or are too far for the melee weapons.

 The power plant would have to be either nuclear or the GN drives. However [scans the layout], I don't see anything that can pass as a GN drive so it's nuclear by default. Nuclear means it can't do Trans-AM, which means it can't do the Raiser Sword. [shrugs] Well, it won't have the capability to destroy planetoids or dent planets but that's fine. MAGENTA was created for mobile suit/armor and warship destruction.