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Build: MG Wing Gundam

When I first started started getting into Gundam model kits I really had no idea about the anime or its history.  The more my interest in the Gunpla hobby grew, the more Gunpla people I came into contact with. When we would talk about Gunpla and the Gundam anime one word was bandied about more frequently than others;  Wing.  For many in North America and around the world the Wing Gundam anime was their first exposure to the world of Mobile Suit Gundam and still holds a special place in their memories.  They would speak almost reverently about the Wing, so when Bandai released their 1/100 Master Grade Wing Gundam this past April I took notice.  The Wing was one of the more requested kits on Gunpla TV so we decided to do this build and show everyone what makes the Wing Gundam special as a plastic kit.

As always the box art from Bandai is a beauty to behold and gets me excited for the build to come.

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Like with almost all Master Grade kits, the Wing comes with a 1/100 scale pilot, in this case it would be Heero Yuy.  One of the first steps in this, and most, Master Grades has me putting our hero into the driver’s seat of his Mobile Suit.  The sculpting of even the 1/100 figure is impressive.

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A few parts later and the protagonist is safely tucked away.

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As Bandai’s engineering continues to get better and better and more intricate, the parts get more numerous and smaller.  I encountered some resistance when trying to join the two pieces which form the shoulder joint.  Rather than try blunt force I fell back on my own, patented (not quite) method of constructing this type of assembly.

I took my side cutters and used the cushioned handles to slowly squeeze the pieces together.

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And slowly and surely it comes to pass, an assembled joint!

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If you’ve got a method all your own for this type of situation why not share it with us?

Next up is the poly-caps.  It seems Bandai is using less and less poly-caps with each kit which isn’t surprisingly when you consider the more advanced joint assembly. The MG Wing features only one small runner of poly-caps and the first one used in the build is unlike your usually ball-and-socket type of poly-cap and slides into place in the rear of the frame.

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Add this part to your already assembled pilot seat and you have what will be the torso frame.  Nicely done, Bandai.

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But of course you have to add the vents…

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…and the armor.  Of course!   I enjoy the lines of the Wing’s Torso.  They aren’t too many angles so it has a more organic look to it.  I’ve left off the sticker that goes in the torso, for now.

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Following the torso is the head.  A rather simple assembly despite there being quite a few small pieces involved.

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Clearly recognizable as Wing Gundam, don’t you think?

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That’s it for part 1 of our MG 1/100 Wing Gundam build.  Join us again for Part 2, coming soon!

– Syd

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5 Comments

  1. Thanks for posting this build. My son and I have just started the Wing Gundam and it’s good to compare notes to what you have done so far. I have just ordered the water slide decals for this model through HLJ an I can’t wait till we finish this build.

    Reply
  2. I’ve got a quick question, how hard is it to get replacement parts for the gundam wing kit in the states? My youngest son lost the v-fin and the red piece that clips it on.

    Reply
  3. A suggestion for squeezing stubborn parts together – normally, I would recommend using a pair of longnose pliers, but depending on the parts, they may leave scratches. I recently bought a pair of scratchproof longnose pliers from Hobbylink Japan, but I find their grip to be too loose for certain situations.

    Therefore, you may want to wrap the parts loosely in a piece of cloth then squeeze them together with the pliers so that it doesn’t leave teethmarks and scar the parts. Those parts you have are inner frame ABS plastic joints, so I would further recommend you hold one securely with pliers then firmly ‘screw’ the other joint in with a back-and-forth screwing motion. If you simply force the parts together, if the joints are too tight, you may end up snapping something when you try to pivot the joints later. Screwing them in together will help allow the joints to fit better.

    Reply
    • Did the screwing motion thing you described on the MG Aile Strike RM’s shoulder and hip joints but still too tight leading to white stress marks. Please advise on prognosis and how to prevent all this

      Reply
  4. Does the white part really look grayish or it is just the camera?

    Reply

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