Second Place Winner, February 2002 CMC competition
Mobile Suit Variation
GUNCANNON II
1/144th scale BANDAI


Fire!
front back
Current Status: Built and completed.

The Guncannon II was an improvment over the original Guncannon of the One Year War. Instead of recoil-heavy shell firing cannons, the Guncannon II sported a heavy beam gun with an advanced targeting system. The GCII's mobility was also increased with the addition of several vernier thrusters on the legs and backpack.

left right


The original GCII kit was part of the Mobile Suit Variations line, and was never featured in an animation. Like other early Gundam kits, the details were a bit iffy, and proportions were quite strange. To bring this kit up to date, I decided to combine it with a more recent kit, the High Grade UC Guncannon. This involved some serious surgery.

Beginning at the top...
  1. Head:
    1. Antennae lengthened
    2. Vent added to face, and putty used to round off the 'cheeks'
    3. 'Earmuffs' sanded off, replaced with a photoetch
  2. Torso:
    1. Original vent holes sawed out, new vents on top of the chest built with strip styrene
    2. Cockpit door squared off with putty
    3. Angled waist plates flattened out
    4. The MSV guns are mounted on the shoulders with the polycap system from the cruddy HGUC spray rocket launchers
  3. Arms:
    1. Shoulder plate from MSV kit added
    2. Rubber elbow cover added (heat shrink tubing)
    3. Original GC elbow pad removed, MSV pad added to the outer side of the arm
    4. MSV hands used instead of HGUC hands
  4. Backpack:
    1. Original HGUC backpack squared off, thruster flaps added with putty
    2. Wide verniers, tubes, and thruster cones added from MSV backpack
    3. 'fuel cap' added with a round mold
    4. Small verniers made from MSV thrusters and Kotobukiya plastic 'mesh' plate
  5. Waist:
    1. Crotch sawed off, and rebuilt square (ouch)
    2. Skirt plates separated, thruster removed from the front
    3. Side plates removed, replaced with MSV grenade racks
  6. Legs:
    1. Original knee plates removed, MSV pads added
    2. Lower leg thrusters from MSV added to the sides of the legs
    3. Extra 'sandal' armor added to the foot with strip styrene and epoxy putty