Bandai PG RX-78 GP01/fb – 04

Next up in the build is the hip joint assembly, an area that really sets the tone for the mechanical detail of the kit. This section uses a solid metal peg system for the legs, mounted within a plastic frame, giving the whole assembly a reassuring weight and strength.

The front, side, and rear skirt armour panels were all primed with Halfords White Primer. For the moveable skirt sections, I added an extra coat of Vallejo White Primer to create a subtle variation in tone, but nothing dramatic, just enough to avoid everything looking too uniform.

The rear sections of the side skirts were sprayed in Steel, with Gunmetal detailing to tie them in visually with the main hip block. The top cap pieces (W13) received a chrome base with a candy red finish, matching the knees nicely. Since the side skirts are constructed in the same way, it made sense to complete all of these parts together at this stage.

I sprayed the outer frame of the hip joints with AK Interactive Xtreme Metal Steel, then picked out selected details using Pale Brass and Gunmetal to break up the finish and add visual interest. A quick word of caution here: be very careful not to pinch parts V33 and V36 during assembly, as they sit in a very narrow groove and can easily be damaged if rushed.

When fitting parts U8, take time to double-check the instructions. These parts are handed and will only fit correctly when installed on the correct side of H6. Once they’re in place, the remaining front armour panels simply slot into position around them.

For the top hip section, where the side skirts attach, I sprayed the entire piece in Xtreme Metal Brass. This helps visually separate the lower hip area and adds a nice contrast to the surrounding steel tones.

At this point, I decided not to attach the legs as this kit will eventually be mounted on a custom Perfect Grade diorama base, so final positioning will be done later once the full scene is planned out.

Much of the detailing on the underside of the hip assembly won’t be visible once everything is complete, but I still spent time finishing it properly. Even if it’s mostly hidden, it’s satisfying knowing the work is there, and it’s always useful for close-up photos.

Leaving the head aside for now, I moved on to the arms of the RX-78 GP01. As with the leg units covered earlier, some of the outer white armour will be left off or posed open, allowing the internal structure to remain visible and show off the mechanical detail.

The two main ball joint components were sprayed in AK Interactive Steel, while other sections were finished in Pale Brass and Metallic Smoke for contrast. Be careful not to overtighten the small screw that holds the ball joint together keeping it slightly loose allows smooth movement and prevents damage to the screw hole.

The upper arm assemblies were painted primarily in Steel, with the hydraulic piston mounts (P34) finished in chrome and candy red. For a subtle variation, the upper arm part (P6) was sprayed in Stainless Steel. Because of the paint layers, I had to scrape a little paint from the hole where the lower piston (V13/V14) fits before final assembly.

For the lower arms, the main sections were again finished in Steel, with Pale Brass and Gunmetal details added. The upper pistons match the chrome and candy red used elsewhere, while the circular elbow sections were sprayed in Xtreme Metal Brass. Take extra care during Stage 9 (Step 4): fitting the lower pistons into Z14 leaves very little room for error.

Thankfully, once complete, the lower arm assemblies fitted perfectly onto the upper arms. The layered metallic tones really paid off here, with the pistons standing out nicely against the surrounding structure.

Now, after all this painting and writing, what you do is…. Cover most of it up. Yes that’s right, if I was to follow the instructions on both arms 80-90 percent would never be seen again. To avoid hiding everything, I’ve chosen to leave some armour panels off or posed open. Even parts that are usually completely hidden, such as W32 and J20, received extra painted detail, with armour mounts finished in Brass.

A lot of time and effort has gone into detailing the arms of the RX-78 GP01, but I’m very happy with how the visible areas have turned out. When it’s finally on display, those exposed mechanical details should really help bring the build to life.