The Energon Pub

This is my second Gundam to TF Kitbash idea. The first having been Scourge from Abyss Gundam.

The idea this time, is Jetfire from Master Grade Zeta Plus A1 Test Color.

I've got both the Abyss and the Zeta Plus ordered from HLJ and I'm just waiting for them to ship them.
In the meantime, I'll explain the idea in more detail.
I'll update soon with some digibashes of my painting ideas.

The idea was inspired by the colour of the original model, and the similarity it has to Jetfire in both Mobile Suit and Mobile Armour modes.

G1 Robot Mode vs Zeta Plus Mobile Suit:
- Same shape lower legs.
- Similar chest design, including 'pectoral vents'.
- 'Pods' sticking up behind the shoulders.

Zeta Plus Mobile Armour looks like a mixture of G1 Alt Mode and Titanium Alt Mode:
- Obvious similarity in colour, and even colour placement except maybe a little too much red in the mid section.
- Similar overall shape to Titanium.
- Small forward facing guns like the Titanium.
- Large boosters at the back reminiscent of both the boosters and the legs of the G1 version.
- Variable angle wings just like in the G1 version.


Here are the pics for reference:

Here's a digibash of Robot Mode.
I've decided to follow the lead of the Titanium figure and paint the cockpit window solid black since there isn't a real cockpit with transparent cover provided with the gundam model.

You can see in this pic:
- Chest area painted white with classic 'Black and Red V' design, red 'pectoral vents', black middle section representing the cockpit, and red crotch section representing the nose of the G1 jet.
- Shoulders painted white, with black and red markings as per G1.
- Forearm is white with red stripe as per G1.
- 'Shield' attached to arm has lower section painted red to correspond to red arm guard on G1 figure.
- Upper section of 'Shield' which becomes the nose of the jet in alt mode is painted to match the nose of the G1 alt mode.
- Gun attachment on upper thigh is painted red to match red horizontal stripe on G1 robot.
- Vent above knee is painted red to match vertical stripe above knee on G1 robot.
- Knee is painted black to as in G1 robot.
- Outside edges and backs of legs are painted red to match armour pieces on G1 robot legs.
- Feet are painted black, with red middle section as per G1 robot.
- Protrusions behind shoulders are painted red to match 'jetpack' of G1 robot.
- Head has 'Gundam V Antenna' removed and two antennae added to existing protrusion on side of head, all painted black, to match the look of the G1 head.
- Eye area remolded and painted to become red visor as in G1 Robot.

The Gun is already the right colours, but I might consider shortening the barrel to match more closely to the G1 gun.

I'll do the Alt Mode next, but I'll wait to see if anyone has any advice on my other topic of how to whiten the red areas of the original pic before I give it a go.

very intriguing and creative , i myself am a gundam fan so i can see more clearly where you are coming from =) .............

Dude..thats freakin badass man

Very very nice!!

Alright, Alt Mode is coloured now too. Check it out!

I won't bother listing the reasoning behind each section of the painjob for this mode since it's mostly fairly obvious.

Here is G1 Jetfire again to compare:

I really like this idea and can't wait to see it completed.

My only critique is that the head still looks too much like a gundam and not enough like Jetfire to me. Maybe it's the faceplate, I dunno. That's just my opinion, but that is the only thing I'd adjust.

Second, I really, really, really want a TF series done in this anime style. I'm looking forward to the new series, but d@mmit I want to see the TF universe done with the high quality animation of the Gundam series ... or Go Dannar ... or Macross or any of the other great giant robot series.

Thanks for the feedback, I agree that the head could still use some work.
I'm thinking of doing another version of the robot mode digibash to try to get the colours and shading looking better. I'll think about what else I can do to the head too.
I quite like that this head looks a bit different from the G1 version though. After all, G1 Jetfire was a Macross toy anyway, and his head looked quite different from a lot of the other G1 Transformers, so it is sort of appropriate that being made from a Gundam he has a gundam-ish head.
Actually, the Classics Voyager Jetfire has a head that is quite similar to this gundam one too. The helmet has a crest, and cheek guards, and he even has that jutting out chin that all gundams seem to have. I'm quite fond of Classics Jetfire, so I'm thinking I won't change the head too much towards the Macross look. It'll be easier to leave it mostly Gundam-shaped too.

I haven't actually watched any Gundam Anime, I just started buying the models because they're so cool, and there's some great potential for kitbashing them into TFs.
It all started when I saw the Ultra Magnus Gundam kitbash in someone's sig, and it linked to Q's Corner. After looking at those ones I felt inspired to do my own. However, when browsing for Gundam models on HLJ, I noticed the SD Gundam range, and fell in love with them. I've got about 20 of them now, 11 built so far, and none of them seem to be useful for TF kitbashing at all, but they're just so cute!

Back on topic, I finally got shipping confirmation from HLJ yesterday. They're usually really quick at getting their orders out, but this one sat in the processing stage for a whole week.
Anyway, I should be receiving the two gundam kits this week or early next week. I'll have to start thinking about the technicalities of actually painting them now.

I'm thiking I'll use paint in spray cans, or maybe use an airbrush.
The plan is to paint all the parts white first, and then add the red and black details on top of that. After that's all done I'll add a clear coat on top for protection.
I think that will give a better result than trying to just paint the bits that need changing and leaving the other bits the colour they were molded in.

Good luck with it SoC, sucks with having to import anything good to use.

Where are you getting your paints and whatnot from? Hobbyco? Games Workshops?

Can't wait to see some in progress and completed pics.

i_amtrunks wrote:Good luck with it SoC, sucks with having to import anything good to use.

Where are you getting your paints and whatnot from? Hobbyco? Games Workshops?

Can't wait to see some in progress and completed pics.

I'm pretty used to importing stuff now. I could buy Gundams from Astro Hobby (Now known as Modeller's World), but they actually end up the same price or cheaper from HLJ, and HLJ has a better range of stock.

I think I'll buy the spray paints from Modeller's World. Tamiya brand I think.

Good to hear that Astro Hobby didnt get turned into a complete waste of space...

Don't go into the city much, (go through it everyday though) so I had no idea what happened to it.

Just like I missed Hobbyco's move to the QVB.

They have some Testors brand spray paints at Hobbyco for $5.50 a can at the moment.

i_amtrunks wrote:Good to hear that Astro Hobby didnt get turned into a complete waste of space...

Don't go into the city much, (go through it everyday though) so I had no idea what happened to it.

Just like I missed Hobbyco's move to the QVB.

They have some Testors brand spray paints at Hobbyco for $5.50 a can at the moment.

Yeah, Astro Hobby had one shop called Astro Hobby in The Galeries Victoria, and another shop called Modeller's World down near Central Station. The one in the Galeries Victoria has closed now, leaving just Modeller's World.


On the topic of painting, is it better to paint the parts while they're still attached to the runner, or should I cut them all out first?
It seems that each way will have pros and cons.
If I paint them on the runner, the process of removing them from the runner will leave a little spot unpainted, which will need touching up.
But if I remove them all from the runner first, they'll be harder to work with, and I may get pieces mixed up.

I'd say leave them on the runner.

I used to repaint Zoids pieces before using them, sometime you don't have to touch up the pieces as the unpainted parts are hidden away. A quick blast of spray paint and you were mostly done.

Sure beats using tweesers or similar to hold small pieces while you paint them.

Does Modellers world still have any Transformers or DBZ stuff, or are they all gundams and model cars/planes now?

i_amtrunks wrote:I'd say leave them on the runner.

I used to repaint Zoids pieces before using them, sometime you don't have to touch up the pieces as the unpainted parts are hidden away. A quick blast of spray paint and you were mostly done.

Sure beats using tweesers or similar to hold small pieces while you paint them.

Does Modellers world still have any Transformers or DBZ stuff, or are they all gundams and model cars/planes now?

I'm not sure if Modeller's World does, but Astro Hobby did have some TF stuff in the window when they were closing down.
Looking at the picture of their shop on their website, I see a DBZ figure in the window, and in their online catalogue I can find things such as Revoltech, Star Wars, Macross, etc.



For paint, it looks like I can get Tamiya Spray for $11 per 100ml can, Tamiya Acrylic Mini 10ml jars for $3 each, or Gundam Color Spray 100ml cans for $10 each.
There are also some spray primers and topcoats.

For primer I can choose from Mr. Surfacer 500 $11.50, Mr. Surfacer 1000 $11.50, Mr. White Surfacer 1000 $15.20 or Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (White) $13.50.

Since I want my model to be mostly white, with red and black details, would it work well enough to just get a white primer, spray all the parts with that, then spray the red and black details and finish with a clear topcoat for protection?
If the primer is white, I shouldn't need to go over it with actual white paint should I?

For topcoat I can choose from Mr. Super Clear UV Cut Flat $17.50, Mr. Super Clear $15.50 or Mr. Topcoat $11.50


This is my first time painting anything anything like this so I don't know what is best to use, or if these prices are good or not.
Any advice from people with any experience in this would be most welcome.

I'm thinking I'll go with Tamiya Fine Surface Primer White, Gundam Color Spray Red and Black, and Mr. Topcoat

I can't wait to see the finished product.

Cant help with the paint choices myself, I have never used proper stuff, usually just car spray paints from Supacheap! That will change when I have more than 10 minutes spare on a weekend to repaint some Roadbots I have bought...

But you plan of

spiritofcat wrote:Since I want my model to be mostly white, with red and black details, would it work well enough to just get a white primer, spray all the parts with that, then spray the red and black details and finish with a clear topcoat for protection?
If the primer is white, I shouldn't need to go over it with actual white paint should I?

Sounds right to me. But my opinion means next to nothing on these matters.

Well, the models arrived in the post yesterday, very exciting!
I'm at Supanova all weekend though, so I won't get to start on any of this until sometime next week.
I still need to get ahold of the paint I need, and I have to work, and get my car inspected for Rego, so I don't predict a lot of work on this getting done quickly, but at least I'm one step closer.

Edit: One year later... Still haven't got around to getting the paint
I still want to do it but I've just been doing other things.