A look at the Waverider transformation feature of BB Senshi Zeta Gundam from BB Senshi Zeta Gundam and Nu Gundam Set after showing off its limited posability in the previous posting. ^^
Amazingly, in BB Senshi scale, the rifle and launcher can be equipped to the Waverider. ^^
For transformation, all the weapons need to be detached from the model first.
The head, together with the neck and collar needs to be removed as well.
The chest is hinged 90 degrees upward until it merges with the back panel. The separately movable cockpit is flipped forward as well.
The chest matches the back panel accurately, creating a secure top section for the Waverider.
The front skirt armor is detached from the body.
The arms are hinged upward on both sides of the body.
The waist pieces' double swivel action: as they are being flipped outward, the legs are swiveled inward so that the feet are facing forward.
Both arms with the wing binders are hinged inward for 90 degrees, until they meet in the chest area of the kit.
The arms are hinged downward until they sit flat against the back.
Each binder will need to be rotated around for 180 degrees.
As the edge of the binder would collide with the leg in the process of rotating the former, the component can be hinged upward for a slight degree using the shoulder block to get around the tight corner.
The fully rotated wing binder.
The binders are flipped inward until they are in line with the arms. The wings are expanded from the binders.
Using its double hinge, the tail stabilizer is expanded to the back.
By connecting the straight peg behind the shield to a slot beneath the chest block, the nose of the Waverider mode is formed.
The shield's peg is just long enough to make the connection, which is just nice to keep the shield attached to the model.
The large gap between the chest, shield, shoulder, and wing binder is unavoidable there. ^^;
Hyper Mega Launcher's stand is swapped to the opposite slot, and the weapon is ready to be equipped to the shield.
Two tabs above Hyper Mega Launcher's body corresponds to a pair of slots on the shield for the connection.
The beam rifle's handle is pegged into a square slot on the top panel to complete the entire transformation
The head, front skirt armor part, and beam saber are MS mode components left out from the transformation. ^^
The transformation design is actually quite close to the actual setting of the Gundam, which makes it pretty amazing. ^^ While the head and waist are not included in the transformation, resulting in the absence of a couple major steps, all the other body components do transform, and through actual movable parts, not the usual part-swapping feature that are more commonly implemented in the BB Senshi line. For the few points listed, it's actually a very impressive transformable model kit. ^^
More images of the Waverider mode:
Closeups on the details:
Bottom view:
Besides its transformation process, the model is a close representation of Zeta Gundam's Waverider form in normal scale. ^^ The most basic aerodynamic outline of Waverider, as seen through the nose, wings, and tail stabilizer is present on this kit, coupled with features that highlight its deformed scale, including the shortened legs, and a "fat" shield with narrow nose. ^^ So, you can call it the "official" BB Senshi version of the Waverider mode if you will. ^^
As the head is supposed to be hidden inside the body anyway, nobody will miss it on this model, so it doesn't make much difference for the head to be completely left out of the transformation. The absence of the side skirt armors however, left two blank spots on the sides of the body. Like the noticeable gap between the wing binder and body, those missing skirt armor parts, which form a pair of beam gun compartments is another flaw in the overall look to get used to. ^^;
Off the ground poses, with the model supported using Soul Stage Act 3 Action Support Clear Type.
Comparison with a newer BB Senshi kit to get a more solid idea about their differences in proportion:
BB Senshi Sangokuden Chouryou Gelgoog
Longer limbs and taller body are the most immediate visual elements separating the two that can be spotted, but the real difference is actually articulation. ^^ All the missing joints on Zeta Gundam (waist, elbow, wrist, ankle) are present on Chouryou Gelgoog, and except the waist joint, they all incorporate ball-type polycaps for the most flexible articulation range possible in this deformed scale. ^^ That's certainly a feature Zeta Gundam is unable to match. ^^
Comparison with Zeta Gundam in normal scale:
With Master Grade Zeta Gundam Ver. 2.0.
Since the Master Grade Ver. 2.0 kit didn't come out until 2005, the design of the BB Senshi kit was based off the first Master Grade I believe, which was released in 1996. The somewhat more rounded overall design of the BB Senshi kit, especially when compared to the more rigid, sharper-looking appearance of MG Ver. 2.0 is a clear hint of the relation. Ironically, the clear stickers included in this bundled set features details that are from MG Ver. 2.0 instead. As a result of that, this BB Senshi kit seems like a weird intermediate, crossover design of the two Master Grade kits. ^^
Will be working on Nu Gundam from the bundled set sometime in the close future. ^^
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