Universal Builder

Photoset of VX-9 ‘Black Bunny’ Storm Sworder

It’s been a while since I actually….finished a kit, so I’m excited to post this. If you’ve spent like…5 minutes in my company in person you know I love Tomcats. And there’s no ‘cat I love best than THE Black Bunny. This bad ass paint scheme belongs to the USN’s VX-4 Evaluators who where the squadron that tested armerants and targeting systems for the navy.

(wolf whistle)

(the reason this Storm Sworder is VX-9 is that its near impossible to find officiated black bunny decals so I used the VX-9 Vampire squad markings since they ‘inherited’ the Black Bunny assets and livery. (and then spent like…weeks finding 1/72 scale bunny tail markings because no one sells them separately from the kits)

The point of an evaluation squad is to test new technology and troubleshoot current technology that doesn’t function as needed, so it’s not a far stretch to think Zoid forces would have them too.

As for kit itself, it is the Ara Balone (engrish Air Baron) special StormSworder, which comes with six Sidewinder-like missiles and four machine guns equipped in the claw. The black is a satin finish that was a mix of Stuart Semple’s Blackest Black and a lacquer medium. The result looks amazing and very ‘low visibility’ but uh…it’s a nightmare to photograph. It took hours to get any visible shots in strong sunlight. Then my camera battery ran out so I had to try again in the later afternoon sun.

(i had a lens flare problem at one point)

Photoset of Zeek Dober ‘450th battalion’

I think it’s safe to say, that at some point or another we’ve (zoids fans as a collective we) have wanted a Zeekdober model kit. I know I have. Its such a lovely shape, a lovely face. Not so lovely is the availability.

Except when you find a (kind of) MIB OJR Zeekdober on eBay for under $60. So of course I nabbed it.

This was my first OJR from the second wave of kits they made in 1987 and it’s kind of quaint, really building one. Assembling the actual battery component was whimsical in a way. 

While this kit was marked MiB and it was, in a sense, the bags were sealed but the actual plastic runners had, at some point been exposed to something that smelled like a skunk had taken an aromatherapy class and then promptly flunked that class after an all night bender. I managed to de-stink it but ended up with slight colour variations. Which looked…bad. That red plastic is unforgiving and nigh impossible to colour match.

So I ended up detailing the pup, but I used water based paints, so if need be, I can strip it back down to bare plastic if the need arises.

Zeekdober is a bit plain without stickers but the ones in the box were unusable, so I improvised with some left over waterslide decals that complimented the colour scheme nicely. 

Photoset of HMM Storm Sworder ‘VX-124 FIGHTERTOWN’ (aka GUNFIGHTERS/TOPGUN)

So as my modelling sideblog suggests, I really like F-14 tomcats (and furry tomcats too). I knew as soon as I saw the HMM Storm Sworder on Kotobukiya’s blog back in 2016 that I had to do a topgun themed Storm Sworder.

It took me a while to hunt down the right decals, which are for squadron VX-124 who actually were squadron that ran the (real) TOPGUN program out of Miramar, San Diego. I don’t know if number 451 was in the movie off the top of my head, but it does also reference a classic novel and I’m all for that too.

This kit was also a bit of a learning experience, both with waterslide decals and a type of modelling paint known as game ink. As the name implies, its more of a tint than a solid colour and requires very patient application. the result however, is some pretty cool weathering techniques. its tedious at times but I love the end result so imo, it was worth it.

I was going for a ‘old warbird thats still serving as a training craft for new zoid pilots’ rather than battle damage or rust.

451′s an old bird but as reliable as they come.

Is Zoids Wild based off the PAST or waaay in the future?

Because if it’s the future I need to know why the de-volved into what they are really.

And if it’s in the past then I need to know why Wild Liger looks based off Liger Zero.

Because with Liger Zero, it seemed to be implied to be the evolved version of the Blade Liger since it had an organoid system.

And I say the above because it was also hinted the old Bezerk Fury (also with an organoid system) was evolved from the Geno Breaker (which I think was actually a thing in the manga??) - since it was found around 3 geno saurers.

Colouring aside, Wild Liger shares more traits with Murasame Liger, but you could argue Murasame Liger and it’s evolts are a enhancement or trait from Liger Zeros CAS system.

I mean a dash of bionics and animal husbandry with your mecha isn’t everyone’s cup of tea; we all have inate likes and dislikes, head canons and such about zoids but I rather like how different Wild is compared to the cornerstone series.

Hope this helped in some way!

‘Feral’ Shield Liger MkII photoset [nickname Mr Gutsy]

So, this kit is basically a ‘lemonade out of lemons’ zoid. My Shield Liger MkII got tossed about in the recent move and got a lot of the components damaged and cracked. So i decided to use it as a test run for weathering powders and mimicking rust along with decal set]

I was going to full on Fallout this kit, but the white armour is too pretty to paint over it in an army green, so I just rusted, powdered and buffed it to look like its been roaming a wasteland for a couple of centuries.

The war it was made for is long over and its pilot left it to roam the toxic wastes of the battlefield. But Shield Ligers are pretty durable and this one developed a personality thats…suffice to say, combative. Cross into the badlands and you might hear the faint, pre recorded voice this zoid plays as a warning….

The DiBison Duquesa.

You’ve got a Zoids Battle Match at 5 but an invite to the Met Gala at 8. No problem!

While it’s sponsored by Humbrol, the techniques can be used with most modelling brands. It’s a great starting point from filling seams to varnishing.