Patlabor 2 Hannibal PKO Ver

Modeling Subjects Science Fiction
1

I finally tracked one of these down in the US at an anime convention and she cut me a sweet deal on it…because I knew what it was!!

http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=DC98755

Kotobukiya has done a fine job with this kit in 1/72 scale of on unusual subject. In Patlabor 2 the Hannibals that were sent to Veit Nam on peackeeping duties didnt fare well at all. The heat and humidity got to them, the daily grind of muddy operations, and the quick final ambush did them in as seen in this AMV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGe4ByCkDnk

To the kit:

good assembly overall, I didnt have any issues with it. anyone famliar with Bandai’s instruction format will pick this up quickly. Interior is far given there isnt much to see anyway. 1/72 scale Japanese mech drivers are in short supply so I am still working on that. Prepainted with spruce green ( Zaku Green as I call it) and then overpainted with white gloss. I worked through the white paint in high wear corners to reveal the green underneath. Given thier short life span they saw enogh action to accumulate some wear. Pencil was used judiciously on the extreme corners.

I think most people avoid the white version due to the monochromatic look. I got some great adivse to use neutral grey for the shading on white vehciles, and used Reaper Minatures Rainy Grey with a glaze medium. this almost acted as a filter and took the starkness off the white paint, layed in depth and as tan was added twoards the bottom a level of dirt. Flesh Wash from Citadel was used for the hydrailic staining. most of that will be covered so you will only see a bit of it, not like what you see here. MIG Pigments are next once it all goes togethether, I painted the flexible joints today and those are drying so they are not in the pics.

Optics and the viewports will recieve further work. The lights and lenes are getting dark purple lenses like the IR lenses fitted to 80s US army helicopters for NVG use. I just realized the stop lights on the back of the backpack havent been painted yet. I;ll fix that later. Handrails and such still need to be added. The blue lenes of the viewports add some much needed color, but the only real color comes from the smoke grenade launchers on the sides of the hull, which are ringed by a colored band indicating color or starshell. Markings are dry trasnfers from Woodland Scenics, Archer Fine Transfers and WAVE Options parts. My cat gave up a whisker so that will go to the antenna behind the big IR illuminator on the hull left side.

!(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b244/ThePlasticFanatic/Scale Modeling Album/hannibalparts.jpg)

!(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b244/ThePlasticFanatic/Scale Modeling Album/upperhull1.jpg)

!(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b244/ThePlasticFanatic/Scale Modeling Album/upperhull2.jpg)

!(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b244/ThePlasticFanatic/Scale Modeling Album/upperhull3.jpg)

2

Looks great! I’ve had my eye on this kit and the camo version for a while. It’s the last thing I need for the Labor lineup I have planned ( unless they come out with more kits later ), but will probably have to wait until after the move.

So many mecha, so little time.

3

Nice. Imagine if the UN actually had these lol, carnage

4

Looking good. I really like the weathering, especially the worn paint.

About how tall is this kit when finished?

5

it will weigh in at around 7 inches or so minus the antenna. I need to get to work on that, painting the Mk II cockpit right now so that is my big push. Last weekend at the USS Kidd I worked on the fabric covers for the major articulation joints, need to add more layers of dust to those and shoot them flat dullcoat then I can add them. I havent even touched the manipulators yet…but its getting there. So far very happy with the overall appearance.

6

I’m liking it. This is one of those kits I’ve been thinking about getting… I keep talking myself in and out of it. I’m glad you’re sharing it, so I can experience the build vicariously.

On some of the other Patlabor kits, the joint covers are soft vinyl, this one looks to be the same way. They give you any difficulty?

7

no, no soft vinyl on this one. Thats why I am afraid to go ahead and build my PL2 with reactive armor…I have horror stories from vinyl. Plus the cleanup never works out right for me.

Anyhoo, the parts are all hard on this, nohting flexy other than the ammo belt and I will use epoxy on that to insulate it. The canvas “bag” that cover joints are sytyrene and I laid in a heavy tan glaze for settled dust. I got the parts all put together last night other than the manipulators.

I have added a couple of coats of Testors WindowMaker over the top of the optics ports and driving light lenses. I need to get the waldo’s built up and then get a base on it with final touches.

Im very happy with this kit experiencing no major issues. I used a mix of decals on it as well.

8

Love it. Been a Patlabor fan for years (the movies) and just finished watching the original OAV’s for the first time, so thanks for the treat and continuing the theme :slight_smile:

Andrew

9

great work man, i love this anime, hope that others minor labor come in future, not only ingrams

10

Thanks!

I like labors in general, so yes some typical cosntruction types would be a welcome diversion from the Ingram family.

11

LOL! The trouble I had w/ the vinyl parts on my Phantom and Brocken Labors is the reason I’ve been talking myself out of this kit. Now I have no excuse.

I thank you, my wallet groans, and my wife is gonna yell at me for buying yet another model. [:)]

I’m interested in seeing how the Testor’s Windowmaker turned out. Would you recommend it’s use?

12

Windowmaker is fine when used in small quanitities.

1/4 by 1/4 inch is about its limitation, just swipe it in an opening or dribble it in a cavity and let it dry. Prop it up so it dries level, looks best after a couple of days.

Yeah I’m digging this kit, things only fit one way so options are somewhat limited but it also keeps you from goofing things up as you ignore the destruction sheet…

13

Hannibal calls, and I obey…

Now that the Viper MkII is done I can get back to this. No time pressure on it but I want to finish ASAP and get to work on its base. Generic Viet Nam base is what is called for here so its gong to be pretty, well generic.

I got the hands and tripple tube launchers (TOW missiles? )assembled last night… I need a bit more detail paint on it as well as putting on all the grab handles. Im not overly impressed with the triple tube luanchers since the seam line is in the middle of the tubes instead of at the end caps. Guess thats where the brown rocket motor stripe will go, with the warhead stripe on the other end.

im looking to a very dark anodic green for the hands. Yeah i know, not canon, but looks better than black/white.