HG Zaku Cannon Test Type

Introduction:


I like the ‘cannon’ type of MS designs. I’m not sure what it is about them, but adding ‘cannon’ to the model name seems to always make for a better design!

The Zaku Cannon Test Type was the P-Bandai companion to the standard Zaku ‘Half Cannon’ design. I really like the Zaku line from Origin, but unfortunately, the standard release doesn’t include many of the more interesting elements of the Cannon Test Type such as the redesigned head and new chest. Bandai has also announced that the HG Zaku Cannon is coming later this year. It’s similar to the Cannon Test Type, but it features a new set of legs and different color scheme.

Since this kit is a P-Bandai release it may or may not still be available when you’re reading this. But if you’d like to support my work you can purchase this kit (or anything else) through this Amazon link. As an affiliate, I receive a small percentage of anything you purchase, and it doesn’t cost you anything! 

Kit Talk: 

This kit features many of the same design elements of other Origin kits. So many of the same modifications and fixes from prior builds in this series apply.

Seam line fusions include the forearms, lower legs, deltoids, rounded shoulder armor, and shoulder cannon. I added a HIQ aurora gem as a replacement mono-eye. The arms supporting the side mounted launches come hollow from the factory, so I filled them in using Milliput. I replaced the stock hands with a smaller pair form the Build Hands Rounded Set. And, lastly, I added and sharpened pla plate to each spike on the shoulder to make them pointier.

The spiked shoulder armor comes molded with a rough ‘cast metal’ type texture. I wanted to keep this feature so I sprayed this part with minimally thinned Mr. Surfacer 500 primer to give it a very rough texture. The layers of paint and topcoat diminished this effect slightly.

Unfortunately, there isn’t an official decal set available for this kit. I made my decal scheme piecemeal from a variety of sources including the Origin Multipack the RG Zaku 2 and the Zeon DX 05 decal pack.



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