The Heavyarms/Sandrock Doubleheader (Intro)

In this long-overdue posting, I formally announce yet another stagnant project of mine: The restoration and painting of a pre-built 1/144-scale HG Gundam Heavyarms Custom and Gundam Sandrock Custom from the OVA Endless Waltz.  Both kits will also serve as testbeds for modeling techniques I haven't tried yet.

In case you missed it, I acquired these and 2 other completed kits in this box at a swap meet some time ago. Released in 1998, Heavyarms and Sandrock were Numbers 3 and 4 in the "HG Fighting Action" series and originally sold for 800 Japanese yen.

The models released in the U.S. included both the original Japanese and English instructions.  Still don't get why you'd need both.

A front shot of both Gundams.  Typically, parts from both kits were snipped off their runners and the resulting nubs were left unattended.  The included stickers were applied and the rest was colored carefully with canvas paint.  Dark patches were added to Sandrock's legs, no doubt to mimic the shading in the photos on the instructions.

A rear view of the Gundams.  Heavyarms comes complete with all its accessories, including open/closed missile bays and pairs of closed-fist, trigger-finger, and open-palm polycap hands; a refreshing step-up from the original 1/144-scale models.  Sandrock also has polycap hands and 2 plastic hands grasping the hilts of its heat shotels, a variant chest for crotching poses, a shield to combine the shotels for the "Cross Crusher" attack, and a single hilt for the shotels.

As shown here, I've separated each and every part of both kits and given each (and all the polycaps) their own container.  I then filled said containers with rubbing alcohol and let the parts soak for a day so as to loosen the paint.  Sure enough, the paint just peeled off of Sandrock's parts.  But the paint on Heavyarms proved harder to remove, even after having to leave it for a week.  Then I dunked Heavyarms in Windex, but I'm gonna need something stronger to remove the darker paint.  Unfortunately, the acetone in the nail polish remover I tried just melted the talons off the another model from the bundle.

Another hurdle is that both heads have been glued together.  I managed to yank off half of Sandrock's head, but everything else's stuck on the other half.  Once again I'll have to wait till next weekend to try and sort it all out.  Until then, I've really gotta plan things better.