MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX WIP Part III

More Head Madness

I'm beginning to realize the difficulty of avoiding putty with this endeavor.  The difficulty lies mostly on how to add volume  and extend the back of the head of the Turn A following the 1/144 Turn X as a reference.   Unlike simple plaplate detailing, this one, like the thigh and calf mods, require a little bit of forward thinking and is actually testing my patience.

But I must press on.  Using more plaplate trimmings, i used the base of the Turn A's head armor/helmet as a guide to cut on the plaplate so that it at least follows the shape of the base.  I then trimmed it later on and added more plaplates to the back of the head, using the head itself as a guide as well.

 

I later trimmed those extensions, angled appropriately for the next step,




which is adding the cover for the extended head.  I've managed to trim the Mohawk's connection, and will use that as the base for the Turn X's mohawk as well.




Despite having to wait a few hours for the cement to cure for me to safely work on the modifications, I do feel I'm actually start to work relatively faster, considering my last update was only a couple of days ago, and my initial post regarding this project was only a couple of days before that.

It took me at least three weeks to do the leg and foot modifications, but I was still experimenting on what to do, so, compared to how I worked on the Chimera before, I'd say I'm working faster.

Taking photographs usually delays me from making updates, but I guess I'm getting the hang of it, taking photos right after a modification.

I've just finished watching "Moonlight Butterfly" where the Turn A and Turn X had their duel to the death.  The Turn X had a relatively short appearance in the film, Less than 10 minutes, and it was at the latter part approaching the end. The main reason for this, as I have read, is because the Turn X was too complex for animation, and since it was still done with conventional cel animation, the animators limited its appearance. It even appeared initially as just the head, with another MS strangely hitching a ride on it.  Also, the Turn X's cockpit is encased within the head.  I would have to forego that option to simplify the conversion.

That's it for now.

MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX WIP Part II

  

The Turn X's Head

Much can be said about the design of The Turn X's head, mainly, a lot find it weird and unconventional.  Syd Mead said it took him only 30 minutes to design the Turn X itself, and that it was his best in the series.  A lot of people, fans and detractors alike, of both Gundam fandom and Syd Mead, didn't quite agree of that assessment, and have called the Turn X one of the worst designs aside from the Turn A.  But there are quite a few like me who do like it, just because it IS weird.

The head actually what makes the Turn X unique, as such, it lacks the elements that makes a Gundam a Gundam.  Whereas the Turn A has at least a semblance of a V-fin and a goatee, the Turn X has none whatsoever, hence, people don't even regard it as a Gundam at all.  Regardless, in the Gundamverse, I tend to like the weird-looking MS designs, like the Palace Athene, the Bawoo, the Gabtheley and a few others that don't quite make it to other people's list of likeables.

The Turn X's head, like I've mentioned to PhantomPain/Sihao during a Skype chat, has plenty of similarities with the Turn A's.  Both has the same basic shape, although the back of the Turn X's head is more elongated and has flat sufaces.  It was only recently that I saw the above picture, graciously sent to me by Aulon, which allowed me to finally decide using the Turn A's head as a base, frame and all, instead of scratch-building one.

I've ditched the mustache V-fin of the Turn A (though I may still use the middle connection section) but kept the mouth "goatee" and used it as the reference and placement base for the Turn X's "mouth," thickening it, and shaving the sides of the added plaplates to at least match that of the pictures.  I won't be following those details too closely though and will change things a bit here and there.

I've filed off the forehead detail and sides of the jaw, and sanded it smooth immediately with a 1200 grit sandpaper in preparation for the Turn X details (so I won't have problems sanding later on when I've cemented plaplates on it).  I'll be using the existing connectors of the top for the Turn X's "mouse ears" and the back mohawk as well.  I'll be extending the back of the head, and this will be the major modification on the head.

That's it for now.

MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX

The Turn X.  It's probably one of the most radical yet underrated of Gundam designs, because for one, it doesn't look anything like a Gundam at all, nor does it look like your one-of-the-mill Zaku or grunt unit.   Unlike the Turn A which I liked much later, I immediately liked the Turn X, mainly because of its weird but unique design.

CONCEPT-X 6-1-2 Turn X designed by Syd Mead