One of the recent releases from ResKit is a set of 1/48 scale figures intended to go with your F-14 Tomcat. The figures look just like a pilot and RIO heading to their plane for their next flight. One is carrying their helmet in-hand while the other is carrying the bag used to transport the helmet. These two would look great next to a Tomcat on a flight deck or tarmac before the start of a mission and will be an easy addition for modelers with experience with 3D printed parts.

ResKit does a wonderful job with creating various parts and figures for an array of models. I have never been disappointed with any of the products that I have purchased or reviewed, and the level of detail is always top-notch. The figures in this kit are each printed as a single piece, so no assembly is required.

Background

Being that other builders have provided explanations about Gunpla and Gundam in their reviews, I will forego that. This particular figure, the Rosan Swordman, is part of the ’30 Minutes Fantasy’ series. The Bandai website offers seven pages of various kits and upgrades for this series.

The Figure

Per the enclosed guide, the Class I soldiers specialize in swordsmanship and fight in the Colosseum. They wield various types of blades including one-handed, and two-handed swords, and they have an excellent balance of offensive and defensive skills. They have precise techniques and calmly make decisions, demonstrating their proficient skills when fighting alone or with allies.

The Kit

Included in the box are a total of 11 trees molded in silver, dark blue, and black. With Bandai kits, it is very important to study the build process prior to embarking because, depending on certain options you would choose, the build process differs.

Bottom Line Up Front

Building a Gunpla is for sure out of my lane. For those that don’t know, Gunpla is the kit, and Gundam refers to one of many TV shows. In other words, Gundam is animated Gunpla. This is the second Gunpla I have built. The first was a simple small kit for an in house model contest for my local club. Gundam Barbatos is a much more complex build. Having said that, assembly was straight forward as long as the instructions are followed closely. It turns into a nice kit, if you make a mistake, like I did, it is easy to recover from since no glue is involved. It is a fun build that doesn’t really take that much time to finish. Highly recommended for Gunpla modelers or for those modelers looking to try something different. For those looking for an enjoyable build, this is a good option. Highly recommended.

Modern soldiers today most likely wear body armor in combat to protect against bullets. That was not always the case as body armor designed to stop rounds really came about in the early 2000s. Prior to that flak jackets, designed to protect US airmen against shrapnel and explosives from German “flak” rounds, and evolved to protect US ground troops in Korea through the 1990s. Body armor hails back to antiquity and knights were the penultimate examples.

In the Box

The kit comes in a sturdy 12” x 8” x 5” box with an illustration of the Tsubaki figure. Images of the finished model can be found on the box sides. Like Gundam kits, it comes molded in multiple colors so that a nicely finished model can be built right out of the box with minimal work. Both painted and unpainted images of the kit are shown on the sides of the box. The kit comes with thirty-nine individually bagged sprues molded in twelve colors. The engineering of the parts is designed to emulate the paint breaks of the figures complex color scheme. The runners are molded in POM, PVC and ABS and all the parts are designed to be snap fit. Regular solvent based glue will not affect these types of plastic. Figure kits are meant to be posable, thus tougher plastics are necessary so that the joints will both hold a pose and be durable.