And just like that, a quarter of 2026 is almost done. So far, I’ve built the HG Gundam Naion, HGUC Nu Gundam, and a double build of the HGUC Gundam F91. Coming into the sophomore quarter, I’ll will shift my focus to Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX since I’m expecting a handful of kits, though the build experience will not be new, or at least that’s the plan. That’s why I decided to finally proceed with my planned repaint of the HG Red Gundam.
I was inspired be several Japanese modelers who repainted this kit in G-3 Gundam colors when it came out last year. It’s also an excellent opportunity for me to do a complete repaint following my shift to using the Dspiae wash-free airbrush. The last time I did something similar was with the HGBF Cathedral Gundam, and whose were just for the gold parts. I’m calling this guy the Red Gundam Type G-3.
The recolor itself is straight forward, though I did use a black primer to better hide the red plastic which could otherwise bleed through the lighter colored paint. The main challenge is really with the amount of small color applications that stretches the limits of parts separation for High Grade kits. This is where the third party masking sheet I got online became handy as it made painting those small details on the head and those yellow railings on the arms more manageable. I also got an aftermarket decal sheet for the smaller details like caution stripes on the Beam Sabers, the navigation lights on the shoulders, and the green markings on the “extenders” – those hard points where the bits eventually attach to.
Repaint of the main body is complete though I’ve yet to do the same for the Core Fighter backpack, the shield, and most importantly, the two Bits. I am targeting completion of this build before March ends, though I won’t be surprised if this will extend towards Easter.
