Color palette and the reasons for it

I changed the original strong blue and orange accents. The main blue frame color used Blue Gray FS35189 over black surfacer. Areas originally orange were painted a lighter Azure Blue instead. White areas used gray surfacer and either Gray No. 9 or white mixed with Gray No. 9, depending on the part.

Some mechanical parts received Burnt Iron over black surfacer. These color decisions were intended to create a more subdued machine-like impression.

Painting sequence

The Tactical Arms was painted before the main body because there were too many small parts to manage comfortably in the available drying area. Dividing the work by subassembly made it more practical.

Panel lining and weathering

I used black panel-line paint, then applied thinned black enamel to selected edges with a small piece of dish sponge. The original notes also describe using soot from Tamiya Weathering Master to tie these small chips into the surrounding surfaces.

Production mistakes worth keeping

The planned Gray No. 9 paint ran out during work, so I mixed white with the remaining gray paint for some body surfaces. I also struggled to apply the dry-transfer markings successfully. These are real limitations from the build, not recommendations to skip the markings.

Finished impression

The build took twelve days. The modified palette and controlled surface wear moved the finished model toward the less toy-like appearance I wanted without changing the basic character of the kit.