OLD First Gundam

1/144 Magella Attack

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack Box
Release 1982.5
Price ¥400
BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info
OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Runners

Runners

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Parts diagram

Parts diagram

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Manual (1/2) OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Manual (2/2)

Manual

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack (1/6) OLD 1/144 Magella Attack (2/6) OLD 1/144 Magella Attack (3/6) OLD 1/144 Magella Attack (4/6) OLD 1/144 Magella Attack (5/6) OLD 1/144 Magella Attack (6/6)

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Underside view

Underside view

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Like the Guntank, the caterpillar tracks are made of a somewhat stiff but soft material.

Like the Guntank, the caterpillar tracks are made of a somewhat stiff but soft material.

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Barrel rotation and vertical range of motion. (1/2) OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Barrel rotation and vertical range of motion. (2/2)

Barrel rotation and vertical range of motion.

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - The upper section detaches to recreate the Magella Top, a separate aircraft.

The upper section detaches to recreate the Magella Top, a separate aircraft.

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Magella Top. The rivet molding on the wing section looks pretty convincing. (1/2) OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Magella Top. The rivet molding on the wing section looks pretty convincing. (2/2)

Magella Top. The rivet molding on the wing section looks pretty convincing.

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Remove just the barrel and combine it with the separate weapon parts and...

Remove just the barrel and combine it with the separate weapon parts and...

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - The Magella Top Gun is complete.

The Magella Top Gun is complete.

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Shown being held by a 1/144 Mass Production Zaku.

Shown being held by a 1/144 Mass Production Zaku.

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Together with the 1/144 Char's Zaku. It is possible to hold it with both hands as per the lore, bu OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Together with the 1/144 Char's Zaku. It is possible to hold it with both hands as per the lore, bu

Together with the 1/144 Char's Zaku. It is possible to hold it with both hands as per the lore, but getting the pose right isn't exactly easy.

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Together with the EX Magella Attack released in 2006.

Together with the EX Magella Attack released in 2006.

OLD 1/144 Magella Attack - Together with the 1/144 Mass Production Zaku

Together with the 1/144 Mass Production Zaku

In the 1/144 First Gundam old-kit lineup centered around mobile suits, the Magella Attack stands alongside the Dodai YS as one of the most notable non-MS mecha kits.

The Magella Attack is a Zeon ground weapon that appears in the anime almost as frequently as the Mass Production Zaku. Its upper section detaches separately to become an aircraft called the Magella Top, and by sharing the barrel, it can also be used as a Zaku weapon known as the Magella Top Gun. All of these features are faithfully reproduced in the 1/144 old kit, with both the Magella Top and Magella Top Gun pulled off quite convincingly. ^^

The caterpillar tracks — a hallmark of tank mecha — are constructed similarly to the 1/144 Guntank, with soft-material track parts designed to wrap around multiple wheels. The only downside is that once everything is assembled, the side covers hide almost all of that wheel structure, which is a bit of a shame.

Along with turret rotation, the barrel's vertical range of motion is fairly wide, but the joint holding the barrel in place is a little loose, making it slightly tricky to keep the barrel level. Even a small bump will cause it to droop downward under its own weight, so you have to carefully coax it into position.

Detach just the barrel and slot it onto the separate weapon grip, and the Magella Top Gun is complete — and yes, even the 1/144 old-kit Zaku can hold it with both hands. That said, getting the pose right isn't easy, and if you're not careful the grip could snap, so you'll want to handle it gently.

To sum it up, this is a well-done kit that delivers a solid and clean build for a non-MS mecha. The detail is noticeably simpler compared to the 2006 EX Magella Attack, but honestly the EX version can feel a bit overdone with all that precision — there's something about the charming, rough-around-the-edges old-kit detail that actually suits the anime look better. Either way, display it alongside your 1/144 Zeon kits and it fits right in — a genuinely lovable old-kit item. :-)  [ Updated at 2016.2.18 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.