OLD Z Gundam 1/144 Galbaldy Beta

Release 1985.5

Price ¥500

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

OLD 1/144 Galbaldy Beta - Box side view (1/3)

Box side view

Runners

Rubber tube parts

Parts diagram

Manual

Straight build + waterslide decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

OLD 1/144 Galbaldy Beta - * I accidentally attached the backpack upside down before taking the photos T_T Please flip it in y

* I accidentally attached the backpack upside down before taking the photos T_T Please flip it in your mind..^^;;

The pipe on the neck area is done with a soft rubber tube.

OLD 1/144 Galbaldy Beta - The mono-eye can move up and down, but it's pretty hard to actually move it once the kit is assembl

The mono-eye can move up and down, but it's pretty hard to actually move it once the kit is assembled..

OLD 1/144 Galbaldy Beta - The left cockpit hatch can be assembled in the open position, but if you want it closed, you'll nee

The left cockpit hatch can be assembled in the open position, but if you want it closed, you'll need to cut off the support piece and glue it down.

One extra right hand is included.

Limb articulation is pretty much what you'd expect — not great..

There is a gimmick where the elbow can rotate.

Some action poses

OLD 1/144 Galbaldy Beta - Shooting pose (1/3)

OLD 1/144 Galbaldy Beta - Shooting pose (2/3)

OLD 1/144 Galbaldy Beta - Shooting pose (3/3)

Firing pose

Together with the previous 1/144 Rick Dias

This is the old 1/144 Galbaldy Beta, and as of early 2017 when this review was written, it's one of those rare suits that still hasn't received an HGUC release.

The purple molded color gives it that candy-toy feel, just like the red Rick Dias — though I'd say it's a bit better than the Rick Dias's molded color. The overall proportions aren't bad for an old kit, but the limb articulation is pretty rough, so there aren't many poses you can really pull off, which is a shame. At least the polycap joints are solid, so that's some consolation.

Interestingly, the cockpit on the left chest is molded in a different color, and that's because it's split to allow you to choose between an open or closed assembly. If you want it open, you just attach it as-is, but for the closed look, you have to cut off the support piece and glue it shut. The method is a bit old-school, but it's still pretty neat that they went ahead and included a cockpit hatch on a 1/144 kit.

Another surprising touch is that, just like the Rick Dias, the mono-eye is articulated. It doesn't move side to side, but it does move up and down. The catch is that once assembled, the eye opening is so narrow that actually moving it becomes a real pain — but considering this is an old 1/144 kit, it's still a pretty impressive attempt.

The neck pipe is also done in soft rubber tubing. Compared to the rather bizarre rubber tube on the 1/144 Hi-Zack, this one fits in much more cleanly and naturally. Honestly, it's such a tiny part that you have to wonder if the soft tube was even necessary, but it does give you a sense of the developers experimenting with all kinds of ideas back in the day.

Anyway, being the only 1/144 Galbaldy Beta out there gives this kit a clear appeal of its own. The proportions are decent enough that it works well both as a straight build and as a painting practice kit — not a bad old-school kit at all. :-)

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.