OLD Gundam  ZZ

1/144 Desert Zaku

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku Box
Release 1986.8
Price ¥600
BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info
OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Box side view (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Box side view (2/2)

Box side view

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Runners

Runners

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Parts (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Parts (2/2)

Parts diagram

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Manual (1/4) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Manual (2/4) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Manual (3/4) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Manual (4/4)

Manual

Straight build

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku (2/2)

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - The cracker pod mounted on the side skirt is reproduced with an opening/closing mechanism.

The cracker pod mounted on the side skirt is reproduced with an opening/closing mechanism.

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - It also features articulated fingers.

It also features articulated fingers.

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Leftover parts from the original MSV Zaku Desert Type.

Leftover parts from the original MSV Zaku Desert Type.

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - The rocket launcher can be mounted beside the right shield using two attachment parts. (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - The rocket launcher can be mounted beside the right shield using two attachment parts. (2/2)

The rocket launcher can be mounted beside the right shield using two attachment parts.

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - The giant bazooka from the 1/144 Dwadge can be borrowed and mounted on the left side skirt. (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - The giant bazooka from the 1/144 Dwadge can be borrowed and mounted on the left side skirt. (2/2)

The giant bazooka from the 1/144 Dwadge can be borrowed and mounted on the left side skirt.

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Limb articulation is identical to the base kit, the MSV Zaku Desert Type, and the leg articulation is

Limb articulation is identical to the base kit, the MSV Zaku Desert Type, and the leg articulation is actually pretty good compared to other old kits.

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Machine gun firing pose (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Machine gun firing pose (2/2)

Machine gun firing pose

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Rocket launcher firing pose (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Rocket launcher firing pose (2/2)

Rocket launcher firing pose

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Two-handed machine gun firing pose (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Two-handed machine gun firing pose (2/2)

Two-handed machine gun firing pose

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Together with the original MSV Zaku Desert Type. (1/2) OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Together with the original MSV Zaku Desert Type. (2/2)

Together with the original MSV Zaku Desert Type.

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Together with the 1/144 Dwadge.

Together with the 1/144 Dwadge.

OLD 1/144 Desert Zaku - Together with the 1/144 ZZ Gundam.

Together with the 1/144 ZZ Gundam.

The 10th kit in the old ZZ Gundam lineup is the Desert Zaku — a reuse kit based on the MSV Zaku Desert Type. Like the Dwadge before it, this is a variation kit made by modifying only the changed parts' molds while keeping the existing runners as a base. Compared to the Zaku Desert Type, the overall design has been changed, but the look and feel is still pretty much the same.

On the plus side, the overall loadout is much more generous with weapons, so it does look a bit flashier — but the build quality is exactly the same as the 1983 MSV Zaku Desert Type. Just like the original kit, leg articulation is decent by old kit standards, but the knee and shoulder joints are loose while everything else is stiff, so the joint strength balance feels seriously off.

Honestly, it feels way too much like a First Gundam/MSV kit to really call it a ZZ Gundam kit, and the quality gap compared to the rest of the ZZ series is pretty noticeable. If you've already built the MSV Zaku Desert Type, there's nothing new here at all — this is an old kit among old kits, and I really can't recommend it unless you're a serious Zaku maniac. :-)
[ Updated at 2017.7.17 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.