Unbox the vintage Bandai Gundam 0079 battleships kits:
In the vast constellation of Gundam plastic model kits, the various mobile suits are undoubtedly the undisputed stars, commanding the spotlight with their dynamic designs and heroic associations. However, beyond the glare of that spotlight lies a vast and captivating universe that is equally essential to the rich tapestry of the Mobile Suit Gundam saga, and that is the world of Bandai’s ship model kits based on the iconic vessels of the One Year War. These kits represent the very foundation of the anime’s sprawling space opera, translating the massive warships that navigated the darkness of space into tangible, physical models that allow fans to build and collect a piece of that grand cosmos. The vintage releases from the 1980s and 1990s, in particular, hold a special place in the hearts of veteran hobbyists, carrying with them a profound sense of nostalgia and representing a distinct era in the evolution of plastic modeling.
Bandai released the vintage Gundam 0079 ship kits across several distinct scales and series, each tailored to a different aspect of the collection and building experience. The most comprehensive and iconic of these is the 1/1200 scale series, which stands as the definitive collection of the principal warships from the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon. On the Federation side, this series included the workhorse Salamis-class light cruisers and the imposing Magellan-class battleships, which formed the backbone of the Federation’s space fleet and were a common sight in the defense of Earth’s orbital territories. The Zeon forces were equally well represented, with kits of the Musai-class light cruisers, which were the standard patrol and attack vessels of the Zeon fleet, the massive Gaw attack carrier that served as a formidable airbase for Zeon’s atmospheric operations, and the sleek Zanzibar-class mobile cruiser, a vessel designed for speed and capable of carrying a small complement of mobile suits. The 1/1200 scale offered a manageable size that allowed builders to appreciate the distinct silhouettes of each vessel without demanding excessive display space, making it a popular choice for those seeking to build a comprehensive fleet.
For the truly colossal capital ships that defied easy categorization, Bandai offered a smaller 1/2400 scale series that was better suited to their immense dimensions. This scale was reserved for the largest and most powerful vessels in the Zeon fleet, most notably the Gwazine-class large battleship, which served as the flagship of the Zeon fleet and was the personal vessel of Sovereign Degwin Sodo Zabi. The 1/2400 scale allowed these behemoths to be rendered in a compact form that still captured their imposing, multi-tiered design. This scale also included the legendary Federation assault carrier White Base, which was the primary setting for much of the original anime series, as well as the Zanzibar-class, providing a consistent scale for builders who wanted to compare the relative sizes of these iconic vessels.
Later, Bandai introduced the EX Model series, which represented a significant step forward in terms of detail and engineering precision. This line offered kits in scales such as 1/1700, and a notable example is a set that featured both a Salamis-class and a Magellan-class ship in a single box, allowing builders to recreate a classic Federation fleet formation. The EX Model series was celebrated for its superior mold quality and the inclusion of finer surface details than the earlier, simpler kits, and it often came with small-scale support craft like GM mobile suits, Ball units, and even detachable shuttles, as well as dedicated display stands that elevated the presentation of the finished model.
Across all these vintage releases, there are several common characteristics that define the building experience and set them apart from modern kits. The most striking feature for a contemporary builder would be the color of the plastic parts, as the kits were almost exclusively molded in a single, monochromatic color, with the Salamis-class appearing in gray and the Gaw carrier in a deep purple, for example. This stark simplicity meant that to achieve an accurate and visually appealing finish, builders had to be prepared to fully paint their models, a process that demanded skill, patience, and a steady hand. Similarly, these kits were firmly rooted in the traditional model-making era, requiring the use of liquid cement to bond parts together, as opposed to the snap-fit, glue-free construction that is standard today. This reliance on glue and paint was not a limitation but rather a defining feature of the hobby at the time, part of the authentic and immersive model-building experience. Despite their age, these vintage kits were not devoid of detail, and some even came with charming bonuses, such as the 1/1200 Gaw kit which included miniature mobile suits like the Z’Gok and Zaku, along with tiny Dopp fighter aircraft to populate its flight deck.
Today, these vintage Bandai battleship kits from the Gundam 0079 era have long been discontinued and have become highly sought-after collectibles. They are cherished not merely as models but as tangible artifacts of a bygone era, capturing the aesthetic and technical standards of the golden age of plastic modeling in the 1980s and 1990s. Their nostalgic box art, which often features dramatic paintings of the ships in action, and the traditional construction methods they demand, hold an irresistible appeal for a dedicated community of collectors and modelers who seek to preserve a piece of Gundam history. In the end, these vintage battleship kits are far more than simple toys or display pieces; they are the foundational building blocks that expanded the Mobile Suit Gundam universe beyond its characters and mobile suits, allowing fans to physically construct the grand naval vessels that were instrumental in the war that defined the series, and they stand as a lasting tribute to the art and craft of an earlier generation of plastic modeling.
