MG Musha MkII Step 2: Starto!

I have finally finished the Ma.K. Snowman that I needed to complete for work which now leaves me with free time to work on the Musha. Seeing lupes' nearly-completed Musha was the kick in the pants I needed to engage my brain and start thinking about what I want to do with the kit. I got out my books and pictures and stared at designs and patterns for a while before getting an image in my head of what I want my version of the Mk.II to look like.

To start with I disassembled the Musha and sanded down all the pieces in preparation for painting. Taking into consideration that I want this suit of armour to look like it has seen battle I used 400 grit sandpaper and left it at that.

Here's the armour parts divided into sections.

Still some clean-up work to be done on the frame pieces. I don't want to use 400 grit paper for the frame because the frame is supposed to represent what is under the armour and when you think of yoroi, under the armour is a type of robe made of fabric.

Because it's fabric, it needs to be smooth. bye-bye seam lines.

Here are the parts that will need to be modified. I won't say yet what I will be doing.

One thing I should mention is that my colour scheme does not use any gold, so all the Gold mecca pieces need to be addressed. Thanks to last month's issue of Hobby Japan, I know how to get that mecca off.

Tuddah!

Mr. Hobby Color Thinner

I made a part water, part thinner solution in a plastic container and dropped in the piece. I started off with probably too little an amount of thinner in my mixture because the mecca was taking a long time to come off. I gradually added more and more.

The result (after some sanding):
With the mecca gone I can glue these together and remove the seam lines before painting them.

The ball is rolling.