The FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam (aka Gundam Full Armor Type and Perfect Gundam II) is a variant of the RX-78-2 Gundam and is featured in the original design series Mobile Suit Variation.
Contents
Technology & Combat Characteristics
The Full Armor Gundam has several removable armor modules placed over the RX-78-2 Gundam's existing armor. These new armor modules also incorporated additional thrusters and maneuvering verniers. The new weaponry of the Full Armor Gundam consists of a large rocket-firing cannon mounted on the right side of its backpack, four missile launchers (two mounted in the upper torso and two more in the knees), and a new two-barreled beam rifle secured to the right arm.
However, due to the Full Armor Gundam's massive increase in weight, it suffered a sharp drop in mobility which the new thrusters could not sufficiently compensate for. Although the Full Armor Gundam was deemed to be a failure, the Earth Federation continued to design new upgrades for the RX-78-2 Gundam under Full-Armor System and Weapon System (FSWS) program. The plans for the unit would later be used as the basis for creating the FA-78-2 Heavy Gundam.
Armaments
- 60mm Vulcan Gun
- These shell firing weapons have high-rate of fire but little power and can't damage the thick armor of a mobile suit, though they can damage lightly armored areas such as the sensors. They are ideal for shooting down small, lightly armored targets such as missiles, attack vehicles, etc.
- 360mm Rocket Launcher
- A large rocket-firing cannon mounted on the right side of the backpack.
- Missile Launcher
- There are four missile launchers on the Full Armor Gundam, one on each knee and two on the upper torso.
- Twin Beam Rifle
- A twin-barreled beam weapon mounted to the right forearm.
- Small Shield
- The left forearm is equipped with a small shield, which could be mounted with spare barrels for the twin beam rifle.
- Beam Saber
- The beam saber is the standard close-combat weapon of many mobile suits, it emits a blade of plasma contained by an I-field that can cut through any physical armor not treated to resist it. The Full Armor Gundam can optionally carry two beam sabers on the rear skirt armor, but lacks the ability to recharge them.
Special Equipment & Features
- The prototype mobile suits produced by the Earth Federation Forces' Operation V, are equipped with a central block which houses the mobile suit's cockpit, control systems and main power source. This core block can eject in case of emergency and unfold into a small Core Fighter.
- The upgrade program, developed several options packs to increase the Gundam's combat ability. It includes new weapons and extra armor plates, The system increases the Gundam's firepower and resilient considerately, but also reduce its maneuverability by a large margin.
History
As the RX-78-2 Gundam continued to score victory after victory against the Zeon forces in the One Year War, the Earth Federation Forces engineers began to devise several different upgrades to supplement and further increase the combat capabilities of the Gundam. The upgrade program, called the Full-Armor System and Weapon System (FSWS), developed several options packs to increase the Gundam's already considerable power. One of these designs was the Full Armor Gundam, which vastly enhanced the Gundam's firepower and armor, but had reduced mobility due to its increased weight.
There are conflicting accounts of whether the Full Armor Gundam was ever built. According to MSV-R, it only existed as simulation data. However, Mobile Suit Gundam: Big Picture Book of Strategy and Tactics stated that it was piloted by Lieutenant Heinz Baer during the war. In Mobile Suit Gundam MSV Battle Chronicle Johnny Ridden, it was destroyed by Johnny Ridden's "Full Bullet Zaku" at A Baoa Qu.
Variants
Gallery
.jpg "Fa-78-1(armorless).jpg (60 KB)")
Manga
.jpg "War in the Pocket (Manga).jpg (102 KB)")
Gunpla
Action Figures
Notes and Trivia
- The Full Armor Gundam's design was based on the PF-78-1 Perfect Gundam from Plamo-Kyoshiro, revised to fit into the Universal Century timeline. The Full Armor Gundam's design was later re-introduced back into Plamo-Kyoshiro as the PF-78-2 Perfect Gundam II, which looked identical to the Full Armor Gundam, but featured a blue and orange color scheme.
- An MSV Gunpla advertisement released in the 80s featured a MS-14C Gelgoog Cannon leading a team of MS-06R-2 Zaku II High Mobility Type on an attack on Side 7 in U.C. 0083 and discovering the Full Armor Gundam inside the colony. This was later referenced in the 2010 MG manual as one of many pieces of urban legend surrounding the Full Armor Gundam.
- In Gundam Breaker Mobile, the Haro serves as its AI Pilot instead of Heinz Baer, as the latter has yet to appear.
References
See also
External links
