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MS05B Zaku I - Front

The MS-05A/B Zaku I

The MS-05 Zaku I was a series of mobile suits produced by the Principality of Zeon. It was the first series of practical mobile suits in the history of the Universal Century.

History[]

Developed by Zeonic, the MS-05 Zaku I (then simply named "Zaku") was the first practical mobile suit and the first mobile suit designed for actual combat. Its first variant, which would later be known as the MS-05A Zaku I Early Type, was completed in February, U.C. 0074. In May of the same year, the actual combat mass prodution type, the MS-05B Zaku I, rolled out.[1] In U.C. 0075, the YMS-05A Zaku I competed with Zimmad's EMS-04 Zudah to decide which would be adopted by the Principality of Zeon military. During the competition, the Zudah demonstrated overwhelmingly superior performance. However, during the flight test, the EMS-04 disintegrated, causing the Zaku I to be adopted.[2]

As production of the MS-06 Zaku II ramped up, the 05 series was relegated to second line duties, such as escorting transportation and supply fleets or garrison duty. However, in October, U.C. 0078, due to the difference in tactics between Dozle Zabi and Kycilia Zabi, including differences in opinion regarding how best to use mobile suits, Gihren Zabi decided to split the Principality of Zeon military into the Space Attack Force and the Mobile Assault Force to prevent any further conflicts. This caused the demand for mobile suits to double, allowing many MS-05 to once again see frontline duties.[1]

Even though the Zaku II eventually became the primary mobile suit of the Zeon military, the Zaku I was well-received by many pilots who did not wish for it to become obsolete. In U.C. 0078, as the Zaku II was being assigned to units, there was a program to modify MS-05B into the MS-05Q, which featured an improved thermonuclear reactor.[3]

Near the end of the war, as the war situation deteriorated for Zeon, they were forced to scramble all available mobile suits, including the Zaku I. During the Battle of A Baoa Qu, the Zaku I fought alongside the MS-14A Gelgoog, Zeon's latest mobile suit.[4][5]

Variants[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Master Grade Zaku I (1999) instruction manual
  2. Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO - Complete Settings Collection (2007), p.22
  3. MSV-R FSS Handbook - Zaku Edition (2013), p.4-5
  4. Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space
  5. Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: Apocalypse 0079 Episode 3, Spirits Returning to the Cries of Thunder
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