eEXM-17 ALTO (GROUND TYPE) [BROWN]

eEXM-17 Alto Ground Type (brown) – a Bandai kit

An unassembled plastic kit of a humanoid combat machine from the modular science-fiction 30 Minutes Missions line of the Japanese brand Bandai. The designation Ground Type points to the ground configuration of the Alto machine, and the brown shade of the plastic matches that in color as well. The parts are on pre-colored sprues and snap together, so you can build the model without glue and without paint. The exact number of parts and the full contents of the package are stated on the box.

The real subject

Within the line Alto is the basic, mass-produced machine on which the whole kit system is built. The individual configurations – ground, aerial and others – differ from one another in the add-on parts fitted to a common base. The shapes are therefore purposeful and plain, without ornament, with the emphasis on a clear interface between the individual modules. The brown version comes closest to a ground, field-service reading and takes both dust and mud well.

Building and painting tips

It is precisely on the ground version that weathering pays off. The base is a thin dark wash into the engraved lines, followed by a drybrush in a lighter ocher shade on the edges and finally a light dusting of pigment on the lower legs and the feet. Always apply pigment to a matte surface; it will not take on glossy plastic. Before all that, though, clean the burrs off the parts properly: clip at a distance and level the remaining gate with a scalpel and fine sandpaper, because a whitened spot stands out even more under a wash.

Who the model is for

• For fans of science-fiction robots and modular kits.
• For modelers who want to try weathering and pigments on a mech.
• For beginners – the build needs neither glue nor paint.
• For those who combine parts between the sets of one line.

The model is supplied unassembled. Paints, glue, tools and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.