Completed in October, 2009
| 橫山宏的 SF3D 模型在二＋多年前吸引我是由一盒¥900 的 S.A.F.S. 開始。這個 S.A.F.S. 的設計之後衍生出一系列略有不同的裝甲服。例如橫山宏在這套陸上用的裝甲服背後加上一對推進器就變成宇宙用的 Fireball。另一方面，在 S.A.F.S. 身上加上一些偵察器就成為 Raccoon 裝甲服，而 Raccoon 的宇宙型就變成 Prowler。之後橫山宏在 Fireball 背後加上一個全新的外殼就成為 Fireball SG，再在頭蓋加上一個偵察器和更換 Fireball SG 原有的天線和偵察器就成為這個 Snake-Eye 裝甲服。 | Kow Yokoyama’s mecha design that really caught my eyes over twenty years ago is S.A.F.S. It is my first SF3D model kit after all. The design of this suit evolves into other suits. S.A.F.S. is a terrestrial combat suit but it becomes a space suit Fireball after Yokoyama puts a pair of thrusters on its back. On the other front, the basic S.A.F.S. is unarmed into Raccoon by adding sensor suite on the suit. This reconnaissance suit also has a space type counterpart called Prowler. The space combat suit Fireball is later upgraded to Fireball SG by having a new back cover. Yokoyama keeps expanding the S.A.F.S. family by turning Fireball SG into Snake-Eye, which has a different sensor and antenna. The space suit also features an “eye” on top of the hatch. |
| 儘管 S.A.F.S. 系列一脈相承，而 Wave 亦有在2003 年推出 Fireball SG 的先例，但該廠仍然捨易行難以全新鋼模生產這盒 Snake-Eye 模型。不過在行文之時，Wave 已宣佈於明年初推出 S.A.F.S. 模型。以現在的宣傳照片可見，這部模型將會大量使用 Snake-Eye 的部件而完全棄用有廿多年歷史的日東組件。故此可以預見，其他 S.A.F.S. 系列的模型將會陸續有來。個人最期待的是 Raccoon 和 Prowler，因為當年日東的產量甚少，Prowler 模型更是從未見過。 | Despite the similarities and the fact that Wave had released Fireball SG in 2003, the company chose to release Snake-Eye with a brand new tooling. This all-new kit is light-year better than the 2003 Fireball SG kit, which is a mix of Nitto S.A.F.S. kit and some new parts. At the time of writing, Wave has announced that S.A.F.S. will be released early next year. According to the released photographs, the upcoming kit will share many parts with the Snake-Eye. Chances are, we will see other S.A.F.S. family members in the future. I am looking forward to Raccoon, Prowler, and even the third generation Raptor. |
| 雖然這模型是我接觸過 Wave 模型中最容易砌的一部，但這並不代表它沒有問題。其實我從素組時已留意到，模型的股軸關節相當脆弱，偏偏那軟膠位又相當緊；折斷只是遲早的事。雖然用兩條裝混合畢地重造股關節並不困難，但這部位的問題將會延綿纏擾以後推出的 S.A.F.S. 系模型。另一個問題可從下面第二幅圖中清楚可見。最後，Ma.K. 裝甲服的關節從來都是較難處理。今次 Wave 用了軟膠作關節，部份亦不能夠分件以便上色，於是乎我把部份軟關節自行切開。好在整個模型細小，關節不需承受大力，切開了的關節是稍鬆了但仍可以承受得到。不過因為用了軟膠關節和關節可動的關係，所以我用了Irisawa 的 V-Color 塗在軟膠上作底色。雖然 V-Color 的塗膜較有彈力，但附著力與 Mr. Color 差不多，要撕去這層塗膜絕非難事！ | Although this is the easiest model kit I have ever built among Wave’s kits, there are problems with it. The most significant one can be found at the hip joint. This joint connects both legs with the body but the two ball joints are structurally weak. To make the problem even worse, the PVC socket joints on the legs are very tight when the hip joints are put into them. Consequently, I broke one of the ball joint when I dropped the lower body on the ground. It is not a big deal to rebuild a new hip joint using epoxy putty but we can expect future kits in the S.A.F.S. family will prone to the same problem. Another minor problem can be seen in the second photograph below. What were the good people at Wave thinking?! Finally, soft PVC joints are used extensively on this kit. This forces me to use Irisawa’s V-Color, which is flexible. As far as adhesiveness is concerned, V-Color is not better than Mr. Color, peeling is still possible. |
| 這模型只作了一些簡單修飾，另外大腿連身體的位置亦向上推高了一點，令一雙大腿看上去較短，較接近日東版的比例。模型的塗装亦是如噴塗 Falke 般，只不過在灑霧時改用了油性油。 話雖如此，白色的灑霧是做了兩次，第一次是以油性油而外層是用了水性油。 如此這般在使用琺瑯溶劑作掉柒時就可以保留一點白色，可惜因為缺乏經驗的關係，白色油性油噴得不夠厚，承受不了掉柒過程，令到模型看起來過於殘舊。 | A few accessories are put on this Snake-Eye. The hip joint is relocated in such a way that the upper legs look shorter. The model is painted using a method similar to the one for Falke . However, I use lacquer paint to "fog" the model this time. Having said that, the white coat is fogged twice, the first coat is lacquer and the upper coat is acrylic. In this way, the paint removal process using enamel thinner will not remove too much white. Unfortunately due to lack of experience, the lacquer coat of white is not thick enough to withstand this process and the model looks overly weathered at the end. |
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