Does anyone know the total length of the Bandai 1/144 DF-GA-08 HU-BEN gatling gun in this set?
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I do not own that specific weapon set but this YouTube Review spends a lot of time showing the Gatling gun. Most 1/144 scale Bandai mecha are about 6 inches tall. My guess is 5 or 6 inches in total length.
I am considering purchasing the same set for a sci fi project.
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Thanks for the link. It does look fairly long. I was looking for one between 3-4 inches. Maybe I can cut the barrels down.
What sci fi project are you doing?
I was looking to add maybe one of those Bandai 1/144 gatling guns to this HAB mech. It was advertised as a kit but it is just a toy and a really bad toy at that. If you just look at it, it literally falls apart. I got it back in 2018 or 2019 and just took it back out since then. While trying to fit the articulated parts on, the pins snapped without barely any force at all. They were that fragile. I just drilled out the areas the pins snapped off from and fit lengths of sprue cut to size. I need some weapons for the sides of it now. I will be repainting it as it came already in that OD color with the white markings on it. That is a 1/35 3D printed figure next to it. The total height is roughly 130mm or just over 5 inches. The total length is roughly the same as the height at the 130mm so a 6 inch gatling gun will be too long. I am going to use it as 1/35 but as an autonomous armed mech.
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I am not familiar with that model. The general body shape is very good as the starting point for some form of mecha.
My original plan was to use a pair of the Armored Core Gatling guns on a Bandai 30 Minute Missions model to produce something like a Defender from Macross. I also considered putting one or two on a tank, resulting in something like a M247 York or British Marksman. In 1/35 scale it would me a formidable weapon, about the size of a GAU-8/A Avenger.
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A double gatling gun setup on a Macross would look cool!
The double gatlings on a tank is also cool! I started to convert an old Tamiya 1/35 Flakpanzer Gepard into a double 20mm Vulcan setup. I removed the front radar and scratch built a new front section similar to the JGSDF Type 87. The two 20mm Vulcans are from the Academy M163 kit. I got the parts trees off Ebay. This is an old photo. I changed the scratch built front section to a more sleeker design but no photos. It was going to be a drone killer but never finished it. I ended up tossing it because I thought I was moving and was cleaning up some odds and ends as I didn’t want to pack everything but then ended up staying where I am. I did save the two Vulcans but don’t remember what box they are in. I have to try to dig them out one day.
Were you thinking of doing the Vigilante, like this one?
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That Gepard with the Vulcans is a great idea. That turret will work on an armored car, conventional tank, grav tank, or some form of walker.
I vaguely recall seeing the Vigilante before, maybe in Hunnicutt’s book with the M113. I am not a fan of the hull or turret shapes but the general layout is right for a big Gatling gun system.
Another option is to mount one or two beam energy weapons. I scratch built such a system last year and want to try again. The Large Cannon / Arm Unit from the 30 Minute Missions line would make a good starting point for such a system. (The arms suck but the guns look very good.) All Bandai detail and option sets for their 1/144 scale mecha are good to great for 1/35 scale stuff.
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The beam weapons would be cool.
I had an idea for the Bandai M61A5 Semovente MBT. I got the Bandai M61A5 from Amazon back in 2018 when they had it on sale for only $65 and I also had my credit card rewards points that I used. I think I ended up getting it for only $15 total with the Amazon free shipping. Instead of the regular kit twin guns, I was going to replace them with twin beam guns but never got around to it as I am not really familiar with the 1/144 Gundam or Macross weapons. I didn’t know the sizes and if they would fit on the 1/35 M61A5 if they would be way oversized or undersized. I can’t afford to purchase them and they don’t fit as I am on a very strict budget.
I did get the Live Resin 1/35 Secutor years ago when Models-Hobby had it on sale and am attempting to fit it on the M61A5 over the hatch. Only problem is, the M61A5 only has the one turret hatch so it would make it difficult for the commander and loader to escape. It could be an unmanned turret as the M61A5 is a massive tank so the entire crew could fit in the hull. The hull has a rear hatch/ramp similar to the Merkava so technically that is where the crew would escape from in case of an emergency.
Here is the Live Resin Secutor test fitted to the Bandai M61A5.
The M61A5 main guns from the tip of the barrel to the face of the turret are 6.5 inches long. These were the beam weapons I was looking at for the M61A5 but not sure of the sizes of those weapons. The second from the top is one I was looking at. I would modify them to fit but still need to know the actual length.
The longest one in this image and again, would be modified to fit but still need to know the actual length first.
This is also another one I was looking at, the second from the bottom.
One of my major setbacks besides not knowing the sizes of the 1/144 beam weapons is the massive shot trap on the M61A5. Look at the size of the shot trap just under the turret. The CROWS was another setup I was trying where the commander’s hatch was free but I prefer the Secutor.
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I remember wanting to purchase that model when it came out in the 2000s. Even though it is Gundam, it reminds me of the space tanks from Space Battleship Yamato.
Unfortunately, I am not aware of any website with measurements for the various Bandai 1/144 scale parts packs. Having built two of the 30 Minute Missions mecha / robots / whatever they are, I can report the hand weapons are about right for a 1/35 scale application.
I like the idea of adding some sort of remote weapons station to the tank. In modern terms, it also needs a complete drone defense system. The Gundam universe did not predict that technology. Even though I like some of the Gundam stories, in my opinion, everything in the Gundam universe now looks silly and dated. It is essentially all fantasy stuff now.
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Thanks for the approximate sizes of the Gundam weapons. I will look into them some more. I think I will leave it as is though with the Secutor and try to scratch up some side armor to cover up the shot traps.
I was lucky to get that Bandai M61A5 for the price. Right after I bought it off Amazon, they changed the price to $100. Ebay was well over the $100. They are now $300-$400 plus shipping on Ebay. No idea if they are actually getting those prices though.
Here is the Tamiya Flakpanzer Gepard turret on the Tamiya Marder. This was before I changed the front of the turret to a more sleeker design. As I said before, I tossed everything except the two 20mm Vulcans. After revisiting these photos, I wish I never tossed it now.
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I mean, I’m way off topic here but I’d love to see that in 1/35!
With the stuff coming out from the 3D printing fraternity, we might be lucky…
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You are still on topic. I strayed off course from the original topic but still sort of on topic with the different weapons systems as it is still mostly about fitting 1/144 Gundam weapons to real world tanks. It’s all what if/sci fi chatter so anything goes.
I do have a Gatling, albeit a 1/72 rendition, awaiting installation into my Northrop A-9; just not sure when. It will certainly be a What If, initiated when I need a break from armour, but as I’m on a bit of a roll at the moment, (with armour that is) not yet(!)
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That is going to look good on the A-9. Looks nice a nicely cast piece.
I think it will; I’ve only seen the odd interpretation of the aircraft with the gun fitted (below); I don’t normally do aircraft, save when a 1/35 armour kit has ground me down. The A-9 doesn’t seem to get much coverage - either in the books - or on the model display tables, so I thought why not? It might be a bit cheeky but I even thought of finishing it in the “Lizard” colour scheme which of course, went to its better known contender the A-10. Just a thought, some way off that’s for sure(!)
(for discussion purposes)
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@twong I saw the current price for the A61A5 and laughed. 
The Gatling Gepard on the Marder looks good. Picking up some cheap Tamiya stuff and repurposing it for conjectural vehicles is a great idea. I usually confine myself to spare parts builds. At the moment, I have the lower hull and running gear from an M42 available for something.
@BootsDMS Given enough life span and an injection molded model, I would definitely build a Vigilante.
You are way ahead of me on the curve. My collection of completed models includes two towed and one tracked air defense systems. 
There are probably fifty injection molded models of air defense system I would like to build but have yet to purchase, and that is before making stuff up.
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@BootsDMS That A-9 does look cool with the 30mm gun. Looking forward to seeing yours.
@Damraska I got those Tamiya kits real cheap. Both together were around $25 total shipped but that was back in 2018. Both were tossed just a couple months ago though when I was cleaning up thinking I was moving.
This is another what if I am working on but never completed. It is the Takom G6 Rhino that I am fitting the Trumpeter JGSDF Type 87 AW turret to. The G6 was proposed to be fitted with the Marksman turret but I am not a fan of the Marksman turret, it looks a bit goofy to me. The shape of the G6 is very sci fi and the Type 87AW turret looks more suited for the G6 hull.
Here is the proposed model of the G6 with the Marksman turret.
Here is my G6 with the Type 87AW turret test fitted.
The G6 is a huge vehicle. Here it is sitting next to the M61A5 and you can see it is slightly longer than the M61A5. The length of the M61A5 hull is 10.25 inches and the total length with the turret and main guns is 13.75 inches.
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@Damraska Would these be the same size roughly 5-6 inches? I am hoping they might be a little shorter around 3-4 inches. They are advertised as 1/144 HG RG Gundam Model Gunpla 30MM Weapon Detail Up Part Howitzer. The seller gives no size at all. These are the only reference photos I found. From the last photo showing it with the Gundam, it looks like it might be shorter than 5-6 inches.
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