Grosser Hund 'Altair'

• Manufacturer: Hasegawa
• Part number: 64105
• Year of production: 2012
• Scale: 1/20
• Series: Maschinen Krieger / SF3D
• Kit type: Articulated model kit (>200 parts), poseable with polycaps
• In-universe role: Space Type Humanoid Unmanned Interceptor, Strahl Democratic Republic forces
• Build date: ???

I bought this kit new, from a seller on Yahoo Auctions Japan, using Buyee.com, in July 2021. It was fairly priced - no more than the same kit was when new, so it was a good deal since it was out of print at the time.

The Altair is a space/flight version of the Grosser Hund. They are both autonomous (read: computer controlled) interception units, designed by the Strahl Democratic Republic to hunt out and destroy enemy Mercenary fighting suits (the AFS and SAFS designs).

The Altair has a space capable flight pack and additional sensors compared to the ground based Grosser Hund, but shares the powerful left-arm laser cannon. Both are more powerful and taller than the average powered-suit designs, making them extremely effective hunters.

I love the space versions of most of the SDR suits and the flight pack added to the Grosser Hund is no exception - while it has a vaguely humanoid appearance, there's no mistaking that it's a cold, computer-controlled robot. Plus the semi-exposed innards and parts use the Ma.K aesthetic of dangling cables, hoses and pipes to great effect.

The grey/yellow paint scheme of the Altair is something I wanted to replicate across most of the SDR forces.