Random brain farts on tech, games and gunpla: MG GAT-X105 STRIKE + IWSP

One fine day, prior to chinese new year, i stare up at my gunpla display and mumbled..."OMFG I DONT HAVE A STRIKE GUNDAM!!"
The main machine fighting in gundam seed while the anime is at its peak.No instangib enemies, No overpowered gundam and the good guys is cornered and on the run.Started out as a powerful hardware with fucked up OS written by Microsoft, you see this metallic duckling transform into a swan with some help of open source goodness.
Thats when i get all sexcited to see this classic unit docked with a new striker pack,IWSP.If not mistaken this striker pack is introduce in the fail series called gundam seed destiny but as long as it looks good, who gives a fuck.And so i rush down to sunshine plaza on CNY eve to satisfy my horny fingers during this long holiday ahead.
Assembling Strike main unit is exactly the same as previous MG strike releases, with some minor changes to the color to its chest.Desperately needs paneling to get its facial details out but i doesnt have any gunpla pen and i doesnt want to just stare at it throught the long lonely holiday, so i assemble it anyway.The IWSP unit is huge and would make the strike to lean backward due to its weight, therefore a display stand is a must.Luckily its included in the package but the stand isnt as sturdy as the stands you purchased seperately.Its engine intake is also disappointing as painting is requird.
Other than that it is a rather magnificent gunpla to behold without painting as long as you dont look close enough...

Strike Gundam with 57mm rifle

Strike with Integrated Weapons Striker Pack

As you see something is missing! Thats panel lining!Part that benefit most is obviously the head, followed by weapons.MG Strike main unit have pretty much all the detail you can ask for,so minimal improvement.IWSP came a huge challenge,entirely giving up working on the engine intake/exhaust due to complexity and hard to reach area.
While dismantling the strike for paneling, i take this opportunity to decal the model with more detail and it looka notch better than it previously is.^^

weapons