Gunpla Chronicles 2 - Core Fighter Update

Before I begin the meat of this post, I have an update on the Core Fighter.  I read on numerous gunpla sites that panel lining marker can be removed with a pencil eraser.  I thought it sounded too good to be true, but take a look at what happened when I took an extra fat eraser to the top of the craft:

Good as new! And in a hilarious twist of fate, I lost one of the two stickers that are supposed to go where I just removed the marker.  Thankfully, I didn't like the look of the stickers anyway, so I don't
mind the loss (and I'm still happy that I removed the marker - it looks perfect the way it is now).

I also looked more thoroughly into how to effectively use sandpaper on model kits.  Call me naive, but I didn't realize that you could actually smooth out the look of plastic by using very high grit sandpaper.  While none of the sheets I have are as fine grit as the ones the super Gunpla builders suggested using, they were good enough to fix up the bottom of the Core Fighter.  The lighting in the picture below isn't quite as good as the previous shot of the underside, but I can vouch for the fact that that huge scratch has been buffed out about as nicely as it looks here.

With my two major crises resolved, it was time to apply the remaining stickers. Here's how it looks as it waits to be sprayed with some clear coat paint:

... those stickers look a hell of a lot worse in the picture than they do in real life.

In my last post, I was far from happy with the way the Core Fighter was shaping up, but after being patient and correctly applying these fixes, I think it looks pretty fantastic.  Perhaps it was a good thing that I faced such a challenge right off the bat.  It helped me prove to myself that I can tackle this kit with a better mindset, and that ultimately, I have what it takes to improve.