Sorayama Commando. Original or Recast?

[skywalka]

Hi guys.

My first post! I signed up hoping somebody may be able to help me.

I've just won a Sorayama Commando kit on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWN%3AIT&rd=1





I've contacted the seller & he has assured me that it is an original & not a recast. I've since seen pictures of other Commandos complete with box, before they were assembled, & the parts are white. The auction I've won has pieces which are grey.

I searched the net & found some posts on this forum from some members who said they've bought this kit in the past. I was wondering if anybody can tell me what color the pieces should be. I doubt that 2 different colored versions were originally produced.

The pictures below are taken from 3 seperate sources & may or may not all be different photos of the exact same kit. But if they are different kits then maybe it is more likely the grey is a recast?

Thanx for looking.

[Zurbaran1]

Skywalka, first welcome to the forum. I owned an original copy of this kit and sold it a while ago. Mine was definitely not gray. It was that creamy white that you have in the thumbnails. In fact, looking at the thumbnails I'm pretty sure the picture in the middle was one I took of my kit. Some of the others look familiar too and could be mine. Your auction is most unusual because outside of the actual kit itself everything else looks completely legit. Normally recasts come in plain boxes and include none of the accessories or printed material. Your box looks legit, the printed material looks legit, even the shredded material used inside the box looks exactly like what I had. I'm not really sure what to make of it. It's possible that Volks cast some pieces in Gray and I'm leaning towards that. I don't really know what to tell you. I owned all the original Volks Sorayama kits and they are very rare and hard to find. I can usually spot a recast of one a mile away. This one doesn't quite look like your usual knockoff and I am hesitant to call it one.

[William Paquet]

I never had this kit, but I did once own the Sorayama "Blind Beauty". Mine was an original, bought from a Japenese friend. The Blind Beauty kit was black resin. I wouldn't necessarily go by the color of the resin to determine authenticity. One thing you can do, is look for more than one mold line. That's always a dead giveaway.

[Zurbaran1]

Good point William. And now that you bring it up I too owned the Blind Beauty kit and mine was not in Black resin but also light colored like the Commando. Skywalka, after William's post I'm a little more comfortable in saying that this does look like a legitimate original kit and not a recast. I think you are good and you got it at an OUTSTANDING price.

[skywalka]

Hi guys. Thanx for the replies.

Originally Posted by Zurbaran1

Skywalka, first welcome to the forum.

Thanx again!

Originally Posted by Zurbaran1

Your auction is most unusual because outside of the actual kit itself everything else looks completely legit. Normally recasts come in plain boxes and include none of the accessories or printed material. Your box looks legit, the printed material looks legit, even the shredded material used inside the box looks exactly like what I had. I'm not really sure what to make of it.

I was worried that this could be a recast in an original box.

This photo: appears to have been copied from another source by the seller. I already had it saved on my PC. I'm not sure where I got it from. This would be a good sign that other grey versions exist. Hopefully they are not recasts!

Knowing that the 2 of you had legitimate versions of a related kit in different colors is reassuring.

Originally Posted by Zurbaran1

I think you are good and you got it at an OUTSTANDING price.

I have wanted this kit for years. I balked at not paying $290(?) when it was originally released. When I changed my mind it had already sold out. I've regretted it ever since. I've been looking on eBay for a few years now but the auctions have always gone for way too much than I can afford. There have been a lot of the prepainted version appearing lately. Maybe this model version has slipped through the cracks. I put a bid in for this not expecting to win. If it turns out to be an original then I guess I just got lucky.

For those who are interested. These are all pictures of 1 model.

[skywalka]

And a different one.

[skywalka]

And yet another different one.

[skywalka]

Here are some miscellaneous box pictures I've assembled. I don't know if any of these are related to any other pictures I've posted.

[CKinSD]

ralph i tihnk one of those pics is one i had up in a yahoo thing you sent me to show those kits off years ago.

the packing material and everytihng else are original in appearnace. I would say that this should be good.

[armitage]

It's a beautiful piece.
Finish it and shoot some pics our way.