MS-06C Zaku II Early Production Type – MechaBay

The MS-06C Zaku II Early Production Type was a mass-produced general purpose mobile suit developed by the Zeonic for the Principality of Zeon. It was often referred to as the C Type Zaku II.

The “MS” in the type code indicated that it was a mobile suit. The “06” model number denoted that it was the sixth design of this type, and the “C” variant code identified it as the third variant in the famous Zaku II line. It is often referred to as the C Type Zaku II.

History

After the prototype MS-06A Zaku II First Mass Production Type proved superior to the MS-05B Zaku I in performance trials in August UC 0077, Kycilia Zabi halted its mass production due to concerns about its lack of melee weapons. She ordered a redesign that resulted in the MS-06C, which entered mass production in January UC 0078 as Zeon prepared for war.

Many famous Zeon aces began their careers piloting the C Type Zaku II. Johnny Ridden sank three battleships during the One Week Battle. The Black Tri-Stars used C Type units to capture General Revil during the Battle of Loum, though some sources depicted them piloting the MS-06R-1A Zaku II High Mobility Type or the Zaku I instead.

After the Antarctic Treaty banned nuclear weapons, the C Type was succeeded by the MS-06F Zaku II, which removed the heavy radiation shielding and featured an upgraded generator.

Design

The C Type Zaku II featured several improvements over the A-type, including a spiked armor plate on its left shoulder and a shield mounted on its right shoulder. These could be switched for left-handed pilots. It carried a Heat Hawk for melee combat.

To protect pilots from nuclear warhead radiation, the C Type used triple-layer composite armor with radiation shielding liquid injected into gaps around the cockpit. This brought its empty weight to 72 metric tons. After the Antarctic Treaty banned nuclear weapons, this heavy shielding became unnecessary and was removed from later models.

Armaments

The C Type Zaku II’s standard weapons were a machine gun for ranged attacks and a Heat Hawk for melee combat.

105 mm machine gun

The ZMP-47D 105 mm machine gun was the initial machine gun model used by the Zaku series. It featured a 100-round drum magazine mounted vertically on the right side. The gun did not require reactor power to operate but had limited effectiveness against heavy armor.

280 mm Zaku bazooka

THe H&L-SB25K/280 mm Zaku bazooka was designed for Zaku-type mobile suits. The portable bazooka fired armor-piercing explosives that excelled at anti-ship combat using hit-and-run tactics.

While it could engage mobile suits, hitting moving targets proved challenging. During the Battle of Loum, many bazookas carried nuclear warheads.

Heat Hawk

Unlike the earlier generations of Heat Hawk, the version used by the C Type Zaku II was designed to improve efficiency in melee combat. It used a super-heated blade powered by the Zaku II’s reactor to cut through enemy armor. It could be stored on the waist armor when not in use.

Shoulder shield

A large composite armor shield mounted on the right shoulder provided additional protection. When the mobile suit assumed an optimal attack posture with minimal frontal area, the shield’s corners faced forward to maximize defense and create sloped surfaces to deflect attacks.

Known pilots

Char Aznable
Black Tri-Stars
Shin Matsunaga
Johnny Ridden
Frederick F. Brown
Cima Garahau

Behind the scenes

Okawara Kunio was the original mechanical designer.

The MS-06C was first mentioned in Gundam Century and Mobile Suit Variation without visual depiction. Since it was described as Zeon’s main mobile suit until the Antarctic Treaty, the Zakus shown during the colony drop in the original series were presumably C Types. Later media portrayed the MS-06C as visually identical to the MS-06F.

Appearances

Mobile Suit Variation
Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO: The Hidden One Year War
Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 603
Mobile Suit Gundam: Pilot’s Locus

External links

MS-06C Zaku II Early Production Type on the Gundam Wiki
MS-06C Zaku II Early Production Type on MAHQ