MS-06F Zaku II F Type Solari Custom

The MS-06F Zaku II F Type Solari Custom was a customised mass production general purpose mobile suit used by Iria Solari of the Red Wolf Squadron during the One Year War.

The “MS” in the model code stood for Mobile Suit.¹ The “06” meant it was the sixth in the mobile suit development line, whilst the “F” indicated that it was the F Type variant of the Zaku II. Solari’s unit was designated “Red Wolf Alpha” as the squad leader’s mobile suit.

History

The MS-06F Zaku II F Type has been the mainstay of Zeon’s mobile suit force throughout the One Year War, with numerous units assigned to regular pilots as well as special operation MS teams, such as the Red Wolf Squadron. Iria Solari received her customised Zaku II F Type as part of her assignment to the Red Wolf Squadron, an elite mobile suit team operating in the European theatre.

The Red Wolf Squadron was stationed in the Romanian region during the latter half of UC 0079, conducting reconnaissance and strike missions against Earth Federation forces. Solari’s unit served as the squad leader’s mobile suit, coordinating operations for the other Red Wolf members.

During the Battle of Cluj-Napoca, Solari’s Zaku II F Type was destroyed by the Earth Federation’s experimental RX-78(G)E Gundam EX during a surprise attack on the Zeon military headquarters. Following this loss, Solari would later pilot a MS-06Rb-a Zaku II Unidentified Type assembled from salvaged parts.

Design

The MS-06F Zaku II F Type Solari Custom was based on the standard MS-06F Zaku II F Type, but featured several distinctive customisations that identified it as belonging to the Red Wolf Squadron. For Zeon’s Red Wolf Squadron, each member’s Zaku II F Type features different color schemes and are equipped with customized right shoulder shields as a common feature. Solari’s unit is painted in light brick-red color.

The most distinctive feature was the dual communication antennas mounted on both sides of the head, resembling wolf ears as part of the unit’s wolf motif. It has two communication antennas on both side of the head which resemble wolf ears, and has claws painted on its feet as a wolf motif. These enhanced communications equipment allowed Solari to better coordinate her squadron during operations.

The mobile suit retained the standard Zaku II proportions and mechanical design, with head height 17.5 meters and the characteristic mono-eye sensor system. Weight: empty 56.2 metric tons; max gross 74.5 metric tons matched the standard F Type specifications, with Armor materials: super hard steel alloy providing protection against most conventional weaponry.

The powerplant was a Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 976 kW, providing sufficient power for extended operations. Propulsion came from rocket thrusters: 43,300 kg total (2 x 20,500 kg, 2 x 1,000 kg), giving the mobile suit good mobility with a 180-degree turn time 1.7 seconds; maximum ground running speed 160 km/h.

Armaments

Shield

The Zaku II F Type was equipped with a shield, mounted on right shoulder as its primary defensive armament. This shield provided protection against beam weapons and physical projectiles whilst not impeding the mobile suit’s mobility.

120mm machine gun

The primary ranged weapon was the 120mm machine gun, drum-fed, a reliable projectile weapon effective against most Federation mobile suits and vehicles. The drum magazine provided sustained fire capability during extended engagements.

Heat hawk

For close-quarters combat, the Zaku II F Type carried a heat hawk, an axe-shaped melee weapon with a super-heated blade. The thermal energy was generated by the mobile suit’s reactor and transmitted through the manipulator systems, allowing the weapon to cut through enemy armor with ease.

280mm bazooka

For heavy assault missions, the mobile suit could be equipped with a 280mm bazooka, providing significant anti-mobile suit firepower. This weapon was particularly effective against heavily armoured targets and fortifications.

Missile pods

Optional fixed armaments: 2 x 3-tube missile pod, mounted on legs provided additional firepower for specific mission requirements. These could be mounted on the leg hardpoints for increased offensive capability.

Known pilots

• Iria Solari

Behind the scenes

Original mechanical designer(s): Kunio Okawara (Mobile Suit Gundam version), Hajime Katoki (Cucuruz Doan’s Island version), Kimitoshi Yamane (Requiem for Vengeance version) were responsible for the various iterations of the Zaku II design.

The Red Wolf Squadron concept and Solari’s customisations were created specifically for Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance, representing the first time the classic Zaku II design was rendered entirely in computer graphics animation for a full series.

Gunpla

Bandai released the High Grade Requiem for Vengeance (HGRFV) 1/144 MS-06F Zaku II F Type Solari kit in 2024, featuring the distinctive wolf-themed customisations and enhanced articulation designed for the computer graphics animation.

Appearances

• Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance

External links

• MS-06F Zaku II F Type on MAHQ
• MS-06F Zaku II F Type on the Gundam Wiki

Footnotes

1. Mobile Suit in Japanese is kidō senshi, hence the use of “MS”. ↩