Gundam

RGM-79 GM

★

By Jenxi Seow

Published

Updated

RGM-79 GM Mobile Suit Gundam version

The RGM-79 GM (also known as GM, pronounced as “Jim”) was the first mobile suit mass produced by the Earth Federation. It was a simplified version of the RX-78-2 Gundam, with the more complex and costly features removed. The GM and its variants continued to serve the Federation Forces for over fifteen years.

History

At the beginning of the One Year War with the Principality of Zeon, the Federation lacked any sort of mobile suits. The Zeon forces held the upper hand in the war with their mobile suits, the MS-05B Zaku I and the MS-06F Zaku II. The Federation scrambled to develop mobile weapons to counter the Zeon supremacy and produced the prototype mobile suit, the RX-78-2 Gundam. Due to the high cost of construction and the complex technology used, the Federation decided to strip some of the features for their mass-produced model. RGM-79 GM MS IGLOO versionRGM-79 GM MS IGLOO version The RGM-79[E] GM Precession Type was the prototype GM that would serve as the design foundation for the GM. The first GM unit were only rolled out in November UC 0079. However, the Federation’s manufacturing superiority and access to raw materials helped to speed up the production. The Federation was able to field enough units to retake contested territories on Earth and to participate in the Operation Star One offensive on Zeon’s space front. The Federation Forces had held the upper hand and the introduction of the GM units to the front lines assured their victory. The GM was succeeded by the RMS-179/RGM-79R GM II in the mid UC 0080s.

Design

The design of the RGM-79 GM was based on the RX-78-2 Gundam. Expensive and complex features of the Gundam were stripped for the mass-produced GM. The base frame of the GM was built for a fairly high mobility on Earth and in space. It also allowed easy modifications to provide specalised units for specific missions. RGM-79 GM cockpitRGM-79 GM cockpit Lunar titanium alloy was used as the armour material for the Gundam. Due to the complex nature of its refinement, it was not used for the GM. A titanium alloy was used instead. This alloy was easier and faster to refine. It is lighter than lunar titanium, thus reducing the overall mass of the GM. However, it was also less durable.

Armaments

The standard weapons used by the GM were a ranged weapon, a beam saber for melee combat and a shield for defence. However, certain missions might have special requirements that lead to a variation in the armaments used. Adam StingrayAdam Stingray’s RGM-79 GM

Beam spray gun

The GM’s main weapon was a BR-M-79C-1 beam spray gun, a less powerful version of the Gundam’s BOWA·XBR-M-79-07G beam rifle. The beam spray gun was the first mass-produced beam weapon, a technology that surpassed that of Zeon. It fired scattered shots that resulted in a reduced firing range but an increased spread of fire. This made it more effective in shorter ranges. BR-M-79C-1 beam spray gunBR-M-79C-1 beam spray gun While it was less power than the beam rifle, the beam spray gun still packed enough punch to destroy a mobile weapon in a single shot. Records have shown that it was able to penetrate the armour of a Rick Dom, one of the most heavily armoured mobile suits during the One Year War. Early GM models were equipped with machine guns due to the slow production of beam spray guns. By Operation Star One and the Battle of Solomon, the beam spray gun had become standard issue and some GMs stationed at the Federation General Headquarters in Jaburo were equipped with beam rifles.

90mm & 100mm machine guns

The two types of machine guns used by the GM were the HFW-GR·MR82-90 mm and the NF·GMG-Type.37/100 mm machine guns. The 90 mm machine gun had 20 rounds per clip. Exact ammunitions capacity of the 100 mm machine gun was unknown. It had lesser ammunitions capacity than the 90 mm but its had better armour penetration. Additional ammunition magazines were usually stored in the GM’s side skirt armour or in the shield, if they carried one. HFW-GR MR82-90 mm machine gunHFW-GR MR82-90 mm machine gun NF·GMG-Type.37/100mm machine gunNF·GMG-Type.37/100 mm machine gun

380 mm hyper bazooka

The GM used the Gundam’s BLASH·XHB-L-03/N-STD 380 mm hyper bazooka in situations that required heavy fire power. The bazooka was stored on a rack behind right shoulder when it was not in use. BLASH·XHB-L-03/N-STD 380mm hyper bazookaBLASH·XHB-L-03/N-STD 380 mm hyper bazooka

60 mm vulcan guns

A pair of fire-linked 60 mm gatling vulcan guns were mounted on either sides of the GM’s head. Each vulcan gun was loaded with 400 rounds of ammunition and fired at a rate of 1,600 rounds per minute. It was used primarily against light-armoured support units. Sustained fire from the guns could damage mobile suits and were often used in close distance combat.

Beam saber

The GM had a single beam saber for melee combat, unlike the Gundam which had two. The beam saber was stored in the recharge dock of the mobile suit’s backpack. Earlier GM models were equipped with the two beam sabers. The backpack was most probably converted to a single saber version to reduce manufacturing costs and to reduce power consumption. Power rating of the GM’s saber was 0.38 MW.

Known pilots

Variants

Behind the scenes

Kunio Okawara is the original mechanical designer.

Appearances