Comments
Wave's second offering in their continuing new MAK series of injection plastic kits. These kits are snap-fit but it is advisable to glue all parts. Made from light olive green plastic, moulding of parts was excellent with no flash. Parts fit is ok although some parts were hard to press together. Detail is excellent. Wave have also updated the gun nozzle in the MkII suit and now you have a choice of the old "camera" style gun nozzle or a more rounded, funkier version.
Similar to the AFS Luna Pawn, the AFS MkII was the main production suit for the Mercenary forces on Earth until the larger, more powerful SAFS MKI suits.

Still missing from the WAVE kit boxes are the data/camouflage card and suit information that was printed on the bottom of all the old Nitto boxes.

Other variants to come are the AFS Polarbear - an AFS modified for cold weather climes and the AFS MkI.

Kit Details
Manufacturer.................WAVE
Released ......................2007
Scale............................1/20
Series No......................MK-05
No. Pieces...................81 plus decal sheet with 4 different unit markings.

Instruction sheet
Sprue A
Sprue B
Sprue C
Sprue E
Sprue F
Sprue H
Decal sheet

WAVE Vs. Nitto
A quick comparison between the old Nitto AFS Mk.II and the new Wave kit reveals several small detail differences and a slightly narrower front than the Nitto kit. Both kits go together almost identically, with the exception that the Wave kit does not necessarily need to be glued together as it is a snap-fit type kit. Decals are very well done and give the modeller several different unit markings compared to the smaller set that came with the Nitto kit. Both kits are produced in an olive green colour. The visor glass provided by WAVE is clear whereas the Nitto kits' visor is tinted a dark brown colour. As mentioned earlier, the WAVE AFS has a narrower front, approximately 1mm narrower. WAVE's AFS also has a more pronounced frontal slope. Nitto's kit is closer to Kow's original scratchbuild but the WAVE version looks better. Sadly missing from the WAVE kit are the nice weld seams. These added a more realistic look to the suits. WAVE have also ommitted the holes for the small hoses that run from the back of the feet to the back of the calfs (the hoses were included in the Nitto kits as black plastic coated wire). Holes for the hoses on the arms are also missing. WAVE have remodelled the hand which was probably the single biggest weakness with the older Nitto kit. It is somewhat larger but more realistically posed. WAVE have provided rubber joints which are fine for the role they are intended (snap-fit), but I would think most modellers would replace them with joints made from putty for a more realistic finish. WAVE have also replaced the springs used as hoses in the Nitto kit with rubber versions which are ok, but once again should be replaced with real springs.

Comparisons - Note the righthand model is the Nitto kit.

Front comparison
Left side comparison
Right side comparison
Rear comparison
Top comparison
Feet comparison

Wave's website is here

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