MS-06F-2 Zaku II F2 Type is the late-production version of the MS-06F Zaku II, revised for fighting other mobile suits, something the original Zaku II was never designed around. It is the Zaku of Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (1991, U.C. 0083), and after the One Year War the same airframe was flown by Zeon remnants and by the Earth Federation Forces.
What it does in the story
The F2 went into production at several sites because new-model development had made a single line hard to secure, but it reached only a few fronts, among them the Solomon sector after it fell and the African front. Large numbers were never delivered and passed to the Zeon remnants, and the type, Federation copies included, fought in nearly every engagement of the Delaz Conflict in U.C. 0083.
What makes it different
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The chest was redesigned, and that is how you spot one.
The F type's armour around the cockpit hatch was fragile, so the F2 carries a new chest block. It is the feature that separates the F2 from other Zaku II models at a glance, ahead of the changes you cannot see.
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It was lightened and given more thrust to fight mobile suits.
The Zaku II was drawn up before mobile-suit-on-mobile-suit combat existed. The F2 cut weight and raised thruster output so the type could still answer a GM or a Gundam rather than only ships and armour.
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Part of the run was built to a common standard.
Units made after the United Maintenance Plan took effect share the unified cockpit and some parts with other second-phase Zeon machines. That made them easier to fly than older suits, and they were popular with recruits and cadets.
How big is it?
- Head height: 17.5 m according to Bandai's official spec
- 1/144: roughly 12 cm, covering the HGUC kit
- 1/100: roughly 17.5 cm, covering the Master Grade
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Frequently asked questions
1. How do I tell an F2 from an ordinary F-type Zaku II?
The chest. The F2's cockpit-hatch surround was redesigned because the F type's was fragile, and the new chest block is the giveaway. The weight loss and extra thrust matter more in use but are harder to see.
2. Why are there Federation-coloured Zaku F2s?
After the war the Federation acquired the type for training and as aggressor machines, because it was easy to fly. Both the 2010 HGUC kit and the 2002 Master Grade have been released in Earth Federation colours.
3. What is the MMP-78?
The F2's new machine gun, built with more firepower for use against Federation mobile suits. It feeds from a drum magazine, can switch to a box magazine of anti-aircraft rounds, and carries a grenade launcher under the barrel.
4. Did F2s carry bazookas?
Yes. The 280 mm Zaku Bazooka and the Giant Bazooka both appear on F2s, and Delaz Fleet machines were given the Giant Bazooka for ranged work during Operation Stardust. The bazooka can be stowed on the rear waist armour.
Background sources: MS-06F-2 Zaku II F2 Type — Gundam Wiki · 宇宙世紀の登場機動兵器一覧（0083 STARDUST MEMORY）— 日本語版 Wikipedia
