RX-79G Ez-8 Gundam Ez8

(Fanart by: Mark Simmons)

As the Earth Federal Forces concentrated their manufacturing efforts on the production of their new mass-produced RGM-79 GM units during the latter months of the One Year War, those mobile suits already fielded had to make do with what few materials were available. Since the RX-79[G] Gundams were themselves built using spare parts, there were no more spare parts left to effect repairs to heavily damaged units, and field engineers had to literally rebuild mobile suits with whatever they could find. When Ensign Shiro Amada's RX-79[G] was trashed in an attempt to stop Zeon's prototype Apsalus II mobile armor in November UC 0079, the Kojima Batallion's engineers and mechanics rebuilt his mobile suit with many improvised modifications.

The RX-79[G]Ez-8 Gundam Ez8 (short for "extra zero-eight") retained the same beam sabers in the legs, as well as the standard RX-79[G] hand armaments. However, its other fixed weapons were changed out, with a pair of 35 mm machineguns mounted in the head and a turret-mounted 12.7 mm anti-personnel machinegun in the chest. The Ez8's armor plating and placement was improved overall, and the traditional Gundam "V-fin" on the head was replaced with a sturdier communications antenna. The Ez8 did retain the backpack equipment rack from the standard RX-79[G], allowing it to keep its ability to mount parachute packs or other field equipment options.

Model number: RX-79[G]Ez-8
Code name: Gundam Ez8
Unit type: ground combat mobile suit
Manufacturer: Earth Federal Forces
Operator: Earth Federal Forces
Rollout: UC 0079
First deployment: UC 0079
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 18.0 meters
Weight: empty 51.5 metric tons; max gross 71.7 metric tons
Construction: lunar titanium alloy on semi-monocoque frame
Powerplant: Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 1380 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 53000 kg total
Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 0.74 G
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 5900 meters; optional parachute pack, can be mounted on backpack rack
Fixed armaments: 2 x 35 mm machinegun, fire-linked, mounted in head; 1 x 12.7 mm vulcan gun, mounted in chest; 2 x beam saber, stored in recharge racks in legs, hand-carried in use
Optional fixed armaments: 1 x shield, mounted on either forearm
Optional hand armaments: 100 mm machinegun, clip-fed, 2 spare clips stored on hip armor; beam rifle, powered by rechargable energy cap