The good, the bad, the mediocre.... and some pointsA comparison of HT BD Mk.3 review against HT very own first batch first version of IM Mk.3 (which has spawned 2 other figures MK2 and Gunmetal using very similar mould with slight variation).
Almost all parts (exterior) of the MK3 have changed except for maybe the head sculpts/face plate/hands sculpts/feet/abdomen/pelvic/thighs.
HT BD Mk3 Improvements, "the bad" and the "so-so"(changes apart form the obvious Arm/Shoulder/Hip/Chest/Air-break gimmicks):1. Added a ball articulation at the neck base, added breakage to the neck (soft rubber & hard plastic parts), moving light LED/batteries/switch to hard-plastic neck (Pic_7, bottom, Pic_6, left). Same ball neck size between the old and new Mk.3 but the New heads ball-socket is about 4mm higher/deeper (Pic 7, Pic_8 and Pic_6, left). Heads seems to be the same sculpts released as before with Mk.3 and Mk.2. (Pic_7, top). Using BD Mk.3 heads on the older body, may not be all that suitable, will result in shorter than usual neck.
2. Shoulder from a minimal horizontal forward & backward movement to a ball socket on BD Mk.3. Shoulders were also lowered to accommodate the micromunations pod, this cause the shoulder armor to be block by the clavicle armor (Pic_1,
red circle), when you bring the arms in close to the body. My copy's right clavicle armor popped-off (Pic_1,
green box, HT's bad QC) to show you the bad alignments causing shoulder armor to be pushed to the side at the left shoulder but not on the right (missing armor). The closes the arms to the body without affecting the shoulder armor is to lower the ball joint so the armors parallels as in Pic_6, right.
I will mod BD Mk.3 to increase the height of shoulder armor a little, over the clavicle armor.3. The heel armor of BD Mk.3 does not move to accommodate the foot being pushed back as the old Mk.3 (Pic_4). It'll instead split open the leg as shown.
I will mod this too.4. The arms can bend further from about 80 degrees to a-bit more than 90 degrees. Hard elbow joint not rubber covered in BD Mk.3. Wire from the batteries for the LED at the hand is exposed (Pic_3,
green square). Switch moved from the upper arm to the forearm (Pic_3,
red circles). Slimmer right elbow joint to accommodate the thick gimmick of the right forearm.
5. Maybe not so obvious, an additional flap that can open on the BD Mk.3 (Pic_5).
6. This is minor, the movable part of the chest armor was not retained (Pic_1,
blue square). Understandable with the replaceable/switchable armor and the "improved" ball socket shoulder.
7. Edit: Actually (upper thigh twist) of the legs on BD Mk.3 (Pic_2, left)
and legs of the old body have
the same approx. 70 degrees to turn outwards (Pic_2, right). However the joint was was quite tight on the BD mk.3. and be careful when you have the countermeasures at the hip deployed out as it may damage it when turning it.
8. Other points:
a) Seems same rubber/flexible material is retained for the abdomen and pelvic, but with better painting/finishing. Let's see it'll stand test of time or not.
b) Seems same pelvic and limited mid-abdomen articulation.
c) Insertion of air-breks and chest-plate are quite hard.
Ratings:
Gimmicks/Accesories: 5/5
Articulation: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Sculpt/Painting: 4.5/5 (Head sculpt fiasco/not-so random decals of bd effect)
Overall: 8.25/10
Pic_1
Pic_2
Pic_3
Pic_4
Pic_5
Pic_6
Pic_7
Pic_8
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Reversion on Abdomen articulation on BD Mk.3..Much-much improvement and changes to the abdomen to both exterior rubber and interior. The improvements are:
1. Almost TT-like range... can twist, turn, compress-extend sides (very minimal) & abdomen-front and back,.....seems to have at least a mid-torso TT joint range. Range of the abdomen is like Mk.4.
2. Exterior rubber coverings at the abdomen compose of 2 layers (was 1 with Mk.3 ver.1). Top layer borders the pelvic line, bottom internal layer extendes from the T of the pelvic to about mid-way up the abdomen. 2nd layer is exposed in Pic_9.
The abdomen is new, contary to what I review earlier...
Pic_10 posing for the abs range...
Pic_9
Pic_10
With this discovery, I change my articulation marks to 4.5/5
Overall points will therefore be.... 9/10.
more......
new missile assembly for the left-arm of BD Mk.3. Full missles/1 mid-point support (instead of 2 at sides). Right arm still uses the one on MK.3 ver.1/Mk.2.

update 17/5/2010: Dissecting BD Mk.3.
http://www.xl-shop.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=6816&start=62