Did it get the model number 78-2 during the prime airing or later?
if during, then were they planning from the get-go to create more Gundams models (RX-1, RX-3, etc...)?

The '-2' bit was a creation of the MSV articles circa 1983-'84, to distinguish it from the Prototype Gundam (78-1). In the original show's production notes, it's always just 'RX-78'

>>23387005
got it. thanks!

>>23387005
What is the tactical advantage of grilles on the shin guards?

>>23387529
blood drainage from stomping Zeek infantry and POWs

>>23387588
Probably the real answer, Tem Ray knew this machine was bitchin enough to easily mass murder zekes

>>23387529
cooling, lighter, spare parts from photon lab

>>23387529
RX-78 differs from basic GM in that it has extra power generation in the waist and leg area, so the leg vents are for cooling

>>23388631
why did the get rid of the extra power?

Its probably a dumb question but what does the 79 stand for?
I assume its the year they started work on it in UC 79 and the old Guncannon was a projected that started earlier in UC 78

>>23392000
They didn't, they just optimised it.

>>23392007
The problem with that is that the Guncannon is actually RX-77 and the Guntank RX-75, but the RX project only started in UC78, so they can't actually be references to the year.

>>23392086

And Origin went for the fact Guntank itself was made before the UC 0070s with the Guncannon following suit.

>>23392007
pretty much that, R stands for federation(renpo) and the X stands for experimental. then you have the year development began and the next number would be which line of models for that year.

so something like the RTX-65 prototype guntank began development in UC 65