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The MS-06A was the first production Zaku II, but the MS-06F is the most commonly observed variant; Char Aznable originally piloted a red C, and the Black Tri-Stars piloted green and purple C's with Zaku I heads. The C-types were replaced by F-types early in the war.
Zeon pilots Johnny Ridden, Shin Matsunaga, Neuen Bitter, and Garma Zabi piloted MS-06F variants with their own distinctive colour schemes: crimson and black (Ridden), green with white head and left shoulder (Matsunaga), and tan and green (Zabi). Neuen Bitter's F had a single antenna extending from the "forehead" of the unit. The F series also featured the MS-06FZ Zaku Kai, which had a more "rugged" appearance. The Earth Federation used some repainted Zaku II units, MS-06F2s, primarily as Dissimilar Mobile Suit Combat Training " aggressor" units, although they also served excellently as trainers for the Federation's RMS-106 HiZack mobile suit.
The MS-06J variant was primarily used for ground operations, and often had camouflage colour schemes. The MS-06S Commander Type had a single antenna extending from the "forehead" of the unit (similar to Neuen Bitter's 06F).
The MS-06C Zaku II was deployed in UC January 0078. The C-type was considerably heavier than the later, definitive F-type because it was more strongly armored to resist nuclear radiation from the nuclear rockets it fired from its bazooka.
By UC February 0079, all C-type Zaku IIs had been upgraded into or replaced by the definitive F-type, which was lighter and had an improved electronics fit (since the electronics didn't have to be hardened and shielded against nuclear radiation and electromagnetic pulse).
The F-type Zaku II modified for ground use became the J-type (MS-06J), rolled out in late May and in service by early June. The J-type was lighter than the F-type by 3 tons and had minor differences in internal equipment fit, as well as being sealed for limited marine use.
The final revision of the Zaku II was the MS-06FZ Zaku Kai, produced late in the war. This incarnation of the Zaku was designed around the standards laid out by the Zeon United Maintenance Plan , and incorporated improvements in thruster design previously seen in more advanced models. Its ease of use was a boon for Zeon, which by this time was unable to field many veteran pilots due to massive losses.
The MS-06M Marine Type Zaku II was an operational failure - its unstreamlined shape and troublesome waterproof seals meant that it never worked the way it was supposed to.
The MS-06S Commander Type Zaku II had better thrusters and a more powerful nuclear fusion reactor, though not powerful enough to support beam weapons. The S-type was in use by aces like Char Aznable and the Black Tri-Stars.
The Zaku II in general was largely withdrawn from front-line service by UC December 0079, replaced on the front lines by more powerful mobile suits like the MS-09 Dom/ MS-09R Rick Dom and MS-14 Gelgoog . However, due to the vast number of Zaku IIs in service with Zeon, there were still many, many of these suits on the lines on the last day of the war, 31 December UC 0079, at the Battle of A Baoa Qu .
Main types only; a very large number of variant types exist
Unit type: mass production general purpose MS
Head height: 17.5 m
Base weight: 58.1 t
Full weight: 73.3 t
Generator output: 951 kW
Thrusters: 20500 kg x 2, 1000 kg x 2
Acceleration: 0.59 G
Sensor radius: 3200 m
180-degree turn time: 1.7 sec
Ground speed: 88 km/h
Armor: super-high tensile steel
Armament: heat hawk x 1
Optional armament: 280 mm Zaku bazooka x 1 (4 rounds), 120 mm machinegun x 1 (100 rounds), 3-missile pod x 2, cracker
Pilot(s): Slender, Denim, Gene, Kohm, J.Q., Crown, Akos, Tachi, Cozun Graham, Brenev Auggs, Shin Matsunaga, Johnny Ridden, Gerald Sakai, Lou Roya, Charlotte Hepner, Nikki Roberto
Unit type: mass production ground combat MS
Head height: 17.5 m
Base weight: 56.2 t
Full weight: 74.5 t
Generator output: 976 kW
Thrusters: 48500 kg total
Acceleration: 0.65 G
Armor: super-high tensile steel
Sensor radius: 3200 m
Armament: heat hawk x 1
Optional armament: 280 mm Zaku bazooka x 1, (4 rounds) 3-missile launcher x 2, 120 mm machinegun x 1 (100 rounds), 175mm Magella Attack cannon
Pilot(s): Norris Packard, Ash, Dell, Lou Roya, Charlotte Hepner, Nikki Roberto, Sandr