Dra-C
The MS-21C Dra-C is a mass-produced space-use mobile suit created by the Zeon remnant group Delaz Fleet in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. Developed out of necessity during severe material shortages, this makeshift machine combines recycled components from existing units and operates conceptually closer to a mobile armor. Following the Delaz Conflict, surviving units remained in service across various eras, undergoing modifications and seeing action with factions such as Axis during the Gryps Conflict and the Neo Zeon remnant organization known as the Sleeves during the Laplace Incident in Mobile Suit Gundam UC.
Overview
The MS-21C Dra-C is a mass-produced space-use mobile suit created by the Zeon remnant group Delaz Fleet in Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory. Developed out of necessity during severe material shortages, this makeshift machine combines recycled components from existing units and operates conceptually closer to a mobile armor. Following the Delaz Conflict, surviving units remained in service across various eras, undergoing modifications and seeing action with factions such as Axis during the Gryps Conflict and the Neo Zeon remnant organization known as the Sleeves during the Laplace Incident in Mobile Suit Gundam UC.
Appearance
Constructed around a Zaku II F2 torso, the unit features a head designed with an expanded upward field of view and antenna, connected to a backpack derived from a Gattle hull. Spherical fuel tank thruster pods are attached to both shoulders, while the lower body replaces walking legs with thruster modules integrated with propellant tanks. The right arm is swapped for a shrouded vulcan gun, and the left arm mounts a warship-armor shield. Tire landing gear is fitted underneath, while Sleeves variants sport pink and purple paint with chest engravings.
Abilities
Powered by its Gattle-derived backpack, the machine possesses straight-line acceleration comparable to the Rick Dom II, high power-to-weight efficiency, and easy maintainability. However, the lack of AMBAC-capable limbs results in poor maneuverability, and its fragile structure leaves it susceptible to self-destruction from combat impact. Armed with a right-arm 3-barrel 40mm vulcan gun, it also carries a shield-mounted beam saber powered by an internal auxiliary generator and cooling unit. The Sleeves version replaces the right arm with a long-barrel gatling gun that doubles as an extended sensor array, greatly increasing search capability.
Background
The Dra-C was developed at the Garden of Thorns facility by the resource-scarce Delaz Fleet during the Delaz Conflict. With only about thirty units built, it was primarily assigned to feints, reconnaissance, and fleet number inflation rather than front-line mobile suit combat. Despite its hasty construction, surviving units endured well beyond the war. Gray-painted machines were fielded by Axis during the Gryps Conflict, while the Sleeves repurposed modernized pink-and-purple units as perimeter patrol craft during the Laplace Incident. Unarmed variants were also recovered or produced by Anaheim Electronics for industrial work.
Trivia
In model kits, the Dra-C was released in the HGUC line, with its Sleeves and Custom variants made available as limited items. The distinctive hairstyle of Chuatury Panlunch from Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury led fan builders to draw comparisons to the machine's spherical shoulder thruster pods for custom projects. Additionally, specialized variants have appeared in expanded universe works, including the web series Anaheim Laboratory Log and the picture drama Mayfly of Space 2.