It was well known, even before the battle of Jaburo during the One-year-war, that RB-79 Ball was nicknamed “Flying Coffin”. Although historical technical review had revised opinions in praising its mobility and long range fire power, it was in close combat that it was the most deadly, to the pilot unfortunately.
As similar to all inferior weapon tactics, such as the one the Allies used against superior German tanks in WWII (that Sherman tank units were ordered only to attack German Tigers if and only if having a 5 to 1 numerical superiority), Balls were deployed in packs. It was performing well on hit-and-run tactics for supply convoys. But for close combat operations during the major space battles during the One-year-war (Jaburo and A Baoa Qu), in a 3D battle filed pack operation of Ball units literally meant deadly friendly fire due to close quartering, and easy target for enemies. The more than 80% pilot death rate (estimated as no record can be found) for a Ball pilot in those battles had elevated this weapon to the status of ‘Kamikaze’ weaponry.
I strongly object all later historical commentaries in the effectiveness of Balls deployment during the One-year-wall:- I see it as a cover-up approach to neglect the high death tolls by using such ineffective weapon for major battles (and no further weapon development for Ball during the next decade proved the fact as well). It was simply incorrectly deployed, asking a fighter type weaponry to perform the task of MS, which saw limited contribution in space battle. The Ball pilots who died should deserve better judgment on what they were given as their weapon: simply a flying coffin.
More on RB-79 Ball:-
http://gundam.wikia.com/wi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
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