1970s

Dear Paul, Do you have any pictures of the "V" strap you were explaining - I did not totally understand. thanks, Jack Vartuli redfox@optonline.net

I stand Corrected! Thanks for that awesome picture of the armor in the box. It is great. Thanks, Jack Vartuli RedFox@optonline.net

Dear Paul, I just wanted to show the guys that picture because it was good photo reference of the snaps that hold on the Belt. Also, It looks to me kind of like the abdomine plate and the crotch are seperate - the only reason I say this is because where they meet I don't see the edge that's present on most peoples armor - I'm not adoment about this - it's just a guess be me. Look forward to your ANH armor when it's complete. Thanks, Jack Vartuli RedFox@optonline.net

Dear All, Thanks for the remarks - I want to especially thank troopermaster - I used many of his photo's and through looking at his armor photo's and compairing them to on screen scenes and ANH photos - somethings came together - he is truely a TROOPER EXPERT! It was mentioned that in ESB that the arm armor was all connected and used velcro as closures - Did you mean that from the shoulder to the Forearm ( all the pieces are connected with an elastic strap? An that the Forearm and Middle arm parts are not glued closed but do use velcro to close? If so - that's not what I thought but thank you for shedding light on that for me. I'm sorry I forgot to pick up that photo from my parents house today - I'll get it tomarrow and put it up - But just for all you to know the Photo I was speaking off is from about a year ago - Empire Magazine (Sold about the time when Star Wars III came out) came with a special Star Wars collecter Book (which was the size of a small panphlet in terms of pages). This Book had a 2 page spread that had Luke and Han (with George Lucas standing between them) wearing the Stormtrooper armor minus their belts and helmets. Standing infront of the elevator on the Death Star. If any one has this and can scan it in and put it up I would appriecate it because I do not have a scanner and will have to take a photo of it - and the quality will not be as good. Thanks, Jack Vartuli RedFox@optonline.net

Hello all, I am appalled that anyone would have information about strapping and armor and not share it - that's what forums are about and for. Your just wasting time and space if you are here and not willing to share. With that said I would like to share what little knowledge I have aquired about strapping. But before I do I would like to state this information has come from others and is not mine nor do I make claim to it being my revelation to you. A lot of the photo's and information has come from troopers such as Troopermaster. O.K. - First - The strap (as seen in my first picture on the left side) commonly used to connect the front chest armor and the upper back plate on the side of your body is not correct. Stormtroopers had straps connecting the upper chest armor and the abdomine armor to keep it in place as seen in the picture below. This strap is either screwed or rivited into place on the small ridges at the ends of the two pieces of armor (Chest and Abdomine). If you look close at the film you can see the holes coming through the at the lower ridge of the chest plate where this connection is made. I have included a picture below to show you. If you are watching the scene in ANH where Luke and Han are aguing about going to save the princess (they are in the room above the Falcon wearing the stormtrooper costumes without the helmets), at one point Han Solo sits down and you can see his chest armor bend almost 90 degees because of this connect in the strapping. Second - the shoulder straps (ribbs) that connect the the Chest Armor to the Upper Back Armor are only connected to the Chest Plate of armor. They are glued on and hang freely over the Upper Back plate. There is not glue or velcro connecting the the ribbs to the upper back plate of armor. All the connecting is done underneath the armor. There is a strap underneath that connects the front Chest plate and the rear Upper Back plate. This same strap has snaps on it to also connect your shoulder armor. Now I know your thinking if I do not attach the ribbs to the back upper armor with velcro or something - they will stick up in the air - well in Star Wars ANH they got around this problem by just strapping it down with a common rubber band. If you look close at the movie shots I have or if you bust out your copy of the movie you can see the rubber band holding the Ribbs down and this interior strap in place. See the Pictures below. Third - The belts were connected to the armor via snaps. You know how we all have those little square bits of plastic with the circle in them that attach to the belt - those pieces hide the rivets or screws they used to connect the plastic ammo part of the belt to the actual cloth belt that goes around your armor. The 2 end ones should have the Female snape connected to the inside - behind the cloth belt so you can snap the belt to your armor and hold it in place. This helps alot if you are going to holster a heavier Sterling Blaster made out of the sterling parts kit. I have a picture from ANH that shows this snap - I will try to get up by the end of today. But if you look at the scene where Luke and Han are just out of the garbage compactor and are putting on the Stormtrooper belts - If you look in the background at the layed out Stormtrooper armor, you can see these snaps on the abdomine plate. See picture below. Fourth - The Canister is attached to the belt via metal straps that rap around the canister. These metal straps can be seen at the bottom of the canister on the stormtroopers in most of the movie. See picture below. Fifth - I don't have a photo for this - sorry all. The lower leg armor is not connected at all in the back. There is no velcro or any other type of connection. The right and left halves of the armor meet and then there is a piece of plastic that runs down the center. This plastic strip is only connected to one side and the other just fits underneath. Since the right and left sides are connected in the front via the same type of plastic strap (but glued to both sides) the armor seems to stay in a position like it is actually connected but it is not at all. If you look at the scene where stormtroopers are coming into the Blockade Runner at the beginning of ANH - you will see this part open and close as the troopers are running up the hallway. Sixth - This is a straping part that I do not know how it is connected. But in many shots during the film, you can see a white strap coming out of the lower Abdomine plate that connects the upper leg armor. I do not know how this strap is connected inside or where it connects to in the abdomine plate. If anyone knows could you shed some light on this for me. See picture below - Stormtrooper on the right side. Seventh - I do not know how or why the Rivets or buttons on the side of the abdomine plate are there. If someone knows exactly what they are and why they are used - I sure would like to know. One thing I have noticed is there is 3 white ones on the left side of the abdomine plate and 3 white ones on the same side of the lower Back plate. Two of these rivets/buttons are hidden underneath the belt. On the right side of the abdomine plate there is 1 single Metal (steel) button or rivet near the top (usually hidden by the upper chest armor coming down over it). See picture below. Eighth - This final piece is about armor and not strapping - But I believe (at least on the Hero versions of the armor that the abdomine plate of armor is seperate from the Crotch plate. Everyone knows how it is impossible to bend forward and sit when these are 1 plate - I submit (as refered to above) Han Solo Sits in his Stormtrooper armor and when Han and Luke both jump into the trash compactor (if you slow the scene down) it looks like the Crotch plate bends forward of the abdomine plate - as each actor crouches to jump in the garbage chute. I will add a picture latter that is an off camera shot of Luke and Han talking to George Lucas in front of the Elevator, that goes to the detention area where the princess is, they are wearing the stormtrooper armor with out the belts and you will see the snaps for the belts and it looks to me as if the Crotch plate is seperate from the Abdomine plate. Again - I'm trying to share what little knowledge I have gained to help others so we can all have an accurate set of ANH armor. I cann't believe some people can be so childish! If anyone has more information or any type of corrections on what I have posted here please give it. thanks, Jack Vartuli RedFox@optonline.net

Thanks, jack

He guys, I was just thinking - if any of you have the Boy Scouts backpack Frame to make your Backpack - you know how you have to cut off the upper part of the tubes (on the right and left side of the frame, that are above the upper cross bar) that goes above the top main box. I wonder if after they (the original prop makers) cut these off they may have used them for the small side tubes on the right side of the Main upper box. They could have done this by cutting them down into 5 smaller tubes. It would make sence too because they would have had the extra tubing from the Boy Scouts backpack Frames. The look about the size of the small tubes that are on the sides of the main box. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks, Jack V. RedFox@optonline.net

Hi Guys, This has been in my dad's basment for many years - I believe this tray came from a refridgerator or a cooler - It looks similar to the main boxes but not exact - Maybe the main boxes acutually came from another type of cooler or refridgerator? See pictures links below. If someone knows how to add pictures could they add them for me. Thanks, Jack Vartuli RedFox@optonline.net http://www.kermit2.ex-line.com/wp/1970si/Box1.jpg http://www.kermit2.ex-line.com/wp/1970si/Box2.jpg http://www.kermit2.ex-line.com/wp/1970si/Box3.jpg

If you watch the scene right before the fire fight - you can see a shot of it at the reverse angle - that part (tube) that is coming out the top is the same as the backpack connector - just cut down a bit. Thanks, jack

Hi guys, I wish I could screen capture - but if you got to the seen in Star Wars ANH where Luke and Han Solo just killed everyone in the detention area and Han Solo is talking to someone at the console - You'll notice that the part on the console that Hand Solo is touching is the Backpack Bellows Part. If someone can screen capture - could you put it up. Thanks, Jack Vartuli RedFox@optonline.net

Dear Mike, Will you be making these new parts and the radio face for sale? Thanks, jack

Are you goning to make these parts also for sale? Thanks, Jack

Are the available for sale? If so How much for each? Thanks, jack RedFox@optonline.net

Hi there, I got mine - and they are great - Just wondering what color and brand blue spray paint is the lower main pack color? Let me know when you get the radio part ready - I'm interested. Thanks, jack

Nice armor pictures! Thanks, Jack RedFox@optonline.net

Anyone out-there with TE Armor - Could I see some photo's - Close ups, and full body shots - whatever you got. thanks, jack

Are the main Box Dimentions 12 1/2" wide, 8 1/4" high, 2" deep? I would like to purchase some of your parts - Please save my email for when your ready. Thanks, Jack RedFox@optonline.net

Dear TD 2479, Is that Tupper box for the Trooper pictured above on the left side with the orange paldron? Is so, Could I see a picture of the other sides of the box and could you give the dimentions? thanks, Jack RedFox@optonline.net

I'm Interested in a set = 2 X BLACK & 2 X GRAY = 4 Thanks, jack vartuli Redfox@optonline.net

Dear All, I have an idea - if you look at some of the side shots from the screen reference - you can get a rough idea of scale from looking where the boxes lye on the armor. For example - to me it looks as if the both of the 2 main boxes that are on top of each other start around the square in the back plate of the armor and end at the top of the Butt Plate. If you take into consideration that most of the sandtrooper pictured (from screen Shots) do not have the Upper back Plate of armor and the Lower back Plate over lapping at all - There is a rough distance the both the 2 main boxes are covering. Cut that in half and that should be roughly the size of 1 Main Box. I'm new to sandtrooper.net - could someone go over all the parts that are know - I just don't want to have missed any. thanks, Jack

If you think about it also = the dimentions of the marmit backpack main boxes - 12 X 9 x 3 is perfact for an 8" X 10" photo (Photographic paper) do be developed in. thanks, jack

Hi there, I believe the Back pack main boxes are made from Photography Developing Trays - I have not been able to locate trays exactly like the ones on the Sandtrooper backpack. If anyone knows the exact trays used - let me know. I have an ebay link below so you can see some Developing Trays that are close but not exact. From my calculations from the Marmit sandtrooper - each tray should be roughly 12" X 9" X 3" - at the top and they taper down to the bottom making it a little smaller. This would make each set of boxes attached together about only 6 inches wide and the upper and lower boxes together only about 18 inches in total height. See the link below. http://cgi.ebay.com/DEVELOPING-TRAYS-6- ... dZViewItem

Dear Trooperexpert, Could you post a picture and give the sizes you have for the Tupperware Clear Storage Container for the trooper on the left? thanks, Jack Redfox@optonline.net

Will you sell any of the vacuformed parts when you finish? thanks, jack