Plainsrunner Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 This is the beginning of my tour of duty log. I managed to get out to the Iron City Cosplay Day in Birmingham, Alabama. It is not a charity event, but it was a great opportunity for me to get out into the public in my armor for about 4 hours. The event benefits the Sloss Furnace museum and preservation, and professional photographers come out and do free photo shoots for everyone. I was also able to meet and connect with several members of the Alabama Garrison. It was the perfect first outing for my kit! My favorite photo of me from the event: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 All dark and mysterious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hausi Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 Great picture, great armor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted April 22, 2018 Author Share Posted April 22, 2018 Official Troop #1. Our Garrison was contacted by the 42nd OSS at Maxwell Airforce Base in Montgomery Alabama. We were asked to help them out with a video they are producing, and several of us answered the call of duty. I learned several things on this troop: 1. My belt is too small. It was too small when they sent it to me because I've lost a couple pounds since. One of our handlers fixed it with a velcro shim so that it would stay on. I've either got to get another belt, continue to use the shim, or lose some more weight. 2. The right side release buckle on my field pack is bad and won't hold. My pack started coming off after filming several scenes. In two of the three photos below you will notice I don't have my pack on. I had to ditch it the rest of the day since it wouldn't stay on. I've ordered black aluminum replacements. THOSE should stay on. 3. I really need to find the magic mix for my helmet. I still don't have any amount of articulation with the helmet. It essentially just sits on me without me being able to turn it at all. Would a band like the kind that are in hardhats work? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted April 22, 2018 Author Share Posted April 22, 2018 As a thank you for helping them out, we were each rewarded with base coins as a token of their appreciation! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted April 23, 2018 Author Share Posted April 23, 2018 Couple more photos. Keen eyes will notice my shoulder pouch slipping down in the second one. That's another costume glitch I'm working on now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 Sorry about the wardrobe malfunctions but it takes a few to get things right. All trial and error. Thanks for actually providing background on your troop! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted April 27, 2018 Author Share Posted April 27, 2018 Video from the Air Force! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted April 29, 2018 Author Share Posted April 29, 2018 Today was the Annual Huntsville Alabama Spina Bifida Bowl-A-Thon. I took the kit out again with some of the fixes from last weekend and they worked. The new field pack buckles worked great, the belt fix held. However, a new problem cropped up -- my mic didn't work. It was charged, the speaker was on, and all of the other basic stuff was correct. It just wouldn't work. I didn't even change any settings since last time -- but it decided it just wasn't going to troop today. So I shall be exploring and troubleshooting my audio issues this week. Anyway, despite the hitch the day was a lot of fun: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted April 29, 2018 Author Share Posted April 29, 2018 This field pack breaks my back after about an hour though. Not sure if there is anything I can really do about it though..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 On 4/28/2018 at 9:37 PM, Plainsrunner said: This field pack breaks my back after about an hour though. Not sure if there is anything I can really do about it though..... Suck it up and troop on! LOL, in all seriousness though, I wear mine as long as physically possible and then take a break. Sometimes I put it back on and sometimes I troop without it. I prefer the look WITH but you have to choose your battles. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted April 30, 2018 Author Share Posted April 30, 2018 2 minutes ago, Airborne Trooper said: Suck it up and troop on! LOL, in all seriousness though, I wear mine as long as physically possible and then take a break. Sometimes I put it back on and sometimes I troop without it. I prefer the look WITH but you have to choose your battles. Yep. I go with it for about an hour, then I take it off for a while, and then I put it back on. lol It's rough! I prefer the look with it on though -- just adds that extra badass to the look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 I go for as long as possible because once I take it off, it's hard for me to choose to put it back on! Hahahaha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted May 7, 2018 Author Share Posted May 7, 2018 A busy May 4th across the Legion I'm guessing! I did my official troop at the Children's Hospital of Alabama: Later that evening some of us went over to the Back Forty Beer Company for Star Wars Night to hang out unofficially: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 Looking good! How'd the 3PO head work out? Get lots of great reactions? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted May 7, 2018 Author Share Posted May 7, 2018 Yes! It attracts the photos for sure! I don’t have the audio installed yet but will sometime this week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hausi Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 Great pics! Good idea with the net to carry it around, although I would have loved to see a spine, would definitely add to the bad-ass/gore factor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 Birmingham Barons Star Wars Night on 5/18 Each time I troop I learn a little more about what works. A constant source of frustration has been the bucket and the headset. I'm sure most of you have experienced the battery getting in the way of you putting on and taking off your helmet. I'm also sure that this process presents issues with keeping your headset in the right position on your head. I solved both of these issues by moving the battery and the headset to a velcro mount in the front of the helmet under the mouth. I also solved the lack of control over my helmet by mounting a hardhat suspension (the inside straps) into my helmet and secured the mounting bracket with industrial velcro. I first tried hot glue but the process of putting on and taking off my helmet would break the mounts off. With velcro if they come loose you just put them back on. I tried my new configuration at the Barons game Star Wars night this past Friday. At any given time I had 100 people standing in line for pictures. This was the first time a large number of the Garrison officers were present to see my wife performing handling duties and they were amazed at the job she did. All kinks with the helmet have been worked out. The ONLY remaining issue is getting my voice effects loud enough to be heard in a public environment without resulting in feedback. I'm working on what urgently this week. Obligatory photo of the troop: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hausi Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Nice pic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 ** I also still have issues with my shoulders and upper back hurting with the field pack. I have ordered an upper back/neck support brace and will try that out on Thursday night. If that helps with the field pack, even just a little bit, then I'll be set from now on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper Posted May 25, 2018 Share Posted May 25, 2018 Did you add a sternum strap? It does help take some of the pressure off your shoulders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted May 25, 2018 Author Share Posted May 25, 2018 4 hours ago, Airborne Trooper said: Did you add a sternum strap? It does help take some of the pressure off your shoulders. Sternum strap? No I haven’t. Do you have a picture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper Posted May 25, 2018 Share Posted May 25, 2018 I just sowed nylon and parachute buckles and made my own. Something like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsrunner Posted May 25, 2018 Author Share Posted May 25, 2018 2 minutes ago, Airborne Trooper said: I just sowed nylon and parachute buckles and made my own. Something like this: You run it under the chest armor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne Trooper Posted May 25, 2018 Share Posted May 25, 2018 yes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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