butcherbird

I'm not sure what thickness the foam is in the original helmets, but I ordered a "Foam Bed Topper" (Twin size, 1" thick, B-Grade) from this place: http://www.knoxfoam.com/ They also have 2" and 3" thickness but that seems too thick to me. The photo on their website shows an accurate yellowed color, but when I received mine it was white. However, it is starting to turn yellow now. Don't know if that's from aging or light exposure. They don't ship international, though. It's pretty easy to cut it up into the star (or flower) shape. -Todd

Seth - this might have been covered already (if so, sorry) but is the orange pauldron material still going to have a texture/grain to it, or were you able to find something smoother? Thanks -Todd

Just wanted to bump this back up since I got the book a few days ago. All I can say is...wow. This book is incredible. It's the book I've been waiting for since I was four years old. Finally a full and detailed account of the making of my favorite movie. I feel like a little kid again! GREAT BOOK.

That's looking like a good start. Man, I can't get over how awesome that helmet turned out. I would maybe take it down a little on the dirt, but that's just me. I prefer the subtler "less is more" approach. Some guys look like they've been pulling manure duty in the dewback stables. Keep it going and thanks for sharing the updates. -Todd

Looks awesome! That helmet is superb, great weathering job by your friend.

Dude...that MA trooper...uh...I think I just fettled my tumblehome.

Looks great. Congrats!

Gino - Thanks for the input. I would just say that IMO what people like Paul are doing (and I don't mean to speak for him at all) is pretty firmly based on the pursuit of "artistic/historic//purist/anal-accuracy", and not merely practical costuming. To me, that kind of label would be better suited to FX-type items, where it's more of a general "stormtrooper" look rather than a specific look based on one specific movie. As far as I know (and correct me if I'm wrong), TE is the only one who claims to have seen authentic ANH armor in the LFL archives. Yet his "ANH" armor, especially the forearms, differs pretty drastically from what I can see on screen. I sincerely hope that one day an original ANH trooper suit will surface (preferrably screen identifiable) and we can all get a chance to unlock the mysteries. -Todd

Just for the sake of semantics, how can something that looks the most like what is seen on screen not be considered the most screen accurate? It either looks like the movie or it doesn't (or "less like" the movie, if we're going to talk degrees of accuracy). Construction materials aside, if it walks like an ANH trooper and quacks like an ANH trooper...it's an ANH trooper. No intention of argument, just trying to seek clarification. -Todd

I bought my Humbrol paints from here: RedFrog Hobbies HUM- 21 Black HUM- 15 Midnight Blue HUM- 5 Dark Ad Grey

Wow, thanks Braks! Check out their knee plates. Maybe it's the angles but it almost looks like they're all a different size.

Well, since nobody's posted this yet...

"From a certain point of view" is a totally apt description for this (not to mention the movie quote tie-in). I'm just a Joe Schmoe-type myself, but my thoughts have always been that there were certainly alterations made to the original 1976 Stunt helmet molds, either to make new versions (e.g. Hero, serrated tube-prototype, etc.) or to refurb any damage from continued usage. The real mystery to me is what the status of the molds was from 1976 through 2005, as far as condition, deterioration, damage, etc. As has been stated many times, AA's marketing statements were misleading in that regard. All marketing arguments aside, the real assessment of the lasting "value" of AA's helmets comes from two main criteria IMO: 1) That they were made by the same guy who originally made them for the film. 2) That they may have come from an original mold, even if that mold was drastically altered from its virgin 1976 Stunt condition. How much those considerations are ultimately worth to you will vary from person to person. -Todd

Just for clarification...when you guys mention the American Accents "Slate Gray" do you actually mean "Slate Blue"? I was at the hardware store yesterday looking at paints and they had AA "Slate Blue" that looked pretty good. Also, as someone mentioned in another paint thread here, the ACE Hardware Enamel "Wedgewood" looks close, too. -Todd

I just noticed this thread today. I'm definitely in for these. One of each color if possible (orange/black/white). -Todd

Wow, that's interesting Gino. This is one of Matt's glossy suits, so I guess maybe it's your faceplate. And sorry this comparison is using your V1, but it's all I've got. Send me a V2 and I'll be happy to use that instead! -Todd

Not at all, John, feel free to use them. I would think that line you mentioned would just be a trimming/assembly thing, but that's odd if you said you tried to adjust for it and it was still the same. The only major difference I can readily see is with the back swoop area on the TE from the side view. It has more of a pronounced "hump" and undercut than Gino's. Maybe Matt fettled his tumblehome. -Todd

Man, that stuff looks really nice.

Thanks everyone. Nice job on your AP Rolf! Paul is right, it's kind of a trick question since all of these helmets (supposedly) derive from the same source, just different generations. Differences in trimming and assembly (and molding skill) account for the discrepancies. They're all the same size. The one detail of the meatsock that I really like is how the right eye (when facing the helmet) is trimmed out. The way it turns up slightly as it comes to a point at the bridge of the "nose". For some reason that just looks cool to me. -Todd

I had some free time so I took a few comparison shots of some of my helmets. These are (in order) a Gino, a TE, and the dreaded meatsock. Wish I had one of Paul's to add in here (soon!). I also have an AP stunt and a AA/SDS stunt but didn't have time to shoot them. Can you spot the differences? Gino sandtrooper: TE glossy: Meatsock77 (ABS): {SMILIES_PATH}/peace.gif

I think at some point along its evolution the FX armor thighs became more barrel shaped. The current thighs look much wider than the older ones did. I had an FX armor from back in the GT days (late 90's) and the thighs were closer to normal. I've even seen some FX suits where the thighs were so wide it looked like they were walking on stilts. Maybe there were just a lot of people requesting thigh shims so someone modified the molds. ???

Wow Rolf, your suits look awesome. Great job on the TK! -Todd

I agree 100% with Seth's comments. I REALLY hate the bickering and mudslinging aspect of the trooper hobby. Obviously someone who deliberately copies/recasts items for their own financial gain or prestige should not be tolerated nor their actions condoned. But, as Seth alluded to, with the amount of YEARS Paul has spent researching and refining his sculpts (quite openly I might add), how could it be outside the realm of possibility for him not to be approaching a screen accurate replica? With the number of clear photographs of film-used helmets available and now with high res screen references, it wouldn't seem crazy for someone with sculpting talent to be able to recreate those items VERY closely. I give a lot of credit to Matt for having the balls to take apart a screen-used original helmet and cast it, and a lot of credit to Gino for continuing the quest for perfect film accuracy with the best set of molds from props with film lineage, but to me what Paul is doing is of no less value to the hobby.

Wow, I never would've guessed those sandtroopers were played by The Strokes.