trooperexpert

Oh how funny.. the old I am lying to get a real costume form you ******** again John! GET OVER IT. I told you from the start I wanted it to make better molds from and was going to tear it apart. Cost of the suit was negligible as I would have made 2-3 times that... YES there are differences. YOU have a suit used for touring purposes. ****, even and ex LFL employee said the strapping did not match the suits he wore for LFL events. So, again puh-leeeeease... The suit is REAL.. I already told you there was a world of difference between coming off of the real molds which yours does, and a screen used suit, which yours is not. And I was offered that suit for more than I offered you back in 1999 and we all passed on it since it was not used in the film. I am happy to say I dont care about your costume as it is assembled differently, has a differenet strapping system and markings inside the suit dont match the other off white ones I have seen... Gotta go and take care of a work emeergency. Would love to stay and rip into you more, but.. life and death calls before arguing with mentally challneged people I am afraid... Matt

I am talking about the ANH armor not the ROTJ. Your suit is real, not screen used. You attempts to be funny and demeaning are lame and really just childish John. Sadly. If you people had 1/2 a brain, you would see that Braks already posted that he has the pic of me in the archive proving I was there.. Sheesh you people really need to learn to read... wow just boggles the mind... Matt BTW I wouldnot sign off on a tour suit anyway

If you do without my permission you will be banned. and you dont have it... That is a reduced size one I sent you.. nice try.. Real one is over 5 megs.. Seriuosly Art, Just start showing pics and adding to the pot please. You say it is not the piece, well come on. I am ASKING you not to prove me wrong here I could care less if I was.. BUT.. you are saying show the proof thats the part.. but you are not helping out by trying to solve the mystery.. Thats all we want is to solve it.. OK? Matt

Your attempts to sound knowledgeable are funny Art. Yay, I saw those bad pics too. Done quick and without them knowing. I can assure you they were not supposed to take those and the ****** quality proves that. I worked witht he archivists, both of them and also 2 others and we were told from the get go that we have to be in the pics. So Go there and they will tell you. Man you spout **** and spew it without having been there or anything. Just because someone took some **** shots you seem to think you know something.. YAY for you Art... Now again, start showing some proof either way, or go away.. Got it? Good... You are really just worthless and contribute NOTHING... Matt

Recycled PVC was told to us by industry prefessionals and we were told wrong. So sorry on that one. Cannot play a card for us being told the worng info and we apologized for that. As for the being in the pics it is a LFL rule. Now if others were allowed great... Not suppsed to, but the LFL rule stands true. I have many people that can attest. Of course I am dealing with some of the top people in the company and not little people there.. so whatever... YOU miss the point Art. If you are SOOOOO intent on saying it is not the part, YOU prove it wrong. Dont sit there and demand proof without chipping in to arrpove or disprove it. Your bring nothing here but wheres the proof??? I am not allowed to show some things as LFL has said I cannot. OK? Get it??? Sheesh man, start adding to the pot or get off it.. Matt

LOL.. How funny Art... Hamburger stacker Idnetifed and smaller one found to be correct as mentioned by the Mike H...Irresponsible? Oh please.. YES, everyone waits by the computer aching for me to release the armor info and pack details like it was a PPV event... PUH-LEASE Correct boxes found and was found to be incorrect as we were missing the indented details and did not post the pics. No reason to. So no worries... Jeeze man, sSpreading false details? Yeah thats what I am doing. Adding to the TE name? Oh please get over it! Ideintifed: Sandtrooper disk, Hamburger stacker, ANH helmet (first one to own one and then another), ROTJ screen used armor, shared interior helmet shots of ANH and ROTJ screen used helmets when no one else would.. the list goes on. So yes, I am all about the glory? Reason I dont share a ton is naysayers like you that DEMAND proof and then you come up with a half cocked idea and harp on it when there is no way shape or form to support it from pics and screen grabs. There is also something called deductive reasoning which I have used to identify originals correctly and you HAVE to use this when there is no other method avaiable. This is what is used when you have to and you know what? It works.. try it sometime. The results are amazing. Case in point: AA said that only 5 ANH helmets were HDPE and the rest were ABS. Since we found 4 ANH helmets in HDPE to date, deductive reasonng said that he was wrong and had forgotten what he had done. Low and behold 2 more ANH helmets were found and auctioned off. Deductive reasoning paid off BEFORE the orignals came to light. This was also found to be true when you looked at high res photos of the suits and could see missing paint. I also seem to remember telling you that the SET FOR STUN helmet was painted and you refused to believe saying the gloss was too high and HAD to be ABS and would not back down from that. Did you enjoy me being right when the helmet was found and was painted? So I am spreading disinformation huh? Gino said the same thing about the helmet that it had to be ABS. I also slammed Jez too for calling me the HDPE expert on the RPF and later he ate his words and his ***. Chaulk up another fine point and another naysayer being totally wrong and misled by andrew aintworthashit. Want proof? Hunt down originals. Thats what I did and was invited to see and identify ALL the ST armor they have left. Dont worry, the PROOF of me being there is coming. I could care less if people like me or not. If you dont like the info that I have offered and the originals I SAW, then dont use it. The main problem with pic taking at LFL is this: you MUST be in the photos when taking a pic and since I was called on to be prefessional and do a job there, I was allowed ONE pics since it was my birthday that day. I got the pic and I was happy. Going back will be to do more work and I hope I can before I go abroad. But in the end, the pics I get to take will be naysayed AGAIN and debated tot he ends of the earth as well I dont agree and that proves nothing.. so really.. what is the point anymore? Matt

...and I said start a thread, post the pics and do it yourself.. if you are so adament to prove it one way or the other, take the reigns! Come on man! Meant playfully not vehemetly... Matt

Man can you take a simple statement made about a strapping system I saw with my own two eyes in person and turn it into a statement about all I said and try to twist and contort it into your own words... My staement was about the strapping sytem. PLain and simple. No backpeddling as you so claim. Try adding something constructive please or are you always this negative and non helpful? Guessing on the strapping? Hardly my man. Hardly. The photo will be posted in the next day or so of me in the archives with the 2 ANH helmets I found and also some ROTJ and one tour helmet. Then you will see me there and the helmets and the fact that I am not lying about this. Never was and no need to. Been there, saw it, wore them, rubbed them, err... nevermind that last one.. TM, no I dont have the skill to use any drawing program on the computer so I will do my best to get to LFL as I am needed on one more project before I leave the country and live abroad for good. Once I get the photos I will post here, and you can all see. I even explained in the beginning that these are what I saw but may not be the ONLY strapping out there. Just what I saw. So again stop jumping and start reading. Braks- You seem to think that if the words 'this may be' or this is possibly' are not inserted into a sentance then it is taken as gospel and it pisses you off. Guess what? YOU have the problem then my friend. Your weird sense of what people are saying is really your issue to deal with. If you think it is saying one thing then wow, really... I am not telling you what to do.. but man get over it. PLEASE. People write the way they write and I and others are not going to change becasue you feel irrate about it. Gino- Better Idea. YOU do the comparison and offer the evidence and stop asking others to do the work. Agian, others have already said the smaller one was the item used. So the big one was not the one used maybe? But it is the item and basically juts a size issue. The item is the key and nothing more. There... Said it all and held my breath in one shot! WOO! Not trying to be inflamatory in anything I said but I am sure someones ire will rise... Matt

SEE! SEE!!??! ROYALE WITH CHEESE! LOL! Man I knew it!

Art- take a pack, burn it... bury it and then also crap on it and say its close enough.. WOW.. they were bad.. Aon piece hollow back with some things bolted on.. EEEESHHH Matt

man, you cannot even take a joke.. Pulp fiction royalle with cheese? Its a joke Howdy. Actually there were 2 different Molds for Kener figs.. Us and China/Taiwan depending on where they were released and some, very few were released in the US. I have a stormtrooper made in China and a Biker Scout from Taiwain.. Now when I said I found the part, its **** close but I did not say "THIS IS IT END OF DISCUSSION' weouldnt you agree that thing is so close it is scary? Also we have never found some of the other things and really cannot gauge a ton of parts becuase the orignals are all gone. I did see the SE packs and about barfed when I saw them. Total crap and I would not even save that from the trash... Again, it was a joke... Nothing more.. Laugh Dammnit... Matt

I AM playing nice. Again folks, I SAW these all and held them and looked them all over. I am not making this up to **** you all off. Matt

uh yes.. thats why LFL called me was to come down and Identify them. On these 6 suits, I saw, there were no straps on the outer edges. Again, reference photos and seeing them in person is entirely different. I am not saying some suits were not like this, but the ones I saw were all strapped and glued and not able to be adjusted in anyway shape or form. I know ROTJ from ANH thanks.. Matt/STE

OK, after a ton of soul searching It has come to this: I am spilling it. Now, this is what I saw at LFL. I know people think they see things in pics and I can tell you some of your are kinda close and others are WAY off. OK, the main item used for the strapping is: CANVAS. The strips are about 1 1/2" wide and as long as need be to make the armor fit. Here is where we start: -shoulder straps under the chest (epoxied) and connects to the inside of the back plate. -Shoulder plastic connector has a popper or snap glued ot a piece of plastic to the inside underneath and it is for attaching the shoulder to this. -Chest to cod plate: this is an area where it seems so simple and it really is. ONE single piece of cnavas epoxied to the inside center to and it connects to the center of the cod plateslightly overlapping but allowing just enough play for free movement. -back plate to kidney plate: same deal as above. One piece in the middle of the back plate to the center of the kediney plate. The kidney plate was attached with canvas strips to the center left and right and outside left and right (4 total strips) -the cod and butt were attached with a snap system on each end. the belt is canvas and it is NOT white, but off white bone color and the holster is pop riveted to the belt. The belt dangle boxes are attached with, you guessed it! Canvas glued to the boxes and attached to the canvas belt. could not see how as I could not see under the plastic belt facing. Now the funny as **** part. The four rivets on the left side of the armor are acutally not rivets at all. They are decorative little sewing deals. Some were flower shaped and some were star shaped. I am NOT KIDDING. Some had a mixture of both on one suit. I about **** myself when I saw this and laughed. They are metal and painted white. Now, I know the hero suits have had a harness system mentioned. These were not present and may be lost forever. I only found 6 suits, all in bad shape but complete with all armor and no helmets. None of the suits seen had the rivet holes on them or metal areas present seen in some photos. Could they be there? sure.. but we will more than likey never know. Armor thickness: .060 So please enjoy and this is really not open for debate until someone goes to LFL and takes pics.. which I am TRYING TO DO soon If possible. Just please use the info to make your costumes more accurate and correct. I am not going to answer a ton of questions on this as there really is nothing to say more really. Are there suspenders? No.. Is there a waist belt for the thighs to be held up? YES... But again this was done on the fly and they learned a ton making this movie to NOT strap them this way and they changed it for ROTJ. So this may not work for you if you plan to do a ton of trooping in your suit. Matt/STE

Thanks my man I apppreciate the kudos. We are doing our best for LFL and once done, funds in hand and also job rolled up and done, I am off to find my happiness. Matt/STE

The helmet could not be taken apart as it had the foam inside still glued and a little known fact that only someone that owned this helmet would know: the lenses were glued to the sockets.. so the choice became no choice. Had to be a one piece. hands down.. only a fool wold have taken this one apart. The first one I owned was missing the foam inside so no biggie... Also since the helmet was identified, I thought it best to leave it alone and not mess with the shape and look of the brow. so, no worries.. If you dont like it dont buy. But, overall it has the most crisp face on the originals I have seen around the eyes and tear areas... vocoder too. I also found the real helmet in one more scene, the opening raid.. trooper on the far right when four coming into camera firing at the fleeing rebels.. that makes this helmet used and identified more than any other to date. Matt/STE

Yes MIke Verta paid me to DRIVE to LA, first mistake he made. I had a driver and a witness.. We did not fly down (first lie from Verta). We spent 3 days driving down to GG studios. Now was Mike at GG studios when the helmet was scanned?? NO... was he there when the artist in charge of making this bust asked me in FRONT of my witness if GG could use the scan and pics for the protptype they were going to make? NO I have seen the helmet GG claims they used and it is NOT even the same width side to side as the set for stun helmet. GG is lying to me and when I asked about compensation the first time for the use of this, they said we cna gove you a free bust and a thanks.. Fine with me. Fast forward over a year later and GG decided to play dumb and claim they did not use this for the sculptures. (covering their assess) Now as far as a verbal agreement for the use of this? Never happened. I said to MIke that part of the deal was that I get a copy of the scan from day one. Not once did I ever promise NOT to use it for any reason. (Vertas second Lie) If he had asuper secret deal with GG studios, news to me.. Never heard of it, never asked.. never cared really. What I do care about is his half baked truths trying to paint me as a bad person and I violated and agreement. I said I had no plans to do anything yes, but plans change and let me show you something here. this is a email he sent and he is so out of touch with things as IF he wanted to talk to me about this, he could not even get his info straight. Even when I emailed him back, he did not respond. So again, he has an issue, heres a tissue... Email: Matt - Saw an errant post on RPF that referenced Gentle Giant's scan of the TIE helmet we did. Was that supposed to be public knowledge? I've not said anything in any of the threads, but I was wondering what the deal was there. Hope all's well. I recently saw a pic of your ANH armor which, of course, immediately on my "MUST HAVE" list... _Mike Verta Notice how he says nothing of a deal or anything regarding if these are being made. Bottom line is he thinks I am making TONS of money when in fact I am already $6200.00 in the hole just getting molds made and all. funny thing is when i tried to contact him, he says no call is needed and nothing to talk about. I am sure he is ****** since I would not let him scan the armor for his 'project' either. Funny thing Mike fails to mention as well (lie #3) is that he was only going to make 1 helmet for him when he told me had had planned to do 10 suits and helmets for him and some buddies willing to invest in the project. ANd where is the helmet promised to me Mike from this $100K project??? Still waiting... not holding my breath though.. better things to do than get into a pissing match. So, ask away.. I gave you the truth right here. Post it to the RPF if you want to. I could care less and people willing to roast me that know me can go and shaft themselves and you know who you are. Post this verbatim, cut and paste. I dont care... So there is the whole story and the whole truth. Yay you paid $5000.00 for a scan Mike. The probelm you also fail to mention is that I offered it to you for $1500.00 4 months before and you begged me to not sell the helmet until you got the chance in January as you were busy with making movie trialers... and I had to wait til May 4th.. we had the helmet sold (me and the ex) and it cost us $5k in interest payments as we were going to pay off the house and we both felt that the price was fair since we did you a favor by waiting... again something my witness and ex can attest to... Matt/STE

The lumps are in in it, but the bumps could not be put in. If I used a chunk of solid delrin as the master it would have shown up, but then the helmets would cost over $3K a piece. but with some ingenuity it can be added back in. This would require a ton of work and cost a ton more, but yeah it can be done. Matt makes magic happen.. Now buy one dammnit! LOL! Thanks for the kind words so far guys! Matt/STE

Ok, I know people want to see progress so here it is. base layer and white layer are down, mic tips are in and bottom trim is on. Eyes are cut out and so if the frown. Now all that is needed is a lens, foam, chin strap, and paint detailing and it is all done.. So look! Whatcha all think??? like it so far... Matt/STE

the correct color is the dark blue #15 and the other color is not french blue, but turquise blue, like on the set for stun helmet I used to own. Still looking for the color. for some reason I can only get the #15 here.. hmmm.. strange.. Matt/STE

I was only offered the face molds. The rest I was told, were sold off piece meal and there is now no way to get all of them. Sad. As for the packs, I do not know of the test shots. They may have been done, but we will have to see. The sad news is this: the orginal packs were destroyed and they only have SE 1997 packs in the archives. Saw them while I was there.. HORRIBLE looking and not worth the time to explain. Matt/STE

actually the white suits are not all white.. they are airbrushed to the high 9's with black and then some removed with scourung pads and were used in the forrest scenes as were the others.. both types were used based on what was found inside a beige helmet in the US. I have no clue why people think that it is highly accepted.. LFL burried almost all the suit when finished and kept the 19-20 we know of. Brandons helmet is white and has yellowed. This has been confirmed... It is not beige. Also, the suits were made by bermans and nathans.. the molds, the orignal ROTJ molds were found in the shop sometime in 1995 and were sold off. I was offered the dual faceplate molds back in 1997 for $6500 and am still trying to the find the seller to this day. He confirmed they were found there. I am pretty knowledgeable about this, and I have confirmed a ton of this with LFL. I dont know about your peoples story, but the stories of found on set, used by me and all seems a tad fishy considering LFL went to huge lenghts to get stuff kept a huge secret. I know almost all the helmets out there were tossed in the forrest and the people wnet back after the prodcution was o ver to retrieve them and mail them home. I have most of the info and I am confirming the rest as we speak.. takes time but it will all come out one day. Matt/STE

velcroed on is iffy, but what are the sraps made of? I dont have the dvds, lost them in the divorce so I cannot see and that photo does not have edge trim showing on it. I will see if I can borrow the DVDs from a buddy.. Matt/STE

I think that the theories you all have are good but the explanation is really too simple. The reason the ab detail is on upside down is that it fell off and was accidentally glued back on wrong. Also the chest does NOT have rubber trim on it. That is just the illusion of thickness that almost looks like trim. Sorry guys, the suit is anh/esb and not the poster suit. I have no clue on the helmet except to offer a theory. It could have been a helmet that got almost 100% changed and they needed it for the shoot and old George said, dont worry about it.. no one will notice Matt/STE

I can end the timeframe debate right now for you all. The poster was made the same time as the movie. How do I know this? Easy. Topps trading card #1 Red Series ESB header card is the same as the poster. Go check it out for yourself. Came out in 1980. Mystery solved. Nice thing to have a pornographic memory Matt/STE