Gunner, rebel fleet, navy trooper helmet project

This is a project that unfortunately was put WAY back on the back burner over a year ago

But... I'm making some progress again

I did a test pull on the chin and the comm box. I'm happy with the comm box. I won't be able to put my trim lines in there until I can fit one to a helmet.

The chin still needs some work but it's close.







I still need to do some clean up on the other molds before I can do some test pulls.

looks good!

So the holes on the master help make sure the plastic gets sucked down into the recesses? Neat.

Looking forward to the navy trooper helmet

Nice to see yet another maker of the RFT helmets.

I hope you don't mind me saying that the comm box can still be improved. You've got some really nice reference images there. Good that you got the little dots on the wheel - only very few makers see those.

Yea, Cal! I have been waiting for a really nice gunner and navy trooper helmet. I know you will do excellent pieces. Glad things have smoothed out for you. Put me on the future want list for one of each.

Thanks!!


Making progress









This is still in prototype phase. Incrementally it has been a prototype for the flight technician with just the dome and then the defender without the black portion on the forehead and now the fleet trooper.

The black portion I have on there right now is black ABS. I believe it is supposed to be dark acrylic and will be making it as such as soon as I get the new molds done for the forehead and get some acrylic. I also need to trim the back of the dome up underneath the tail but I left this one alone because the dome will be my pattern for the technician. A few of my lines aren't perfectly straight either but I'll fix those.

Now I will work on assembling one of each of the rebel helmets and then work on a gunner helmet.

Your progress is coming along just fine

This is the next prop I'd like to get for my collection, Your helmet rocks moncal

Thanks guys! I appreciate the kudos

I did some more test pulls yesterday for the gunner helmet. I need to do some more sanding on the chin portion and then pull another test and see how it looks.

I also did some more tests on the fleet helmet. I can't decide if the black portion on the forehead should actually be acrylic or black ABS. I think it should be acrylic although it's more expensive and more difficult to work with. I did pull a test piece of acrylic and it does work fine ... although I need to get a darker shade.

One thing that won't work... which I thought would is the black lens on the forehead... flipping it over and using it for the actual lens. If I want to be accurate to the film, the shape is all wrong so I'll have to make two different molds for those pieces. One specifically for the lens that stays down. SDS makes his so it looks like it's the same shape as the white portion on the forehead which isn't accurate.. although since it's that shape he can flip it around... but I'd like to stay true to the film versions.

As soon as I can build one of each I'll post some pics and maybe what I'm saying will make sense

Everything looks great so far.

Can't wait to see some more pics. Keep up the good work!

Hey those pics look great! So these will be kits at some point?

Looking really good - nice job!

Cheers

Jez

Thanks for the compliments! I really appreciate it
I will be able to offer kits... just wanna make sure I'm happy with my prototypes first

I'm still out of plastic and patiently waiting for my supplier to get more so I can do more test pulls

I know this isn't a helmet but it's part of the outfits


I've been doing some more research and realized my first designs were wrong for the belt boxes. There is only one style of belt box. It's used by the Rebel Fleet trooper, Death star gunner, Imperial officer, Imperial flight technician, Navy trooper.. and probably others.

Here is a set before painting:









And after painting:









Here are a few reference shots:

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=deepskyblue]WOW, that looks really nice. I have only worked on the Imperial TK and Clone costumes. But that is a piece of art good job![/COLOR][/FONT]

Thanks T.O.D.


I cracked up when I spotted this so I had to share

No offence - But the corners of your boxes are too rounded ( if that's a word ). They need to be sharper. Is that do-able?

MonCal said:

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Thanks T.O.D.


I cracked up when I spotted this so I had to share

I'm hoping thats a woman given the hair/shoes.

Otherwise it looks like Freddy Mercury or someone from Queen made the scene.

I joke, but actually, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody was filmed at Elstree at about the same time as ANH (although I know this scene was filmed down the road at Shepperton)

Cheers

Jez

BingoBongo275 said:

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I'm hoping thats a woman given the hair/shoes.

No, it's a dude. That's the 70s for ya!

BingoBongo275 said:

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...

Otherwise it looks like Freddy Mercury or someone from Queen made the scene.

I joke, but actually, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody was filmed at Elstree at about the same time as ANH (although I know this scene was filmed down the road at Shepperton)

Cheers

Jez

Naaah, Freddie actually sung "Jaws was never more seen and I don´t like Star Wars..." in "Bicycle race", so chances are pretty slim

Maybe the KISS-Army came to fight side by side with the rebels ?




Michael

Less rounded corners aren't feasible with vac-forming. sorry
The originals were fairly rounded too actually as they were bent metal but aren't sharp.

There are only a couple characters who wear the belt boxes horizontally but I went ahead and made that version too :

Bumpo !

Any progress on the Gunner helmets ?

Michael

I'm interested too..

Please hold off on the 'I want one' posts. He can post an interest thread in the JY when he is ready.

MonCal said:

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Less rounded corners aren't feasible with vac-forming.

If you want sharper corners, make a negative mould