Re: The Definitive Darth Vader Timeline. Screen/Tour/Promo/Museum Displays: ANH/ESB/
Here's a photo I took of a Vader tour suit on 10 December 1984.
ROTJ was screening in New Zealand, and I was a police officer in Tokoroa, central North Island. The cinema manager called into the station from his theatre over the street. He was all geared up as Vader, so I whipped him into the charge room and took mug shots. It was on a little half-frame 35mm which we'd send away to HQ when the film was full.
To my surprise Photo Section sent the picture back, and even enclosed the negative, which I still have. Dave Prowse was quite amused when I told him about it when he signed it some years back. I have posted this photo some years ago, and I remember one of the RPF members had it as his avatar for a while.
I remember trying the helmet on and being struck by the size and weight. Greg (cinema manager) was a short Vader and the robe must have been designed for ordinary folks or else it would have dragged on the ground.
Wonder where it is now.