My new "Red Leader" helmet :)

superjedi

Sr Member
Hi all,
Some of you may have read my previous thread about Wilco Models and the delay associated with my X-Wing helmet kit. All of that notwithstanding, it is a nice kit, and I wanted to show how it turned out.
I decided to do this one in the paint scheme of Garvin Dreis, "Red Leader" from ANH.

I painted it with an airbrushed coat of Tamiya Yellow Green, which is a really odd color. Depending on the light, it does shift from mostly yellow, to a greenish yellow. After the base coat, I misted it with Floquil Reefer Yellow. I misted it very unevenly, allowing more than 50% of the base color to show through.

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The mohawk and ram's horn areas were masked to remain raw white styrene. I masked off and painted the black and gray stripes on either side of the forehead area. Those were a monster to mask off!! :confused That part probably took me the longest. Once they were dry, I hand cut some stencils using some wide blue painters tape, and painted the weird red "rising sun" symbols, and the stripe down the mohawk, with Tamiya Mica Red. It's a little darker than just a normal red.
All four of those weird symbols are shaped differently!! I used some excellent "Death Star battle" screen caps someone posted a while back to gauge their size and shape.

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The wider stripes on the lower cheeks were masked and painted flat black as well. The smaller black stripes, as well as the thin white stripes around those "rising suns" were done in vinyl pinstriping tape. The black tape is 1/8" wide, and the white is 1/16" wide. I couldn't find any white in 1/16" so I laid a strip down on my cutting board and sliced it in half lengthwise. :lol

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The "sliced onion" symbols on the cheeks, the "yellow V" symbols, and the red "flying eyeballs" were vinyl decals that were custom made for me by a TDH member called Lucky31. Thanks, Scott!!! They came out PERFECT!!! :thumbsup

To finish up, I gave the whole helmet a light black acrylic wash, then sanded away some of the black, making it more uneven looking. All the little chips were actually scratched into the paint, then highlighted with Testors flat white enamel. A misting of dull coat was applied to seal everything.
I bought a $14 batting helmet and sliced out the padding, then used spray adhesive to put it into my helmet.

So now I have a nice companion piece for my Luke helmet. Having just finished this one, it makes me want to do more Red Squadron helmets!! Well, maybe someday. . . :)

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Thanks for looking!
Eric
 
Nice!

Love the weathering. I always think that is the hardest (but most fun) part of the paint job.

I like the vinyl decals too... might have to look into that (my current decals are off the ink jet water decal paper, which is nice, but blah, could do better)
 
Thanks!
Scott isn't a member here, but if you're interested in getting any info on some vinyl decals, I could let you know his email address.
I told him if he got registered here or checked out the Rebel Legion, there would probably be some interested folks.
 
Great build and paint application. Looks wonderful. I have two helmets in my collection and know what you mean about getting the bug to do more.
 
Nice choice of subject, and a great build. Looks as if you made the most of your episode with Wilco.

Thanks for sharing details about your process. Very impressive work! :thumbsup
 
I am considering buying a kit from them, or someone else. Is the helmet made from HIPS, you say?
Are you not afraid that the white sections will yellow?
 
Whoah!......awesome dome bro!! :thumbsup

Just to throw this on the table, Blackbok also does vinal decals and he's a long time member here.
 
Thanks all!
I've always thought Red Leader had one of the coolest paint jobs of all the pilots in the Battle of Yavin. :thumbsup

I am considering buying a kit from them, or someone else. Is the helmet made from HIPS, you say?
Are you not afraid that the white sections will yellow?

The kit is made from white vac-formed styrene. The whole thing has a light coat of Testors dull coat.
If it turns a little yellow over time, then it's just extra weathering. :lol
 
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