New Monsters in Motion Rocketeer Helmet

[Magnus Darcrider]

Monsters in Motion are offering a fibreglass finished helmet on their website now for about US$450.00.

Do any of the finheads who hang out around here have any info on this one?

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider

 

[dualedge]

I don't have any info on the new helmet but I can say it looks pretty accurate in it's shape. It's about the same level of accuracy as the cheaper resin version. But since it apparently comes already finished, it's probably not something many people would want to rework to be more accurate.

For whatever it's worth, the original screen-used helmets were resin and not fiberglass if that's an issue of accuracy that's important to you. It is to me but I've always been a bit obsessive about Rocketeer helmets.

Personally, I'd stick with the resin version just for the sake of being able to get it cheaper and to be able to make it more accurate but that's just me.

Hope that helps...

 

[Magnus Darcrider]

Thanks for that.

While I see the logic in grabbing a resin version, it's not something I could finish myself, and I've been having a hard time trying to find someone who would help me out with it. I know MiM have finishing services, but I'm not sure what they cost or how good they are.

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider

 

[jedi.si]

I've just finished the kit one and I'd rather have that and finish it myself than pay the extra $$$ for this

 

[Lost in Trek]

I've just finished the kit one and I'd rather have that and finish it myself than pay the extra $$$ for this

How difficult was the kit?

 

[jedi.si]

How difficult was the kit?

Easy enough mate, it comes as one piece plus the lenses, it just needed trimming with a sand bit on a dremel (or similar). I drilled round the lens part and sanded flush, same with the air vents, and the bottom needed sanding all around, basically it's a really good piece, it's fibreglass inside and resin outer from what I could tell. There were a few small bobbles on it that took seconds to sand out, it really is a quality piece.
The lenses I heated with a hairdryer until flexi and pushed them in place using a towel to equal the pressure across the lens.
Then simply prime, spray gold and weather with thinned black paint brushed on and wiped off leaving a weathered finish.
Here it is weathered waiting for lenses, I also sprayed metal mesh (car body filler type) black and glued it behind the mouth and air vents

 

[dualedge]

Here are some pics of the last one I finished... I've done about a half dozen of them. I put quite a lot of hours into it. There are accuracy problems with the resin version - the thickness of the eye and mouth openings are much too thick and have to be thinned. Beyond that, most go for a more idealized "clean" helmet whereas the original helmets were very heavily weathered. You just can't see it in the film well because the bright lights reflect off the gold paint and the weathering virtually disappears. The screen-used hero helmet in the current Profiles in History auction is mine, actually, so I speak from a bit of knowledge about them

 

[dualedge]

How difficult was the kit?

It really depends on how much effort you want to put into it. You can do a fairly quick and dirty finish job in a day if you like. I usually put a minimum of about 20 hours into the ones I finish to correct for inaccuracies and to try to make the paint job look as nice as I can.

 

[moffeaton]

You're getting rid of your screen used helmet?

 

[dualedge]

You're getting rid of your screen used helmet?

Unfortunately, yeah, the time has come to part with it. My wife and I want to have a second child and between some debt we've got and the state of the current economy, we decided to make some (painful) sacrifices to put us in a better position to do that, God willing. I mean, if you've gotta pick your regrets, I figure giving up a nice prop is less of a regret than putting off (or even giving up) our wanting another baby. That's my line of thinking that lead to this rather difficult decision for me.

I never EVER thought I'd see the day I'd part with it but after looking at all of our options, this is the best one. And realistically, I suppose I can't take keep it forever anyway and I can still be appreciate it from a distance... I'm hoping it sells for enough to merit the sacrifice though. There's stiff competition and the economy isn't doing great so it's not the ideal time to part with it from that perspective.

 

[NEKROFANATIC]

I love my MR one and the $200 price tag on it made it all the sweeter. Sorry you have to part with your SU one tho' Dualedge, its a beaut to be sure, but at the end of the day, it ain't family.

 

[rocketeer25]

Well, if you have to part with it, I can't think of a better reason. :thumbsup

Good luck with the sale!

Unfortunately, yeah, the time has come to part with it. My wife and I want to have a second child and between some debt we've got and the state of the current economy, we decided to make some (painful) sacrifices to put us in a better position to do that, God willing. I mean, if you've gotta pick your regrets, I figure giving up a nice prop is less of a regret than putting off (or even giving up) our wanting another baby. That's my line of thinking that lead to this rather difficult decision for me.

I never EVER thought I'd see the day I'd part with it but after looking at all of our options, this is the best one. And realistically, I suppose I can't take keep it forever anyway and I can still be appreciate it from a distance... I'm hoping it sells for enough to merit the sacrifice though. There's stiff competition and the economy isn't doing great so it's not the ideal time to part with it from that perspective.

 

[dualedge]

Well, if you have to part with it, I can't think of a better reason. :thumbsup

Good luck with the sale!

Thanks, guys! I do at least still have the prototype helmet so that's something (I guess I should start a separate thread about all this so I don't cause Magnus's thread to be too derailed...)