Original Stormtrooper Helmet

I'd love to see an original stormtrooper helmet in person. I love to the fact that this one has been screen identified to.
 
Thanks! All of the props at the exhibit were extremely hard to photograph due to the crowd and reflective acrylic cases. I'll go back when I have a chance and bring some dark fabric to help block some of the reflections and add an update. If anyone has specific angles they'd like to see, let me know and I'll try to get them. There are also some other SW props there, Kenobi's robe, Darth Vader stunt helmet and suit from ESB, Luke's amputated hand and light saber...
 
Some great photos of that ESB Stormtrooper helmet. I absolutely love that lid - despite it having the dumb parch on the back. I rememeber when I had my hands on it all those years ago I did try and give it a bit of a tug to see if it might be prised away - but unfortunatly it was stuck pretty solid.

Not sure if its public knowledge yet as have been out of the loop for a while, but theres a pretty amazing complete set of armour coming up soon that would go with that helmet rather well

Thanks for sharing those photos

Cheers

Jez
 
Jez,

Do you remember if the striations on the decals are on the decals or are they caused from the helmet surface underneath? They (decals) appear to be rather thick, so I figured it was the decal itself.

trooperdecals.jpg
 
It's because they were silkscreened old school style.
The grid/texture is from the coarse knit silkscreen.
 
Not sure if its public knowledge yet as have been out of the loop for a while, but theres a pretty amazing complete set of armour coming up soon that would go with that helmet rather well

Hi Jez,

You can't just drop a teaser like that :lol

Do you mean a full suit will be up for auction soon?

Does the suit you are talking about come with or without a helmet?

Cheers Chris
 
Yes its an original suit, interesting in that its part ESB type 2 (ie RotJ styling) along with certain parts that are clearly ANH.

I for one wasnt certain of the ESB type 2 actually existed, despite Paul/Troopermaster continually telling me that they did - as had never seen any clear photographic evidence. Some here might remember I even went to see John Mollo a few years back to try and tie them down but apart from some vague references in his diary we couldnt find anything more concrete as to WHAT precisely they had made. There's a thread about it here somewhere.

Anyway, Paul was right as some photos came to light of the illusive "Type 2" at the ESB Premiere (with Harrison, Carrie and Mark) and I'm confident that this suit IS the one seen in that pic. Unfortunatlly theres no helmet but the suit itself is awesome

more info coming soon Im sure....

Cheers

Jez
 
When the term 'ESB type 2' is used, I think it gives the wrong impression that is was a second style of screen used ESB suit which is not the case.
Better terminology would be 'ESB era promo' as that is the only time we have ever seen them in use (not in the films themselves).
I also believe that the only reason this type of suit/helmet existed was for promo purposes. We already know that some misc. screen used parts got mixed into the promo stuff and vice versa for ROTJ.
However much like other ESB promo costumes/helmets for other characters, they have served as pre-cursors for ROTJ screen used items.
In other words, when they made some of the screen used ROTJ items, they were influenced by some of the ESB era tour pieces.
This is the case with Vader, Fett, troopers, and x-wing pilot helmets.


.
 
Gino thats incorrect. I've no interest in getting into a banal discussion with you but just suggest you go back and read some previous threads.

I actually drove to John Mollo's house and we went through his diaries. It stated there that there werent enough trooper parts left in order to film ESB so some "Mk2'" parts were made.

At that time what we couldnt do was specify what parts were made - but we DID know that some were made and used in production (and importantly budgeted for). In addition, the fact that one of these troopers turns up at the ESB Premiere just a few months later (along with another ESB set, with squib damage on its chest piece) is enough to convince me that they were used in the movie.

Bottom line is they didnt have enough so they paid out for more vac-forming in order to fulfil on that shot where the Falcon is leaving Cloud City. Im sure fairly soon someone will reveal an on-set photo which will back all this up.

Incidentially, the other set seen in the premiere picture (with squibbed chest plate) is pictured with this set in a couple of photos I have from the early 90's so we know they survived together. If I can release that photo then I will but can only do so if/when cleared.

Cheers

Jez
 
The only things mentioned in Mollo's notes were the refurb/repair of the ANH helmets/suits, not new suits being made.

Also, there were only 10 troopers used in ESB so there definitely were enough of them left over from ANH but most likely in need of refurb/repair as per the mollo notes.

Not to mention there is not one single ROTJ style ab plate (what you are calling Mk2) on any of the 10 ESB troopers.

Again, what you are referring to showing up at various promo events are a combination of screen used ESB suits and ESB era promo suits (that resemble and were the pre-cursor to the ROTJ suits).

.
 
So, you want to see an ESB MKII on screen?
web.jpg

web1.jpg

web3.jpg


You can see in the first photo that the helmet is an ABS square end frown and that the shoulder bells differ from ANH. The chest has the white rubber trim and the plastic shoulder straps are velcro'd in place. You can even see the velcro protruding from under the straps.

The second photo clearly shows the new hand plates. There are no visible stitches which indicates an elastic loop as per ROTJ and also a visible return edge on the wrist. The wrists also show that the last divot on the forearm detail is cut short which is how the ROTJ suits are.

The last photo clearly shows the forearms ovelapping (inside over outside). This again is how ROTJ suits were assembled and the ESB MKII shown above is it predecessor.
 
I for one wasnt certain of the ESB type 2 actually existed, despite Paul/Troopermaster continually telling me that they did -

Anyway, Paul was right

Not that it matters too much, but for the record I was in fact the first one to come up with that theory.

I'm sure Paul remembers.

I just let go all of that a long time ago as there is no point for me debating on internet forums, where no one convince anyone of anything.

Years ago I had our very own Rocko cap for me (from the HD ESB tv screening) the trooper from the carbon chamber scene but lost all of it, moving from one computer to another.
 
Boy I love it when everybody argues about stormtroopers,it brings back the old days.:p

Those screen caps which I have seen before sure are puzzling and have had me thinking for many a late night.

Come on Jez stop teasing us and show the suit already.lol.

Ben
 
Sorry HDPE, I am sure youre right. Either way it was one of those things that took a while to "click" with me but in the end the sheer weight of evidence (some of which Im glad to say I provided) convinced me of the ESB Mk2.

I guess there are some people out there who still cant see whats before their eyes :lol Great pics BTW Xenomorph.

Gino, I find it amusing you try and tell me about an interview that I alone had! There were two people in that room (and on the subsequent phone conversations), John Mollo and Jez Hill. You werent there, youre never there. Like Ive said to you before, go out and talk to the artisans who made this stuff, go inspect original pieces. Dont come to those of us who have done all this work and try and tell us you know more about the contents of an interview than the guy who was ACTUALLY THERE, who has the notes, photos and scans (and more than Ive displayed on my site).

Whatever happened they did not have enough complete sets to shoot the final Bespin scenes where 10 complete troopers were required, so additional parts were fabricated and at least one ended up in the movie. Maybe it was just one, who knows. Either way I'll be hapy to show off photos as soon as Im able to do so.

Cheers

Jez
 
Back
Top