Origins of the AA/SDS Armor
- Thread starter jeezycreezy
- Start date
GINO
Sr Member
I've been quietly sitting on the sidelines of the discussion for awhile and I thought now would be a good time to weigh in with my opinion.
My opinion after reviewing the pics is that the majority of the armor is recast from some version of TE/GF stuff and altered to try to make it "more" ANH style. The only piece that looks like it may have been scratch built is the ab plate cover.
I'm willing to bet that some of our critiques here on the rpf were and are being used by AA to aid in his altering. EX. The lengethening of the belly plate stem. It is for reasons such as this that I keep the majority of trooper info I have close to my chest.
I have been studying ANH armor for some time now and there are specific things that I look for that would identify original pieces. Most of these tells are not anything that I discuss publicly (and for good reason). Unfortunately all of the SDS pieces are missing them which believe it or not bums me out. It would have been cool for at least a couple of the parts to be taken from original pulls.
With that being said, it's really disappointing that this armor is being touted by SDS as being taken from the original film molds. To me, that is just intentional misleading and only further cements my beliefs about ANY claims AA has made in the past in regards to the sources of his products. Not that I didn't already know before.
It may not be very clear to the casual trooper fan, but to the ones who have been obsessively slaving over reference for years it is obvious as day that this stuff is recast and reworked from someone else's already reworked parts.
I say keep the photo comparisons coming.
My opinion after reviewing the pics is that the majority of the armor is recast from some version of TE/GF stuff and altered to try to make it "more" ANH style. The only piece that looks like it may have been scratch built is the ab plate cover.
I'm willing to bet that some of our critiques here on the rpf were and are being used by AA to aid in his altering. EX. The lengethening of the belly plate stem. It is for reasons such as this that I keep the majority of trooper info I have close to my chest.
I have been studying ANH armor for some time now and there are specific things that I look for that would identify original pieces. Most of these tells are not anything that I discuss publicly (and for good reason). Unfortunately all of the SDS pieces are missing them which believe it or not bums me out. It would have been cool for at least a couple of the parts to be taken from original pulls.
With that being said, it's really disappointing that this armor is being touted by SDS as being taken from the original film molds. To me, that is just intentional misleading and only further cements my beliefs about ANY claims AA has made in the past in regards to the sources of his products. Not that I didn't already know before.
It may not be very clear to the casual trooper fan, but to the ones who have been obsessively slaving over reference for years it is obvious as day that this stuff is recast and reworked from someone else's already reworked parts.
I say keep the photo comparisons coming.
CWR
Well-Known Member
GH,
If you want me to remove this pic let me know, but I thought I would entertain the notion that if you just change the vertical detail above the chest box and the three smaller boxes below the chest box it would look identical. I took out the color in the picture and pasted the details onto the GF midsection and this is what I got.
If you want me to remove this pic let me know, but I thought I would entertain the notion that if you just change the vertical detail above the chest box and the three smaller boxes below the chest box it would look identical. I took out the color in the picture and pasted the details onto the GF midsection and this is what I got.
Ghost Host
Sr Member
No problem CWR. I presented them to be used. Believe it or not I'd like to know the truth, too.
I just sent Jeezy a few more comparisons...
I just sent Jeezy a few more comparisons...
GF
Sr Member
Hello Everyone,
I'm 100% convinced that the AB plate, Chest, Butt/Kidney plate, 1 side of forearm, AB button detail plate are direct recast from my suit or copy of my suit.
I noticed that AA made many changes since the recast issue. He modified the chest lip, extended the vertical stem on the AB plate, slightly modified the ab button plate which still derives from his first version which was indentical to mine.
I scratchbuilt the whole rectangle AB area and the button detail plate that goes over that area, I find it strange that the SDS has the same features and errors I made. Mine has a grooved line inside edge of rectangle with a small indented rectangle and not movie accurate, Look photos on p.9 showing the inside of AB plate, the SDS is indentical to mine including the small indented rectangle. On the originals the whole inside section of rectangle was indented, unless he copied the same mistakes I did which I doubt. those parts are definetely recasts.
The AB button detail plate is also recast which he now modified, the ridges are way to high and thick, my ridges are "V" shape grooves a design error of my part, you can see the same "V" design on the SDS seen on p.9
of this thread.
AA inserts snap buttons on existing formed buttons, he now removed the button alone of the top of the ridges which is usually formed within the part, but now puts a real button in place. I also see many some othe parts which seem reworked to
disguise recast, but the parts I just mentioned I'm convinced they are.
GF
I'm 100% convinced that the AB plate, Chest, Butt/Kidney plate, 1 side of forearm, AB button detail plate are direct recast from my suit or copy of my suit.
I noticed that AA made many changes since the recast issue. He modified the chest lip, extended the vertical stem on the AB plate, slightly modified the ab button plate which still derives from his first version which was indentical to mine.
I scratchbuilt the whole rectangle AB area and the button detail plate that goes over that area, I find it strange that the SDS has the same features and errors I made. Mine has a grooved line inside edge of rectangle with a small indented rectangle and not movie accurate, Look photos on p.9 showing the inside of AB plate, the SDS is indentical to mine including the small indented rectangle. On the originals the whole inside section of rectangle was indented, unless he copied the same mistakes I did which I doubt. those parts are definetely recasts.
The AB button detail plate is also recast which he now modified, the ridges are way to high and thick, my ridges are "V" shape grooves a design error of my part, you can see the same "V" design on the SDS seen on p.9
of this thread.
AA inserts snap buttons on existing formed buttons, he now removed the button alone of the top of the ridges which is usually formed within the part, but now puts a real button in place. I also see many some othe parts which seem reworked to
disguise recast, but the parts I just mentioned I'm convinced they are.
GF
jeezycreezy
Well-Known Member
troopermaster
Well-Known Member
OK,here is a pic TE has just sent me for you all to see.
SDS knee is exactly the same as TE's...no doubt at all.
troopermaster
Well-Known Member
The seperate kidney plate and butt are the same as TE's too,and he's willing to show his moulds to prove it.
DrStranglove
Sr Member
Wow.
exoray
Master Member
One thing that strikes me very interesting is notice on all the inside pictures of the SDS how the "detail areas" that differ on the AB plate from GF's seem to be very dirty and full of bumps, almost patch work? The mold in that area is uncanny sloppy and uniquely different from the rest of the overall mold, to say the least...
This same uncanny feature seems to prevail through most of the SDS pieces, in the "different" areas...
This to me indicates a possibility of reworked areas, with a neglect for the finer details... I find it highly improbable that it's just a coincidence.
This same uncanny feature seems to prevail through most of the SDS pieces, in the "different" areas...
This to me indicates a possibility of reworked areas, with a neglect for the finer details... I find it highly improbable that it's just a coincidence.
exoray
Master Member
In regards to my above post about tell-tale signs of reworked areas, here is a quicky picture, on the left I have highlighted was to me looks like a dead on sign of bondo that was not sanded 100% smooth, leaving a high edge, on the right is the untouched image... The shadow/highlight line across the top edge on the "added" feature is clearly visible as well.. It's almost painfully obvious (to me at least) that a glob of bondo was added in this area to change it up from the GF part...
OldKen
Master Member
i agree with exoray,
as soon as i saw that pic, i thought that little pointless bridge looked like an addition... but why if not to just make it "different?
i think that my theory is right, its a mix of things, but appears as far as im concerned that GF and TE pieces are both most deffinately part of this mixmatch frankenstein of a TK suit.
wow.
finnally we are getting somewhere other than the eternal paradox of an arguement that has been this topic.
ive got a feeling, more is to come, now that GF and TE are taking notice of their own handiwork...
as soon as i saw that pic, i thought that little pointless bridge looked like an addition... but why if not to just make it "different?
i think that my theory is right, its a mix of things, but appears as far as im concerned that GF and TE pieces are both most deffinately part of this mixmatch frankenstein of a TK suit.
wow.
finnally we are getting somewhere other than the eternal paradox of an arguement that has been this topic.
ive got a feeling, more is to come, now that GF and TE are taking notice of their own handiwork...
