Rocketeer BackPack

[paulrw]

Having recently finished the run of Indiana Jones Holy Grail replicas I'm preparing to go where plenty have gone before, by producing 1:1 scale X-3 Rocket Pack from the Film 'The Rocketeer'.

The Rocketeer has been a favorite film of mine since it was released back in 1991 and I have wanted a replica costume for many years, but I could never afford the ACME kit so I will build one myself.

I'm going to try and make this as screen accurate as possible but my access to info is limited to what I've found elsewhere on this forum, and the Sideshow Premium Format sculpture, the dimensions of which seem a bit iffy in places to say the least.

I am planning to cast the finished pack in cold cast Aluminum and it will feature a full leather harness which will be styled after the stunt Harnesses that seemed to use velcro rather than buckles.

I know there are some hardcore Finheads here and I would welcome any advice guidance or comments especially if I'm making any glaringly obvious and catastrophic gaffs.

I'll be posting pictures in this thread as the project progresses.

Kind regards

PW

Mammoth FX

 

[Berserk]

good luck!! It will be a cool project to do!

 

[mikey123mushukl]

I can not wait to see your progress. I make a pepakura based rocket pack that captures the essence of the rocketeer but is NOT screen accurate. Each rocket pack i make has been customised to the specs of my clients. I have only made 3 so far. There were some detailed dimensions of the rocket pack available on the RPF a few years ago. I would recommend that you PM evil Rocketeer or finhead for a link to the official dimensions. Feel free to check out my pepakura rocketeer build photo album on my RPF profile page. PS i found a great source for the vent at the center rear of the rocket pack. It is a aluminum cover for eXterior stair step low voltage lighting, that is available at most hardware stores.

 

[paulrw]

Thanks Mikey,

I'll check out the aluminum cover, and see if they do a similar item here in the UK.

I love your Rocketeer costume - that's a great finish on the Rocket Pack looks like real metal !

Kind regards

PaulW

 

[Sundowner]

I attempted this project last summer and got so frustrated, I tossed it. I hope you have a better outcome than me lol. It looks like you have a few pretty good references to work with.

I used these with rubber tubing wrapped around them and a small bowl on top to make the engines. They are garden corrugated pipe fittings

 

[paulrw]

Thanks for the best wishes Dorian.

I remember your post featuring that picture - I even checked the plumbing department of my local B&Q to see if I could find anything like that.

In the end however I was buying resin and fiberglass supplies earlier today and noticed that the mixing pots looked to be about the right size...

I went back to the car to collect by project file and sure enough the dimensions perfectly matched the Howard Hughes Blueprints. So I'll be cutting down a mixing pot and using a cut down ballcock

I'm not sure yet how I'll fabricate the 3 rings on the engine exhaust bell- I may check out the Pound shop tomorrow to see if they have any plastic toys (or high density foam dog rings etc) that might suffice.

I'll prototype one engine exhaust bell, then cast it, clean it up and use it as a master from which I'll produce copies.

I'll be doing the same with the rocket pack nose cones. I'll carve a rough form from High-density polyurethane foam, which I'll then cover in filler and then sand until plastic smooth.

 

[Heatshock]

I tried too in the past and had to give up
would be very interested to see how this goes mate

Nate

 

[GeneralFROSTY]

I will believe it when I see it - good luck!

 

[paulrw]

Today I made a start turning the two sandwiched pieces of High-density foam to make a master-pattern for the backpack nose cones:

Many Dremels died, (well okay one) to bring you this photograph.
(It expired milling a sheet of ply I was going to use as an edge pattern)

 

[Jay1138]

Good luck Paul! I can't wait to see the progress of this project. I cant afford the ACME Rocketpack either, so I'm on the lookout or an alternative if someone can pull it off.

Good luck!

 

[mikey123mushukl]

Check out my profile page pepakura based rocketeer rocket pack and helmet in photo albums.

Good luck Paul! I can't wait to see the progress of this project. I cant afford the ACME Rocketpack either, so I'm on the lookout or an alternative if someone can pull it off.

Good luck!

 

[Damotimus]

Good luck, have been wanting one of these for a while now, for my steampunk art gallery, and will follow your progress with eager eyes. miley123mushukl do you know where I can get a copy of the Pepakura files needed? The only ones I can find were on MEGAUPLOAD and of course that site doesn't exist anymore.

 

[Damotimus]

Paul I have made simple pieces in the past and you may want to experiment with PVC pipe, and a heat gun to bend it, make the rings like this and then put them through a bandsaw maybe a good way to do it?

 

[Mxlplx]

Lookin Good!

 

[TI-6212]

Any updates? It looks like you're off to a good start. I wish you much success!

Cheers!

TI-6212