Show me your RS TIE (Hero) pilot helmets!
- Thread starter eobard
- Start date
ggriffaw
Sr Member
My understanding is the original TIE helmets used the same faceplate as the hero stormtrooper, not a stunt stormtrooper. The sculpt is different.
Original TIE Pilot Helmets
Original ANH Hero Stormtrooper Helmets and Armor
Original ANH Stunt Stormtrooper Helmets
If CFO modified the SFS faceplate for the TIE, I would assume that was to make it more accurate to what is seen on screen. I'm not criticizing the CFO helmet, but as far as lineage to a screen used TIE Pilot, the RS has more direct lineage. There may be other factors that make the CFO the better choice for some.
Original TIE Pilot Helmets
Original ANH Hero Stormtrooper Helmets and Armor
Original ANH Stunt Stormtrooper Helmets
If CFO modified the SFS faceplate for the TIE, I would assume that was to make it more accurate to what is seen on screen. I'm not criticizing the CFO helmet, but as far as lineage to a screen used TIE Pilot, the RS has more direct lineage. There may be other factors that make the CFO the better choice for some.
RBJ
Sr Member
Here’s some info on the source of the helmet/ears/trident for both helmets.
www.therpf.com
The CFO face has been modified from a stunt to a hero, and incorporates all tells found on Tie faceplates. All tells on the rest of the helmet are present as well. We had direct access to screen used for this project to verify tells and measurements. All correct found parts and hardware are used (ear discs are exact replicas)
The RS face is derived from a cast of a hero trooper face. The helmet/ears/trident is from copies of molds derived from the LFL Tie used with no modifications. They use replica parts (pillbox, greeblies etc). The mowhawk nick tell us present however that’s about the only tell found on screen used on the RS. There’s a few other areas off that I won’t get into.
Both are really nice helmets and I have both in my collection. I’m sure you’ll be happy whichever you choose!
LFL Made Tie Pilot Helmet
I’ve had this for a bit and I feel I’ve researched this enough to have a clear understanding of what it is. Everything is verified by multiple sources (except one I’ll mention later). I did a lot of digging through multiple sources as I don’t want to represent this as something it’s not. 1995...
www.therpf.com
The CFO face has been modified from a stunt to a hero, and incorporates all tells found on Tie faceplates. All tells on the rest of the helmet are present as well. We had direct access to screen used for this project to verify tells and measurements. All correct found parts and hardware are used (ear discs are exact replicas)
The RS face is derived from a cast of a hero trooper face. The helmet/ears/trident is from copies of molds derived from the LFL Tie used with no modifications. They use replica parts (pillbox, greeblies etc). The mowhawk nick tell us present however that’s about the only tell found on screen used on the RS. There’s a few other areas off that I won’t get into.
Both are really nice helmets and I have both in my collection. I’m sure you’ll be happy whichever you choose!
eobard
New Member
That's really informative, RBJ; thanks for sharing (was the RS pillbox handpainted?). If you wouldn't mind, could you please elaborate as to the few areas that are 'off'? I'm extremely intrigued by this!
And kinda off-topic, but besides RS and SDS, are there other makers/vendors who have direct lineage to the screen-used helmets? I see some makers who make very, very good and accurate helmets, but their origins are pretty vague... I'm not sure if they're castoff the original helmets, or are just extremely talented sculptors (Cal Pierce (Far Away Creations), DA Props come to mind).
And kinda off-topic, but besides RS and SDS, are there other makers/vendors who have direct lineage to the screen-used helmets? I see some makers who make very, very good and accurate helmets, but their origins are pretty vague... I'm not sure if they're castoff the original helmets, or are just extremely talented sculptors (Cal Pierce (Far Away Creations), DA Props come to mind).
RBJ
Sr Member
The only Tie helmets with lineage to screen used are CFO, RS and SDS
As stated above, the RS uses a painted cast of the real found part. CFO uses the actual found part.
I’m not going to go into to detail publicly as to what’s off on the RS as I don’t want it to come across as bashing. It’s a very nice helmet.
As stated above, the RS uses a painted cast of the real found part. CFO uses the actual found part.
I’m not going to go into to detail publicly as to what’s off on the RS as I don’t want it to come across as bashing. It’s a very nice helmet.
ggriffaw
Sr Member
I never liked how replica props are simply described as having "lineage". Lineage to what? Which of the parts have lineage? Which of the parts are fan sculpted? How much clean up was involved for the parts that have lineage? It is common for the lineage parts to be in pretty bad condition, missing parts, or be for a different prop. The RS x-wing helmet has lineage to TIE Pilot helmet shells, not to an x-wing helmet. It is true that the x-wing and TIE Pilot used the same molds for the shells, but the TIE pilot shells are trimmed differently so they are missing part of what we see on an x-wing helmet. Most people assume a replica prop with lineage is basically a cast of an original prop that is the same prop the replica is.
The skills of the prop maker has a major impact on the quality of the replica prop. They need to take the lineage resources, clean them up, and add additional parts to make a complete product that looks like what we see on screen. Different prop makers make different decisions based on the resources and research they have access to. It is pretty rare for them to have access to an original prop that is complete and in similar condition to what is seen on screen.
The skills of the prop maker has a major impact on the quality of the replica prop. They need to take the lineage resources, clean them up, and add additional parts to make a complete product that looks like what we see on screen. Different prop makers make different decisions based on the resources and research they have access to. It is pretty rare for them to have access to an original prop that is complete and in similar condition to what is seen on screen.
RBJ
Sr Member
As for the CFO, I posted the exact parts lineage earlier. We then worked almost everyday for over a year on the bucks (the only molds to touch the insides of the LFL helmet) to insure every tell and measurement matched the info we had directly from screen used.
The RS is derived from copies of the LFL molds, and a hero face pull. As for what was done from there I don’t know.
The RS is derived from copies of the LFL molds, and a hero face pull. As for what was done from there I don’t know.
ggriffaw
Sr Member
RBJ, I appreciate all of the details and history you have provided. That is the kind of info I like to see regarding a replica props lineage and attention to detail. The very brief comments most people make that a replica prop or company has lineage are what bothers me. Many people assume these replicas are simple copies of the originals when there is really much more research and skill that goes into producing the end product.
Over time the products can change because the maker gets access to lineage sources or better info. RS used a different faceplate on their earlier TIE Pilots. RS has switched certain parts like the scout trooper snout and snow trooper cod piece because they got access to sources with lineage.
Over time the products can change because the maker gets access to lineage sources or better info. RS used a different faceplate on their earlier TIE Pilots. RS has switched certain parts like the scout trooper snout and snow trooper cod piece because they got access to sources with lineage.
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