501st APPROVED ANH TK build.

cavx

Master Member
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My wife and I recently joined the 501st and we are now in the process of trimming and assembling white ABS parts that will become our armour. Given my wife has a much smaller frame than me, we were advised to buy AP armour for her. We also decided to buy and build her armour first (I bought the AP bucket - first image) and then I will probably get NE (light kit, no bucket) for myself as I am told it is slightly larger. In fact I find parts of the AP kit a bit small like the shoulder bells and even the chest plate.

So a few weeks ago, we attended our first "armour party" and over the week end, had a select few members of the 501st (from that party) come over to help us start our armour. They really are a great bunch of guys and I am looking forward to joining them clad in white soon.

During the fitting of my wife's armour, we ran into a small snag on the shoulder straps and their length. I have not been able to find the answer to (even on the 501st's own reference library) this, so I would like to ask here in case someone (preferably a 501st approved member) can hopefully answer.

The library states:
03. Shoulder Straps: Securely mounted in front and free floating in the back.

And a bit later:

24. Armor Details:

Shoulder straps should not be attached with rivets, and should free float in the back rather than being permanently attached.

The straps appear to be too long and probably need to be either cut down, have new shorter ones made up, or simply moved forward. I don't want to cut them if I don't have to. I can probably make shorter versions on my Vac Form.

I was told something about 3.5 ridges, yet seem to find images (including screen caps from the film) that seem to have more than that on the chest plate. Another suggestion was to cut these down. Is that even approval-able? The last thing I want is to have my wife's armour rejected because I changed these straps.

Q1: Is there a reference standard to how far forward on the chest plate these straps can go?
Q2: Is there a minimum ridge count on this part?


Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
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Re: ANH TK Armour

I am sure there are guys here who can help and you may already know of this, but have you tried the 501st detachment.

First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment

That place is all things stormtrooper all the time. Being a 501st member myself I have found whitearmor to be one of the most active detachment forums in all of the 501st.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

Thanks Mullreel. Yeah been all over that both the hero and stunt CRLs and there does not seem to be rec for this. Unless of course I have missed it, which is possible.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

Here are some reference photos I use. (Note: This is Stukatrooper's TM kit build not mine). See how he has a white nylon strap snapped to both the chest plate and back plate? It snaps on the underside of the plates out of view. The styrene/abs "strap" with the ridges then gets glued to the chest piece but not to the back plate which is why it is "free floating." Hope that helps....


hidden nylon strap reveal.jpgstraps glued to chest.jpghidden nylon strap.jpgglued shoulder strap.jpg

Oh...and about 5 ridges

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It does help. Thank you very much. So if the 4th image is of the chest plate, then the straps can go further forward if required. It looks in that image as if the strap is positioned so the 5th small ridge is level with the edge. And I guess there has to be some allowance here as no two people will have the exact same frame.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

Kills me how the 501st who was 99% bobbleheaded TK's not too long ago are now concerned with how many ridges should overlap the chest piece.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

Yeah there are some odd rules with this.

I want my armour to be like the one in the film (ANH) with no tube stripes (AKA Mr No Stripes), but in order to even get approved into the garrison, I have to have tube stripes on my bucket first. I can then apply to be that trooper and remove them by providing screen caps etc but the level is above basic so I will also have to make sure other details are correct as well. Apparently Mr No Stripes is a 'hero' bucket not "stunt" which means the position of the brow and the number of screws holding the ears on vary as well.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

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Got the ears done, though they might need a bit more trimming. Then I can start the eyes and frown. Hopefully over the weekend I will get this almost finished.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

Yeah there are some odd rules with this.

I have one of the old FX buckets that's been disallowed. I know it's not accurate. Does anyone find it just a little ironic that a group of enthusaists, whose main objective should be having fun, have more rules and are more stringent regarding "accuracy" than the people that made the films? I'm just sayin'...
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

I'm still a newbie when it comes to the rules and regs of the 501st and don't know enough about the FX helmet to really comment. Weren't they perfectly symmetrical? No TK was symmetrical and the real ones were 2 piece (4 including the ears) and why I choose the bucket I did.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

Slightly OT, but still SW...

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I got this the day as a part of my B'Day gifts. It it pretty cool with some good detail.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

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Thought I better update this. Slowly slowly, getting there. My wife must really love me as she hand painted the frown and "coder" after I kind of stuffed mine up. She also said that she will remove the stick on decals and hand paint the traps on the lid as well.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

They look great. What a great kit. Most people over paint (make it cover too much of the teeth) the frown. One of the most important parts in the assembly is how the shoulder bells hang after being attached. If the are not attached properly, the "open up" in the front and leave too large a gap.

keep us posted.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

They look great.

Thank you tictoc :) I think she rocks too and I shall pass your kind words onto her. You can see where I made the top of the "coder" too flat and where she made hers (and attempted to correct mine) more rounded. She has a good eye for detail and really steady hand with that brush.

What a great kit. Most people over paint (make it cover too much of the teeth) the frown. One of the most important parts in the assembly is how the shoulder bells hang after being attached. If the are not attached properly, the "open up" in the front and leave too large a gap.

keep us posted.

I shall do. The kit is an AP kit and it is going together quite well. I finally bought webbing to make the harness under the armour. So hopefully we can get this finished and get her trooping before the con in November. I probably should place an order for my kit soon as well.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

Quick update:
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Thermal Detonator and arms are done. This is my wife's TK and there was a massive amount of plastic to be cut off the forearms to make them actually fit. Most of the legs are done, just a heap more trimming to do there.
 
Re: ANH TK Armour

UPDATE:

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Hand guards and thighs completed and ready for webbing.

I still need to attach the Ammo belt to right thigh and sniper plate to the left shin.
 
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