justjoseph63

What you have there is an old set of FX armor, Jennifer, and I'm afraid I have some bad news... Unfortunately the helmet is not allowed for even Basic 501st approval and the armor will need a ton of work. I am personally not familiar with any of the weapons shown, and the pack style is a mystery. To be honest, I would seriously consider purchasing a new kit from one of the vendors here. That way, you can build it tailor made to your frame and make it approvable for 501st membership. Is it a lot of work to build a set of armor? You bet, but we are here to help every step of the way!

The positioning of your ears is spot-on Robert! If I may make a few suggestions on the paint they would be: 1. The black outline and interior stripes are screen accurate and truly show that "hand painted" look, but I think you may have taken the bottom a bit too far onto the ridge that sits below the rear traps, making them taller than they should ideally be. Not a big deal for Basic, but if when you apply for higher levels this would be an issue. The screens on your Hovi-tips should ideally be at the front and not quite as recessed as they are now. Easy fix! Keep up the fantastic work, Robert, and I look forward to seeing your progress!!

A strange question for you, Rodney: Can you post up a pic of the actual brush (just the tip) you are using to paint the lines? I may have a suggestion or two to help.

Welcome to the FISD, Ryan! Lots to research, and you are in the perfect place to do it. I suggest looking over the "Getting Started" section here, which will answer many of your basic questions. However, always feel free to ask if you have any specific ones you can't find. We are here to help every step of the way, so don't be shy about hitting us up!

The most popular costume in the entire Legion is ANH Stunt. The main physical difference in the actual helmets are the distinct "bumps" on the ear bars. If you are only aiming for Basic approval, 4 is fine for Hero, but if you are heading for Expert Infantry level and above or want screen accuracy the ear bars must have 3 bumps. *** All things considered, Stunt is the way I would go for your first build as your ATA kit will have all the necessary armor pieces for this. ***Useless trivia: It is widely thought that the Hero ears have only 3 bumps because the molds for these were pretty much shot after pulling 50 sets of them in HDPE for the Stunt helmets. The 6 Hero Hero (made for "close-up" shots of Han and Luke) ones were made from ABS.

Welcome, Bill! As Glen mentioned, ATA makes an awesome set of armor and is known for great customer service. As for which route to go (Stunt or Hero) there are some distinct differences, like the number of ear screws, number of teeth openings, frown paint style, and number of bumps on the ear bars. If you are (hopefully)aiming for higher levels of approval/accuracy the eye lenses are also different. The holster straps have different requirements for the number of fasteners as well. To see all the differences, here are some links that will help you make your decision: ANH Stunt CRL ANH Hero CRL Quick CRL Reference Guide (lots of photos) Never be shy about asking questions (no matter how small). We are here to help you with anything you need to know!

You don't technically need a spring, but if the end cap is removable I would suggest adding one for aesthetic purposes. To make your own, you can use a thin piece of wire, wrap it around a broom handle to make the loops and then pop it in (or buy one). I would be more concerned with raising the Hengstler counter. I'm not sure how yours is attached but it should be pretty straightforward, and if you need help just ask!

Outstanding work on those, mi hermano... time for some glue! I would suggest painting the buttons on the large plate before doing that, though.

WOW! Nice job on those, Greg! Next up will probably be the ear bars (much easier to do before you attach them). I have some references here that will help.

Dave is an awesome vendor and his customer service is second to none. AM is built like a tank (my HWT and Stunt are AM) and even after many years has stood the test of time with no cracks or yellowing,

Oops. That's me, a day late and a dollar short. Thanks...

That's the spirit! We still have 12 spots available so I think you are in good shape to make it into the 500 club. I suggest removing the existing stripes while you wait so that once you get the new ones done you can get the new ones on and get those photos in quickly!

Welcome to the FISD, Jennifer! Sizing down armor can be easier than you think, and we are here to help. In looking at the extensive black "weathering" it looks as if you have armor that was used for a Heavy Weapons Trooper (example here) but I find it odd that the kidney is connected to the posterior plate as in ROTJ armor. Christine (Cricket) has what I consider to be the best build thread for the smaller trooper located here. She built from scratch, but I'm sure you can adapt the methods. Your husband is another matter. Because of his size, his best bet would be to get a new set of armor from one of our "vetted" vendors that offer them in larger sizes such as AM, TM or RT. Their details and contact info. can be found here. Posting as many detailed photos of the armor (both individual pieces** and wearing it) will help us determine the best way to proceed, and always feel free to ask any questions you or your husband may have, and thank you for your service! ** Don't forget close-ups of the helmet front/sides!

Welcome to the true home of shiny white armor, Zach! After you decide which type of costume you would like (we have 18 types as seen here), then you choose your armorer. I suggest staying well clear of ebay and the like and going with one of the "vetted" armorers here. Trust me on this.. This site can seem a bit overwhelming with the amount of info. available but after some research and poking around you be navigating it like a pro in no time! Always, always feel free to ask any and all questions you may have. It's what we are here for!

I couldn't agree more. Detailed descriptions and tons of photos make this an inspiration for future Troopers aiming to look their best! You are the MAN, Colin!

As Caleb mentioned, the paint on the tops needs to be dialed back a bit (this includes the bottoms if needed). Many GMLs miss this requirement, but as per the CRL for Basic approval the paint "...does not leave the teeth area". To remove it, I suggest Goof Off or any NON-ACETONE paint remover, a few Q-tips and tooth picks. It's easier than you think!

Hi Glen! Can you add the following for me? (Edit as needed). Thanks! For the EI Pin area IMPORTANT: For those Troopers who attained Expert Infantry level before Sept. 16, 2020 and missed this run, it will re-open after all the VICTORY 1000 patches have been mailed out (hopefully before Christmas) so keep an eye out! In the D.O. staff area (Anything to add, @shashachu or @TKSpartan? Just a note from the D.O. Staff to say how very proud we are to have a record number of Troopers who have earned their Centurion badge in the last 4 weeks! You have certainly kept us busy, but we appreciate each and every one who has submitted, so keep em' coming and know that we are here to help if you need it!

Glad to see it's working out! My knowledge of techie type things could fit on a postage stamp, lol, but I got the hang of it in an hour or two.

Take your time, look at the reference pics and post up photos if you have any questions (before cutting or attaching anything).

Hi Daniel! First, THANKS for your submission for Centurion! You did an outstanding job on the fixes from your Expert Infantry application, but unfortunately there is one thing that was mentioned there as a requirement for Centurion that is still holding you back. As per the CRL, the tube stripes are "...positioned approximately a pencil width from the cheek". The pen you used in the photo (I have the same pen) is almost half an inch in diameter, and the gap is actually about twice as wide as a pencil (1/4 inch). We realize it's a pain, but the stripes will have to be closer to the cheek. It's great to know that Mario is working with you on this, so I am sure you will get this done in no time! While you wait for the decals to arrive, we would appreciate it if you could remove the excess glue as Glen pointed out... we want you to look spectacular, and those tiny details make a big difference in your overall look. Your right bicep should be at the same height as your left one. This is easily done with a strapping adjustment, but make sure the gap between the top of the forearms and bottom of the biceps is as even as possible. Looking forward to seeing the updated photos so that we can get that Centurion badge under your name!

Any updates, Josh? I'm looking forward to seeing the new pics!

Everything is looking GREAT so far, Greg! So glad to see you removed those return edges and are using interior cover strips (you'll be happy you did that, trust me). Speaking of interior cover strips, when you get the the shins (calves) I suggest using ones that are a little wider (an inch or so). The reason being is that when you put them on, that connection gets a lot of stress from opening and closing them when suiting up. When using imgur, you can post as many pics as you like at one time in a post. This will come in handy after you get Basic approval and are ready to submit for Expert Infantry and then Centurion. Keep up the awesome work, and keep those photos coming!

You are the MAN, Alex! Working on your review right now, so hang in there sir!

WOW, Mark! Actually, wow does not even do this armor justice, brother. Outstanding work, sir.

We are here to help with anything you need, Victoria. You can post up any questions here or in a new thread and we can go from there!