troopermaster

Here's a comparison between Gino's helmet and original LFL helmets. You can see that the original tubes flares out just after the ear cap into a bulbous shape towards the middle of the tube, and almost looks to have a dent on the underside where the flare starts. You can see this is missing on Gino's helmet and this is the area where it has been tweaked. All ANH, ESB, Hero and even ROTJ has the same bulbous shape on the right hand side tube but is not present on Gino's helmets......Why is that Gino?

I'll show you tomorrow, and it's not BS.

I'm not saying there was any clean up on yours. I'm saying the clean up was done before you copied the faceplate mould because this feature is not on any of the helmets you have shown on the forums, but clearly visible on all original helmets.

It has nothing to do with sharpness or softness of the pull, but the shape of a certain part. I don't know how many moulds were made originally, but I have seen three different faceplate moulds from TE2, one of which Matt shown to me (black one) and none have them match up in this area which clearly indicates the moulds were touched up for some reason?

Yes it can. I dare say most of it remains untouched from the original casting, but there is something that has been touched up. I haven't seen any of Matts early helmets have this feature and your mould is a copy of Matts (2nd gen) and none of your helmets have it eaither, so someone has made changes to the faceplate before you copied it.

The same can be said of your faceplate too.

You have both inner parts together and both outer parts together. I've marked them for you

You want something like this..... . They can be found at your local B&Q.

That 'peak' is the just the edging lip on the bottom of the thighs, which you can see clearly on the opposite leg.

Nate, I just took a couple of pics from TK-2416's link and here they are marked up for you. I'm sure you can manage with the thighs TM armour is marked up already

If you take a photo of the parts, I will tell you which is left and right

Yes, AA formed the originals back in 1976, but he is not using the original moulds today. His helmets are derived from moulds that came from casting he made after ANH which were modified from the original design. The helmets had ribbed tubes at the back and they were made in three main sections, unlike the original two piece design. Other makers of helmets like TE actually moulded a real helmet from ANH and that is why they are more accurate. His moulds are first generation recasts and the most accurate replicas made. AA's moulds are modified from a modifed version of an ANH helmet, so they are far from accurate and lack size and shape of many features to make an accurate replica.

Thanks for posting it I just did a quick web search and found the other photo that I used to have.

IIRC, a Jawa and another stormtrooper? I did have it along with another from the same scene, but lost it on my old computer.

That pic has been around for a few years now.

Happy to help If you use the strapping in the pic I posted, you should really have no problems at all. The shoulder straps in the pic are canvas, but white elastic is better, and it allows much more movement and less restriction. The good thing about this strapping is that you can simply add extra snaps on the elastic to tighten or loosen the armour for a custom fit.

The best thing to do is to add elastic straps between your abdomin and chest plate like this....

Good job, looks very nice I'm hoping to make one of these myself, and have an idea for an extra long retractable wire

If we are talking about the troopers on screen, then they have the holster straps behind their belts. Some straps are natural tan on the back side and the leather not dyed all the way through. The reason they look tan is because you are actually seeing the back side of the strap. The straps were originally loops and they cut them down and riveted them to the belts instead of looping them on their. The holsters must have slipped around or they just made them more secure for filming, I can only guess, and I think the only reason Han and Luke had four rivets is probably because they are the only ones who holstered their weapons.

I'd just like to add that only Han and Luke had four rivets holding their holsters onto the belt. The regular troopers just had two rivets, one per strap

And this?

2. ESB decals

Looking at your new theory Pete, I think it's possible that the holster on the ESB trooper may have been put on the belt facing the wrong way and been turned around for the photo. Just a thought

I believe that the holster in the photo is a regular holster that is pinched. The prop dept. must have added new straps to the holsters for ESB because they were originally cut down and riveted to the belts. With new straps, they looped over the belt which can easily make them pinch together and make the holster look deformed. The other holster in the ANH promo photos, looks to be a Death Star Gunners or Guards holster, not a Rebel Fleet Trooper. I haven't really looked into it so don't quote me.

Terry, It sounds like you have put the shins together wrong. It's a common mistake which nearly all AP owners make when assembling their kits. The AP armour come with a complete right shin with an outer left and an outer right. Most people assmble the right shin and put it on their left shin (as you have) which makes them look and feel awkward. Are the shins marked 'left' and 'right' inside? Just for future reference AP owners.......the indented piece is the INNER RIGHT, not OUTER LEFT