Nassik

Since I mentioned the greeblies for the RoTJ E-11 I thought I'd provide a little more detail on obtaining them. To my knowledge, the only ones you can get are resin versions. You can get the hammers from Smitty here on the FISD forums. A more accurate door catch can be obtained from an eBay seller called predalien64. Unfortunately, you can't buy a single door catch from the seller on eBay. I ended up buying a pack of greeblies from this seller that had two door catches in it and a third mystery piece. If you're willing to carve a very small notch on one corner of the eBay door catch and drill a hole through the back side of it you would have something even closer to the part used on the RoTJ E-11. You don't have to do these things and the part will still look good. It all comes down to how much fine detail you want on the piece. I haven't located the correct front sight for the RoTJ E-11 though I fortunately got someone to make one for me. Unless you feel like halving tubing lengthwise, Stomper remains the only source for the U-track that I'm aware of.

It was a team effort.

It would make things easier but you'd still have to wade through the EIB request forum to find the armor version that you were looking for. Creating these sub-forums doesn't necessarily add volumes of information to the FISD forums. After all, the posts are already in there. It would just be a matter of shuffling them into designated areas. And if each request is gone through and labeled correctly it's not that much more effort to move it to a sub-forum. And this is only for the posts that already exist in the EIB request forum. Any new requests would immediately start in the appropriate sub-forum. I like the idea of adding "DONE" to the accepted EIB requests. Combine this idea with the sub-forum idea and I think we've got a winning combination that makes EIB requests easier to access and easier to understand. At this time there are less than 100 EIB troopers. I don't know how this number compares to EIB requests but it does give us a rough idea of the number of EIB requests to be shuffled into new sub-forums if they are created.

People have read this but no comments?

Remember, though, we weren't the only ones who suffered casualties... We give as good as we get. On a more serious note, the RoTJ E-11 is the odd part of the RoTJ build because its parts are awkward to find. We're lucky that Smitty makes the hammers or we'd all be up a creek.

Those blasted ewoks weren't the end of us! We were the casualties of bad intel.

Allan, you can get in touch with Smitty on these boards. He sells resin versions of the door catch and hammers for the RoTJ E-11. His door catch is incorrect, as he will admit, but it will do the job. And his hammer greeblies are great! No one makes the 100% correct door catch that I am aware of but you can find something a bit closer on eBay. Look for blaster greeblies and you ought to get a hit. If you need U-track for your blaster as well Stomper makes some. He's a bit backed up at the moment, though, and so you'll have to be patient and understanding. Life happens, after all. I also appreciate your input, Paul. I may not be seeing what you are but I respect your knowledge and thoughts. Please continue to share your observations. They are appreciated.

Thanks Allan. It is looking good. It will really come together once the trim is on it. The generally accepted RoTJ blaster is the one with the door catch and two hammers and so all of us RoTJ guys have to go that route. I'm not worried about how Matt assembles the RoTJ kit as he does know his stuff. He's been easy to talk with and he knows what I'm after. I'm not seeing an error in the shin pieces. I've been looking at reference pictures and they look right to me.

Do you have a picture of this? I'm having TE assemble my RoTJ kit and I'd like all of the details to be correct before something gets messed up in the assembly.

I thought that I glimpsed the white trim on the armor but now that I've zoomed in I'm not seeing it. Maybe I assumed it was there and my eyes mistakenly saw it because I expected it to be there. Troopermaster, what do you mean about the shins? I've gone through my RoTJ pics of armor and I'm not seeing what you're talking about. I've seen a couple of pics of this doubled-up look that I think you're talking about on display suits and I keep seeing it on the right leg. Though I may be looking at something else. The suit in these provided pictures is too far away to give us enough detail to examine. We are finding a few inadequacies so far though.

A full set of six would be called a sextet. Definition

Looking good so far. If you're going RoTJ Elite I'm seeing two things to modify... That looks like an ANH blaster. The Hengstler counter is a giveaway. Your shoulder bridges look like they've got the flat ends to them. From the EIB requirements... "Shoulder straps should not have a flat end at the ends of them, they should be ribbed 100%." I'm seeing a shoulder strap across your left bicep. From the EIB requirements... "No shoulder bell straps across the biceps." This is a "should" and I simply bring it to your attention. You're on your way to Elite standards and it's looking good so far. Keep up the good work.

After spending a bit of time in the EIB request forum I suggest that it be divided into three sub-forums... ANH EIB requests ESB EIB requests RoTJ EIB requests I realize that the vast majority of EIB requests are for ANH stormtroopers but surely not all of them are. I went to look through the EIB request forum for RoTJ troopers and I had a devil of a time trying to wade through it. In the end I gave up. I know of at least one RoTJ Elite but no one should have to wade through request after request in order to get an idea of the armor versions being represented. Of course, you could further sub-divide these into Hero and stunt variants within each of the major three sub-forums but I'm not here to suggest that degree of specialization. Instead, I'm suggesting a way to make the EIB requests a bit easier to access and a lot clearer to understand. By creating these three sub-forums it would better enable the FISD to keep an accurate tally of its Elite members and these proposed sub-forums would enable the FISD to analyze the armor trend preferences of the FISD membership (ANH versus ESB versus RoTJ). And by creating these three sub-forums, the people reviewing the requests would know precisely what they're going to be looking at before they actually see pictures of the kits. And this fore-warning would give reviewers a moment to envision an Elite kit in the appropriate version so that they've got an example in mind to compare the requests to. I further realize that this proposal would require forum moderators to wade through the EIB request forum in order to organize it and redistribute all of the threads in that forum into their appropriate sub-forums. Despite the effort this would require I do think that the benefits of this suggestion are worth the effort. After all, the goal of a great many FISD members is to attain Elite status. By making the EIB request forum easier to navigate and understand we give members one more resource to study as they strive to perfect their armor. I thank you for your time.

I'm trying to figure out what the piece on the RoTJ E-11 is that rests where the Hengstler counter goes on an ANH E-11. I know that it gets referred to as a door catch but upon examining the piece in photos I just don't think that it's a door catch of any kind. Not even a window latch or any kind of strike plate. The piece is too complex for a door catch. Why is there a hole in the side of this piece? And what is the purpose of the hemispherical bit on the rear underside of this piece? These are details that aren't found on a door catch. I'm inclined to think that this may be another part from a gun or rifle. That would account for the details of this item. I started paying attention to this piece after I received a resin door catch for the RoTJ E-11 from Smitty. No offense intended to Smitty, but his piece isn't correct. Not if this picture is any indication. Does anyone have any insight on this part? I've spent hours looking through parts diagrams of various Winchester rifles, looking at door catches from the UK, window latches, and strike plates. I can't discover the identity of the RoTJ hammer greeblies either but Smitty's hammers look right to me.

The rule of the contest was very open... write about the concept of the hero in 500-1,000 words. The idea is completely open to interpretation. Your idea sounds original and I think it would be a good read. What I wrote is a cookie-cutter type interpretation of the hero, lauding the benefits and positives of the idea. That is not to say that my interpretation is the only one or the only point of view on the subject. I welcome your perspective and I would like to read your thoughts. This has always been an appealing aspect of writing for me, and one of the reasons that I studied English in school... there are no wrong answers in writing as long as you support your thoughts with explanation. That's a powerful thing. Math is right or wrong but not writing. The written word is pure self-expression and as such, it is difficult to label any writing as "wrong" if it is supported by reasoning and explanation. So write on, my friend. I will gladly read anything you post.

As I watch this thread drop lower and lower on the board and days stretch into tomorrow, I can not help but assume that no one else feels compelled to submit an essay of their own. Admittedly, the contest was canceled and so many possible entrants may have lost their inspiration to write. But do we really need a reward or simply the possibility of one in order to coax us to write? I certainly hope not. If that is the case then that's a sad commentary on the human condition. The original contest was set to end on September 27, 2009. That leaves two days for any additional essays to be posted. There won't be any prizes for any other essays submitted other than the appreciation of those who read them. I hope that is all the reward necessary in order to inspire you to share your thoughts with us.

As I start this thread I do so in the knowledge that the contest was canceled and its thread locked. I'm posting this for the simple reason that I invested both the time and thought necessary to write it and therefor I am posting it. I don't seek recognition or reward for my efforts. Instead, I offer up my writing to inspire thought and discussion, if nothing else. I understand the dangers of plagiarism and I recognize it for the threat that it is. In 2002 I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English so I think it fair to say that I understand the intricacies and implications of writing with some small degree of familiarity. The fear of plagiarism and the skeptical suspicion of it rearing its ugly head has both saddened and, to a small degree, offended me. I hope that this essay will be taken precisely for what it is... one person's honest thoughts on the subject of the hero. What is a hero? A hero is an individual both simple and complex. A generally accepted definition is that a hero is a person noted and recognized for the bravery of their actions in times and situations where the heroic person is in danger while attempting to aid others. The criteria for becoming a hero are as varied as heroes themselves and that is why these people can be both simple and complex. The neighbor who rescues a kitten from a tree can be viewed as a hero just as Superman is thought of as a hero when he stops an airplane from crashing into the ground. These actions, whether real or imagined, appeal to the benevolent side of humanity and they form the cornerstone of a society that strives to work together for the benefit of everyone. The hero is an intellectual necessity that inspires the individual, who serves as an example for him, and who can be found in the common man. The hero is an intellectual necessity that inspires the individual. In order for society to progress and advance it requires people to strive for their own betterment. And in doing so, they improve the circumstances of themselves and of the people that surround them. The cycle of self-improvement is sparked by the examples set forth by heroes and this is necessary for the continued evolution of society. Without inspiration people become complacent and stagnant, standing still as the world around them grows and changes. Individuals need the inspiration that heroes provoke and in inspiring people our heroes also become our examples. The hero serves as an example for the individual. When people find their heroes they begin to strive to better themselves in the hope that they, too, may be seen as heroic. Although this desire may be subjugated to the hopes for more tangible and personal gains. People imagine the person or character that they wish to be and as people work towards their goals they envision an example of who they want to be and where they want to go. Heroes serve as these examples. A hero may be a woman who put herself through college and then became the head of a large corporation. Or a hero may be a fireman who carried children from the raging inferno of a burning school. People often find heroes in their chosen career paths and these heroes give people direction as they strive to better themselves. Not all heroes parade about in spandex and flowing capes… sometimes they can be found in the most ordinary of places. The hero can be found in the common man. When asked to imagine a hero it is easy to envision a mighty warrior covered in the blood of his enemies, women and children cowering behind him in utter terror as he holds the forces of darkness and destruction at bay. Or to think of Spider-Man swinging through the streets of New York, his spider-sense tingling as he swoops down to stop a car from crashing through a storefront window as the Sandman beats a hasty escape. But there are other heroes that are far less noticeable and far more common in the world that surrounds us. There are doctors that are saving lives every day. There are teachers passing on knowledge to our children, entrusting our future to the care of a future generation. And there are cashiers at the supermarket who remind us that everyone plays a role in society, that everyone makes a contribution to the betterment of us all, and that everyone who takes responsibility for themselves serves as an example to others. And that, in its own right, is heroic. The hero is an intellectual necessity that inspires the individual, who serves as an example for him, and who can be found in the common man. Society is built upon the foundations laid by the tales of heroes and their exploits have inspired generations of people to better themselves. From the great adventures of Hercules as he destroyed the Stymphalian birds, through the tale of Noah as he worked to create his ark before the coming of the flood, to the sacrifices of soldiers fighting in WW II. Our heroes span the ages of human existence and at every turning of the pages of history heroes serve as guides to the future unfolding of the human story. Heroes also serve as the key that unlocks our imagination. And if heroes guide us, then it is our imagination that steers the course that they follow. It is our hopes and our dreams that pave the road to the future and our heroes are the markers that lead us down that path. Shawn Hisey September 20, 2009

If this is the Trooper Comm Interface that was listed in the trade forum, that thread has been dead for nearly a year and the site is no longer there. --------- This thread prompted me to look for this thing and I found nothing but dust.

I like the stripes down each arm of Sergeant Harkas' armor. Looks like a throwback to the clone trooper armor and I like how it sets him apart while still allowing him to fit in.

At this time, it seems that the jodhpur style is what we're going with. And since that's the style that so many of us own I hope that this standard isn't changed anytime soon. At the moment, the Dr. Marten's Patrick sole is all white... --------- Painting the soles of the boots white may be the most screen-accurate way to go but I'm rather fond of the crisp look of a manufactured white sole.

I was wondering the same thing, as far as RoTJ ab button colors. We're half-way there since we know that six of the buttons are black. The remaining three buttons are dark blue and, barring anyone stepping in and clarifying the color used, I'm assuming that our color is the Humbrol Midnight Blue or the Testors Blue Angel Blue. I would appreciate clarification of this, though.

Since this thread on the RoTJ holster is already started and since the thread's primary purpose has been satisfied I'll branch it off into a related subject... After looking around throughout the FISD forum, on the internet in general, and by examining the screen shots of the RoTJ troopers that I do have I find myself wondering something new. Is there anything special that differentiates the RoTJ E-11 holster from the holsters used in ANH ad ESB? A couple of details that I am aware of so far... The RoTJ holster straps are all black and are not looped over the belt. The RoTJ holster hangs approximately six inches below the belt. Are there any other differences or is the pattern of the holster the same as ANH holsters?

Me too. I realize that these boots aren't dead-on screen-accurate but they are very close. In this instance I think that these boots are a worthwhile compromise between screen-accuracy and trooping durability. I've had such trouble locating these boots in my size that I jumped on it as soon as I saw them available. Who knows if they'll be available again so I've made sure that I grabbed them while I can.

I posted this info in the boots forum but I'm re-posting it here as it pertains specifically to RoTJ stormtroopers. I heard back from the Dr. Martens web site in regards to these boots in my size. I was told that they were going to get a few pairs of these boots in stock in my UK size 10. They showed up in stock a short while earlier today and so I bought a pair in my size immediately. If anyone wants a pair of these in the U.S. they're available up to a UK size 13. ------------ Considering the manufacturer, these boots ought to hold up for a good long time. At $110.00 US I certainly hope so. These Dr. Martens boots cost a bit more than the SFP boots but these look a lot sturdier. If reputation is any indication, the Doc Martens may well be the way to go for a RoTJ stormtrooper looking for a white-soled boot.

Thank you for the offer. I heard back from the Dr. Martens web site in regards to these boots in my size. I was told that they were going to get a few pairs of these boots in stock in my UK size 10. They showed up in stock a short while earlier today and so I bought a pair in my size immediately. If anyone wants a pair of these in the U.S. they're available up to a UK size 13. ----------