The Boba Fett Suit Fact Files

RafalFett

Well-Known Hunter
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WARNING!!!
The facts described here are how I see all this and I might be wrong. Some of the informations are from this forum while other things are my (I hope) logical deductions. The whole purpose of this is not to be a one-man-work, but instead a well defined group project.

You've been warned...
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I think it's time to categorize the Boba Fett suit parts. This means that we need to name all visible parts that appeared before, in time of and after filming. I took all the six original (?) suits (as we know) and tried to name some of the suit parts.

Suit 1.jpg Suit 2.jpg Suit 3.jpg Suit 4.jpg Suit 5.jpg Suit 6.jpg

Note that the 'Twin' armors (Pre-Pro #1, Pre-Pro #3 and ESB) share the same scratch scheme and the same phisical damage is on the ROTJ armor too, while the 'Sister' armors (Pre-Pro #2 and Sandy) are over-weathered and has less phisical damage (the Pre-Pro #2 Abdominal Plate is from the Pre-Pro #1 suit).

This is the Pre-Pro #2 with the original Abdominal Plate.

Original PP2.jpg

There is another weird thing: this touring suit from 1981 (with the Pre-Pro #1 helmet) has unknown armor scratches which logically can be interpreted as the 7th suit, but we know that isn't true. The scratches resemble with the 'Sister' armors (Pre-Pro #2 and Sandy) and the lack or different phisical damages. If I recall correctly, Johnston painted one, his associate/apprentice(?) painted two suits and Sandy three suits, right?. This means that this is the 3rd Sandy armor and this suit was for the ROTJ or the Sandy helmet while the 'new' ROTJ armor is actually a repainted 'Twin' armor?

Sandy.jpg

(Note that the helmet (the Pre-Pro #1) from the image was replaced with the Sandy one just to show you how it was designed originally <== this is my interpretation.)

I already lost you? Then here is an image to simplify what I'm talking about:

Correct Timeline 2.jpg

The next step was to confront (some images are low quality and/or with bad lighting) all the promotional and touring suits to identify the visible parts.

Suit Promo 1.jpg Boba-Fett-Promotional-Armor-1-05_1980-06-22-Cumberland_Mall_Atlanta_GA.png Boba-Fett-Promotional-Armor-1-09a.jpg
Suit Promo 2.jpg Boba-Fett-Promotional-Armor-2-04_1979-11_-_Gold_Circle_Columbus_Ohio_02.jpg
Suit Promo 3.jpg Boba-Fett-Promotional-Armor-3-01.jpg
Suit Promo 4.jpg BF1.jpg
Suit Promo 5.jpg

This is not a closed chapter, it's just a small part of the Boba Fett mistery and there are more facts that needs to be descovered. I opened a gate and I really hope that the informational flow will not stop, instead will increase it's volume. It's up to you now...


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Update 09-08-2011
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Just added some comparison images of the armors.

Johnston Armor 2.jpg Sandy Armor 2.jpg ROTJ v2 Armor 2.jpg

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New Addition 14-08-2011
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I got this idea of the Boba Fett preproduction chronology while I was reading Gino's post here and I started gathering data from TDH, from all the Star Wars books I have and from the internet. Special credits goes to Art Andrews, Spideyfett, Tyler Durden, Rogue Studios, Gino and many more...

Here is the approximated Boba Fett Production Chronology:

05-25-1977: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope is first released in theatres.

Original Star Wars Poster 1977.jpg

10-??-1977: Ralph McQarrie do the first Imperial/Shock Trooper concept drawings (source: LFL Archive).

Boba-Fett-Ralph-McQuarrie-Concept-Art-03.png Boba-Fett-Ralph-McQuarrie-Concept-Art-01.png

01-??-1978: Joe Johnston's first concept drawings of the Supertrooper (source: LFL Archive).

Boba-Fett-Joe-Johnston-Concept-Art-0130.png

03-??-1978: More Supertrooper concept drawings by Joe Johnston and Ralph McQarrie (source: LFL Archive).

Boba-Fett-Joe-Johnston-Concept-Art-0224.jpg Boba-Fett-Joe-Johnston-Concept-Art-0225.jpg Boba-Fett-Joe-Johnston-Concept-Art-0226.jpg Boba-Fett-Ralph-McQuarrie-Concept-Art-0132a.jpg Boba-Fett-Ralph-McQuarrie-Concept-Art-0132c.png

04-17-1978: First concept drawing of the Supertrooper for Kenner Toys (source: The Star Wars Collectors Archive).

presentation-art-fett.jpg

04-??-1978: George Lucas finished the 2nd and 3rd draft of ESB - this might be the 'birth' of Boba Fett as single character (Making of the Empire Strikes Back by J.W. Rinzler).

Birth Of Boba.jpg

05-??-1978: First Supertrooper suit test fitting with Alan Harris at EMI Studio in England (source: LFL Archive).

Boba-Fett-Costume-Test-Fitting-01.jpg Boba-Fett-Costume-Test-Fitting-03.jpg Boba-Fett-Costume-Test-Fitting-11.jpg

06-??-1978: First sketches of the unique character named 'Boba Fett' (source: LFL Archive).

Boba-Fett-Joe-Johnston-Concept-Art-0299.png Boba-Fett-Joe-Johnston-Concept-Art-0300.jpg

06-28-1978: Test footage of the Supertrooper costume (but already named Boba Fett and the new design of the colored suit was in work) was shot at GL's home (source: LFL Archive and Ben Burtt).

Boba-Fett-Costume-Screen-Test-06.jpg Boba-Fett-Costume-Screen-Test-07.jpg Boba-Fett-Costume-Screen-Test-02.jpg

09-??-1978: Test photos of the Pre-Pro #1 (possible for Kenner Toys and for Star Wars - Holiday Special) (source: LFL Archive).

PP1 04.jpg PP1 05.jpg PP1 - Helmet 03.jpg

09-24-1978: First appearance of the Pre-Pro #1 at the San Anselmo parade (source: Independent Journal).

Boba-Fett-Costume-First-Prototype-San-Anselmo-Parade-03.jpg Boba-Fett-Costume-First-Prototype-San-Anselmo-Parade-02.jpg Boba-Fett-Costume-First-Prototype-San-Anselmo-Parade-01.jpg

10-03-1978: First 'Boba Fett' Progress report (source: Mark Harris).

Boba-Fett-Costume-Documentation-Progress-Report-01.jpg

10-??-1978: Promotional photos of the Pre-Pro #2 for Kenner Toys and for Star Wars - Holiday Special (source: LFL Archive).

PP2 03.jpg PP2 04.jpg PP2 07.jpg

10-26-1978: Second 'Boba Fett' Progress report (source: Mark Harris).

Boba-Fett-Costume-Documentation-Progress-Report-02.jpg

11-17-1978: Animated Boba Fett appears in Star Wars - Holiday Special (source: LFL Archive).

cels.jpg Boba-Fett-Holiday-Special-Screencap-60.jpg Boba-Fett-Holiday-Special.jpg Boba-Fett-Holiday-Special-Misc-03.jpg

08-15>09-05-1979: Official introduction of Boba Fett to fans - the Pre-Pro #2 suit appear in Bantha Tracks No. 5 (source: LFL Archive).

banthatracks.jpg

If you have additional or more concrete info of those that appear here then please post to this thread to actualize these informations.

Thanks!

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New Addition 20-08-2011
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Not too much, just some extra info on some concept images and preproduction photos.

In his early concepts of the Supertrooper, Johnston already imagined a dented helmet:

First Dent Boba.jpg

In this concept image you can see some parts that managed to get into the preproduction phases and even to the real suit part (with some modifications):

Supertrooper Concept And Real.jpg

And for those who still need the proof that Sandy painted the armors (Pre-Pro #2, Promo #1 - with ROTJ helmet and promo #2 - with Sandy helmet) in the same time with the helmets, here it is:

Sandy Paint.jpg

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New Addition 22-08-2011
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Here is some interesting information regards Sandy painting the three helmets. I'm talking about this image with the helmets laying on a table:

Sandy Painting Helmets.jpg

It's hard to tell which helmet is the Pre-Pro #2, ROTJ or Sandy... But not impossible!

Sandy Helmets.jpg Sandy Real Helmets.jpg

These are some of the similarities between the helmets:

Sandy Helmets Compare.jpg

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New Addition 04-09-2011
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I've got this image in the Star Wars - Official Collector's Edition, then when I was searching Art's threads, I found/redescovered this image:

collectors_mag.jpg

Then I found this image on other thread of Art's. The same image full of goodies but showing the other side of the table:

Unfinished-Fett-Parts-02.jpg

Made a quick photo montage and I've got this:

Supertrooper Table.jpg

And here is the table I was talking about:

Supertrooper Table Secret.jpg

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New Addition 20-09-2011
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There has always been a rumour that the Pre-Pro #3 suit was on the set of the ESB (kind of a stunt suit) and it seems that this is somehow true. We all know the 'famous' two right knees from the Cloud City hallway scene and the upside down knees from the Carbon Chamber scene; it seems that they used at least the Pre-Pro #3 right knee in these scenes. One of the reason for this might be this part from the Star Wars Aficionado site:

LATE APRIL/EARLY MAY 1979

BESPIN CORRIDOR
(ADDITIONAL FILMING)

Filling in for an actor who is suddenly un-available for the day, film and TV stalwart Jeremy Bulloch, as well as playing Boba Fett in his required scenes on Bespin (with the characters knee pads often being the cause of hilarity with the cast and crew - when the actor is required to walk they would often dislodge from the costume and go flying off across the set!!), also plays the additional part of the Imperial Officer, Lieutenant Sheckil, who escorts Leia and the rest of her captured party in a lure to trap Luke in the carbon freezing chamber.

PP3 In ESB.jpg

Judging by this image we can say that (possibly) all the soft parts are also from the Pre-Pro #3 suit.


Another question that is frequently asked is about the ROTJ suit from the exibits: which part is from the ROTJ Hero or ROTJ stunt or other suit. Here is an images to clarify most of these questions:

DaG vs ROTJ.jpg

The same suit is at the MoM and the SWtE exibitions. It seems that the ROTJ Hero cod piece and right chest plate doesn't appear in any of the exibits.

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Update 03-11-2011
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The above image was replaced due to the fact that the ROTJ Hero left gauntlet can be seen on the AoSW/C-IV exibitions.
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I hope in the next few days I will post some info about the origin of the ROTJ armor. Another teaser from the Star Wars Aficionado site:

BEHIND THE SCENES INFO ON ALL SIX STAR WARS FILMS

JEDI-CON 2008

(NOTES FROM THE EVENT RELATING TO THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF STAR WARS)
Compiled by Scott Weller

JEREMY BULLOCH
Though the original armour was heavy on set for filming, his shoe wear was very soft, allowing him to move/glide along the floor quite easily whilst playing the part.
Some time ago he visited LUCASFILM to see his original Boba Fett costume (which, though created for EMPIRE, was later given a new paint job for his appearance in RETURN OF THE JEDI).

I know this has been discussed partially here on TDH, and some of you pointed out the origin of the paint underneath the ROTJ abdominal plate to be the ESB paint. While this is true, there are more to discover, than we think, using only reference images from the Gallery. It seems that almost all the 'Johnston' armors (Pre-Pro #1, Pre-Pro #3 and ESB) were recycled for ROTJ, mainly because... read more here ==> The Fate Of The Twin Armors: Pre-Pro #1, Pre-Pro #3 and ESB

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I say it again: THIS IS MY INTERPRETATION OF THE FACTS AND I MIGHT BE WRONG! Any help or correction to the facts is welcomed.

Enjoy!
 
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I've been at this for two years and this still makes my head spin. Thanks for all your hard work and research Rafal.
 
Very nice work sir your non stop

I've been at this for two years and this still makes my head spin. Thanks for all your hard work and research Rafal.

Wow Awesoem work man!!!!!

Thanks, Leo

Thanks a lot! But don't forget, this is a small part of the Fett mistery. There are lots to find/discover and this isn't, can't and never will be a one man work. I tried to put together some information (using my intuition and logical deductions) that came from this forum, the only home for Boba Fett.

But there's more to come...
 
Thanks for sharing your research. Good stuff!

You sir are a Boba machine. Greatly appreciated!

im just blown away with the research awsome! someone is looking that extra bit more we dont notice

Thanks for the kind word! But as I stated in the first post, this is not my own work, it's a multi-sourced information that I try to put together for a better and easier understanding of Boba Fett's backstory.
 
Thanks Rafal and to all the many contributors for all their research, time, devotion, and sharing. Before I joined this site when I saw Boba Fett in the original movies or the special edition or in a promotional photograph I really didn't notice all the many differences. Sure I knew that ESB Boba and ROTJ looked a little different but I never knew there were so many little differences and so many different variations. I join this site with the main purpose to create my own Boba costume never knowing how much of an education I would gain from this task. Again I say Thank You to all that have contributed to this site!
 
Thanks Rafal and to all the many contributors for all their research, time, devotion, and sharing. Before I joined this site when I saw Boba Fett in the original movies or the special edition or in a promotional photograph I really didn't notice all the many differences. Sure I knew that ESB Boba and ROTJ looked a little different but I never knew there were so many little differences and so many different variations. I join this site with the main purpose to create my own Boba costume never knowing how much of an education I would gain from this task. Again I say Thank You to all that have contributed to this site!

This is somehow my story too: before I signed up here I didn't knew about the differences, but being here I learned a lot from the pro's and all the information gathered over the years.
 
Updated the first post with Boba Fett's preproduction chronology. This is not the final version and might not be a 100% accurate one... This is where your knowlege will pay off: please post here any additional info you have to complete the list.

Thanks!
 
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