Vest Boba Fett 1st Prototype Cape Clip - IDENTIFIED AND IN HAND!

[Art Andrews]

These are the moment that are just so cool! Another fantastic victory for the community!

Thanks to TDH member, SEEKER, we now know the identity of the clasp on the First Prototype’s gorget armor as seen here:

For those who may not know, this clip was used to hold Fett's cape across his chest, poncho-style, much like Clint Eastwood's character from whom Fett was modeled.

I’ll be the first to admit, I looked for and gave up on ever identifying this piece years ago and I know others have done the same. However, in prepping for C7, Arturo reached out to his friend base to see if anyone could ID this piece and someone did! Huge kudos to Rick Bremon for initially IDing the part as “that certainly looks to be of Martin Baker design... most likely part of the buckle from an ejection seat from a 70's fighter jet.” Almost immediately followed by pointing out that the same buckles are seen on the chest pack from 2001: A Space Odyssey as seen here:

Rick was indeed right and it only took a short period of time to ID the buckles as parts from a Martin Baker Harness.
These buckles usually have “Martin Baker” stamped into the back of them, although we have seen copies that don’t. On the face they have “MBEU / 451 DP-X” That “X” at the end is a number. So far we have seen DP2, DP3 and DP6. Below that line is 27C / 2410. On some this line has been replaced with “AUTOFLUG” which is German a company that builds car seats.
These buckles can be found on eBay, rarely here in the US, from time to time in the UK and somewhat more often in Germany.

Thanks so much to everyone involved in making this happen and scratching one more item off the list.
Keep researching! Keep sharing! Be Fett!

 

[bcurtis]

I love this site.

 

[DeathProof]

That's great to see, Art!! I'm always amazed at how people find these pieces. I am assuming that the piece connecting the cape to the buckle (in your last image) is part of the same system?

Hurry people! To eBay before the prices inflate!

 

[Skyfire]

Sweet find guys, I will stop by the airplane junk yard near work to see if they have any available.

 

[RafalFett]

Wow! Great find! Can't wait to redo my 3D model.

 

[RobaFett]

I didn't know the clip or buckle was even there! shows my keen eyes,. Great thing for everyone, Good find!

 

[Matty Matt]

So cool. I love these discoveries.

 

[Darth Voorhees]

Thats pretty awesome! I likely wont build that version of Fett..(maaaaybe lol) but if i found these i could use them for sure on a custom

 

[crumdum]

Congratz!

 

[Art Andrews]

Wow! Great find! Can't wait to redo my 3D model.

For not knowing what the found part was... your model was ridiculously close already! If you need any exact measurements, I'll be glad to provide them.

 

[Art Andrews]

I am assuming that the piece connecting the cape to the buckle (in your last image) is part of the same system?

I don't think so... I believe they just made the connecting piece by hand. You can still see what remains of it on the RotJ cape.

 

[RafalFett]

For not knowing what the found part was... your model was ridiculously close already! If you need any exact measurements, I'll be glad to provide them.

Thanks! I found some measurements on a closed ebay sale:

Length: 44 mm (mine is 40mm)
Width: 42mm (mine is 40mm)
Height: 11mm (mine is 10mm)

If you can confirm these values I'll be happy. Also some more images would be really cool, especially the inner parts.

Here are a couple of images with 2 unassembled buckles:

 

[RafalFett]

I don't think so... I believe they just made the connecting piece by hand. You can still see what remains of it on the RotJ cape.

I have to disagree with you here, as the Pre-Pro #1/Pre-Pro #3 cape is not the reused ROTJ, because the Pre- Pro #1 have seams only on the margins, while the ROTJ has seams all over the cape:

 

[intwenothor]

Very, very cool. I loves a found part. Great work Seeker.

 

[Art Andrews]

Mine is:

42.12mm wide
44.47mm long
10.76mm tall

Here are some additional shots.

 

[RafalFett]

Wow! Thanks a lot Art! It seems that the retaining system is pretty close to the one imagined by me (mine looks a bit too complicated):

 

[Art Andrews]

I stand, corrected.

I do think that broken bit we see on the RotJ cape was intended for the cape clip. Perhaps they moved it or made more than one?

If that is the case, your insert piece should be longer and thinner at the back and the bolts should be in line with one another, not side by side.

I have to disagree with you here, as the Pre-Pro #1/Pre-Pro #3 cape is not the reused ROTJ, because the Pre- Pro #1 have seams only on the margins, while the ROTJ has seams all over the cape:

 

[RafalFett]

I stand, corrected.

I do think that broken bit we see on the RotJ cape was intended for the cape clip. Perhaps they moved it or made more than one?

If that is the case, your insert piece should be longer and thinner at the back and the bolts should be in line with one another, not side by side.

I based my insert piece on this image:



The fact that the bolt is not centered, I assumed that there are 2 bolts. And I used the contour highlighted with the red arrows as the contour of the insert base. But it is possible that there was only 1 bolt and the insert body was slightly curved (this design I like a lot) to release the stress caused by the cape's weight:

 

[Mullreel]

Perfect

 

[Art Andrews]

RafalFett, I can see where you are getting the shape, but I don't think that is a bolt... do you? I don't actually see any bolts on there.