My stormtrooperguy Ep2 Clone helmet!

[Cruzer]

I was fortunate to get one of the first of these amazing helmets. I received it last Saturday in hopes of having it ready to wear for a Relay for Life event that my local Fan Force group is making an appearance at tomorrow. The weathering was made to match my current Ep2 clone pilot armor.

This helmet is awesome & was very easy to work with. I modified it slightly by shortening the visor area on the sides to resemble the movie-seen helmet, and trimmed out the correct number of oblong vent holes on the bottoms of the sides. Once I figure out how to install a working stop light, consider it done.

Sorry for the low res cell phone pics. It's all I have for now.

I think it looks 501st acceptible, but hopefully foxbatkllr will chime in with his thoughts on it.

Thanks goes out to stormtrooperguy for such a cool helmet, and going out of his way to make one available to me so quickly.

Enjoy,
Cruzer

 

[HeadlessHunter]

Looks great!!! I really should finish mine ha ha

 

[stormtrooperguy]

woo-hoo!

it looks great

the only things i can think of that you might need to do are the "brake lights" on the fin and the indents on the ears. the eFX clone helmet shows these details well (pic from rebelscum.com)

 

[Cruzer]

Aghhh, I forgot all about those circular areas on the ears. That's what I get for not looking at ref. pics. I'll have to cut those in later. As long as it's good enough to troop tomorrow, I'm happy.

 

[Foxbatkllr]

It's not great, but it is better than some helmets out there. My main issue with it is that it is elongated from front to back like the Rubies helmet. That is no fault of Brian's as he did a good job with the conversion. It is something that really cannot be fixed though. As for 501st acceptance, who knows? Right now there are some weird things going on with the clone approval process from what I've heard.

What you need to fix though is the visor area. You need to round those corners.

 

[Cruzer]

Aggghh, double wammy! Now I really feel like I should have looked at some ref. pics. I'll definitely make that visor change immediately! Thanks, Foxbatkllr.

I think with a little aluminum stock glued around the base of the helmet, that elongation might be able to be improved upon because the helmet appears slightly squashed when looking straight at it. So I think widening the helmet has the potential to slightly bring in that back area.

Foxbatkllr, I've noticed you've been somewhat adamant about your dislike of the Hasbro helmet's design from the onset. Why is that? It definitely seems better than some other helmets out there currently being used. Plus, the limited number of makers of Ep2 helmets right now makes me wonder why this helmet's design isn't more readily accepted. Like to hear your thoughts bro as someone who's involved more in the clone costuming sceen.

 

[Foxbatkllr]

Well, the short answer is that in my opinion there are only 4 Ep 2 helmets (or potential) Ep 2 helmets that are worthy. Those 4 helmets are the C6, Java, eFX, and SciFire. Those 4 helmets got the shape and details of the Ep 2 helmet good enough IMO. This hasbro helmet comes close but falls short due to its side profile. The Rubies helmet has the same problem. It's not terrible, but I don't think the Kelloggs or Rubies should be 501st acceptable either. It's certainly the best of the 3 cheap commercial helmets, but it just doesn't cut it for me. I may just be pickier than others, but I believe that as better resources become available, costume standards should be raised to those resources. I personally think the 501st should start encouraging people to weed out FX stormtrooper suits, but I'm probably in the minority.

 

[stormtrooperguy]

yeah, i'm not nearly as hardcore as that. i wouldn't want to wear an fx suit myself, but i think they are perfectly fine for most folks. just like i wouldn't want a don post boba helmet, but i see nothing wrong with them in general... just not my thing.

i think the standard should be "good enough", and those that want to exceed it can. but this is a whole different conversation really

personally, i like the exaggerated profile of the hasbro... it looks more like the animated version than anything else out there right now, and my hasbro modding has all been to make it more cartoony

my next round of revisions planned is to widen out the flare at the bottom to REALLY make it toonish. i'll probably narrow out the face a little bit too. the whole reason for molding it in the first place was a better base to work from for the cartoon.

but that's another tangent. do two off topics make an on topic?

 

[Foxbatkllr]

I think your modified Hasbro helmet is perfect for the animated version.

 

[Cruzer]

I hear what you're saying Foxbatkllr, and those four helmets are undoubtedly at the top of the Ep2 list. Down the road I'd like to score a fiberglass Sci-Fire helmet. However, stormtrooperguy definitely turned out a great bucket with the base that was used.

Ok, I took to heart the suggestions both you guys made and here are the resulting modifications. I really appreciate the input you guys gave me. The stop light is just a piece of plastic lense from a $2 running light from Walmart. I know it's design is not screen-accurate, but it will work for this helmet. Let me know what else I can improve!

Relay for Life debut in T minus 4 hours!

 

[Foxbatkllr]

The visor looks much better!

 

[stormtrooperguy]

yeah, those rounded corners change everything. i think that will do the job nicely

 

[Cruzer]

Thanks guys! After running out to our local motorcycle shop, I decided to make one last minute change to the visor.

 

[Cruzer]

Here are a few pics of the event and how the helmet looked with my collage of armor. I know, foxbatkllr, the visor is probably not 501st acceptible, but I like the effect it added and it's removable. I will change out the visor if I ever attend a 501st event. This was just a local FanForce event. Oh, and the Jedi in the back is pushing 7'. People kept asking him how tall he was, and if he was really that tall or if he was on stilts. We need to make him a Wookie suit!

 

[stormtrooperguy]

i'm pretty sure that mirrored is ok. i like the reflective look a lot!

 

[Heatshock]

hey guys - I know I am new, and that I am talking to people who all seem to have post >1000 (at the very least!!) - but thought I'd add something to the discussion.

foxbatkller - did u leave out the new OSCS coming out soon cos its not yet available or cos it doesnt make the cut for the top 4? Yeah I heard abt 501 CRL and clearance issues in US Is defo up in the air as well. Think Rebel Legion has some CRL set out already though. Is it still 1 central GML to approve all new clone builds?

stormtrooper guy - I like wot u did with Hasb lid man! very nice. Seen ur WIP here and over on CE. I would prob do it to mine was well; but not gonna mind if 501 accepted or not. I have 2 other issues with the lid (1) the angle of the eye piece on the face mask. Think its too thick (2) ear poles are too flared. I am currently debating whether to start dremellin it or just accept it as it is. No offense to the 501 - love their work and respect wot they try and maintain to in terms of standards. But 501 clearance and acceptance isnt the end all and be all.

Cruzer - I like the mod u've done. Nice mirrored lenses - think they are acceptable as thats the look they had at the end of EpII. Nice looking armour btw - wot kit u got there? oh man 7 foot jedi - think movie clones were meant to be 6 foot only werent they?


as for my personal opinion on the Hasb - I quite like it. I do agree it does look a bit long front-to-back though, esp.ly compared a clone 6/JM. I however dont think its enough to bar it from 501 acceptance. Think the FX lid is a fine example of these rather fluid requirements. its fine that people who have had clearance with em in the past still retain it. But u still can get clearance, today with the FX lid - even with much better alternatives. Fortunately - I have absolutely no influence on the powers-that-be = so its purely a personal opinion.
I've often thought the same abt how Kelloggs mods were accepted and Hasb conversion werent - guess its the whole problem of so called "grandfathered in" costumes.

Nate

 

[stormtrooperguy]

well, no-one has said that the converted hasbro won't be accepted. i'd vote for it, assuming it's done well. the elongated front to back is there, but it's not horrific or anything.

since clones are back in the gml hands, unless there's an explicit "DO NOT ALLOW THIS HELMET!!!" passed, i think it will be up to the gmls to decide.

 

[MandalorFett]

Looking good Cruzer! I like the mirrored visor too.

 

[Dark Side]

very nice

 

[SEEKER]

Your costume looks great cruzer!