Seeking helmet advice FPH-II, RS Pros, FPH-III

[stryker181]

So years ago I picked up a helmet from TDH from a seller who claimed the helmet was from RS-Props. It wasn't their lineage helmet and I later found out that is was from the 3D Scan that MR had done that RS Props used. When I recieved the helmet there were thing about it that were strange that I wanted to find out more about. When I contacted Rob at RS Props, who is a great guy to respond to such a question, he confirmed that the asymetric look was correct he responded with:

Yes, the asymmetric look of the helmet is correct.
Here is an image of 3 lineage helmets, a preproduction helmet, the Master replicas master (3D scan) which you have and the ESB hero. You can see all exhibit the exact same look.
This is the Marko Rea helmet originally. That got around fast. It really should not exist, but Marco practically begged us to paint the MR Prototype for him.

Comparison to my helmet:

Unfortunately the helmet is a bit small for me so I have since aquired a couple of other helmets in my journey. I have recently picked up a WF FPH II painted by Lane Creative Studies and another FPH III that remains unpainted. Below is the comparison. FPH II on the left, RS Props in the middle and the FPH III on the right.

Note that the visor in the RS Props isn't secured in the helmet and that I replaced the chip pannel in the back with a 3d printed one that was thinner to allow more room for my head.

What has struck me a strange about the RS Props helment and what I ask the community is the following:

Rob mentioned that the helmet was being painted as a prototype. I always thought that was meant to be just as a first helmet. I believe what was meant is that it has a PP3 paintup on it. I always wondered why the kill strips never fadded from yellow to orange. As well although there are only 14 stripes there is a "blank" spot for a fiftheenth to be painted in (but never was) as I believe is needed for the PP3.

I was going to make this into a ESB by painting over the kill strips and fading them as they need to be but I am wondering if I just leave it alone. I'm not sure who Marko Rae is and how he fits into the community and why Rob allowed the helmet to be produced. I was going to put the proper visor mounts into it and but the original chip insert back int to be more original and perhaps that is all that I do.

What are the thoughts from the community?

 

[stryker181]

So with no replies to this inquiry I will be looking to sell the helmet to anyone interested in an helmet with an interesting background. I will be preping the helmet for sale.

 

[Neo Fett]

The Masters Replica helmet is the PP3 helmet. They thought it was the ESB when they scanned it apparently since they are incredibly similar to the untrained eye.

 

[stryker181]

Thanks Neo,

What I find interesting is that there is such a size and scale difference between it and the FPH II. Comparing it to the FPH III is far more similarities. What I never got out of Rob at RS Props is why the stripes were painted PP-3 (yellow without fade) but only 14 kill strips, which as I understand it is ESB not PP-3 (15 stripes). It is almost that they were trying to blend the PP-3 with an ESB paintjob. My understanding is that Jon Bird did the work. Luckily this helmet does not suffer the visor pinch as the MR does and I removed the visor to try and equal out the significant difference in how the visor lines up between the two sides. It will still have the asymetry but not as sever as when I recieved it. If indeed this is the unmodified version of the MR helmet that RS Props did it would be interesting to compare the two of them to see what was done.

 

[Neo Fett]

Thanks Neo,

What I find interesting is that there is such a size and scale difference between it and the FPH II. Comparing it to the FPH III is far more similarities. What I never got out of Rob at RS Props is why the stripes were painted PP-3 (yellow without fade) but only 14 kill strips, which as I understand it is ESB not PP-3 (15 stripes). It is almost that they were trying to blend the PP-3 with an ESB paintjob. My understanding is that Jon Bird did the work. Luckily this helmet does not suffer the visor pinch as the MR does and I removed the visor to try and equal out the significant difference in how the visor lines up between the two sides. It will still have the asymetry but not as sever as when I recieved it. If indeed this is the unmodified version of the MR helmet that RS Props did it would be interesting to compare the two of them to see what was done.

FPH2 is a fan sculpt, FPH3 is a much lower generation casting of the ESB helmet (G5 I think?) but cleaned up. So that's why the FPH3 is closer to the MR.

As for why the PP3 has different kill stripes, only Joe Johnston really knows. Maybe he just forgot to paint an extra one or accidently painted an extra on ESB. It's likely PP3 and ESB helmets were painted at the same time however with no production photos of ESB it's impossible to know for sure.

 

[stryker181]

The FPH3 is definately a recast that is down in the generations as you state but wiht the generational shrinkage is just unfortunately to small of a helmet for me which is why I didn't get it painted. The RS Props is again a touch too small which is amplified with the circuit board not being molded into the helmet. I can thin out the chip insert but still not a lot of room front to back. The FPH-II is definately bigger and I think suits me more as I am a bigger guy.

With the kill strips not fadding from yellow to orange is also an issue if it is to be used as an ESB and I would hate to have to repaint them.

It kills me but either the RS Props or the FPH2 have to go.

 

[KaanE]

There was a comparative on shrinkage from G2, G4 and G5 and the diference was about 2 to 4 mm from side to side.

 

[stryker181]

I would have to measure the FPH3 against the RS Props but visually they are really similar (no surprise). As a 3d scan and full fiberglass helmet I thought the helmet would be bigger on the inside and outside of the RS Props but when Rob compared it to the hero helmet he has it was clear it is smaller (from the pictures).