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Shepperton Design Studios -
X-Wing Pilot Trooper
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Rebel X-Wing Pilot |
| Feb 08 - Thanks to Rich B for sending me these
shots of his modified SDS X-Wing helmet. I use the word "modified"
since SDS send these helmets out totally blank - seemingly the copyright on
the helmet designs and logos falling squarely with Lucasfilm (the TIE cog
and Rebel Phoenix apparently designed by John Mollo). Hence Rich B has added
his own decals and weathered to replicate one of the background helmets used
in A New Hope. |
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| Moving the politics of this helmet to one side,
looking at these photos it IS damned accurate. Though we cant say whether
"Original Moulds" were used, its clear to me that these helmets do derive
from an original source at some point, so if not moulds then certainly mouldings
(casting off the moulds), or skins used to protect the moulds back in the
seventies. |
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| Remember the majority of the X-Wing is actually
the TIE Hemet hemispheres, just cast in a different colour ABS and glued
with a thinner mohawk strip, and obviously without the TK face - so we'd
expect it to be accurate given the TIE is a very accurate helmet. However
its the foibles and anomalies present on the original X-Wing helmets (but
NOT found on the US Air Force APH source helmet) that makes this helmet
stand out. That visor too is spot on. |
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| Here's a comparison below Rich B's helmet on the
left and one of the originals I had my hands on at Christies a couple of
years back, on the right. The photo angle's slightly different but otherwise
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| Rich is a bit if an X-Wing freak so is going to
be adding some of the more well-known X-Wing helmets to his collection
(Luke, Biggs, Wedge etc.) when he's sourced a painter up to the job. Keep us
updated Rich! |
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| Frank from Germany has also customised his SDS
X-Wing helmet producing a really great looking Wedge helmet. |
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| Here's a new Hi Def screen grab I've done and
you can see Frank's done a really great job. Its probably worth him doing a
little more weathering as the original seems really scarred! |
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| Apart from the great paint and weathering,
Frank's also modified the visor so it moves up and down, and has also added
a set of original APH ear pads and an original Racal Mini-lite Headset just
like the screen-used hero's |
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| This has produced a really excellent prop that's
going a hell of a long way top replica the original helmet which still
resides in the LFL archive in California. Well done Frank! |
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