Lt. Dan

Austin, did you covered your backsides already with fiberglas? I´m at the same point now and was wondering which material I should use!? Have you been able to gain experience by now?

Armory Props Shop mail day!? Thank God, the wait is over! Now the real fun can begin!? To be honest, I felt like a little kid and I´m a little bit overwhelmed after unboxing everything? So much parts, where the heck should I start? Good news is that all parts are undamaged from transit, unfortenately the cod armor piece is missing. But I wrote to Denis and I think it will be resend asap. Nevertheless I have enough work with the remaining parts ahead. Think its time to make a plan, as my goal is to have the costume approved by the end of September. Then the German Garrison has its annual meeting at Speyer Technical Museum. First of all I´ll start with the helmet I think. Put in a hard hat, some padding and the audio system. Although I took a size L helmet I have problems putting it on because I wear glasses. My glasses are too wide. My idea is to put a vision film on the inside of the visor, so I can leave the glasses off and still see to some extent. Hope this will work, as I can´t wear contact lenses? Next step will be the reinforcement of the back of all big armor parts with fibreglass and resin to give them extra strength. I need to revise them anyway because there are residues from printing fillament. After that I can begin with strapping and fitting. I'm still thinking about whether to use a harness with snap buttons or a velcro system or a combined mixture of both. There are so many selections out there, quite heavy in my opinion. Long story short, I'll start first and then see what happens next?

Got the rest of the Darksite Closet order: corset option and pouches. Stuffed them with foam to give shape. Don´t know exactly how I´ll integrate the corset once I have the hard parts, been thinking about a harness. Talking about the hard parts: got confirmation that my helmet and armor is ready to ship from Armory Props. After seven months now, I can´t wait any longer!??

Thank God that I ordered a painted armor set from Armory Props! That sanding job would kill me? Nice progress that you made, keep going! BTW what kind of harness do you use for the lower parts?

That´s going to be my first choice also?

Mail day after six months of waiting! Soft parts from Dark Side Closet came in today and what should I say!? Awesome stuff, looks great and fits perfect (expected nothing else because I have measured three times?). That tells me also, that I have not gained weight in between?Now its all about the hard parts to get started, still waiting for them to arrive. Got confirmation from Armory Props that my armor is at the paint shop at this time. So hopefully it gonna show up within the next weeks.

Great info, many thanks! Will get in contact with them?

Hey Chris, looked on their website, but can´t find the Swamp Trooper there!? Will you get a custom made set thats not officially been offered? Thanks for a hint?

IB´s Killer came in yesterday! Wow, that was pretty fast. From ordering to delivery in under 4 weeks!?Wishing my armor and soft parts would be that fast. Waiting now for about five months for them to arrive. And I think that is still not the end of waiting? The Killers look really great and fit very comfortable. The only disadvantage is the extremely smell from glue that was used to produce them. Have to store them outside at the moment to air a bit.

Had some headaches from the last discussion about the level 2 requirements belonging the boots and finally decided to go with the IB "Killer". Just sold my Doc Martens Talib last week for a good price and ordered from Imperial Boots. Cancelled also the boot covers within my order from Darkside Closet, because they come now with the "Killers". Why going the hard way when there´s such a screen accurate product available, right? I think there is going to be enough work ahead beside the shoes?

Looks great! I think your GMO should be happy with it. Wish I would be so far by now with my DT?

Stuff coming in! Today I got my helmet audio system from @ukswrath, many thanks! It works perfectly and I can´t wait to put it into my helmet (if it ever arrives?)

Because waiting is not my strength?, I thought about how I could transport my weapons while going on future troops. I stumbled over an old RC helicopter transport box and a sheet of memory foam and started to craft. Measurements of the box are nearly perfect to host both weapons and some sections of the interior fit from the start. I only added memory foam in the middle of the box were I cut out the outlines of the SE-14R. As for the E-11D it was a bit tricky because I had to think three-dimensional and cut the weapon structure also in depth. A positive side effect is that I will also have some additional space on the right of the box for other small accessories like MP3 player from the helmet speaker set, charging device, gloves, balaclava etc. A friend of mine who saw this said that I´m equipped now like a professional killer? Before and after:

I didn´t pull the trigger on a shoe maker, I said it should be no problem for a shoemaker to move a pull tab a few centimeters if needed?Apart from the pull tab I´m a bit confused about the padding also, because in a former answer it was said: Now the Talibs should be modified as mentioned: That means for me that the padding is not optional but mandatory for level 2. From my point of view, there still seems to be a lot of potential for discussion about the boots. But as the new CRL is online and binding now, I´ll concentrate on level 1 requirements and keep the Talibs as they are ?

Haha, you're right!? Problem is that I already have a pair of new Talibs here and just thought how to get them to level 2. If its only a question of moving the pull tab a few centimeters then it should be no problem for a shoemaker, instead of buying much more expensive new IB boots and selling the Talibs again?

Ok for me as a rooky, again are the Talib´s approvable for level 2? When I´m right I have to do this as @nanotek stated: "Talibs and Meyers can be Level 2 by placing/sewing a 1/2 inch wide folded leather pull tab midway up the heel"??? My Talib´s have this leather pull tabs. Do I only have to transfer them from the top of the heel to the middle? Thanks!

E-11D detailed view:

Its done, weapons build accomplished! At the end I decided to repaint the SE-14R again, because the first try was too heavy weathered and colours didn´t match exactly. I´m not a fan of heavy weathering, so at both weapons I only broke corners and edges with silver dry brush and highlighted knurled areas and grips at the second attempt. For the slides and extractors I used a graphite pen to give that metallic look. After applying the decals, I coated both with satin clear coat and assembled the shoulder support and flashlight on the E-11D and scope on the SE-14R. Actually the weapons are much too nice for trooping!? First step taken, now waiting for the rest! SE-14R detailed view:

Today I tried my new airbrush which I decided to buy on Cyber Monday?It´s a mini airbrush, but worked very well for my purpose of doing the heat scorch effect on the barrel. I used Alclad II colours, to be exact chrome as primer and then transparent yellow, red and blue. They are ready to use and very easy to apply. Found also a very good tutorial on Youtube how to paint the E-11D especially. At the end I used dry brushed gunmetal for powder deposits look. I think that scorch effect was the hardest part of painting?

@Chaosgot your point! After browsing the web for reference pictures I´ll revise that. It also seems like the extractor in the front doesn´t go completely through to the slide. The printed groove in the barrel made me thinking that this is so. I will do that again, not happy with it!

Started to weather the SE-14R blaster. I used a mix of brown, black and white acrilic paint for dirt and silver for the edges and corners. Finally I used some Tamiya weathering paste for the highlights and a bit of rust effect. As this is my first time of weathering a blaster any suggestions would be recommended. Too much, too less or just fine?

Honestly, this costume is nothing for people with claustrophobia ? Looks very good Jon, from my point of view ?

Painting day! I used black filler primer and two layers of satin black automotive spray. Next step will be the barrel scorch theme, followed by weathering and finally clear coat.

This build is most impressive to me! Looking forward to see it complete?

Accessories for the guns flittered in, to be exact the M300 flashlight with 5 slot rail and decal sheets. Thanks to @Chaos for these super precise decals! Also decided to go with an Ukswrath Bluetooth MP3 helmet audio system and ordered straight away! This week I´m going to prime and paint both weapons. Things come together!?