Wickerman Imperial Navy Commando Build

[WickerMan[TX]]

Well guys, while waiting for funds to carry on with my Evo Trooper build (Five-Zero's helmet is lonely without the armour!!), I have cracked on with my other project the Navy Commando!!

 

So far I have collected together:

• TK Shins/Calves
• GM Chest/Backplate
• CT Backplate insert detail
• TB Shoulder Bells
• TD MP40 Ammo Pouches

 

I have ordered a Snow-clone helmet to base the lid on. It has good shape & thickness and has the right flared wings to match the in-game references. I had looked at Snowtrooper & GM lids but the flare was too shallow & the lid itself too thin. I will then adapt a TK faceplate to the correct angles etc for the Navy Commando.

 

For the undersuit, I was thinking a TB flight suit with sewn on thigh pockets/pouches, complemented with a cummerbund for the horizontal ribbing. What do you guys think?

 

I'll post up WIP pics when I make a start on the lid conversions (as we all love WIP pics eh? ha ha),

[Darth Agnon[501st]]

Can't wait to see it!

[WickerMan[TX]]

Armour progress so far

Got both parts of the helmet now, so will be attacking them with the Dremel shortly to turn a Snowclone & a TK faceplate into a Navy Commando!!

[Darth Emphatic[CMD-DWM]]

Cannot wait to see how you are going to manage reintegrating those. Who doesn't love WIP pics

[WickerMan[TX]]

Progress update: Started on the helmet.

Trimmed the excess & faceplate off the Snowclone (no pic as thats the boring bit ha ha!)

 

Cut out the eyehole to match the Navy Commando profile

Then cut out the cheeks, need to insert Clone style sunken cheeks to match the reference pics

Then, couldn't resist a quick test fit. I attached the 2 pieces with Sellotape. Some distortion of the faceplate due to the Sellotape not holding as tightly as E6000 would ha ha, but you should get the general idea. Loads of vision with this lid!!

After-which I rechecked the ref pic, need to cut a bit more from the eyes to get the right angle at the front edge

 

More progress after my Hols!!!

[Darth Emphatic[CMD-DWM]]

Like that shirt!

[WickerMan[TX]]

Thanks, it seemed appropriate ha ha

[izzi[TX]]

I'm liking the progress so far!

 

-iz

[WickerMan[TX]]

Been a while since the last update, still moving on this. I'll post up some more WIP pics soon

 

I've been adjusting the chestplate after attacking a TK abs plate with my dremmel, so the GM chestplate is now a Navy Commando chestplate!! Just need some Ab buttons to complete the look (probably grab some Chicago screws unless anyone has a better alternative?)

 

Been chatting with a buddy over here about some aspects of the armour that could get lost in the details. Most notably, the sunken detail of the backplate has 2 weak uplighters (similar to license plate illumination). You can clearly see it in some of the reference pics. Ergo, I have been looking at LED mounting methods etc

 

Anyhoo, more WIP pics at the weekend!!!

[WickerMan[TX]]

As promised, some more WIP pics

 

First up, the helmet

As previous, I wasn't happy with the cut of the eyes, so I recut to match the ref pic better.

Next steps are to sort the aerators & Vocoder so the Vocoder protrudes past the aerators and the aerators slope outwards (per the ref pic)

 

I test fit the pieces of the Chest plate so it matches the ref pics, see what you guys think

 

Then I marked out & cut the backplate. The NC has a pseudo Clone backplate panel but the details are slightly different so Im adapting a resin spare I got hold of.

 

& together

 

More updates next week (may even try a test fit, see how its coming together)

[WickerMan[TX]]

Oh yeah, the orange peeling on the backplate is as it's a bad pull that I got free (seeing as I was gonna butcher it anyway!!) I will be smoothing it out with filler then spraying with white gloss to regain the shine!!

[izzi[TX]]

I'm only counting 4 total buttons on that ab, from the pic.

[WickerMan[TX]]

Yup, 4 buttons in total (& the top one in the main strip looks larger & square, but that might just be limitations of the graphics). The holes in the ab detail were pre-drilled but I'll be covering them before adding the buttons.

 

I didn't like the distortion of the faceplate in the test fit (the Snowclone cowl was a bit too narrow at the crown), so over the weekend I cut it in half so I could add a half inch shim. I then retested the faceplate and Bingo, no distortion!! I need to fill & reinforce the shim now & engrave the detailing of the traps etc.

 

TK shins are done, with a 1.5 inch coverstrip (the ref pics have a wide coverstrip), the cod/butt connectors are done so I have a lovely pair of ABS Speedos!!!!

Next weekend is the backplate insert, complete the shimming of the lid & start modding the vocoder & aerators, strap up the Shoulder Bells

 

I'll add this weekends photos to Photobucket, then post them up here!!

[izzi[TX]]

Awesome. Can't wait to see!

 

[WickerMan[TX]]

As promised Izzi, here are the progress pics

 

Making the cut for the shimming

The 'OMG What have I done?' moment!!!

Initial Shimming to add a half inch extra across the dome (will be adding the rest of the base reinforcement, then filling the gap with bondo)

Then temporarily attached the faceplate to check the shim width, no more squeezing distortion..liking the look now

Then tried it on again (have to twist the helmet while putting it on like a TK ha ha)

 

More progress pics next week (I want to beat the FISD guy who is also making one of these so we can grab it for Spec Ops !!)

[izzi[TX]]

Cool. Nice work!

 

-iz

[Chef[501st]]

You not finished this yet Jim!

 

Chop chop.

[WickerMan[TX]]

More progress

Been adding to the shimming of the helmet but not finished (having to do it in small strips to keep the contour of the lid), so no photo of that as it's not much advanced from last time!!

 

Where there is nice progress is the legs.

I engaged the services of one of my UKG buddies to build me some custom knees (I drew up orthographic views & measurements for him) & boy did he deliver. They turned out great.

 

So, after completing assembly of the TK greaves I test fit the knees & they fit perfectly

 

So after a couple of coats of white gloss, I attached them & they truly are a thing of beauty

 

I've ordered the remaining TK parts & am waiting for my other buddy to deliver some Clone Elbows, then the parting out is complete

The backplate will be done this week, then I can strap up the Chest & Back & concentrate on the Lid!!!

[WickerMan[TX]]

Happy New Year guys

After the festive lull and some repairs to get my Cody ready for the 2013 Trooping season, it's all hands to the pumps to crack on with the Navy Commando

 

I now have all the pieces I need to complete this build barring an E11 & holster. I have kicked off with trying to finish the helmet, need to change the profile from a TK to a Navy Commando.

 

First, cut off the 'nose', Navy Commando has a longer snout so will be adding shims to extend the snout by about an inch

Then cut a large portion of the aerator bulges away, the aerators need to be set further back & face slightly outwards

The excess bulge residue was then cut free from the aerators and repurposed as a shim to sit behind so the new position of the aerators has a good solid surface to bind to

After the snout extender shims had dried it was time to add the 'Nose' back on. Extra inch of snouty goodness..sorted!

Then to add the aerators back on in their new position set an inch and a half further back than they were originally

Profile looking much more like a Navy Commando now. Aerators set back & facing slightly outwards (rather than forward & inward like a TK) with snout and vocoder protruding past them.

 

Not long now before I can try & get a cast off this & try a test fit of all the pieces together

[Master Tej]

I'm amazed at all the work you do to mod that helmet. How do you cut it up without, like, weeping?

 

- Master Tej -

[WickerMan[TX]]

There was weeping mate, ha ha. Every cut is followed by an 'Oh my god, what have I done?' moment!!

 

When it starts going back together, the anxiety lifts a little ha ha

[izzi[TX]]

That is such awesome work!

 

-iz

[WickerMan[TX]]

Thanks Izzi

[WickerMan[TX]]

Phew- been a while since I last updated this thread.

Done loads more work. Helmet is almost done, nearly finished putting it back together ready for casting. Forearms are done, Chest & backplate are 80% there, legs are done. flight suit adjusted- just need to add the thigh pockets.

 

I'll post up the update pics tomorrow (including the test fit), so you can all see where the build is at

 

Just need to sort the Clone elbows (a UKG buddy is making those for me), thigh pockets (as above), ROTJ E-11 holster & a white MP-40 pouch for the right hip and we are done

 

I've also drafted up a CRL, which I'll post for comment too

[Chef[501st]]

Nice work Jim, looking forward to seeing the Pics.

 

Just to let you know, we now have our very own LMO Liaison so as and when you come to getting to the submission stage, we can ask all the relevant questions and make sure we're heading in the right direction from the start.