TFA X-Wing Flight Suit Build

TFA (The Force Awakens) X-Wing Pilot

I am starting to build a costume. If you know me you'll know that every couple years I like to do this. My last big costume was a Ghostbusters (80s) Uniform. And this year I'm creating the TFA X-Wing Flight Suit.

I will use this spot to post some reference images that I can come back to and check from time to time. As well as my progress. I'm not sure what helmet paint job I'm going to do yet.

Reference Image:

Full Uniform

Vests as created by Rebel Legion Member Philonius

Stitching Detail on Pockets.

Leg Flares. (I will have these created on a lathe)
And here they are!

Rank Badge and Collar Details

Helmets

Pay attention to the little details.

Many of the replica helmets don't have this piece.

Flight Suit

My Kit From JawaChopShop

I bought my helmet kit from JawaChopShop. He charges (at the time) $190 USD for the cast kit. $225 USD if he assembles it ready for painting. Chris Hale who runs the shop has been incredibly helpful. My messages have been replied to promptly. I look forward to purchasing the rest of my kit parts through him.

Some of JawaChopShop's Work.

Two Chicago screws allow the visor to go up and down.

Flight Suit Ejection Harness

A Rebel Legion member helped me with some Laser cut aluminum paddles. Needed 10 sets of 1/4" Chicago screws

Every project needs some inspiration!

Hand painted emblems. Yeah, the lines are a little wobbly. lol - I'll fix it up.

Apparently, the mold my helmet came from is not as accurate as I thought. Soooo, creative powers activate. Time to shape this thing myself.

I was trying to wrap my head around how to connect the visor. Do I do it like the images above with the Chicago screws? or do I do it with... MAGNETS!

I really think the earth magnets are going to work. And I won't need guides. I will just make a metal rail that it slides on and it'll be fine. The magnets are so powerful they won't let the lens come off the rail.

In a stroke of good luck, I managed to convince the fella that runs AllenAmisCreations on Etsy.com to send me just the greebles from his helmet.

A greeble or nurnie is a fine detailing added to the surface of a larger object that makes it appear more complex, and therefore more visually interesting. It usually gives the audience an impression of increased scale or the illusion of technology.

And he charged me a very reasonable price. I found that the parts that came with my helmet had a handmade unfinished look. These parts are supposed to be machined advanced technology. I tried to clean them up but there is only so much you can do. Never the less I'm moving on.

So, I've not been incredibly pleased with the blastshield. So I tried to mod it but it is looking more and more like I need to just make or acquire something larger. Well Over on Etsy is a fella called ChristWerxProps and he's going to sell me his Blastshield for my helmet.

I took a piece of tape and measured it to see how large my blast shield needs to be and it looks like his will fit. Here is his product.

So, all my parts from Allen Amis on Etsy came in here's the images.

Allen Amis parts on the left. JawaPropShop on the right.

Update:

well I got my Blastshield from ChristWerks on Etsy and it fits perfect. Like Perfect! Here are images.

So many inaccurasies with the shield on the right. This is really worth the leg work to get.

Many Thanks to ChristWerx on Etsy. This thing is amazeballz!

New blast Shield goes all the way across to the ear now.

Old Blastshield on the left new awesome one on the right!

Over the weekend I was able to do some more work on the helmet. I have to say I am sooooo happy that I bought the other blastshield. It's really 100% better.

Blaster and Holster

A Rebel Legion member has offered to sell me a holster and gun for my costume. Here are the parts he makes. I'll need to compare them to the film props to see how well this will work. They do look good though.