A different sort of Fan Work

[Commander McBride]

I've mentioned this a few times on the boards, and I've now finally gotten around to starting this project.

Anyway, I'm working on making a real-life version of Shin Kudo's Flightsuit, to be worn at Anime Expo and at MWCon4.

The major items are the suit itself and the helmet. The suit, fortunately being mostly conventional, is being based on a standard US flightsuit. The helmet is being built off of the closest (affordable) helmet I was able to find, a replica F-16 pilot's helmet.

First, for the suit. Modifications mostly consist of a set of Macross patches, which I will probably just make using plain white fabric, colored using iron-on transfers and sewn to the suit. The chest nametag patch will be made the same way, but will be affixed to the velcro blank that came attached to the suit.

Here's the base suit- (Crappy pic, taken with my cell)

[Commander McBride]

Next up is the helmet. Overall, the shape is similar to the Macross Zero design.

Mods will include-

-Shortening the visor, and tinting it green

-Building and attaching a cover for the visor to slide into. (Note- the visor does not slide up evenly on the helmet, as it is not as curved as the helmet. Therefore, the visor may have to be kept down. However, once the visor is cut to shape and shortened, this will probably cease to be a problem.)

-Building the bulge around the rear of the helmet

-Building the mounts for the removable lower piece

-Building the lower piece itself. This piece and the mounts, will likely be carved out of styrofoam, and coated, possibly with fiberglass, to give them a smooth, durable, finish. The lower piece will probably attach with magnets embedded in the foam.

-And, of course, a paintjob. The helmet will be painted white, with a red arrow along the bulge, and the visor cover will be red with a gold border and two yellow lightning bolts, to match the anime.

Edited June 7, 2004 by Commander McBride

[Commander McBride]

Finally comes the parachute harness. As far as I can tell, the harness seen in the anime is relatively simple, consisting mostly of straps. I have not yet determined if it has the harness is just the harness or has the attached pack, however, I believe it is the harness only. If so, the only modification will be the characteristic yellow and black shoulder pads.

[Angel's Fury]

Are you gonna post pics of the finished cos with all the mods?

[Commander McBride]

Of course. And I'm going to do a sort of build up photo series for them, just like WM does with models.

[Commander McBride]

Ok, I've started mocking up the helmet. On closer inspection of the Anime helmet, I needed to extend the rear of the helmet down, so the bottom edge was parallel with the brim. Also, the brim is more pointed than I originally thought. The con is almost a month away, so neither is really a problem, just a bit more work.

I'm just using taped up thin cardboard to simulate the shapes of the finished helmet. I've built the rear extention, and have mocked up the beginning of a "skeleton" for the brim. Attached is an image of my current progress.

Edited June 8, 2004 by Commander McBride

[Angel's Fury]

What materials will you be using to mod your helmet? Btw, did you get your flightsuit from an army/navy surplus store?

[Commander McBride]

I actually said it in my first post, anyway, I'll be modding the hekmet using foam carved to shape, with a coating for smoothness and strength, possibly fiberglass.

And, yes, the suit (and helmet) came from a Surplus Store, namely, the Supply Seargent in Burbank. (Hreat surplus store, by the way, highly recommended.)