1/6 Hot Toys - MMS 279 - Star Wars Episode IV: 1/6th scale Darth Vader

Collector Freaks Forum

Help Support Collector Freaks Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Nice idea, Keyen.

So just got a second helmet as the first one had some messed up paint on the cheek and I was thinking I'd maybe mod that one, but the new one strangely seems to have a slightly lower dome than the first and thankfully no screwy paint issues. It also has a slightly richer black to it. It's probably not at all visible in the pics below, either way I'm happy I grabbed a second one.

Only bad part of the new one (the one on the right) is the stupid nose insert that I already can't stand seems a little bit crooked. Need to see if it can be pushed in a bit.
DSC_0087.jpg
DSC_0088.jpg
 
^ it doesn't work for me for some reason I guess the HT body and outfit was made for this helmet sorry:slap

:dunno I think it looks pretty good. The hot toys figure looks better but the helmet really improves the stock sideshow figure.
 

Great photo!

My humble suggestion though is that if you're going for the force choke ("I find your lack of faith disturbing.") pose, I would recommend using the hand that has the two fingers curled. The particular hand you have on is indeed considered the "force choke" hand, but even though the other one has two fingers curled, I find the fingers are angled a bit better to give the illusion of a force choke.

I recall putting the "force choke" hand on mine when I first got my Vader and thinking that there was something off about it, that it didn't quite look like a "force choke". Despite the other one having two fingers curled, I tried that one and it looked much, much better.
 
I was thinking of trying and shaving down a bit on the back end and reinserting. It's not recessed enough. Worried I'd wreck the whole thing though.

yeah... that's what I'm thinking too. not so worried about wrecking it. I can fix if need be. I'll do it. I'll take the plunge for the team!!
 
Nonono! Do NOT lower the dome...the absence of the interior "eyebrow" ridge is achieved by blackening that edge, not lowering the dome...the original Anh helmet had black eyebrow edges....or eyelid out-facing edges underneath the dome....the dome is only low in very few parts of the film, but the iconic look of blackness in the eye area is achieved by the paint, not shadow or obscuring of the eyebrows/eyelid edge.

That said, hot toys messed up by not painting the interior of the eye sockets black also....

The helmet is all over the place from one scene to the next so there's no exact position it should be sitting. It's all about ones preference at the end of the day...
 
Finally got this great fig. Only thing that bugged me are the hands which are way too shiny (making them look darker then the leather). I ended up applying a small coat of tamiya dull coat and then an even smaller shiny coat to make it more uneven. It now blends much more nicely with the leather I think
 
For those interested here's the back of the belt with the pieces of velcro removed. Mine came off pretty easy and there's no need for them unless you intend to keep the fig stock. View attachment 245551

I might try that. Seems like people are starting to understand that the belt is valuable, I saw one on eBay earlier for $85.
 
I might try that. Seems like people are starting to understand that the belt is valuable, I saw one on eBay earlier for $85.

$85??? :horror

You can generally buy a sculpt for less than that. I paid $37 for my belt, and I thought even that was pushing it.
 
Here's a glove mod that would enable the switch out hands:

  • With some work, take apart Sideshow's Deluxe Vader gloves at the seam.

HandMod1.jpg
  • Cut off the gauntlet part, leaving a little to insert into HT Gauntlets.
  • The HT Peg will fit right it the SSC Hand.

HandMod2.jpg
  • Add Velcro or a non permanent adhesive (like Glue Dots) to the top of the joint chamber...may be shaved down a bit to fit how you like.
  • Insert.

HandMod3.jpgHandMod5.jpg

Depending on how you cut the hand there could be a little gap. You smart people will find a way to tweak this mod how you like it. But really...any plastic/rubber glove that's bulkier will look better and you might not have to do ANY cutting.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top