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

[wax murderer]

I'm having no problems with my electronics,other than getting the batteries in;once in place all worked fine,with great volume on the voice and a nice bright saber.One of the belt boxes does tend to swing out at the outer side,but this is minor;I'm thinking I might emulate my full scale boxes and add verticals between the pegs to keep it in place.Also removed the wires from the robe;hangs much better now.
My main bit of work has been to the droid base.The rather flimsy vac-formed piece wasn't doing it for me,so I worked on it a bit...

I beefed up the walls with cut styrene and added some internal bracing to give it a bit more strength and weight

then poured a small amount of resin to give the top a bit more rigidity.The resin was some craptastic old Smooth-On that I wouldn't even consider using for anything serious,but for this it was fine.The droid is now much more stable on it's base,thank you.
Overall I'm very happy with this guy.Suit is well made and fits like the 1/1,which was not overly snug(hell,it looks better than mine).I have noticed one inconsistency that I find a little amusing.HT went to such pains to duplicate the"hand-painted"aspect of the mask, but completely ignored the same detail on the armor,which was if anything even more so.Not that i intend to try to emulate this;techniques to make something read better on film are not always best for in hand pieces.the sad fact is that a lot of film props that look fantastic on the screen look like crap in person...PS

 

[momaw]

Unpacked my Vader this morning and like everyone else am very impressed with it. I did the chest mods to lessen the gap between chest armor, chest box and belt. Belt batteries where a royal pain. Took me ages until I figured out an easy trick. I didn't even bother checking the sound function.

For those on the fence between this and the Sideshow Deluxe, here is a pic of the SS with the Hot Toys helmet:

The two helmets side by side (Hot Toys on the left and Sideshow Deluxe on the right):

And lastly a side by side of the full figures (Hot Toys on the left and Sideshow Deluxe on the right):

Several fighters have broken off from the main group. Come with me.

No pictures!

 

[Wor-Gar]

HT Surprise Pack! Collect them all!!!!

Clown Shape!

 

[earthdog]

Unpacked my Vader this morning and like everyone else am very impressed with it. I did the chest mods to lessen the gap between chest armor, chest box and belt. Belt batteries where a royal pain. Took me ages until I figured out an easy trick. I didn't even bother checking the sound function.

For those on the fence between this and the Sideshow Deluxe, here is a pic of the SS with the Hot Toys helmet:

Thanks for all the great photos. The comparison pics and this head swap provide excellent references.

 

[Matt S]

Awesome pics...having issue w assembly of the interrogator droid. Attached all pieces except one clap one....no clue where it goes, and the black and white pics not too helpful!

 

[momaw]

Awesome pics...having issue w assembly of the interrogator droid. Attached all pieces except one clap one....no clue where it goes, and the black and white pics not too helpful!

If it's the one I think it is, it goes in the back of the "eye" at the top of the droid. Literally in the eye.

 

[Matt S]

If it's the one I think it is, it goes in the back of the "eye" at the top of the droid. Literally in the eye.

Thanks - just got it...yeah, you really can't see the slot for that one at all........will say that this add on looks pretty ominous - gonna pose it with Leia once she arrives! Thanks, Momaw!

 

[hobbitjedi]

Can you point me towards how the mods that you did were done?
And how does the belt come off?
Thanks!

 

[Clo4k4ndD4gger]

I still can't find it. I even shined a flashlight into the eye and I can't see anything. I feel like the world's biggest ***** right now.

Nevermind, I was trying to put it in at the top of the eye. Didn't realize there was a slot cut in the side of it right above the little white markings that look like an = turned on its end.

Thanks - just got it...yeah, you really can't see the slot for that one at all........will say that this add on looks pretty ominous - gonna pose it with Leia once she arrives! Thanks, Momaw!

 

[K1NG J0RDAN]

Thanks for the comparison pics, momaw.

 

[K1NG J0RDAN]

Gave the right troop an E-11 blaster and switched the left troop's hands so he isn't aiming his gun at Vader's back.

 

[Matt S]

I still can't find it. I even shined a flashlight into the eye and I can't see anything. I feel like the world's biggest ***** right now.

Nevermind, I was trying to put it in at the top of the eye. Didn't realize there was a slot cut in the side of it right above the little white markings that look like an = turned on its end.

Definitely a hard to see little spot; glad you got it....

 

[momaw]

Can you point me towards how the mods that you did were done?
And how does the belt come off?
Thanks!

They was a video earlier in the thread but no idea how far back.

edit: about 8 mins into this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXYiVavPBZ8

They belt unlatches on the left side.

 

[parrasmaniac]

Thank you for these pics! I already asked matrix member to do this, but it is always nice to see more pics.
I think there is a big improvement on the Sideshow with the Hot Toys helmet and dome, even if the need for a bulkier body seems now higher with to compensate the bigger HT helmet.

However, so far the helmets available in ebay are skyrocketing in price, and the looks of the helmet are not ESB or ROTJ... the helmet still needs one tusk painted, the dome needs more shine and the paintjob less weathering... but if the price was good, I would have already jumped on one.

 

[Aliaz]

No pictures!

Cool idea and picture.

 

[airborn007]

Why HT have the belt electronics light up feature but not his chest just doesn't make sense.

 

[momaw]

Why HT have the belt electronics light up feature but not his chest just doesn't make sense.

Because in ep4 only his belt lit up. It's screen accurate.

 

[airborn007]

Because in ep4 only his belt lit up. It's screen accurate.

OMG....I never did pay attention to that lmao....I learned something new.

 

[mustang33guy]

Hey guys! So after I thought I had a defective figure with one leg longer than the other I fiddled around with it one more time before I decided to send it back for a new one. And I'm glad I did because the boot peg inside his foot was crooked or not snapped in properly so after fussing with that I finally got it to snap back into place to make his feet level. Now he's able to stand and looking awesome! I'm really glad I was able to remedy the issue because I would prefer not to have to send this guy back for something silly I had the potential to fix myself. Anyways here are a few pics in poor overhead lighting just to start. I'll post more pics when I have him at my office all set up

 

[Purdy]

Finally set this up yesterday.

Holy **** what a pain it was, changing the arm was absolutely brutal. Batteries were actually not that bad but the ones in the torso just stop working, 3 times I've put them in and they work, put everything back on, move it around a bit and the switch does nothing =\.

My first ever hot toy I've set up and really love it but Christ was worried I was going to break half the things