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E-FX Collectibles PCR/"Collectors Edition"
ESB Stormtrooper Helmet |
Back in 2007, Master Replicas
produced a "Collectors Edition" (read "budget") Stormtrooper
Helmet (see page here) to
address the lower end of the costuming market. Made from vac-formed ABS it
wasn't the most accurate helmet - having a symmetrical and somewhat
idealised appearance - but selling at $120 (and even lower around the time)
it was a welcome addition to the licensed market. Before Master Replicas
left the Star Wars market a few months later they had sold a shed-load of
them - with fans pleased to be able to buy a decent low-cost licensed
trooping helmet.
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Fast-forward to 2010 and e-FX Collectibles has decided to revisit this
helmet and using the same moulds, processes (and probably factory in China),
they've produced a very-slightly different ESB Version to coincide with the
movie's 30th Anniversary. My God, 30 years! - has it really been that long?
Its actually called their PCR - Precision Cast Replica,
however we're calling it the CE to bring it into line with the Master
Replicas range since its effectively the same helmet.
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So the e-FX version, is almost exactly the same a the MR
"CE" lid - bar a few minor differences (such as the obvious black ESB style
frown) - although we understand they are looking to make a few changes to
the ears as well. However due to the manufacture process (and the fact that
as mentioned earlier the moulds will be effectively the same) the seam
running across the frown on the MR version will be the same here with the
e-FX.Below a comparison shot against the old Master Replicas
Collectors Edition version (full review
here)......see it's the same! |
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In reality we all know what we're getting
here, since it's effectively just another run of the very popular Master
Replicas Collectors helmet - which will at the very least ensure we
don't see such inflated prices on eBay. Again just to reiterate the point that you shouldn't confuse these "Collectors
Edition" helmets with the more expensive Deluxe "Limited Edition"
Stormtrooper Helmets made by both Master Replicas and e-FX - and both made
of fiberglass with an higher build quality and accuracy. |
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| Released July-Aug 2010 it retailed at around $160. At the same time e-FX will be producing an all black Shadow Trooper
version of this helmet (again out of ABS) which will be sold exclusively by Cozmic Toyz and limited to 501 - after the SW costuming group.
We've just added a page on that helmet
here..... Below, one final shot of this helmet. From the side you can
see the line splitting the cap/back sections - as well as the line running
down the jaw which splits the lower mouth section from the face. Splitting
the helmet up into sections was done to ease production, and for a
lower-cost helmet like this was probably a good way to help them deliver a
really nice looking helmet at an affordable price. |
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E-FX Collectibles PCR/"Collectors Edition"
ANH Sandtrooper Helmet
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| Just to prove there was plenty more life left in those
moulds, in 2011 E-FX decided to do another low-cost Collectors Stormtrooper
helmet - this time an ANH Sandtrooper version |
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| Above, well the promo photo's made it look rather good -
although the problem was that that was taken of the hand-painted prototype -
whereas the production helmets that came out of the factory in China had a
paint job more reminiscent of a proctologists safety mask. |
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| Thanks to SW Collectorbase for the photo - you'd think
they'd given it a wipe down before taking the the photo's though. |
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Back to
Stormtrooper Menu here
or
e-FX
Collectibles page Here
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