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[Welshtrooper]

Hi all just thought I would let you know what else I do, well firstly I am a member of the Galactic Knights Costuming Club and basically we go to events large and small around the country dressing up as various sci fi  characters(mostly Star Wars). My costume is a Shadow Stormtrooper from the Star Wars extended universe.

The Armour is by a firm caled FX its 3mm black ABS plastic and cost £430 but the blaster I made myself from PVC piping, some aluminium parts I made myself and some cast resin parts of Ebay.
Heres a closer pic of the Blaster


Secondly I am a member of staff in the Air Cadets, I am uniformed and I am Sqn Warrant Officer at my sqn in charge of discipline, uniforms and dril, although I am on long term leave at the moment and will not be rejoining my sqn till October at least.l

[DickyD]

No I mustn't. 

[catengineman]

No I mustn't. 

Why NOT??

[DickyD]

Oh come on !!!

[catengineman]

While I myself do not follow this hobby there are some that do and find as much if not more enjoyment from their chosen venture
I like yourself build and use model vessels, we find a level of enjoyment from this and so the Welshtrooper finds his in his way so why not !

I do know some that "scoff" at the likes of us model enthusiasts with sayings not unlike

 Ooh look at the OLD Grandads playing with their TOY boats..

I defend my hobby with the fact they are models and mostly scale sized and when you know the cost it is quite clear they are NOT TOYS.

R,

[Robert Davies]

Second pic looks surprisingly like a Sterling MkIV to me....

-Rob

[andyn]

I learnt at a very early age you do whatever makes you happy in life, forget what everyone else thinks

Inferred swearing as obvious as that is, I'm afraid, as unacceptable as swearing itself.

BB

[The long Build]

Superb outfit ,

[Welshtrooper]

Thanks Catengineman
I might add that we do the troops as we call them in return for donations to worthy charities of the organisers choice, these can be from a few hours in length to a whole weekend. We ask nothing for ourselves in money, just somewhere secure for our kit and a little food and water. The most recent high profile event was in Camber Sands on the south coast. The SFX magazine held there annual convention weekend and we were rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tom Baker, Elizabeth Sladen(DR Who) Gareth Lloyd Jones(Torchwood) and James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). We regularly meet up with Star Wars actors such as David Prowse, Kenny Baker and Peter Mayhew to name a few, who place us in high regard.



I say to those who might regard me as sad, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone"

The costumes we have are not the cheap of the peg stuff, some of these costumes value into the thousands of pounds so they are not toys either but made to look as close to film quality as possible alot of the time with very high detail which takes time to get right just the same as scale boats.

Robert you are pretty much spot on, it has the Sterling as a base but the scope is an M38 sightig scope of a Sherman tank. The box on the side is a Hengstler electromechanical counter used in logic control machinery but in this case it is the power pack for the scope and the targeting sensors which are the two cylinders on top of the mag receiver. The only thing missing off the blaster is the catch at the rear of the main receiver and the cooling fins which cover the vent holes in the front of the barrel.

The blaster took some 30 hours to make and in Star wars is called the Blastech E-11 Blaster Rifle

[Robert Davies]

Hello Graham!

Thanks for the info re: the Blaster

I'd no idea there was such a large interest in (re) creating the Troops.

-Rob

(from 35 miles to the right, and a few miles down a bit)

[Welshtrooper]

There is quite a big following actually Robert, The Galactic Knights has roughly about 200 members, but not all are active troopers, we are but one club around the country, there is also the Hollywood Heroes and the 501st UK Garrison to name a few others, how many they have I do not know but the 501st is by far the largest club going and are a branch of the 501st Garrison in America which is huge. Check out our website at www.galacticknights.co.uk, we also have one or two bits of footage on youtube.

[Welshtrooper]

heres a few general pics of us.

[bosun]

The other day at Margam Park, South Wales, they had a weekend where various re,enactment groups took part. They ranged from Cromwell Soldiers, 2nd world war German Soldiers complete with various relative vehicles, American Civil War Soldiers complete with fireing cannon ect, and many many more. They provide great entertainment for kids and adult,s There is also a lake where guys go and sail there boats, Each of these clubs/societies  have spent shed loads of money, on their relative interest,s, and apart from being very knowledgable about what they do, they will also readily spend time and talk to anyone interested in their hobby and to what they are about. They also raise a lot of money for various charities. I have no interest in re,enactment, but I say all credit to you guys, I am sure your world is a lot better than than the one we all have to live in, a bit of escapeism in any form cant be bad.
Bosun

[Welshtrooper]

Cheers Bosun

[Circlip]

Anything that scares the **** out of kids is good with me,  

  This IS the other hobbies and interests section ain't it??

  Thought I might have stumbled into the masterbuild area.

  Regards  Ian.

 Sorry Graham, only pickup, driLL

[Bunkerbarge]

I think these costumes are amazing and appeal to the desires of rather a lot of us to 'dress up'.  I personally would get a real buzz out of being an Imperial Stormtrooper but I'm not sure if my shape would lend itself to a costume, maybe I could be a Wookie

.......who said Jabba the Hut?

[Circlip]

Ewok 

[Sub driver]

Bunkerbarge....

Just think how much egg you could get in all that Fur !!!

Regards Sub.

[Sub driver]

Welshtrooper.

Absolutely brilliant Mate...

You keep up with it, never mind what any others say there the  " sad " ones ,  get out and enjoy every minute of it.

Regards the ATC.

 I spent many a happy year as a youngster going off flying , annual camp , etc , great stuff, pity more of the young ones dont do it..

Regards and " respect " Sub.  

[Welshtrooper]

Cheers Sub, nice to meet an ex cadet, I was a cadet for 4 years as a teenager but didnt rejoin until I was 30, but I have loved making a difference to some fantastic young people, plus I get to enjoy all the stuff the cadets get up to also.

[John W E]

well, with regard to other hobbies and interests out of 'shall we say' the extreme to some folk - having lived with Star Wars episodes having spent £X on life-like light sabers with sound effects; sending for specially turned alloy hilts for these from the USA - my son has moved on to his next stage.....airsoft where even more money is spent kitting out etc., what feels like the entire British Army; with realistic/authentic airsoft weapons - how would you like this bunch of young lads turning up in what appears to be an armoured vehicle - and for ones son to walk out into the street with all the gear - see what ya think  

[Circlip]

Omitted to mention ATC connection,F/S and it was down to GCE 's that stopped me from devoting enough time to accept Cdt W/O.

  Comment passed on eldests Batchelor do by his prospective Father in law (Ex RAF storeman) when he found I'd been in ATC, "Oh yes, BOYs playing at Air Force"

  The egg dribbled down his face when I asked how many Chippies, Sedburghs and Mk3 sticks he'd waggled at 16 years old and when he got his Gliding "C" and when did HE qualify for his RAF Marksman??

  Do you have to be "Vetted" by the plods for ATC and the kids connection Graham??

[Welshtrooper]

Yes CRB, and CTC(Counter Terrorist Check) plus a renewal of service every 4 years. I hopefully get my long service medal in 2 or 3 years time, depending on whether they take my year's leave into consideration for it. I hold a marksman on the .22 also, just the Sqn marksman though.

[Nordsee]

Second pic looks surprisingly like a Sterling MkIV to me....

-Rob

I agree, I reckon that if you went into Barclays bank with that inside your coat, you would discover how quickly they react to a Bank robbery! Not recommended to walk the Streets carrying that!!

[Welshtrooper]

I,m afraid you airsoft guys would not be covered under the re enactmant clause on carrying weapons in public as they are classed as a firearm to some extent whereas our weapons are not designed to fire through construction and so are not classed as firearms, although we dont even carry them out of costume for fear of them being mistaken as firearms, especially the larger blasters which are based on WW2 machineguns. I must however say I,m imressed by the selection of weapons in the picture, Ive only had the pleasure of firing the .22 No8 Lee Enfield and the 5.56 L98 Cadet Rifle myself.