Introducing Spitfire Company 3D Print + EVA foam

[SI3RRA 117]

Hey everyone, so I guess this is it. My latest work in progress. Been holding this one in my back pocket for a bit. But I've got one helmet almost completed and couldn't wait ......... and a little nudge from PerniciousDuke
I had recently completed my very first build for Halloween last year. It was the H3 MKVI. ( well almost complete - I never did finish the boots). Anyway my 2 boys and their best friend were quite jealous I showed them up on Halloween. So they asked me to build them some armor. So typical dad response ya no problem I have a whole year!! Well here I am 1/2 a year or more later and I don't have much to show. At some point here (sorry I lose track of time easily) I picked up a 3D printer. I won't go on with my whole learning how to 3d print story. I'll just say it's not as easy as I had initially thought.

So first I'll start with the helmets. I am hoping to knock out the helmets and chests first. I think these will be the most time consuming so I wanted them out of the way. So this is what we've got so far......These won't be super detailed as I'm very new to the modeling aspect of the 3d printing. Plus I'm really going to be strapped for time building 3 sets of armor. But overall I think these are turning out much better then my first build.

Here are the helmets -

We have the H5 Deadeye almost completed needsthe secondary red and some weathering then lights padding visor and so on and so on......so pictures

And then the H5 Teishin this is all printed and assembled needs seam work and a lot of sanding. Originally this came put way larger then anticipated. But I think it'll be ok not too bobbleheadeshhss(something like that). I'll get a photo up with someone wherein it at a later date.

And then.....helmet #3 H5 Warmaster pretty much ready to be scaled and cut for printing...(sorry for the cellphone pic of s computer screen but I'm doing this post on my phone).

CIO chest and tech suits

Anyway that's it so far. I'd also like to thank everyone here for all of the files, the community and the inspirations. Thank you the 405th....
Phewwww i guess first post out of the way. Sorry for the long read folks there's a lot more to the story but I think that's enough for the first post. Plus everyone here I'm sure is well aware of the ups and downs of costume building.

 

[Strider]

Wow, nice prints! And a fantastic looking techsuit to boot. Great work.
Fireteam Spitfire sounds fine to me!

 

[mblackwell1002]

You should call yourselves "the fire-ers of spit fireteam" be sure to pronounce fireteam really southern like "Fayrteam"

Ok, not really. I am definitely a bad person to listen to. But I do think Fayrteam Spitfire has a nice ring to it. OOH! And make the Sharktooth grin AR. This is the AR skin I use as well.

This is the WWII British Supermarine Spitfire:

Of course, you probably see the similarities, huh?

That deadeye helmet looks really nice. The glossy colors look really nice. It just needs a little weathering.

You should get your kids and kid's friend to help out a little with sanding. It'll give you a break and give your kids more respect for the hard work you've done. They will also appreciate the costumes themselves more saying they helped make them. I'm just saying, it's no fun doing 3 suits alone.

Anyway, very nice techsuits! Did you use files for those?

 

[PerniciousDuke]

What? You had more photos of more pieces?? Glad you posted!

If I remember correctly they are PLA.. What do you use to smooth them? Just sandpaper them down or did you use filler? They both came out wicked cool. The Deadeye is seemless. Looking forward to seeing more.

As for your squad. I think you're fine sticking with Company. You can make up a story of how you are the last of the company. Or, I also know there are not many 405thers near you so you could open it up for others around you to join your company if they make their own armor (key words=they make it).

I also agree with Blackwell, someone needs to have the shark tooth AR skin.

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Thanks Sierra 107 , mblackwell1002, and PerniciousDuke.

Ya the Supermarine Spitfire is where Spitfire company stems from. I have a thing for WWII warbirds. Even had the shark teeth on my race cars I too rock the shark tooth AR. Someone will def be sporting one at some point. H5 has the skin for the Magnum too.

Yes im printing in PLA and to smooth them I just sand them with 60grit and some filler primer gets most of the print lines out. I print at .2mm to save time. My printer can do .07mm supposedly but triples print times. And yes kids will definitely be getting their fair share of sanding in the near future.

As for seams i used bondo to clean them up. I used plastic epoxy to assemble the helmets and I feel they are fragile. I dropped a piece once and the pieces exploded. So the chest I've gone with tacking the pieces with super glue. Then melting the seams together with a soldering pen.

The tech suits are based off mawrTRON s file he posted in his build. His file is basically the center cod piece as you see for the 3rd larger tech suit. Then I just free handed some templates for rest to get the wrap around effect.

I still need to do this for a 3rd tech suit but he's bigger then my boys so I need to make a torso dummy of him to make the templates.

Thanks all - more to come soon

 

[mblackwell1002]

Yeah! Sharktooth grins! I actually really hate the Magnum sharktooth grin. I looks all disproportional and weird...so I don't use it. I think I'll be waiting on you to paint your AR first, I want to see what you do. I have an AR and Magnum in the works...so you first, test dummy!

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Yeah! Sharktooth grins! I actually really hate the Magnum sharktooth grin. I looks all disproportional and weird...so I don't use it. I think I'll be waiting on you to paint your AR first, I want to see what you do. I have an AR and Magnum in the works...so you first, test dummy!

Ya I agree it does look much better on the AR. I will be printing your AR but I have a lot of armor pieces to do first. So it might be a while Wish I had 3 printers
Edit- I think that warmaster helmet is up next on the printing list.

 

[mblackwell1002]

Well, I meant I'm printing my AR and Kaween's magnum. Kaween's magnum had some issues that needed fixing, so if you want the fixed files, I've got 'em.
I plan on adding some detail to his models as well. There's a few slotted details that need adding.
I have a feeling that I'll be updating my AR as well, so let me know before you print it and I'll update it a little with missed details. (Thank goodness for in-game models to use as reference)

Haha, I wish we all had 3 printers.

 

[SI3RRA 117]

I guess while I'm on tonight I'll post what little progress I've made with my builds.

Have the whole CIO chest printed out - working on assembling all printed pieces at the moment. I'll post a pic of that once it's all assembled. Bummed tho, just as a finished printing this H4 CIO they posted the H5 asset that has soooo much more detail. Oh well

Next I have started some seam clean up on the Teishin helm. I really went wrong with the seams on this one....I must have had some small misalignments at the start and then it snowballed from there. Plus I epoxied the prints together .So I have a lot of bondo and sanding to do

And then..... the H5 Warmaster helmet thus far.

I am pumped with the way this one is turning out. Even tho I'm scared I may have sized it a bit small using armorsmith. Here's what I'm pumped about I have found a new way of piecing my prints together. I never like the idea of glueing with epoxy or any type of glue for my PLA and I don't see being able to have success with ABS on my printer. So I actually dropped the Teishin once when it was half together and it exploded on every seam.So I set out to find a better way and I think I've found it. I have started melting my pieces together using a soldiering pen basically welding them. I go right heavy and deep on the inside seams and light and easy on the outside seams. Result is much stronger bond and cleaner seams. This won't explode when dropped
Here's my inside seams

Here's the outside - should be easy to clean up with a small amount of bondo or maybe even just spot putty.

Well that's all for now.... hope to have a little more to show next time . Once I get my printer straightened out again

 

[SI3RRA 117]

So small update :
My printer is down at the moment so I've been picking away at finishing up the pieces I have printed
So got the Teishin painted up (not my choice of colors but oh well it's not my armor) Started doing some heavy wear and tear on the piece. Still needs some dry brushing and maybe some brown and black washes. I don't know I'm a little up in the air on the weathering. Thinking it might be a little much? Sorry for the poor quality garage lighting and the mess in the background.

And en I've finally got the CIO chest basically ready for some filler primer.

So next update should have the chest all painted and togther. Maybe have one tech suit/ abdominal piece painted up and a test fit with the chest

 

[mblackwell1002]

So small update :
My printer is down at the moment so I've been picking away at finishing up the pieces I have printed
So got the Teishin painted up (not my choice of colors but oh well it's not my armor) Started doing some heavy wear and tear on the piece. Still needs some dry brushing and maybe some brown and black washes. I don't know I'm littlemup in the armor the weathering. Thinking it muggy be a little much? Sorry for the poor quality garage lighting and the mess in the background.
View attachment 247870
View attachment 247871
View attachment 247872

And en I've finally got the CIO chest basically ready for some filler primer.
View attachment 247873
So next update should have the chest all painted and togther. Maybe have one tech suit/ abdominal piece painted up and a test fit with the chest

Dude, yesterday I was thinking: "I wonder when SI3RRA will post some progress on Spitfire company..." I actually was gonna message you about it! BANG, I wake up this morning and here it is. lol. Speaking of, I should probably update my Warlock build in a day or 2...

Looks Papeesheewoosh, man! The Teishin weathering looks pretty realistic! Some kids have a strange taste in color, though. lol, JK, jk!

I do look forward to that War Master helmet! It's one of my favs and it looks ever so Papeesheewoosh. I hope it ends up cherry red like a Ferrari, but it's not my armor lol.

Anyway, I look forward to more progress!

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Yes mblackwell1002 needs an update put the H5 down for a minute and post it lol. Sorry to disappoint he Warmaster is going be orange and white similar to cover photo of Spartan Strike. Which I don't mind so much, ya the black and gold I was like "really?? Ok I suppose". But in the end the primary color being black saved me from masking the detail on the mouth section of the Teishin. Would have been a pain.......

 

[mblackwell1002]

Yes mblackwell1002 needs an update put the H5 down for a minute and post it lol. Sorry to disappoint he Warmaster is going be orange and white similar to cover photo of Spartan Strike. Which I don't mind so much, ya the black and gold I was like "really?? Ok I suppose". But in the end the primary color being black saved me from masking the detail on the mouth section of the Teishin. Would have been a pain.......

Yes! the spartan strike helmet looks Papeesheewoosh as well! Good choice in color!

 

[Reclaimara]

It looks nice! I like how gold parts are weathered.

And I'm looking forward to that Spartan Strike-ish helmet. <3

 

[PerniciousDuke]

That guy has seen some things. It's a lot, but I like it. You have small, medium and deep scratches and not too much of any one. Well done.
Looking forward to more. Keep pushing my friend.

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Alright I know I already posted the Teishin but I wasn't really happy with it. So I knocked down the gloss with some really fine sand paper and a black wash and I think it made a huge difference especially knocking down the gold. So now just needs a gold visor. Still need to make that vacuum forming table/box for that. Anyway here's the finished paint in the Teishin

 

[PerniciousDuke]

Nice. Hit me up, we can jump on live and I'll give you some tips on building a vacuum former. You'll want to order the plastic, it's hard to find the right stuff in stores.

Good choice on the sanding. It was my only comment from before, he's been through so much yet the gold is still really shiny. But, it wasn't for you so I didn't say anything.

 

[SI3RRA 117]

So I might have lied about what my next update will be. Still working in the CIO chest- needs some more sanding. But in the mean time I have pretty much finished the Teishin and Deadeye helmets. To the point that they just need visors even installed the lights. I know the Teishin in he game doesn't have leds except for the rear AI interface piece or what ever you call it. But the kids all want lights on their helmets so had to improvise. So her they are ......

Finally got parts coming for my printer, should be up and running this weekend
Until next time.

 

[SI3RRA 117]

Another small update: With only 2 pieces left to print the Warmaster helmet is really starting to come together. Don't mind the ugly blue filament-I was stuck using it. Another snag is the visor buck or bust (not sure exactly what it's called) doesn't fit as nice as I had hoped. So I have some trimming to do for that. Worse part is it's 4mm of solid PLA, it's not going to play nicely. Also I did start spraying some Spartan Strike orange tonight so hopefully can showcase that in the next update.

 

[Reclaimara]

You could always heat up those parts which seem to be bent a bit in order to fit the visor.
PLA loves/hates heat, it'll quickly give in, so much quicker than resin and so much less resistant to heat.